Day 37: Pavia, Rest Day. Warm, 28°

Only 3 Churches, Well Maybe a 4th🙄

Believe it or not it’s quite difficult for me to suddenly take a rest day and sleep in. I think most people do this better than I seem to be able to manage. I woke up at five and it felt like it was time to get up and get going. Somehow I managed to fall asleep again until seven which was really nice. A slow early morning followed as I took care of a few domestic chores including shaving. I had plans to visit a few churches today. 🙂

I walked into the centre of town looking for a place to get a typical Italian breakfast. This means a couple of croissants and hopefully a cup of tea. Well I found two lovely croissants, but the place I stopped at only had decaf tea if you can imagine! I drank it, but it was like drinking zero alcohol beer. 

I firmly told myself that I was only going to visit three of the many churches in Pavia. I won’t bother giving you the names of all the churches because in the end who really cares? By the time I leave here tomorrow I won’t remember the names of any of the churches I saw today anyway. I’ll just remember which ones I liked I can always refer to my pictures if I really feel the need.

So I found church number one. Like so many of the churches in Italy it looked pretty nondescript from the outside. This seems to be generally a trait of many of Italian churches. 

However, inside is completely different matter. There isn’t typically the amazing Stainglass windows found in the English and French cathedrals. The inside is more like what one finds in Spanish churches and also in Portuguese churches. I’m sure my daughter Erin will to explain to me that it’s to do with the time when these churches were built, generally earlier than the French and English churches which were typically supported by flying buttresses, allowing the massive walls of glass. One of the reasons I love them so much! The churches in Italy are appropriately Romanesque style. Heavier walls in order to support the heavy roofs. Not so much glass. 



I always try to remember to look up in these churches. The ceilings are often exquisite! I can’t imagine what it took to paint the ceilings. Think, Michael Angelo painting the Sistine chapel in Rome.



I then walked on to find the big heavy weight of Pavia‘s churches. The cathedral. Remember, I am in search of a stamp for my credential as I continue on my church tour. Tourist information outlets are also a good source for a stamp, but for some reason I’m having trouble finding them in Italy. 

I give you, The Cathedral! It has the third largest dome in Italy. The largest is of course is Saint Peter‘s at the Vatican, and I can only assume the other is the Domo in Florence. Both are much finer than this particular church, but nonetheless I felt this cathedral was worth a visit.

The dome. 



I thought this piece of the back of the altar was quite amazing.

Some of the detail. 

A beautiful church in its own way, but no stamp for my credential! What’s that about?



I moved along to the third church, a place that the law student who yesterday had helped me to confirm my train told me about. After having toured most of the churches he decided that this particular church was his personal favourite.

The church was pretty good, and best of all they had a stamp!

I then went for a walk to find some groceries and passed through a market on my way to church number three.

Markets anywhere are usually good fun.



The third church was actually quite special I thought. It holds, allegedly, the body remains of a particular saint whose name I’m not prepared to look up.



The setting with the relics is quite spectacular!

The crypt was kind of cool in a morbid kind of way. 

The ceiling in a room behind the main alter was just exceptional!



After leaving the third and what I thought was going to be the last church I found a place to sit and finally have a cup of caffeinated tea. It started to rain lightly so my timing was excellent as I was able to sit under cover in the piazza. 

Have been recovered adequately and the rain having stopped I decided to continue walking and exploring this very interesting city. Like I say a rest day doesn’t necessarily mean that you get much of a rest, but at least I wasn’t carrying my pack for 5 to 7 hours.

And wouldn’t you know it, I stumbled on yet another church. I decided that while I was there I may as well go inside and have a little look. 





Turns out it was a pretty decent church. I think my favourite of the day. I also met someone working there who gave me another stamp just to be sure I was fully legit today. He ended up going through each of my stamps and wanted to discuss my journey in some detail. All in French! Somehow we had a pretty good conversation and he rewarded me with a pretty nice stamp.



From there I headed off to find some lunch, focaccia bread with a tasty topping. I then returned to my little apartment to sort out some accommodations and to continue going through the endless bits and pieces one does when on Camino. In about an hour I’ll go out to eat again. Tonight will be Spanish tapas! I feel it’s good to mix up your food groups so that you don’t get tired of the same old, same old.

I thought perhaps you might like to see how my credential is developing. I think it’s beginning to develop some unique character.

Tomorrow I’m back on the road again and I will leave my simple, private apartment and move into ostellos for the next two nights. I hope to meet a few folks there with minimal snoring! I have no idea how good the Wi-Fi will be, but I’ll post at first opportunity. I’m actually looking forward to getting back on the road. I don’t do as well with time on my hands when I’m traveling. Besides, I came here to walk!