[Stories & Tips]

Sunday afternoon, after a particularly raucous Saturday night, I went on a brief excursion to the neighboring pueblo* of San Pedro de Cardeña. Never heard of it? Don't worry, it's not a big name. San Pedro de Cardeña lies amidst the gentle rolling hills of Castilla y León. It houses a beautiful monastery of the Order of the Cistercians where the remains of El Cid's daughters are buried. El Cid Campeador was a Castillian nobleman and military leader in the 1000s. He is the national hero of Spain as well as the subject of one of the most famous works of Spanish literature.

Trying to ignore my very light headache and bear the cold of the stone-walled chapels, I followed the monk around the monastery with the rest of the tour group, learning about history and listening to a live--albeit brief--Gregorian chant. Now that's one way to get rid of a hangover.

*town