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Published: October 12th 2015
Sculpture symbolizing the evolution of humankind
This is in the park along the river near our Hotel Silken. 7 September 2015, Monday
It is a lazy morning and so wonderful not to have to rise, have bags down by eight, and be pounding the pavement, always heading west. While we are enjoying a delicious breakfast, Cam and Marie come by to say farewell. They are on the way to the Meseta today while we have a rest day. We will miss them as they are great fun and we have enjoyed hearing about the Calgary, Canada area.
We hear from Oscar and Jonathan. They will be in Burgos today and we arrange to meet at the little chapel, Divina Pastora Assoc. for the Pilgrim's Mass.
So, we decide to find a supermarket across the river. It is quite an inclusive market and we are happy to find bags of nuts and trail mix as well as fruit.
Coming back we see a big post office and decide to buy some post card stamps. This turns out to be rather a long process and we are sent from one person to another. It is a very busy place. As in U.S. Post offices, they were selling items other than those strictly related to post items. There
This Russian cycling team Van
They were there for some big race. It was parked exactly in front of the door to the hotel so had to go around it to get in. During the day even more vehicles joined it around the door of the hotel. are some UNICEF articles as well as items with post office logos. One thing that catches my attention is the post system has their own variation on the Camino credential and one is able to go into post offices along the Camino and have a post office variation of the credential stamped! Very creative.
Burgos is a fascinating city of around 180,000. I quote from Brierley's book to give you a feel for the city. "Sometimes referred to as the Gothic capital of Spain, it was also the seat of Frqnco's Government until 1938, an indication of its nationalist and establishment leanings. It was, after all, named after its heavy defensive town towers
Burgos and was home to the warlord El Cid." We did not take the tram tour of the town or walk to the castle at the top of the hill. We find the impressive Arco de Santa Maria, the medieval entrance, dating back to the 14th century from the Puente (bridge) de Santa Maria, which joins the linear park that runs along the banks the rio Arlazon. This is the never-ending park by which we entered the city yesterday.
We find a little spot for
Arco de Santa Maria
Medieval entrance, dating back to 14th Century, into the old city of Burgos. some tapas so we will be fueled for our visit to the Cathedral.
We finally get to the cathedral for the big visit. Cathedral de Santa Maria XIII century is the second largest cathedral in Spain. It melds many different styles as it was constructed over several hundred years although it would probably, if needing classification, be termed Gothic. One captivating feature is its twenty-one chapels, all very unique. The closed north door has the exquisite Renaissance Golden Staircase. At the transept crossing, directly underneath the huge star lantern at the heart of the cathedral, lie El Cid and his wife. We spend several awe-inspired hours in the building and then retreat.
We wend our way to meet Oscar and Jonathan, only to learn we have given them the wrong time for the pilgrim's mass; it was an hour earlier. We do feel badly about this and later I read it is the highlight for many on the Camino. We decide to eat in the square where we ate the night before. Now we have time to make the Pilgrim's Mass at the cathedral. We enter the side chapel and Oscar, the Catholic in the group, marches us
Model showing the details of the exterior of the Cathedral
This was in the basement museum with many other details on the construction and restoration work. up to the third row. This is an entirely different mass. At the last minute the priest and his assistant enter and give the service. I am feeling as uncomfortable as the assistant looks! It is emotionally draining to sit through the service having no clue as to what is going on. The priest and his assistant end the service and quickly disappear, not to be seen again! Oscar ushers us out and we decide to enjoy a coffee before saying goodby. This evening we have found out that Jonathan works for a governmental agency that enables people to learn how to handle their money, keep out of debt and pay their bills. Oscar, the young man with many faces and originally from Barcelona, formerly ran a small chain of cinemas. He says there is still a market for high quality films that are not either the Disney type or the big studio productions. But, now he is 'Constable Oscar.' The English police departments have turned to using a system that has been in place within the English legal system for many years but is having new life breathed into it. Trying to cut down on the 'coppers on the
beat' they are now using the constable system as an intermediary level to screen whether calls to the police actually warrant a policeman being sent out to investigate or can the problem be handled over the phone. All constables are highly trained in the British legal system and psychology. Oscar is quite the dramatic and when I ask him for examples of what might happen in a 'typical day' which is never 'typical,' we are left in paroxysm of laughter. I tell him, seriously, I think there is the makings for a English Telly series, I just don't know if it would be a comedy or a mystery series--and only Oscar could play himself!!
All too soon, time for another farewell. By the way, Jonathan has an vacation apt in Venice for rent if anyone is interested!
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