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Hi Rosina,<br>
You may not know it, but you have set some of the itinerary for our
upcoming trip to Spain. I copied your article about the madonna exhibit
in Sevilla and now I see I have quite a treat in store for me in
Santiago. Thank you. We are not walking, but I want to go through the
Holy Door. Lydia<br>
<br>
Rosina Lila wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mide3.2f6a17.2e69fbd2aaol.com"><font
face="arial,helvetica"><font size="2" ptsize="10" family="SERIF"
face="Palatino Linotype" lang="0">Hello,<br>
200 aquarella artists have arrived in Santiago to participate in the
XII National aquarella symposium. Their paintings, all Santiago-themed,
will be shown throughout the casco streets until Sunday.<br>
At the same time, the National Aquarella Exposition has collected
outstanding watercolor paintings by the best artists in Spai n and they
will be on show, throughout September, at the Obra Social Caixa
Galicia Hall.<br>
For purposes of the symposium, the aquarellists will paint aspects of
Obradoiro, San Martin Pinario, Quintana Square and the Alameda.<br>
<br>
Presently, there are many outstanding art exhibitions in Santiago. One
of the most impressive is at what used to be the chapel of the USC's
(Universidade Santiago Compostela) faculty of Geography, right by the
only remaining door into Santiago from city-wall days. They have
Picassos, Murillos, Zurburans, Dalis, Goyas, etc very beautifully
presented. (It took my breath away). Another mind-blowing exhibition is
in a museum on the building right after San Martin Pinerio's seminary
in Azabacherias square. It is called "The art of Persia". Apparently
the government of present day Iran, of all people, lent the artifacts
to Santiago as part of the commemoration of the Xacobean year. There
are about 500 pieces, some four thousand years old, that woud do credit
to the Louvre or New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art; the lighting,
the arrangement, and the video room where they show an explanatory
documentary, are really extraordinary.<br>
There are many others exhibitions, and the entrance to all is free.<br>
<br>
The book "La Flecha y la Vieira" that illustrates a pilgrimage through
the Caiman Frances with water color paintings (hundreds of them, all
evocative and very, very beautiful) cannot be found anywhere in
Santiago. The large bookstore on Rua Villar, "San Pablo", told me that
they sell it out as soon as they get it. Probably pilgrims who have
seen the book in some other city have waited to buy it in Santiago so
as not to carry it.<br>
It can be gotten, however, directly from the bookstore in Seville, in
the manner that I wrote about before. If you wish, I will post the
information again.<br>
<br>
Lastly ... and back to the French, ... the newspapers report that the
Jacobean Associations of France, in collaboration with the Spanish
Federation of Caiman Friends Associations of Spain are in the course of
a pilgrimage from France bringing walking sticks from France to various
cities on the Camino Frances. (I presume that they are quite special)<br>
<br>
The newspapers also say that more than one million tourists visited
Santiago during August, and that 572,899 pilgrims have used the Xunta
sponsored albergues (the figure does not include services in tents,
"polideportivos"... sport arenas, etc., which are also sponsored by the
Xunta).... the crowds are still here....<br>
I wonder how the aquarellists will manage to paint Quintana Square with
that huge line of people, six abreast, waiting to go through the Holy
Door.<br>
Regards,<br>
Rosina<br>
<br>
<br>
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