My wife and I just returned a few months ago from a trip to Spain and Portugal.
We went north to the Basque Country and walked a little piece of the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela. We walked for a few minutes. Our bus ride followed it for days.
You can start it in France from the other side of the the Pyrenees Mountains and many other places. We had a fine adventure of several days and then went on to Portugal for more of the same.
We actually went to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela but didn’t know that my ancient grandfather was interred there at the time.
There is an interesting story about this Cathedral if you wish to learn more.
I have mentioned here on my site before that one of my ancestors on my mothers side was married into the royal family in England. This has been born out through research. This leads to many interesting facts since the royal families were often intermarried to make peace and to end conflicts over many centuries.
I am a distant relative of many kings and monarchs around the world. It has done me little good, by the way.
I just found out that one of my grandfathers of many generations ago was Ferdenand the ll of Galacia and Leon.
He was a member of the House of Ivrea and the king of Le’on and Galacia from 1157 until his death.
He was born in 1137 and died on January 22, 1188. He was married three times.
There were many political divisions in the area and he was first married to Urraca of Portugal, daughter of the King of Portugal.
That marriage was eventually annulled due to the fact that their mothers were too closely related. They were sisters. He was married two more times after this marriage.
These were not peaceful times and the political arena was active and many battles over land and power took place.
It is much too complicated to write more here, but you can Google the stories of this time and place if you wish to learn more about Spanish and Portuguese history.
“Sunrise, Sunset,” my book of ten short stories is now an Audible book. More books will be coming soon.
