Day 13. Thursday 20 March. Improving but still slightly dumb tourists.

Armed with a paper map (Doris on Google maps is no longer entirely trusted) and a planned short route to the Catedral Jaen, all was good. The delightful girl at the ticket desk gave answers to all questions with a big smile – and (responding to: I have a question) explained the cultural norm of lunch – 3 hours with family, friends, main meal, beer and wine. We can deal with that!

Catedral was indeed magnificent in combining the marvels of art, beauty and agony accompanied by an organ-tuning session (hopefully there is a link at ‘session’ to a short movie). It’s likely that we’ll be faced with cathedrals and/or palaces at every place we visit, but it’s early days and we’re not yet jaded.

We used the audio tour, and finished with a 5 minute virtual overview using drone-view video viewed with virtual reality headsets. We were warned that it could cause vertigo because you are ‘virtually’ flying through space and just hanging. D was certainly affected, not so T. And yes, we were told, there are organ concerts…it just happens there’s one tonight at 2000 – and it’s free. 

As we were leaving, we were told of the ‘face of Jesus reliquia’, a painting of the imprint of Jesus’ face, copied from one of the folds of the cloth with which Veronica wiped Christ’s face on his way to Calvary. The piece of cloth is held behind the painting in the frame. There are apparently only 3 pieces of the cloth with the imprint known – the Vatican, Manoppello (Italy) and here. It is shown to the public on Friday mornings (as a concession) and paraded on two sacred days. D told T to suspend doubt and have faith: we may return tomorrow for a viewing.

Dos cappuccinos extra caliente at a little cafe, where a patron reminded T of staying alert to pickpockets because he’d noticed her putting a paper bag into a back pocket (bag had contained some sweet treats, was now empty and saved as the next onion skins and garlic repository). And the waiter waved a cheery ‘au revoir’ after T had snapped a pic of a very decent stew, perhaps left by some customers? There was a lot left.

Next stop the Banos Arabes – Arab baths…uncovered in a 20th century building project and dating from the 11th century. Again, what a marvel of engineering in the first instance and then a painstaking restoration. Topping off the excursion was viewing the city from the rooftop terrace.

And yes, those Lambert kids had possibly been there.

Plans for not getting lost went slightly astray again, but redeemed quickly, but this time with an additional ‘slow learner tourist’ label…we couldn’t gather tonight’s dinner supplies, as supermarkets are closed from 1415 till 1730. D was confident that the local one we’d went to yesterday was still open, because Doris said so, and because we passed several women carrying supermarket bags of food items suggesting they’d just been there. But no – it was closed. Another mark against Doris, and we figured that those with bags were finally going home after their lunch time tapas and beers …DUH!!! 

Having been advised to enter the Catedral at around 7.30, we left a bit early to shop for dinner ingredients, possibly meatballs. None available, so opted for a similar alternative – best described as what happens when balls are squashed. Entered the Catedral crypt along with a bunch of older women (about our age), thinking this was the event, but it was probably a Mass, so we beat a hasty retreat. Around to the front of the Catedral, third door, where we had actually been told to enter, to join others waiting to get in. Waiting…. waiting….Eventually the doors opened a bit after 8 PM, and we took seats in the choir area, chosen for a quick exit. People continued to arrive – some obviously knew the true starting time. The organist entered to applause and started playing a bit after 8.30. Having heard three pieces, we decided to make a run for it a bit after 9 PM – to find our quick exit door had been shut, meaning we had to reverse direction, go around back of the choir stalls to get out the door opposite. So a quick, unobtrusive exit became quite obvious to everyone. Not sure if we had breached some sort of protocol or insulted the artist, but it was time for dinner and refreshments. We had a short atmospheric walk through well lit night time Calle to our home of the moment.

Magic Moments.

#1. The virtual ‘fly around’ of the Catedral.

#2. The beautiful panoramic view from the Banos Arabes.

Dinner.    Hamburdehesa (Retinta beef) in an onion, tomato, mushroom and herb sauce, accompanied by a Faustino VII Rioja Tempranillo. (PS. The beef was excellent)