Finisterre tour & Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela and Finisterre tour

Stayed my first night in Santiago in a large, modern, impersonal hotel about 30 minutes walk from the town centre (But it did have scrambled eggs available on the breakfast buffet, which were tasty).

Was booked for the next two nights to stay in a private room in an Airbnb apartment very centrally located only 3 minutes walk from the Cathedral.

So that first morning I walked in to town and left my red bag at the apartment before I left on the bus trip to Finisterre and Muxia. 

The lady who owned the third floor apartment was charming and welcoming, and I really enjoyed my stay there. It was on the 3rd floor with a tiny balcony looking over stonewalled back yards to wooded hills at the edge of the city.

The bus for the Finisterre tour was modern and high, affording good views, especially as I managed to score a front row seat. The lady beside me, Maria, was a cardiac research nurse specialist from Mexico who had reasonable English, so we had interesting conversations. The guide, Mario, was an English speaking Spaniard, with good knowledge of all the sites we visited.

As we left Santiago he suggested we look back to see the spires of the cathedral, which are very high. No building can be constructed in Santiago which is higher than those spires. 600,000 pilgrims arrived on the various Caminos last year to Masses at the Cathedral, and to view them.

First stop was at a small village named Ames, which had a very old stone bridge, Puente Meceira, a wide weir on the river and one of the oldest Oreos (that is the correct name for the grain storage granaries - it isn't the biscuits!) in Spain. Quaint small village.

Elegant windmills

As we approached Carmota, there were numerous windmill farms, similar to ours just north of Wellington, and soon after we had our first view of the coast and Atlantic Ocean.

Holy Water font

Stopped at Muros, a seaside village on a slope running down to the sea. Climbed up the hill to visit the church of St Mary in the Field. The interior of the church resembles the inverted keel of a boat. It symbolises the spirituality of a congregation tied to the sea.

Baptismal font with coiled snal

The baptismal font has a coiled marble snake in it. Legend has it that because babies are born with original sin, the snake purifies the holy water before they are baptised in it.

St Anthony & baby Jesus

Saints Mark and Jerome

Interior of St Mary in the Field Gothic Church

Glass casket!

Original Papal Bulletin

I walked up a very old spiral stone staircase to the top of the tower to view the town. 

Way out in the harbour were mussel farms. I mentioned earlier that I was surprised to see stands of eucalyptus trees along The Way as we wlked across Spain. We were told that they were introduced from Australia in the 1800s and planted for their fast growing properties. It is they which are used for the mussel farm (3,000) and oyster(500) platforms. The gums are also used for paper and pulp.

At Ezaro waterfall

Impressive rock face

We then had a walk to the Ezaro Waterfall near Dumbria. It is the only place in Europe where a river enters the sea as a waterfall. It didn't do that for some years when a hydro- electric company persuaded the local council to let it harness the water through pipes to generate electricity. There was much controversy, so that in the 1980s a compromise was reached - half the water reverted to the waterfall, and the rest makes electricity. The hills around the waterfall were covered in huge slabs of rock.

Finisterre on the Atlantic coast was our next stop. Long ago residents believed that this was the edge of the world, hence the name. Our guide said that it is on the same latitude as New York, and on a really clear day the Statue of Liberty can be seen. Yeah, right. It is 5,235Kms away.

Finisterre is said to be where the stone boat carrying St James casket berthed. Legend has it that a large shaped stone on the shore is part of the original hull. Beats me how it would float, but who knows. Miracles do happen! 

Leisurely lunch with Mexican friends at Finisterre

 

All pilgims who walk the Camino collect stamps in their Pilgrim's Passport along The Way. I got mine from wherever I stayed, and either a church I went to or some other place of interest. When I went back to the central city at 6.50pm, I lined up at the Pilgrims Office to collect my Compostella, a certificate in Latin, which pilgrims who have completed at least 100Km on foot, or 200kms on a cycle, are entitled to. I was fortunate that the queue at that time was short, and I walked out with mine 30 minutes later.

I had talked to others who had waited over three hours earlier in the day.

The next day I enjoyed exploring Santiago de Compostela. First stop was an English language Mass in a chapel at the cathedral. Celebrated by a tall red headed and bearded Irishman, he started by suggesting we go around, say our name,where we we from, and where we started our Camino. So that was interesting. I was the only Kiwi, but there were two Aussies. Lovely Mass. Nice way to start the day. I then had a good look around the cathedral, which is very lavish in some of the side chapels, and especially around the main altar. There is a huge statue of Saint James behind the main altar, and pilgrims may walk up a flight of stairs behind him to place hands on his shoulders and venerate him.

Not knowing about the stairs at that time, it was a bit disconcerting to see hands suddenly appear on this high statues shoulders during the midday Mass the day I arrived. 

​As you will see in the photos, one of the main towers at the north entrance has scaffolding all around it while the stonework undergoes cleaning. So while that is happening the main entrance is closed also, so we couldn't see all of its frescoes and features. The cathedral has had several predecessors, the first being erected over St James tomb. The present one was started in 1073, and took 100 years to build. The workmanship is impressive, especially when they had none of the modern cranes etc used for today's constructions.

I then looked at art galleries, museums, and other ancient churches. My favourite place was the Galician Historic Museum. It had a huge collection of old artefacts, tools, clothes, books etc, and had detailed displays and descriptions of how they had been used in former times. Some were: blacksmith's forge, bootmaker's shop, and a classroom with slates on the old desks. I walked around Santiago looking up around the top of the historic buildings, which had some very detailed pediments, towers and effigies. 

Pilgrimage is an archetypical experience, which means it calls to people across time and traditions. Whether we make an inward or outward journey, pilgrimage is essentially a series of practices for being fully present to life in the midst of joy and struggle. These practices help to cultivate freedom within to respond to God's calling. 
~  Christine Valters Paintner

Barcelona

Barcelona 24 - 26 May

With only one station change I arrived in the city directly opposite my Airbnb accommodation in a seven floor apartment building.

View from AirBnB Apartment

An ancient lift delivered me safely to the sixth floor. My room was spacious and comfortable with city views.

Slept well and set off sightseeing early on Friday to make the most of my day. A few drops of rain early looked ominous but fortunately it cleared and by 10am the sun was shining. I purchased a ten trip ticket which could be used on either the metro or buses. Metro trains are on time, frequent, fast and usually crowded. However they are just a means of getting from A to B as they are all underground, so I mainly used buses so that I could see something of the city.

Chapel at Cathedral

Sarcophagus

Highlights of the day were:

BARCELONA  GOTHIC. CATHEDRAL

I went to Mass in the side Chapel of the Holy Sacrament and of the Holy Christ of Lepanto which contains a cross said to date from the time of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. It also had a very elaborate coffin behind the altar which had a likeness of its

inhabitant lying on top of it! Mass was celebrated by three priests. The one who lead the singing could have moonlighted as an opera singer. With the     congregation of about 50 joining in, it was special to listen to.

Barcelona Cathedral, built 15th century

The cathedral was constructed from the 13th to 15th centuries, with the principal work done in the 14th century. The cloister, which encloses the Well of the Geese (Font de les Oques) was completed in 1448. The full name is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. She is the  co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom at 13 years of age during Roman times.  Among its attractions are the 13 geese (number to match Eulalia's age) which are kept at the secluded Gothic cloister, which has a garden and a pond.In the late 19th century, the neo-Gothic façade was constructed over the nondescript exterior that was common to Catalan churches. The roof is notable for its gargoyles, featuring a wide range of animals, both domestic and mythical.

Inside, the cathedral is vaulted over five aisles, the outer two divided into about 20 chapels, devoted to various saints, and Mary. Some are very ornate, and others have striking paintings. The high altar is raised, allowing a clear view into the crypt. A magnificent church to visit.

PORTS,  MARINAS and BEACHES

Port Cable Car

Lots of activity at the port, and sailors arriving for Friday afternoon racing on some very impressive large yachts. A fine day with a steady breeze blowing, it would have beaten sitting at a desk for most of them. Although that is probably how most of them earned the money to pay for their expensive boats. There were several "super yachts" alongside the wharves, one of which had its own helicopter. A high pylon like structure in the middle of the port was the anchor point for a cable car. The Transbordador Aeri del Port (Port Cable Car) was built for the 1929 Barcelona Universal Exposition and links the Barceloneta beach to Montjuïc on an adjacent hill overlooking the harbour. The red and white cabins can accommodate 20 people and take 8 minutes per one way trip.

                             

Some of the fleet

Old yacht well restored

Super  yacht with own helicopter

Main Barcelona beach 

Long sweeping beach

The swimming beaches with their golden sand were popular on a sunny day. 

The sightseer

Maria, my lovely guide

 Heading back in to the city, I wanted to head to a park on the other side, so asked the lady sitting beside me. However her English was as limited as my Spanish but with the aid of a map, I was able to show here where I was heading. She then roped in a young woman sitting across the aisle from us, who willingly gave me directions on how to get to Park Guell. Maria then got off the bus at my stop just to show me where to catch the next one.

BARCELONA. TRAFFIC

It was interesting watching the traffic. Taxis are all black with yellow doors and boots, and seem to have a different set of road rules to everyone else, being driven aggressively. The dominant means of private transport seems to be Vespas and smaller motor bikes. All of the riders wear good helmets, and their road rules dare them to race the lights, or even ignore them, weaving among crossing pedestrians if they think they can get away with it. Cyclists, many of whom seem to be young 20s to 30s visitors, don't wear helmets, and play Russian roulette with the cars and Vespas etc. Many work vans and trucks but not a lot of private vehicles.

Much safer to catch a bus or the Metro, would be my observation!

PARK  GUELL

Gaudi's house in park setting- now a museum

The Park Güell is a public park system composed of gardens and architectural oddities located on Carmel Hill. With urbanization in mind, Eusebi Güell assigned the design of the park to Antoni Gaudí, a renowned architect and the face of Catalan modernism. The park was built between 1900 and 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

Güell and Gaudí conceived this park, situated within a natural park. They imagined an organized grouping of high-quality homes, decked out with all the latest technological advancements to ensure maximum comfort, finished off with an artistic touch. 

They also envisioned a community strongly influenced by symbolism, since, in the common elements of the park, they were trying to synthesize many of the political and religious ideals shared by patron and architect: therefore there are noticeable concepts originating from political Catalanism – especially in the entrance stairway where the Catalan countries are represented – and from Catholicism – the Monumento al Calvario, originally designed to be a chapel. The mythological elements are so important: apparently Güell and Gaudí's conception of the park was also inspired by the Temple of Apollo of Delphi.

Flamboyant walkway supported by arches

Doric columns viewed from entrance gate

Park Güell is designed and composed to bring the peace and calm that one would expect from a park. The buildings flanking the entrance, though very original and remarkable with fantastically shaped roofs with unusual pinnacles, fit in well with the use of the park as pleasure gardens and seem relatively inconspicuous in the landscape when one considers the flamboyance of other buildings designed by Gaudí.

High cross with gatehouse in foreground

Barcelona viewed from Park Guell

A large cross at the park's high-point offers a great view of Barcelona and the bay. 






LA  SAGRADA  FAMILIA

La Sagrada Familia has been called both the most inspirational and most controversial building in modern architecture. It is certainly one of the most outlandish buildings which I have ever seen.

it is a Roman Catholic basilica and one of the most recognizable, lauded, and controversial structures in the last several centuries of architecture. Despite being under construction for over a century, the basilica remains incomplete due to the complexity of Gaudí's designs and a few other historical factors.  Gaudí, known in history as 'God's Architect' for his incredible religious structures, was said to have remarked that his client was in no hurry! La Sagrada Familia would be completed in its own time, which is now hoped to be in about 20 years. The scaffolding and cranes around the new builds are astonishing themselves.

Still a work in progress

Incredible detail in the facades

A striking tableau

Botanical themes feature

Striking interior

It was difficult to imagine this building as a place of Catholic worship with queues of people paying admission fees to even step in the door. Stalls selling all manner of souvenirs, security guards, and even having to put all belongings through scanning X- ray belts added to the secular focus.

I hope that when Masses and other ceremonies are held there, that the congregation is not charged to attend!

It was inspired in the 19th century by a Spaniard named Josep Bocabella. Bocabella had founded a religious organization called the Spiritual Association of Devotees of Saint Joseph, which was campaigning to have a new church erected in Barcelona dedicated to the Holy Family.

Eventually, the association raised enough money to purchase some land and hire an architect named Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano. Paula's original plan was to build a Neo-Gothic church, which was a very popular style in the 19th century, whose buildings were based on the magnificent Gothic churches of medieval Europe, characterized by their high levels of decoration and towering spires. The first stone of the new church was laid in 1882, but Paula resigned soon after. In 1883, construction of the Sagrada Familia then fell to another architect: Antoni Gaudí.

He immediately began changing the design of the church. While he was committed to the generally Gothic style, he also felt that this was naturally limited. Medieval Gothic structures relied on large support structures called buttresses, and Gaudí did not want to imitate this. He believed that God's house should be free of bulky supports, yet limitless in its height and grandeur. To resolve this problem, Guadí turned to nature, seeking inspiration in what he saw as God's architecture.

There's a reason the Sagrada Familia today looks almost botanical. Not only are the design motifs largely based on natural and organic forms, but the support structures of the church are actually modeled on the stems of plants. This unique design was stronger, lighter, and allowed for a greater amount of natural light inside the church. Art historians, therefore, identify the Sagrada Familia partly with the neo-Gothic movement, but also with the emerging Art Nouveau of the late 19th century that stressed organic and flowing forms.

You will see in the photos that the exterior is incredibly busy, with a multitude of figures, words (Sanctus features hugely),  tableaux and depictions of plants and trees. It would probably take a year to examine them all in detail. I was delighted to find that the interior was light and spacious with stunning stained glass windows. The downstairs crypt could be seen through arched windows at the side of the main altar.

Certainly well worth seeing. Gaudi's imagination had no boundaries!!

The striking La Sagrada Familia

Crypt below main altar

Some of the structure