Exploring history in London & abroad with my camera
We were staying in Tui and this was our second-last day in Spain. It was also a misty start to the day as we headed for Ribadavia on the Mino River. This old town has its roots in Celtic and Roman times and it is a fascinating place to visit. On the road from Tui to…
The Cathedral of Santa Maria in Tui was built on a site where there has been a building used for Christian worship for many centuries. It is at the top of the hilltop town of Tui, overlooking the Mino river. History of the Cathedral of Santa Maria The country here was invaded by waves Normans and Saracens who…
We spent our last two nights in Spain at Tui on the Mino River, which is also the border with Portugal. The Parador in Tui The Parador is a modern hotel built in the style of a Pazo, and like all the other Paradors was clean and comfortable, with very good food. The hotel has a quiet and…
I had of course heard of the Cathedral in Santiago, but didn’t know about this astonishing building. The original Benedictine Monastery of San Martín Pinario dates from 6C and is named for the pines (pignario) in which the buildings stood. Today’s buildings mainly date from 16C, and the Monastery was closed in 19C during the desamortizacion. Location of the Monastery The…
It was pouring with rain as we opened the curtains on our second day in the Santiago de Compostela. It wasn't gentle English rain, but bucketloads of water running in rivers down the streets. Even a dash across the square resulted in wet shoes and trouser bottoms! It was going to be a challenge to…
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostelo is the reputed burial place of St James the Great in the west of Galicia, in Northern Spain. It has been a pilgrim destination since its creation and it is still the final destination for the thousands of 'pilgrims' who continue to walk the camino in its various forms today.…
The Reyes Catolicos built a hostel for pilgrims in 1499 and today this is the Parador in Santiago de Compostela. The Catholic Kings, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, commissioned the Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos to house pilgrims from all over Europe who had completed the camino. Santiago remains the destination of the Mediaeval Pilgrim…
Ou last day was All Saints Day in Cambados and it began slowly with another lovely breakfast, consisting mainly of fruit. Then we set off to explore San Tomé and Cambados itself. The market To my delight there was a market in full swing, just down the road from the Parador! Market in San Tome 'Underwear'HamsStalls along the harbourMarket day in San…
The historic town of Cambados in Galicia is in an area which has been inhabited for a long time. The Celts settled here in the first millennium BC (their artifacts have been found in the hills surrounding Cambados) and even the Phoenicians were here - they were spreading through the Mediterranean in c.1500BC-300BC. Today there are three…
After a comfortable first night in the Parador we set off for a day trip from Cambados to explore the Ria de Arousa and the Ria de Noia, starting with the Natural Park of Corrubeda. Natural Park of Corrubeda The Natural Park of Corrubeda is in a bay on the coast and covers 4 square miles. It is sand dunes,…
