Let there be light

Sunday 14 January 2024

Neither of us are the least bit religious but that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the architecture, art and music of places of worship. The sheer scale and beauty of cathedrals always makes them a draw and we’ve visited a few on the trip so far.

In Jaca we entered the very dimly lit cathedral and waited till our eyes adjusted  before starting to walk round - unusual we thought. It wasn’t until we were half way round that the next visitors entered, who obviously knew the drill. They put money in the donation slot (which we hadn’t seen because it was almost pitch black) and the lights instantly all came on.  

In Pamplona and Bermeo the cathedrals were closed but the one in Leon was open and was rather splendid with its stained glass windows, flying buttresses and huge wooden doors. We paid an entry fee so no worrying about putting euros in the meter here! 

Flying buttresses 

Today we visited Praia de las Catedrais which translates to Beach of the Cathedrals. The sun gods were shining on us and we timed the tides perfectly to visit the beautiful sandy beach with its spectacular rocky coastline. Said to resemble the arches, columns, domed ceilings and flying buttresses of a cathedral these 30 meter high rock formations can only be fully appreciated and visited at low tide. 

In the peak summer months access to the beach is strictly controlled and only 4812 (seems a very specific number!) people are allowed to visit each day. You book online and it’s free but I have no idea how they manage the huge crowds the beach must attract or how they fit everyone into the two small car parks. 

There couldn’t have been more than a hundred people on the beach today so we were very lucky to see it in its best light.