Day 20 to Vilar de Cas
23 September 2023 Day 20 destination vilar de Cas 14 km (a big yay recovery day!)
Elevation map for the day it reads from right to left 2 km steep uphill, but all downhill the rest of the day
My first greeting of the morning. I love you too.! up and over that hill and then short level stretch, then downhill until destination
I’m on the level and yes my destinations out there down lower. It turned out to be a very good day.
This church had flying buttresses to support the interior arches, which naturally have an enormous amount of weight, pushing on the outside walls
This was a good one. I had my moments of silence here (most come in for their stamp, in and out and move on like a tourist attraction to me they’re always more than that) I really did not understand the altars as much as I tried to decipher the message. Interesting but I gave up I post the details. (NOTE: I don’t think Eaglebrook will do this altar anytime soon even if it lasted for 300 years ! 👻 Details are lengthy but relevant-Skip over them as you wish.
Santa Mara de Vilabade
The Baroque-style main altarpiece of Santa Mara de Vilabade was commissioned in 1759 to the Compostela architect and sculptor Francisco de Lens, at that time one of the most famous artists in Santiago. He designed the cabinet and directed its construction. It is unknown who was in charge of carrying out the sculptures, but it could also have been an artist from Compostela linked to him. At that time it was almost more expensive to gild an altarpiece than to do it, which is why only the images and the tabernacle are painted and gilded. On the left side are Saint Joseph with the Child and, above, the virtue of Hope. On the right Saint John the Baptist and the virtue of Charity. In the central street are the tabernacle, the Virgin and Santiago Matamoros. In the small display case of the tabernacle, we find the Virgen del Carmen accompanied by two Carmelite saints.
The painted image is amazing
In the north nave, right at the entrance, you can see a large San Cristobal. In the next section of the nave, remains of a paving that would correspond to the development of another scene. On the wall of the south nave, in front of the current altarpiece of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, there is evidence of a pictorial cycle, today hidden by mold, centered on theTransfiguration of the Lord. Both scenes could be dated to the mid-16th century. Through the documentation, and during the restoration process of one of the collateral altarpieces of the presbytery, other paintings are known that García Iglesias relates to the great artist of the late 16th century, Juan Bautista Celma and his workshop. Celma, born in Aragon and who will work in Galicia from 1564 until his death in Santiago de Compostela in 1608, is a fundamental figure in late 16th century art.
Like I said, I never figured out the altar, the art or the message let alone the ladies in the last image with the swords I like the ladies with the swords just don’t know what the message was
I wanted to buy this, but it was almost a meter tall probably equivalent of 25 bottles too big for my mochila
Yes, another crossroad in my life. I love them all, but I never seem to consistently take right turns.
Alas here! conversation makes the kilometers & day speed by. Cali (London ) is happy to be done
And HOW is such a gorgeous Albergue set up?! WOW, take a look—— such a labor of love!
This is a communal kitchen if the pilgrims wanna prepare their own meal, which is a wonderful concept in itself, there is also a tambourine, ukulele and guitar( which I tuned on the wall behind me)
So this was a First for me -Walter offered for me to put my laundry, dirty that is, in with theirs- theirs being multiple people of both genders I paid for it and it was awesome. I didn’t have to hand wash- it’s all on the line. As I state before I meet the most amazing people in the hostels- rarely when I get a private room.
One of many common community areas to journal and chill
No (muddy) shoes indoors or walking poles (major trip hazard)
Great art throughout the buildings (tired pilgrim?!)
Husband wife team folding towels and bed linens - they worked as a team all nite and served an amazing dinner - their tomatoes their beef their lettuce, squash for soup, beans for 2nd soup, and so on ! Beautiful!
Our host only spoke Galician (Spanish variant) is pictured standing (back left) insisted on after dinner aperitif- citrus or coffee flavored
Highlight of the day: Short walk distance knowing tomorrow is same distance
Today I was surprised by: the positive energy by everyone I met. A very uplifting day people driven
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go”
~T.S. Eliot
