September 22, 2006
Burgos
The Accomodation
There could be a market for a nice hostel in Burgos. The one "hostel" in Burgos is actually a student accomodation that doubles as a hostel during summer. This place unfortunately ceased to be a public hostel by the 10th September. I called the pilgrim hostel and they said unless I'm a pilgrim I can't stay there. Fortunately the tourist office is incredible helpful about accomodation related stuff. They have the best city map that I've seen so far (Lisbon is the worst) making the bed hunting somewhat bearable. Nothing worse that hunting for a bed using Lonely Planet's map.
My hunting ended in Hostal Hidalgo. I was on the way to another pensión when I saw the sign "Hostal Hidalgo". The building looks like it barely survived the Spanish civil war ... unrenovated. I braced myself and walked inside. The first couple of landing of the stairs don't have any light, climbing the stairs felt like I'm heading toward some unknown doom. As I climbed to the second floor on the rickety stairs I wondered if the stairs would hold. It did ... phew.
Rang the door bell, an old lady opened it. There was a strong smell of hospital grade floor cleaner (at least I know the place is cleaned regularly). She didn't speak any English, my Spanish was tested to the limit here. "I want room ... 2 nights ... can I see ... how much ...". She told me €15 per night. Great ... the cheapest so far. I want to see the room, I told her. Now this is the catch, the room is probably slightly better than a prison cell. It's small ... really small. At 2m x 3m it can barely fit the single bed plus and the wash basin. There is no window, only a small ventilation near the ceiling. I'm convinced that it was put there as an afterthought after a guest suffocated to death some years ago. I reckon prison cell wins on the huge ventilation and size while this room wins on real bed and the ability to come and go as I pleased.
However the room is clean, the bathroom is also clean. Fine I'll take it, 1 night for now and if I don't get molested by bed bugs I'll stay another night.
In the end I did pay to stay another night in Burgos. Stayed in Burgos for 2 nights then moved to Bilbao. I somewhat miss the social environment of a hostel in the past few days. The hostel in León is not really social while this hostal definitely ain't. I'm sure you have more social activities going in a prison.
Monasterio de las Huelgas
The 30 minutes or so walk to the monastery from central Burgos is very nice and goes through a leafy and rich suburb. Here the mansions look more more American than European. At the monastery I took the compulsary guided tour in Spanish. It was funny to take tour in a language that you don't understand. Everyone was looking at the same direction except me and a few Germans and French. This was my second tour in Spanish, the first was in the Isidoro Basilica in León. This tour guide speak very good English and French, so if they want they can organise a tour in French or English. I like this monastery, especially the church which double as a royal pantheon. I like visiting crypts, tombs and grave of important people, I always try to fit in the time to visit pantheons/crypts etc.
Catedral de Burgos
Another magnificent Spanish cathedral. This is the best so far of all the cathedrals, churches and basilicas that I've seen on this trip. A fitting end for the religious circuit on this trip. Everything in this cathedral is amazing. From the outside, the towers, painting, altars, dome, reliefs, chapels and even the subdued sala capitular (chapter house). The audioguide is a rudimentary mp3 player that you can't stop or rewind so you have to follow it very carefully. The woman spoke like the devil himself was on her tail, the audioguide rushes you through the cathedral in an hour. After the completion of the audioguide I went back the front and explored the cathedral on my own pace.
Have I said how amazing this cathedral is? Yes I have. Well I say it again, this cathedral is amazing. The tomb of El Cid is located right under the central dome. The central dome is the most ornate central dome that I've seen so far. Half the apse is closed for restoration but I still can access the most beautiful chapel of all, Chapel of the Constables (Capilla de los Condestables). I can rant for ages about this cathedral, but I'll stop now. Suffice to say that no words do any justice to this cathedral, it simply must be seen, period.
Bad weather affected my last day in Burgos. As I linger inside restaurants and cafe I made plan for the last few days of this trip. The end is nigh now, it still hasn't sunk in yet that in the next few weeks I have to join the work force again ... scary tought.
Posted by vhadiant at September 22, 2006 03:10 PM
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