Getting to Zamora from Astoraga was easy peasy. The Estacion de Autobus was a 5 min walk from my hotel and at 8:50 am I was on my way for the 2 1/2 hour bus ride. The bus station in Zamora is in the newer part of the City about 30 minutes walk to the Albergue. The walk was very pleasant and through areas of town I don't recall seeing when I was here last time I walked the Camino. Once I found my way to the Parque de la Marina Espanola La Farola and from their to the Calle peatonal (pedestrian lane/walkway), Calle Santa Clara, it was a straight path to Plaza Mayor and for their I recognized where I was and so could find the Albergue.
Zamora is quite the city. According to Wiki the population is over 66,000 and with 23 Christian temples, it has the highest number of Romanesque churches of any European City. have vowed to at least see the outside of each of them in the 16 or so days I will be in town.
The first church I saw when walking to the Albergue was Iglesia de Santiago del Burgo, which was in front of the walkway at Plaza de Santiago.
It is quite the touristic City with not only beautiful churches, monistariea and a Cathedral, but also has a number of Museums, a Castle and other historic buildings. If I have any spare time I will certainly get my fill of architecture and history.
At Plaza Mayor is the Iglesia de San Juan de Puerto Nueve. This was a familiar site and I recognized the statues by the Church. Here is my blog from my previous Camino visit to Zamora.
What I didn't remember is the exquisite weather vane at the top of the tower. It is is a replica of the Vane of Permanto which is a 16th century iron warrior wearing armour and forged in 1642.
I also remembered the Plaza de Viriato, which is planted with wonderful pollard plane trees.
The Albergue is beside the Iglesia de San ace rain et San Cipriano, built into the side of the old city wall, on the path the Pilgrims walk up the hill into the city.
There is a wonderful view vantage point which is behind both the church and the Albergue.
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| The Albergue is next to the Iglise de San Cipriano |
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| The Zamora Municipal Albergue |
Iglesia Maria Magdalena Is one of 14 churches in the old historic area of the city and it is just a short stroll from the Albergue toward the Cathedral.
This church is very near the one above. It is Iglesia de Santa Maria la Nueva.
I will be here for 16 days and so will have lots of time to tell you about Zamora and the sights. So stay tuned for the blogs I post in the next 2 weeks for more pictures and info on Zamora.
I joined the two other Hospitaleras who were stationed at the Albergue from 15 May and will leave on the morning of the 1st of June. Jocelyne, the other Hospitalera who is assigned here for the next two weeks jointed me on the afternoon of the 30th. She had walked from Salamanca, a three day walk.
Our first priority is to learn what we need to know to be a good Hospitaleras. I will blog about the job and what is happening in the Albergue when I can. Hopefully I can put together another blog in a few days to catch up and tell you about our first day (13 Perigrinos) and 2nd day (29 Perigrinos). The Albergue holds 30 people so that is near a full house. We serve breakfast and do all the cleaning, in addition to greeting Perigrinos, recording who is at the Albergue and and some details about their Pilgrimage journey, and helping them in any way we can - so we are busy.
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So looking forward to the rest of your reports... It all looks so wonderful... Just imagine, you are doing such good work each day, albeit tiring, but so fullfilling.
ReplyDeleteHolding the fort here until you return and I leave. Hugs from me and the rest of the TO walkers