Santa María de Cañas and more!!!

[scruffy1]

Coming out of Najera, pilgrims progress (sorry) on to Azorfa and then Ah! Should one truck on down the line to SDdlC to see the chickens or should one take the recommended detour to Santa María de San Salvador de Cañas ? This is a rather austere Cistercian convent (well, they all are) very beautiful retablo and well worth the several extra kilometers, more so if there are many pilgrims on the Camino and one is seeking a bit of quiet - few walk this way. Not convinced? Gitlitz and Davidson also mention another site perhaps a kilometer beyond, the hermitage, where may be found a solitary stele inscribed: "Aqui se detuvo la mula del Obispo Sancho, MXL". Easy enough to read, even an accomplished Spanish mutilator such as myself can read – "Here paused the mule of Bishop Sancho in 1040". Well, ah,... good for the mule (!) but what does it mean? Perhaps here was some sort of homage to Balaam or rather to his donkey (he wasn't a pleasant character). Perhaps a premonition of the American income tax? Why in the venacular and not Latin? We may never know. The sidetrip to Canas should be considered required, continuing out to the cornfield should be perceived as only elective.

 

[mspath]

I trust that you have seen/read this in English re Santa Maria del Salvador, Canas and this in Spanish. Great photos but no mention of that mule. Will you stay at their hospice?

MM

 

[scruffy1]

I trust that you have seen/read this in English re Santa Maria del Salvador, Canas and this in Spanish. Great photos but no mention of that mule. Will you stay at their hospice?

MM

You have discovered my Achilles heel! I consider myself very good at discovering places, churches, archeological sites, museums, vineries, with much reading and some imaginative mapwork, I think I am very very good at connecting the dots to make a workable itinerary, I also enjoy dropping in for a chinwag with priests and other church people, tourist information offices, hospitaleros, concerning all of the above, I am very very bad at creating a timetable – my pleasant 15k day on the Camino often transforms into something much longer more arduous and in a totally different direction then what seemed to be a very good idea here in Jerusalem. Do I plan to stay at Cañas? It's on my list, will it happen, who knows!

 

[BethC]

Coming out of Najera, pilgrims progress (sorry) on to Azorfa and then Ah! Should one truck on down the line to SDdlC to see the chickens or should one take the recommended detour to Santa María de San Salvador de Cañas ? This is a rather austere Cistercian convent (well, they all are) very beautiful retablo and well worth the several extra kilometers, more so if there are many pilgrims on the Camino and one is seeking a bit of quiet - few walk this way. Not convinced? Gitlitz and Davidson also mention another site perhaps a kilometer beyond, the hermitage, where may be found a solitary stele inscribed: "Aqui se detuvo la mula del Obispo Sancho, MXL". Easy enough to read, even an accomplished Spanish mutilator such as myself can read – "Here paused the mule of Bishop Sancho in 1040". Well, ah,... good for the mule (!) but what does it mean? Perhaps here was some sort of homage to Balaam or rather to his donkey (he wasn't a pleasant character). Perhaps a premonition of the American income tax? Why in the venacular and not Latin? We may never know. The sidetrip to Canas should be considered required, continuing out to the cornfield should be perceived as only elective.

I love the austere Cistercian abbeys - my favorite being close to my hometown in Bardstown, KY (Gesthemene - Thomas Merton), and have been planning to go by bus from Najera to Canas after seeing the Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real in Najera. The plan is to stay overnight in Canas (it doesn't sound like they take pilgrims there at the convent, but there's an inn in the little town and if you know anything about it, I'd like to hear your opinion), and then get the 10:45 bus to Ciruena in the morning because the roads to and especially from - to Ciruena - look really isolated on Google maps.

The monks at Gesthemene make wonderful bourbon chocolates and cheese.

 

[scruffy1]

I love the austere Cistercian abbeys - my favorite being close to my hometown in Bardstown, KY (Gesthemene - Thomas Merton), and have been planning to go by bus from Najera to Canas after seeing the Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real in Najera. The plan is to stay overnight in Canas (it doesn't sound like they take pilgrims there at the convent, but there's an inn in the little town and if you know anything about it, I'd like to hear your opinion), and then get the 10:45 bus to Ciruena in the morning because the roads to and especially from - to Ciruena - look really isolated on Google maps.
Shalom and Greetings from Jerusalem!
I have relatives all over Kentucky, from Carolton up north to Lexington, Looahville, Danville, Covenington, not familiar with the bourbon bonbons, but am well acquainted with the boubon that ought to be going into them!
I have a second hand recommendation for you in Ciruena never stopped there but was assured- check it out. The roads there are lonely not much traffic and walking alone I can understand your hesitations.

Casa Victoria
Plaza del Horno, 8.
(+34) 941 426 105(+34) 628 983 351
casavictoriarural.com

 

[BethC]

Shalom, Scruffy, and thank you so much for the recommendation! Casavictoriarural looks like an excellent place to try for. How strange that you know Kentucky! I've lived in the Northeastern U.S. for many years now, but go home to Louisville often and know Carrollton well as the family has a farm in Perry Park/Owenton. Great place to have relatives! How extraordinary to live in Jerusalem - although I have this impression from your gravatar that you might really be a Kentuckian at heart:0)).