Santiago de Compostela—October 5, 2018

Pretty relaxing day again. We've walked all of Old Town Santiago and only managed about four miles yesterday and then again today. The routine here has been coffee at our favorite cafe, walk and gawk, have a midday meal, take a rest (sometimes a nap), and then walk some more in the evening. Feels good. This is a great way to break up these longish travel days.

The interior is right out of the 20's.

 

It's difficult to see the name, but this is the Derby Cafe, about

20 steps from our pension. The coffee here, like everywhere,

is to die for.

 

 We like the empanada here so much we
  came back today for our midday meal.

That's one empanada. Portions are gigantic in Galatia.

A single order of salad feeds two easily. This is my share.

Most of today (before lunch and after a little post-lunch rest at the pension) was walking and gawking. In the early evening we took a tour around the Santiago Cathedral, using a website tour I downloaded to my phone. You can find it at www.trevorhuxham.com.

Took a few shots at Abastos Market today. Couldn't resist monk.

We'll return Saturday—the big market day.

Tidying up the cheese display.

Pilgrims stop by the Santiago Cathedral 

Foundation to pick up their certificate

of completion adjacent to the museum.

Facade over the Cathedral Foundation door. The scallop, a
symbol of The St. James Way is everywhere.

The clock tower and south entrance to the
Cathedral is spectacular. The base of the
tower is dated circa 1400 and the upper
bell tower was remodeled in the Baroque
style in 1680.

Main altar is pretty much over the top and designed to dazzle.

View from the back. Organs facing each other.

 See what I mean about razzle-dazzle? For
 an excellent description of the Cathedral
 and the plazas surrounding it, see
TrevorHuxam's website. 

 St. Mary's Church, a Pre-Romanesque Temple

 was part of La Corticela, a small monastery.

 It dates at least to the 9th century and stood

 alone until incorporated into Santiago de

 Compostela Cathedral.

Wooden roof beams.

Click here for source. 

Casa do Cabido (1759) was the Cathedral chapter house, but
was primarily built to balance the plaza.

Here's a side view of the chapter house;

it's only six feet deep. Just deep enough 

to have meetings around a long table.

The Vine House, directly behind the Cathedral looks out
over Quintana Plaza which used to be the city cemetery
until 1780 when it was moved out of the old town.

The Vine House doors.

Also facing Quintana Plaza is the Convent of San Paio de
Antealtares. The nuns moved in when the Benedictine monks
moved out in 1499. 

The nuns added flower boxes to the otherwise massive and
austere walls of the convent.

Entrance to San Paio de Antealtares Church (9th century) is

attached to the monastery (now convent) and dedicated to

San Paio who was martyred as a child in Cordoba. 

San Paio's throat was slit and this image stands
over the entrance to the church.

Interior shot of San Paio de Antealtares Church. While sitting
in a pew we watched about 30 nuns, many of them almost
as old as God, file in and take seats on the left and right side
of the main altar. Within minutes a priest started mass.

A few loyal parishioners made it to Friday Mass.