21 October. Cool and lovely

This is still a monastery of sorts.
Last evening dinner guests included 14 garbed priests, 8 males and six women all associated with this group.  Tour group or much more likely a research group associated with the collegiate.  Museum here has important relics.  Also we are right next to San isadora. Good story about the relics here.

Battle happens and this time Muslims lose. Have no gold to pay up for the loss. “Want some relics instead, from Damascus? ”  ok and are offered some of saint xyz.   Two Bishops sent to Damascus.  Xyz not available. How about cross fragments and saint ABC. Yes, and they leave happy debt paid. Relics here now.

Back to this monastery.  Dinner was good.  Amuse bouche was a plate of “cecina” which as best we can translate is smoked meat. I asked if beef but all I could get was that it is a specialty of Leon. 

Employees wear semi church garb. No or little heat. Towels and sugar have their insignia. 

After touring the almost perfect Romanesque Isadora, 3 naves all nicely rounded, brick work inside with fine carvings – pictures when we have a net connection we wandered the small food and shoe store streets. Spain may have the highest density of shoe stores of any place we have been.

Supermarket shopping for a picnic lunch which included Ham sliced from a leg – many types to choose from – as well as large quantities of gazpacho soup to drink I started to say Buenos Tardes at the check out.

Then I asked the checker.  Tardes or Dias? He looks at his watch.  It is 13:55.  Shakes his head indicating either or neither or both.  Difficult transition time here. I say mas o menos and he says si.