Headed back to the cathedral for Mass, we have found it very easy to navigate. Since the beginning of our trip, we have been on one of the Camino trails for pilgrims. Since they all lead to churches along the way, they are well marked. Since that is our destination, we just had to follow the shells.
Of course, you can always look up. The churches in all these towns are in the center, so it makes pretty easy to find Ciudad Centro (City Center) in Spain.
Upon our arrival, there was an enormous amount of activity ongoing around the church. It is Race Day! The León 10K! The finish line is in front of the cathedral. Sound systems were being checked, water tables being set-up, and tape marking of the route was all happening at a frantic pace. Santa Maria would be the finish line, while the starting line was on the other side of town.
Mass was held in a chapel which is part of the cathedral and not in the main sanctuary. Weaving through the fences and tape, we made it to the chapel only to find the doors locked. We were early and found it surprising that we could not enter the church. We pulled up a seat on the steps while listening to the race hubbub outside. The feeling of being watched never escapes you in a building like this. Looking up we found the haunting eyes.
Finally, the chapel was open, and we went in to this very simple worship space. Our Spanish is improving every day, but not well enough to understand the homily given by the priest. Nor did the Holy Spirit descend upon us to deliver the gift of tongues so that he could be understood.
Walking out of the 12th century chapel to the modern world outside, the racers were just beginning to cross the finish line.
We were not sure how many runners there were, but they kept coming and coming! We walked down the streets parallel to the final stretch to the finish and it was fun to watch their faces knowing the end was near. Encouragement from family, friends, and strangers greeted each runner as they passed.
This being Sunday, a family tradition and specialty of León intersected as we walked to our next adventure. In León when one orders a coke, beer, or wine, a small food item always appears with the beverage. This bonus is also practiced intermittently in other parts of Spain, but it is guaranteed here. One of the most common items that is served is a food item that León is known for – Potato Chips!
Janet is very health conscious and her daily diet reflects that lifestyle. Her one exception occurs every Sunday after church when she enjoys Potato Chips. This tradition of enjoying these salty carbs has probably been going on for the last 25 years. The girl loves her some potato chips and she rates León chips at the top!
Casa Botines would fill our afternoon. This unique structure was built by no other than Antoni Gaudí in 1892. Our paths have crossed with this genius and his works three times in the last year. In Barcelona, we saw the Sagrada Família, a work still in progress. In Paris last spring, Gaudí was a special exhibit at the Musée d'Orsay. Once again, his created works pulled us into a display of drawings, inventions, and furniture.
Before we entered the museum, Tom thought he would check in with Antoni to see how he was doing. He was not real chatty.
Casa Botines was commissioned by two brothers as a multi-use building. A textile warehouse, office space, and the brothers’ apartments were all a part of Gaudí’s design. The building has 4 floors, a basement and attic, with a shaft that runs through the center of the building for cooling.
The building is based on an open design using metal pillars versus heavy load bearing walls giving the building lots of light and airflow. Peaking down the center shaft that runs through the building, the cool air rushes up in your face.
The design is based on astrology with the neo-gothic peaks aligning with constellations. A dragon theme runs through the construction materials. For example, each piece of slate on the roof was cut to look like a scale and whimsical practical touches are used throughout the building. In the picture, you will see a face built into the top of the chimney. The dragon scales for roofing of the fairy-tale top towers are also visible in the picture. Between the outside and inside walls is a bladder which catches rainwater off the roof. Protruding from the walls (below the windows) were overflow drains that extended far enough out that the water would not run down the wall eroding the stone.
Inside Casa Botines, there are a variety of things to see. From the history of the building to art exhibitions, on each floor we were fascinated by all that the museum offers.
When you thought you had seen it all, the next room would throw a curve ball. A turn of the century dental office was not what we expected to see and we were glad we never sat in this chair.
Maybe the coolest thing Gaudí integrated into the building was the statue of St George slaying the dragon (he used an alligator) hanging above the main entrance. Made of limestone, over the years the dragon started to show major wear. It was removed for restoration. Hidden inside the dragon were the original plans of the building. They had been placed there by the genius who was the architect, Antoni Gaudí.
The day was slipping away from us. The hour was quickly approaching in that no food would be found and the streets would empty of all the people. We headed across the square and found a funky glass building. It was about the size of a shipping container and sat in front of a very high-end restaurant. They had a table for two available and we jumped on it.
We decided to keep it simple for our linner (lunch/dinner). Tom had a good ole hamburger, while Janet went with croquettes and a salad. What made lunch so special was this small glass eatery offered a wine that Tom had not been able to find in a two-year search. It is sold in the US, but not Virginia. (You gotta love the 3-tier system we endure in the Commonwealth – so much for free trade). The wine is a clarete and although it looks like a rosè, it really is different. Clarete is a blend of red and white grapes which are co-fermented together. The field blend of red grapes and white grapes are vinified like a red wine. Rosè wines are usually all red grapes and made like a white wine. One will find tannins in a clarete, and this pinkish red juice is FULL of flavor. Needless to say, this long sought-after wine was the highlight of our meal.
Tom will continue to search for more of this magical wine up our return.
When we left the restaurant, it was almost five o’clock and we slowly strolled back to the apartment. The busy city of the morning now looked like some major life changing event had occurred. The sidewalks were void of people and the streets of cars. It was like the city had been evacuated. We literally saw maybe 10 people on our route home.
Tomorrow is going to be a big day! Tom is like a little kid knowing his birthday is tomorrow. It will be an early bedtime tonight, so tomorrow will come sooner.
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