Exploring history in London & abroad with my camera
I am reluctant to leave Léon, which is probably obvious! I was sad to leave after staying there for a week, and I am equally sad to stop talking about it and leave the photographs alone! However, I need to move on so these are the last thoughts, for the moment. The Cathedral drew my…
It had been a wonderful day visiting extraordinary monasteries in the countryside around Léon and as we were driving back I noticed a sign showing an historical site. In a spur of the moment decision I pulled off the road to find the ruined Monastery of San Pedro de Eslonza. The…
The Monastery of San Miguel de Escalada is about 10 kms away from the Convent of Santa Maria la Real in Gradefes and it is another magical and surprising church in countryside which feels very remote. Countryside between Gradefes and San Miguel de Escalada San Miguel de Escalada was consecrated in…
Le Tart Abbey in France was established in 1132 as the first Cistercian Convent for women, I believe. The first Cistercian Convent in Spain followed in 1151 in Tulebras. Santa Maria la Real in Gradefes was founded shortly afterwards in 1168 and the first group of nuns came from Tulebras. The Convent, in the small…
Read More "The Monastery of Santa Maria la Real in Gradefes"
The car was finally fixed, at a garage which looked more like a 5-star hotel than a garage. Even the workshop, which was open to the public, was gleamingly spotless - extraordinary. The coffee was good, the biscuits were excellent, and the magazines were current... Anyway, comparisons over and bill paid we set out to…
I spent a week in Léon and I particularly loved going out on my own with the camera - just looking at what was happening, or perhaps setting out with a plan. On this particular day I wanted to walk down the walls, visit a park, and find a square. It was comfortably hot, and…
Saturday morning dawned somewhat grey - the first greyish day we had seen, but it was market day in Leon and off we went! The produce in the market is amazingly good - we don't see goods of this quality in the UK and it made me wonder why the UK supermarkets bother to import,…
