Spain - Passing Through - Part I

October 2008

Last autumn we were in Spain for only a brief while, approximately 2–3 days, passing through on the way to Portugal and back. We travelled by tourist coach with the company "Fēnikss" (by the way, I wouldn't recommend this operator to anyone - for the first time in my life we got so thoroughly "burned"). The autumnal weather - rare rays of sunshine, a fine drizzle flickering from time to time, fog - was not exactly the best ally. There was a real lack of air in the coach. I began to reflect that this was probably going to be my last long-distance journey by tourist coach (the whole round trip being 1,100 km in total).

In the past I used to regard such journeys as an opportunity to be idle, to read some newly purchased book I had brought along, or simply to stare blankly out the window and think about many things. This time it was different - many things were irritating. I felt the idleness as a barren, uncreative period. On the other hand I reached a conclusion for myself - it is easier to strive towards and climb to a higher bar, accompanied by excitement, ambition, and the desire for achievement. To lower one's demands of people, environment, comfort, and convenience - that requires a certain willpower, resolve, and also wisdom, so as not to slide into resentment. And this thought is not applicable only to this particular journey, but to absolutely everything - relationships, career, clothing, coffee, etc.

Already in the afternoon we arrived at the first city along the way - BURGOS - to visit the third largest cathedral in Spain and wander through the old town lanes. It was fairly damp, only +6°C.

La Catedral de Burgos is truly impressive, both in its scale and as a treasury of art and cultural values. Built and rebuilt between the 13th and 19th centuries, with a lavishly decorated entrance doorway. The entrance ticket per visitor cost 3 EUR, though it seemed that with the expression of a genuine worshipper one could also visit the cathedral for free.

The breadth of the vaulted ceilings, the grandeur of the massive columns reaching to the sky, and the lavish gilding of the altars are beyond description.

Alongside the many clergy, in one of the cathedral halls the Spanish national hero El Cid is buried together with his beloved.

Since travelling around Europe we have visited quite a few churches, certain details in this cathedral seemed different and distinctive. For instance, icons in which the Virgin Mary is dressed in a bright red garment, contrary to the usual white and sky blue. Also the cathedral's prayer room with many mirrors placed on both sides of the holy images arranged evenly along the walls.

As confirmation that Spain has long been a seafaring great power, in the cathedral on a pedestal stands a little angel holding a small fish. :) Moreover, in the ceiling paintings of another room one can readily make out our own instantly recognisable Latvian morning-star (auseklis) symbols.

Having refreshed our souls with spiritual nourishment, we went to taste something for the stomach's pleasure as well. An interesting discovery and our first experience of pronouncing dish names in Spanish was Cervecerías La Mejillonera. There we tasted calamari rings, grilled baby octopus, and mussels in their shells (sorry if anyone feels queasy, but we love seafood) with a white flour sauce, accompanied by white bread generously toasted with garlic. The mussel portion was called Marinero - I remember that quite clearly, as I tried to pronounce it as closely as possible to the pronunciation heard in Latin American TV series. Oddly enough, they understood. :)

The most pleasant surprise that day was the accommodation near a small Spanish town, which the bus drivers eventually found - after an hour of wandering - at around 23:00.

It was a motel furnished in an ancient style with heavy, wrought door latches, wooden window shutters, lanterns, stone walls and wooden plank floors. The hotel was built relatively recently - in 1976 - but in a rarely restrained style. We jokingly called it the Templar fortress, because the coat of arms, visible everywhere from the room key to the table napkins and bathroom towels, was adorned with a T letter encircled in chains like a shield. The motel's name was also quite suggestive - Temple Pradorrey.

Despite the late midnight hour, the kind bartender let us taste both cerveza (beer) and vino tinto (red wine).
For travellers and those interested, the hotel's details -

Motel Temple Pradorrey

Cha. N-VI Madrid-Coruna, km.329,

24700 Astorga (Leon),

telf.987 615 729.