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Andalucia, Spain
  • Ladyandtramp
tammik. – maalisk. 2024

Andalucia, Spain

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
— Saint Augustine Lue lisää
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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    Lobo Wolf Park and Sanctuary

    3. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    As we wanted to just take it easy for a few days, we went for a short walkabout to get a feel of a Saturday in Antequera and to figure out the layout of the city. Chris got a visitors’ map from the tourist office and we checked out what things were available for us to see. And we found the perfect thing to do for a couple of hours and in nature - the Lobo or Wolf Park. It’s not considered a zoo. It’s an educational centre for learning about the habits and behaviours of wolves.

    Antequera’s Lobo Park was built with the idea of preserving the flora and fauna in a unique natural area. It’s a park that covers approximately 100,000 square kilometres and where wolves live in packs naturally without too much human intervention. The wolves are treated in a way so that they learn from their parents to tolerate the presence of humans but without having to give up their own animal hierarchy.

    We booked an English tour on the park’s website and drove 6 km to the property. There was one other Spanish couple and their two young kids with us. The guide, a German, spoke Spanish and English fluently and was able to answer all of our questions as she works with the wolves and knows each one by name.

    There were four types of wolves - Timber wolves from Canada, Tundra wolves from the Hudson Bay Area, European wolves from Russia, Poland and Romania and Iberian wolves from the Iberian Peninsula.

    In addition to the wolves, Lobo Park is also home to other animals (mostly rescued) such as a fox family and domesticated farm animals. Several animals were ‘pets’ that the owners could not take care of when the animals matured.

    Toward the end of our tour, we heard the wolves calling/howling to each other. It was pretty cool to hear the sound in the mountains. At the end, one of the guides started to howl and wouldn’t you know it, all the wolves started howling. What a cool experience for us!    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The Ephebe, boy statue
    Socializing on a Sunday afternoonThe courtyard of the museumPaintings showing the way artifacts were used.For KarenThe city within the wallsThe stairwell of the museumReligious jewellery used to dress the statuesToral's workToo much stuff!A dead immigrant with all his worldly possessionsNot small!Toral's words

    The Museo Municipal

    4. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    It’s a warm Sunday afternoon and we just got back from a delightful walk.

    There were a lot of people sitting in the numerous squares, eating their lunches, drinking wine and beer and socializing. It was nice to see, but we were headed to the municipal museum. We would stop for a beer in the sun afterwards.

    The museum opened officially in 1972, after a group of local citizens discovered a bronze sculpture named 'The Ephebe of Antequera' (ephebe is an young man in ancient Greece who has just reached manhood or citizen status), measuring 1.54 metres, tall and thought to date back to the first century AD.

    The Madrid museum wanted the statue as Antequera didn’t have a proper and secure museum for such a treasure, but the people in town didn’t want to give it up. It was great motivation for the townspeople to find a building and create a museum. And that’s what they did.

    The Palace which houses the museum is a beautiful building, dating from the 18th century with a cut-brick tower, cloistered patio and elaborate staircase - Andalusian Baroque architecture. There is no entry fee to see the exhibits.

    The museum is on four levels. The lowest level took us through the pre-history of the area, including information about the Dolmens of Antequera that we are planning to visit soon. Someone had done a great job with all the paintings in the exhibits that showed the artifacts in use.

    The next level looks at the Romans and Visigoths. The Roman era brought great prosperity to Antequera (named "the Ancient City", or Antikaria, by them). The boy statue is on that floor as well as other well-preserved artefacts and mosaics that were found in the remains of a Roman villa in 1998.

    The third level has some impressive glass and pottery exhibits from the Moorish period and fine silverware from the 15th – 18th centuries.

    A fine arts section houses baroque paintings and sculptures, as well as paintings by Antonio Mohedano (1561-1625), who lived in Antequera. as well as 17 paintings by local contemporary painter Cristóbal Toral (1940).

    We loved Toral’s paintings and all of them had a message. He painted people with piles and piles of suitcases. We read that to mean that as we travel through life we accumulate too much stuff. It could also mean that in life we are surrounded by things, or people, and we really don’t know what their contents or history are. Not sure what his message was but we did like his work.

    The lady told us a little bit more about Toral. Seventy years ago, a group of hunters went into a small remote hut in the countryside and asked the owner for a drink of water. Inside they saw some pictures painted by his son, and told the dad that the boy ought to be sent to the Arts and Crafts school in the village. That man was a charcoal seller, whose wife had left him, and he didn’t have any way to get the boy to Antequera. The hunters chipped in together to buy the boy a bike so he could start the course. And that was the start to his career as a painter.

    We felt that the museum did an excellent job in describing the varied and interesting history of Antequera. The pieces that they had were in great shape and the art gallery on the top floor was wonderful.

    We left the museum, sat in the square in front of it and had our beers in the sun.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    2The trail went through some very narrow spots.
    Driving to the parkA beautiful drive to the parkKarst topographyAn easy spot on the trailThe greenery on the rocks. Dandilions too.The majority of the trail is like this. Rocks!Pancake like structuresA big fossilYou have to walk carefully looking down, most of the timeChris having a rest in a dangerous spot. Lol.Heading home

    El Torcal Park

    5. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    After a few days of ‘rest’, we knew we were ready to do a short hike in a park in the mountains just south of Antequera. We have seen several brochures advertising this place so decided to go.

    The park is officially known as “Paraje Natural Torcal de Antequera” (“Torcal de Antequera Natural Park” in English). It is known for its unusual landforms and has one of the most impressive karst landscapes in Europe. We saw karst topography on Mallorca and Cuba. It is always amazing to see with its barren, rocky ground, caves, sinkholes, sometimes underground rivers, and the absence of streams and lakes on its surface.

    “El Torcal” refers to the mountain range (the Sierra del Torcal) which is made up of limestone formed about 150 million years ago. The landscapes we saw in the park were created by millions of years of erosion and dissolution by water (karstification). At one time, the whole area was underwater. We saw fossils of sea creatures, anemones. It’s hard to believe that it was under the sea as we were 4,000’ up in the mountains.

    The 30 minute drive to the park was beautiful. Few houses, flowering almond trees, the mountains and views out over the countryside.

    We arrived at the Visitor Centre at around 11:30 am. and started our walk from the parking centre. There are several trails but we picked the 3 km yellow circular route that takes about 2 1/2 hours to walk.

    Immediately, we were introduced to what we would be doing during the next couple of hours - scrambling and climbing over a very stony and irregular terrain with an incredible landscape. ‘Otherworldly’ is a good word to use. I am also very sure that there have been many sprained ankles during this hike!

    We met a couple from Wyoming and walked with them. They were in Antequera too for a few days - mostly for the good hiking opportunities. Andy was a retired Yellowstone park ranger and Denise had worked in the travel industry. Both interesting people.

    It was a magical place to spend a few hours under blue skies and the sun and with great company. We are happy we went.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    1Taste testing olives.
    Across the street from our place, there is a school. Cute to see the kids hanging on to the hoods.People of all ages coming and going to the marketThis is a common sight! Carving ham.Lots of purses and bags too2

    Antequera’s Tuesday Outdoor Market

    6. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    I think that most of the coastal resorts in this area have market days for tourists on Saturdays and Sundays. Antequera’s street market is for its residents and is held on Tuesdays from 9 - 2 pm, behind the bullring.

    The resort markets tend to sell ‘branded’ and more expensive clothing and handbags, handmade jewellery, and items for presents to take home as souvenirs.

    In Antequera the market focuses on the needs of the local population like Mexican tianguis, so they have quite a cross-section of goods.

    Clothing takes up probably the largest area of the market. There were stalls offering t-shirts, shorts, underwear, shoes, jeans, shirts and dresses for women. There were at least two large stalls selling fabrics for curtains, table cloths, and bedding.

    And it also had several stalls for fruit and vegetables, as well as smaller areas for spices, candies and olives. Prices were good.

    We ended up buying some sports socks for Chris, olives (after trying a lot of different kinds!), some candies and asparagus.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    From an Antequera brochure
    Trebuchet ball. Imagine that hitting a castle wall!Roman ruinsOld castle walls and entryThe lower wall and walkway is the barbicanThe Giant's ArchEmbedded gravestonesThe bell towerLooking down into tge dungeonMote trebuchet ballsThe view from the towerView from the White towerLion, Lilies and castlr

    The Fortress on the Hill

    6. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today, we were like kids exploring an old castle without supervision.

    The Alcazaba, fortress, is on a hill and just a 10 - 15 minute walk way from our apartment. We can see it from our balcony. We waited until today to visit it as it has free entry on Tuesday afternoons.

    By the way, a Alcazaba or Alcazar is a castle for the leaders in a small city. It included a mosque and houses for the soldiers and workers of the palace and walls to protect the leaders against external attacks and against local revolts.

    We walked up the hill, always up, and found the church beside the castle. It isn’t actually a functioning church any more. Many of its art pieces were moved to another church in 1692. It’s only used for lectures and concerts now. But inside there were a few interesting objects. One was a very large stone ball for a trebuchet, a giant slingshot, that was a weapon used in medieval times. Several of these balls were found in the area.

    Another object was a huge parade float a Tarasca, of a woman on a dragon with 7 heads!
    This particular object has seven heads, echoing the seven deadly sins and the dragon from the Apocalypse. The woman represents faith and the triumph of Christ over sin.

    From the church, we used Google maps to try to find the entrance to the castle but along with several other people, we ended up doing a big circle around the castle and not finding it. The walk was great but the signage was not. Eventually a local pointed the way and we had to retrace our steps.

    Once we found our way in, we were on our own - no guide and little signage. We just explored and it was fun. There were several areas where we had to use our imaginations to figure what the area was used for it was all good. The dungeon was a deep, dark hole in the ground and the well had the typical curved roof and a fountain.

    The highlight for us was to climb up to the top of the big clock/bell tower. It houses the original clock and bell. The pendulum was a huge rock. A little daunting but with great views over the city. We just started going down when the bell started ringing. That was a shocker! Thank heavens we weren’t standing next to it!

    We learned a new word - barbican - which is a 2nd defensive wall on the outside of the castle.

    Antequera has a very long history. It’s name comes from the Roman period: “Antikaria” which means “ancient town”. Apart from a few historical records and some inscriptions there was no evidence of a Roman Anticaria until 1988, when excavations at the foot of the hill unearthed public baths which are dated from the 3rd century AD. The area they found was small, but it had all the facilities of a typical Roman bath, including three pools (hot, tepid and cold), and a place for exercising. Pieces of the mosaic tiles for floors are in the museum.

    The main access to the fortress is through a gate they call the Arch of the Giants. It was built in the mid-16th century. The wall is more than 2 metres thick and has Latin inscriptions relating to both Anticaria itself and other Roman cities that existed in its vicinity. There are also four large tombstones embedded in it.

    After a couple of hours of exploring and fantasizing,, we were ready for a cold beer and something to eat. We stopped at a little restaurant called LouLus and had a wonderful late lunch. Seafood brioche, bbq ribs and fries and ice cream. We’ll probably go back!

    P.S. Pretty soon I am going to need a break from all that walking up and down stairs and hills!
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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The head of the Indian looking upwards
    The backside of the mountain. Taken from a picture.The story of the two lovers who jumped to their deaths.

    Peña de los Enamorados

    7. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Ever since day 1 in Antequera, no matter where we are, we have seen a huge limestone mountain (880 m high) that has a peculiar shape – it looks like the head of an Indian lying down and looking up to the sky. Because of this, it is known as “The Indian of Antequera”.

    It has a more common name though - the Peña de los Enamorados or Lover’s Rock.

    There seem to be several legends about it. Here’s one -

    It is said that during the Conquest times a Castillian soldier, whose name was Tello, was caught by the Nasrid kingdom and put into Antequera’s prison. The daughter of the Muslim king, called Tazgona, visited the Christian soldier and they quickly fell in love.

    They finally escaped from the town and when the Muslim king found out what they had done, he sent a troop to recuperate his daughter. At the same time, the army from Castilla was coming to prepare a siege on Antequera.

    The lovers saw no way to be free, so they committed suicide throwing themselves from the craggy top of the rock. Since then, the rock has been called Peña de los Enamorados (Lovers’ Rock). I guess we would have called it Lovers’ Leap.

    At the peak of the rock there is supposed to be a stone statue of a young woman and a man embracing and leaning towards the ravine. It is said that when the sun sets the rock turns a reddish colour - the blood of both young people.

    We saw a similar statue in town when we first arrived. At the time we didn’t know what it symbolized, but now we do.

    In the next blog, I will write a little more about the mountain’s significance.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The little museum with a great short film. See the Indian head in the background.Placing the giant wall slabsPart of the movie we sawThe roofThe dolmanIn line with the Indian headA deep well, perhaps Roman?LavenderThe newer dolman with brick-like wallsThe roofThis is a photo of a display in the museum. The lumpy hills with no trees are where the dolmans are.

    Antequera’s Ancient Dolmens

    7. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Antequera has one of the largest and most important prehistoric burial sites in Spain, dating from the Bronze Age (3,500 B.C.) They are among the oldest objects on the planet and they are located only a short walk away from where we are living, on the outskirts of town.

    The Antequera Dolmens are essentially Spain’s Stonehenge and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016. They are 1,200 years older than Stonehenge in England.

    A dolman is a single chamber tomb consisting of two of more vertical megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal table of stone, then covered with earth so it is like an oval, underground stone igloo. From the outside, they just look like a big hill.

    They were used for holy rituals and funerals. The Antequera dolmens are unique in that they face mountainscapes, instead of the sun.

    Two of them, Menga and Viera, were constructed between 3000 and 3500 B.C. The third one, El Romeral, was built around 2500 B.C. Menga is the largest and oldest of the three. It’s been called one the “best preserved marvels on earth.” Its roof is estimated to weigh 200 tons.

    We visited the first two dolmans after watching a very informative video in the interpretive centre. It showed a theory of how the blocks were cut and how they were moved from the quarry that is 1 km away. Pretty amazing considering that these dolmans were built with primitive tools, close to 6,000 years ago. It reminded us of how experts think the pyramids in Egypt were built. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

    The Menga Dolmen in the largest in Europe at nearly 30m long. The largest upright stone weighs 180 tonnes. By way of comparison, the heaviest stone at Stonehenge, in Wiltshire in the UK, weighs 40 tonnes.

    Its height gradually increases from 2.7m at the entrance to 3.5m at the far end. The widest point is 6m towards the back. There are three pillars that support four enormous 250-tonne roof stones.

    Each side is made of 12 four metre tall upright stones and one stone closing the far end. The roof is made of five stones; a sixth that was placed over the entrance is missing. The tomb is covered by a 50m-diameter cover of stones and soil.

    If you are inside and you look down the passage, you can the Peña de los Enamorados or the Indian Head framed in the entrance. That’s the mountain that I talked about in an earlier blog. During the the summer solstice, the sun rises directly over the peak and shines into the chamber.

    Another dolman is aligned towards the Torcal mountain that we hiked in, the other day.
    Apparently, these dolmans are the only ones in continental Europe that are aligned towards a natural landmark.

    A mystery re the Menga dolman. At the back of this giant dolmen, in the centre of the floor, is a 30m (100 feet!) deep well perfectly carved from the bedrock and with water at its bottom. But why is it here? Some people think that the Romans built it. But why? There is a lot of water around the site. Why such a deep well?

    Four kilometres down the road, there is another dolman that is much newer, built during the late Copper Age, 1,800 B.C. It has 2 chambers and a very long hallway.The walls are made of small pieces of limestone, like bricks rather than the giant stones used earlier. It still has the giant slabs on the roof though.

    It was hard to keep our hands to ourselves. We just wanted to feel the history in the stones…    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    This building was painted on all four sides, top to bottom!
    Due to the extended drought in Spain, this lagoon has dried out.Can you see the flamingoes?Metal artAnother view of the painted buildingInteresting abandoned houses

    Pink Flamingoes? In Spain?

    8. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    The reason why we are in Antequera is because before coming to Spain we started following an informative Facebook blog, Mapping Spain, written by an ex-Canadian, Frank Thomae. Frank and his wife, Lisette, wrote a great blog extolling the virtues of Antequera and we were intrigued so we made plans to visit this city and possibly meet this interesting couple.

    We contacted Frank who made plans for us to get together at a tapas bar on Friday. We are looking forward to that. We mentioned that we wanted to see the nearby lagoon with flamingoes and invited Frank to come with us.

    We met and had lots of good travel stories to share as they have been to a lot of the same places we have been to in Mexico. All of us have itchy feet!

    Anyways, the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra is located near Antequera and next to the town from which it takes its name. It is the largest lagoon in Andalusia and is home to the largest colony of pink flamingos in the entire Iberian Peninsula.

    Their presence in this lagoon though depends on the amount of water that the lagoon has. Usually in autumn and winter there will be small groups and from February, if the water level is good, larger groups of up to 8,000 couples will nest there and will lay a single egg. Once these little ones learn to fly (at three months), between August and September, they will leave for Africa.

    The lagoon is fed by underground water. When the water table drops through drought and pumping for irrigating the surrounding crops, the lake level drops too. There are been a drought in Andalucia and there was hardly any water in the lagoon, but we did see flamingos in the distance.

    There are several other species of birds here also. Probably here because of the water. When we got there, birders with their binoculars were checking them out.

    We read that the visitors centre is excellent and very informative but sadly it wasn’t open when we were there.

    We said, “Hasta luego”, to Frank and will meet up with him and Lisette tomorrow night for tapas at a local bar, Rincon de Lola.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    From our balcony
    The beginning of the convoyKids hanging out of the school windowsTractors starting to come from the other direction

    “Spanish Farmers Join Wave of Protests”

    9. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    We have been hearing about the farmers’ protests in Barcelona and Malaga but today, in quiet Antequera, the protests were In action. Mind you, a lot of honking but not for long and very organized.

    A parade of tractors came down our street in the pouring rain and it was awesome to see. There were about 80 clean tractors coming from both directions and it was actually pretty exciting. The school kids across the street were sticking their heads out of the windows and cheering. Lol. Quickly, the windows closed and it was obvious that teachers had something to do with that.

    Here’s an abridged article that I read about the protests.

    Spanish Farmers Join Waves of Protest

    By Guy Hedgecoe abridged
    BBC News, Aranda de Duero

    Farmers in Spain have joined their European counterparts in staging protests across the country.

    Like farmers elsewhere, they demand more flexibility from the European Union, tighter controls on the produce of non-EU countries and more help from their government.

    On Tuesday, farmers took to the streets of agricultural areas in Spain's northern interior, driving tractors in convoys, beeping horns, waving Spanish flags and brandishing placards.

    Spain's farmers have similar grievances to their counterparts in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and other countries that have been protesting recently.
    They say that regulations which form part of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), along with high fuel and energy costs, make it difficult for them to make a profit.

    The costs, when it comes to producing wheat and barley, are very high," said Esteban, a cereal farmer who preferred not to give his surname who was protesting in Aranda de Duero. "You've got to pay for fertiliser, pesticides, fuel - it's killing us. We have to pay very high prices and yet we sell at low prices."

    “We just want a future for farming and right now, we don't see it."

    The plight of Spanish farmers has been compounded by drought. Many areas of the country have not seen normal levels of rain in recent months which is affecting harvests. Spain is the world's biggest olive oil producer, but prices have been pushed up by low production. Last week, Catalonia declared a state of emergency due to a three-year drought, the longest on record.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    2The very serious owner. The whole pub had bullfighting photos on the wall.Chorizo, quail's egg, red pepper on toast2A contorted panoramic shot.Frank and Lissette, originally from Montreal

    Tapas, Wine and a Fun Night

    9. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We had great fun last night with Frank and Lissette, originally from Montreal, eating tasty tapas, drinking Spanish wine/beer, sharing travel stories and laughing. Laughing a lot! The four of us clicked and we definitely enjoyed our noisy night out at the Taberna El Rincón de Lola. Great little place with a grumpy-looking owner. Lol.

    Tapas include any appetizer that can be served in a bar with a beer or wine. They can be peanuts, chips, olives or small servings of seafood, sandwiches, or different hot and cold appetizers. At Lola’s they cost between 2 and 3 euros. Pretty good price.

    Small "tapas" are often part of the price of the drink, as we saw in Grenada. A typical hobby of Spaniards is going from bar to bar, drinking beer or wine and having different tapas.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The attractive Carnaval poster. I can even see the tombs.
    Pretty funny.

    A Carnaval Weekend

    10. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Carnaval is being celebrated here. So different than in Mexico or other Latin countries we have been in. Much more low key but fun.

    It seems that in Spain, carnival usually begins with an opening speech by an important local person or a celebrity. Then after the speech, there are costume contests for kids and then adults, some street theater, a street parade, bands and of course partying.

    Due to the impending rain and winds, a big tent was put up near the bullring and some plans had to be changed but people, including us, found out about the new venue and the other changes and the show went on.

    So on Saturday afternoon, we went for a walk and enjoyed seeing what was going on. Most kids were in costume and a Lion King kids’ show was in progress in the tent. Next door games were being played by young boys in the huge soccer field. Restaurants were full of people partying.

    Tomorrow at noon, the Carnaval parade starts. Not sure of its route but I’m sure we will figure it out.

    Update - We went out to find the parade but got sidetracked by some fun costumed street bands singing political protest songs. The crowd loved the songs! So did we, but we didn’t understand what they were saying. Haha.

    P.S. I love the Carnaval flyer that was distributed. There are several iconic Antequera items within the picture - the pancake landforms in Torcal, the face of the Indian mountain, the flag of Spain as a mask, the boy statue in the museum and the Carnaval ribbons. Very cool.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Looms like we have seen still being used in Mexico and central americaBooming fabric businessThe different colours that the wool or linen was dyedA machine that created patterns for the textiles.This measure the tension of the stringsBlankets with patternsBlankets were made here tooOld style weavingThe walk we took beside old ruins of millsNo rain where we wereThe mist in the mountainsBehind the castleThe castleand church on the hill

    The Textile Industry in Antequera

    12. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    It’s raining off and on again today. Happy Farmers! We are only here for another 3 days and still so much to explore. Antequera is not a big city with 42,000 people but it has such a big history and is located at the confluence of 4 rivers and in a valley. Perfect for farming.

    Looking at our city map, we realized that we could visit a few of the 32 very old churches as we haven’t seen any yet or visit one of the 11 monasteries or convents or check out the textile museum that is on the other side of the fortress. We are a little tired of the churches so we decided to walk with umbrellas to the textile museum.

    For centuries flour and olive oil mills had been situated on the rivers, along with water wheels, dyeing troughs and small forges. During the 15th Century, the textile industry took off in Antequera.

    The quality of the fabrics was so good that King Charles III of Spain designated the factory as a Royal Factory in 1765. In the mid-19th century, the factory was modernized and became the centre of the cotton, linen and wool textile industry.

    In the 20th century, isolated towns, ineffective trade and strong competition in other national markets, created a crisis. The textile industry came to its end in Antequera in the 1970s.

    Anyways, we interrupted a man who was eating his breakfast to ask if we could see the museum. He kindly unlocked the door and told us to check out the displays at our leisure.

    The permanent exhibit downstairs explained how the textiles were made in Antequera with examples of the old machinery, tools and materials and also photographs and other graphic documents. When we were stuck with understanding the Spanish technical words, we used Google translate. It was great!

    We noticed a little map on the table and realized that there was a 3 km road/trail that ran beside the river with all the old Textile factories on it. It looked interesting so we opened up our umbrellas again and went for a walk.

    The small Villa River supplies water to the town of Antequera. What remains of the old factories are the irrigation channels, aqueducts, bridges and chimneys, Some buildings have been renovated by their owners, while others remain in ruins or have been neglected. The machines have all disappeared. One man who owned one of the big buildings was wondering if we wanted to buy it with a bunch of our friends!

    The walk was peaceful and quite beautiful. It didn’t rain the whole time and we got our exercise for the day in, almost 7 km.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The Caminito del Rey walk. It's high! Look at the little people there.
    1Views on the way to El ChorroOlive treesThe dam and reservoirThe gorge walkThe walk in the old days!Walking up the ancient uneven stairs to BobastroBaptismal areaCave house3All carved out of the rock3Baptismal areaA hypothetical reconstructionof the monastery

    El Chorro Natural Park

    13. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Today is a beautiful, warm and sunny day. An excellent day to visit the lakes area of Andalusia in the El Chorro Nature Park.

    Although everyone refers to them as lakes they’re actually 3 giant reservoirs. As well as supplying Malaga city with drinking water they provide a great recreational space for water sports in the summer and as well as fishing and walking all year-round. People from all over camp here as the calm waters are a change from the Mediterranean.

    We heard about this area, that is about an hour’s drive from Antequera, when I read about
    a precipitous walkway in a gorge called the Caminito del Rey (the King's Little Path) that offers spectacular views but was not suitable for people who experience vertigo.

    We originally planned to do this 8 km hike but when I checked online to book it, all the dates that we were interested in were full. It is a popular place and people book weeks in advance all year round!

    Anyways, we decided since it was such a nice day, we would still go to El Chorro to see what all the fuss was all about.

    From Antequera, we had to take a winding and narrow road through the mountains. There were signs that said to take care because “the next 5 km are dangerous”. Living in relatively flat Ontario doesn’t really prepare you for a road like this but Chris took it easy and did a great job. It helped that the road was in very good condition and there was little traffic. The big buses and trucks and take up a lot of room and whip around the bends are what scare me. Also when the scenery is sooooo beautiful and Chris wants to look at it. Yikes!

    It all worked out though and we got to El Chorro where the big dam and reservoir are. It is also the starting and ending point for the hike so there were a lots of people with hard hats, there. Buses were coming and going and it was a busy touristy place.

    We went into a restaurant that looked over the reservoir and had a coffee. Along with the Caminito del Rey, the reservoirs are one of the greatest feats of Spanish engineering in the early 20th century.

    The area around the lakes is known for sports of all types but especially rock climbing. It is a world class rocking climbing area with more than 2,000 routes for all levels.

    Our plan was to drive a little further and higher to an interesting site - the ruins of the 9th century settlement called Bobastro.

    After paying a 3 euro entrance fee, we walked up a rough set of ancient stairs and twisted our way up the mountain to the site that had incredible views below us and Griffin vultures flying over us. Pine trees and rocks…

    Bobastro is an archaeological site containing the remains of a number of different ruins, including a Muslim necropolis and a Christian Mozarabic Church. I learned that Mozarabic people were Spanish Christians living under Muslim rule (8th–11th century), who, while unconverted to Islam, adopted the Arabic language and culture.

    Carved into the sandstone rock, the church is the only example of a temple erected by the Christian community during the Muslim rule of the Caliphate of Cordoba. Omar Ben Hafsún, who converted to Christianity, established Bobastro as the capital of his revolt against the ruling Caliphate in 880. About 1,500 revolutionaries joined him and lived in caves that they also carved out of the rock. The church mostly was destroyed later but originally it was a church in a cave.

    Building the structures and the defensive walls that surrounded them, involved each and everyone of the inhabitants. It is said, that every person had to pay a yearly fee of a carved slab of rock, something that must have taken months of hard labour. The dimensions of each slab were carefully measured and each one was added onto the defensive walls or used in construction.

    There was only one other family visiting isolated Bobastro when we were there so it was a peaceful spot to check out the incredible views over the beautiful countryside while trying to imagine the life of the people who lived here.

    Actually, we don’t know how a group of revolutionaries could thrive in this place, so far from other people and under constant threat of an invasion. We did see evidence of the thick walls that surrounded the site as well as remains of ovens, grain storage places, a quarry and cisterns for water. The cave houses that we saw were shallow but they have gone through hundreds of years of erosion so who knows what they originally looked like.

    We enjoyed seeing Bobastro and were happy that our afternoon was spent exploring this ancient place and being at the top of a mountain.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Our placemat. The owner is an artist.
    1Ready raggedy looking after a day of city walking but the sentiment is there!Spring roll tapasShrimp brioche with friesTacos!Pruning the sour orange treesLottery vendor

    Our Last Day in Antequera

    14. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Our last day in Antequera was Valentine’s Day. We walked around town checking out the Valentine’s decorations but there weren’t many. Flower shops, restaurants and bakeries seemed to be the most interested in advertising this holiday.

    The first restaurant that we ate in when we arrived in the city was called LouLu’s. We thought it would be nice to end our time at the same restaurant that we started in but this time for a late Valentine lunch. Good idea. We love their tapas and the atmosphere in this tiny restaurant is great. No matter how busy it is, the servers take excellent care of you.

    Before we leave, I wanted to write a little about some of the city’s famous desserts and a few other things we’ve noticed.

    Bienmesabe (meaning "tastes good to me") is a sponge-based pudding with almonds and cinnamon. Angelorum is a concoction of sponge, meringue and egg yolk. The little bakery/breakfast restaurant down the street has several flavours of these tempting goodies. By the way, their cake slices are to die for. Mmmn.

    Mantecados appeared in the 16th century, as a consequence of an excess of wheat and lard. It is thought that the first recipe was made in Antequera. They are usually eaten at Christmas time and taste like shortbread. Then there are Polvorones, long oval cookies made with less butter, more flour and with almonds.

    Other local specialities include Porra Antequerana, a cold dip that's like a thicker version of gazpacho, marinated partridge, rabbit, and spinach-stuffed boquerones (anchovies). We didn’t get around to tasting any of these though.

    We wondered what will happen to all the streets with sour orange trees once the oranges start falling. There is a law in Spain stating that people can’t pick the city oranges. So at the appropriate time, workers prune the trees, collect the oranges and then marmalade is made from them.

    It is forbidden to cut down an oak tree in Spain without a permit. There are 2 varieties - an acorn producing oak and the cork oak.

    Every street corner has a vendor selling lottery tickets. People seem to be hooked on winning money, just like in Ontario. But in Spain, you see all the vendors and people buying tickets.

    So we are leaving this little gem of a city tomorrow morning. We’ll wave goodbye to the Indian head mountain overlooking the city and head to Jerez de La Frontera, north of Gibraltar.

    First we have to return our Wiber rental car at the Malaga airport (35 minute drive away). Then pick up a small car with Europcar just to take us to Jerez. Sounds odd, but even though Wiber has been good, it won’t let us return a car to a different location. We don’t plan on renting another car while in Spain and the buses and trains take forever to get to Jerez so we went with another company to rent a Fiat for a day.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Trees, trees, trees and palaces - early morning
    Rock of GibraltorThe Rock of GibraltorOld palaces on every streetFountains in the parksMore trees. Jacarandas are close to bloomingBakeries on every cornerThe Gallo Azul building (Blue Rooster)The fortressOrange treesHorse and caleche ridesAt all hours, rain or shine, people are outside socializingLots of walkers.His jacket says Rock Star.

    Jerez de la Frontera

    15.–21. helmik. 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Now on to Jerez, the home of Sherry, Andalusian horses, Flamenco (Lola Flores), Churros and Tabancos (quirky old taverns where people here go to buy the Sherry they use at home and to have a drink with friends and family). Jerez is a happening little city!

    Our trip to Jerez took some planning. We had to return the rental car in Malaga’s airport (not far away), pay for a little scrape (caused by a flower pot and no insurance!), and pick up another rental car for the one way trip to Jerez that takes about 2 1/2 hours. Buses and trains took at least 5 hours and stopped in Seville. Cost was comparable.

    We originally wanted to take the highway to Ronda to see the huge gorge there but decided to take the coastal route by the Rock of Gibraltar. Actually it stressed us out to drive on the coastal route as there was so much traffic and tourists. It is a hot spot for foreigners. Once we passed Gibraltar all was good, except for all the toll roads! We ended up paying three times.

    Anyways, we ended up safely in Jerez and easily found our apartment, Sherryflat Atipika, in the historic centre. It originally was a palace that has since been subdivided into modern apartments. I read an interesting fact that there are about 100 abandoned palaces in Jerez. Some of the lucky palaces have been bought and have been transformed into restaurants, apartments, hotels or businesses. The architecture from long ago days on the main streets is beautiful.

    We tried to return the rental car earlier to a local hotel that’s under construction, but didn’t have luck. It’s a long story. We returned it the next morning, as booked.

    Then off to do some food shopping. We are here for 6 days. The grocery store and market are a 5 minute walk away on interesting pedestrian streets.

    Our apartment is just perfect for us. It has one good-sized bedroom, is modern and has everything that we need for a 6 day stay - a comfy bed, big windows that let in the sun, fast wifi, smart TV, great bathroom, hot water, a washing machine, in a great location, quiet and a very responsive owner. 10/10 for us!

    It started raining when we went to explore the city so we stopped in a local bar and ate tapas and drank beer until it stopped. Nice way to start our time in Jerez.

    There are a lot of trees and plazas here, quite enjoyable, giving an air of calmness.

    We have a good feeling about what’s to come during our week in Jerez.

    P.s. It seems that everyone here loves their cute little dogs, especially Dachshunds, Maltese, Chihuahuas and small terriers. Everywhere you look, you always see a little dog on a leash going for a walk.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    3

    The ‘Tapas Tour That Never Was’ in Jerez

    17. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    It’s Chris’ birthday today and we were looking forward to a lunchtime tapas tour. The Get Your Guide ad wrote, “With your guide and small group limited to 15, you’ll visit traditional Spanish tapas joints to sample three local dishes accompanied by three drinks.”

    It sounded like a fun activity with a small group of English-speaking people but it didn’t happen …

     Chris and I went to the designated meeting spot at 12 p.m. and due to the Carnaval activities the whole area was full of groups of people. And I mean full! Hundreds of people milling around with small groups that were dancing and singing and acting. Where could our guide be? No one had a colourful umbrella or funny hat or a stick with a flower on it. So we missed the tour…but…

    I remember reading a review that had mentioned Tio Pepe’s famous winery so we headed there and hoped that the group was there. On the way, we met a couple of Canadians who travel a lot, Jenny and Bruce, from Victoria who were looking for their tour too but they were on a Sherry tour.

    We asked if the tapas tour was here, and the lady at the counter said that we could join the English Sherry Tour that was starting in a few minutes. Sounded like a good alternative!

    Here’s their little write up - “Imagine travelling by train through Tio Pepe’s vineyards and gardens, strolling among ancient wine cellars with more than 180 years of history, and discovering the incredible flavours and aromas of the best sherry wines.” That tour was followed up by a Sherry tasting and tapas.

    Chris was very happy with the tour. He especially enjoyed checking out the signatures and messages of famous people written on the big barrels. They have a lovely tradition there, encouraging important visitors to sign the barrels which are painted a chalkboard-like black to highlight any leaks. We saw the signatures of celebrities like Lana Turner, Steven Spielberg and Orson Welles. Artists including Picasso – the only one to sign in colour. Political figures like Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill and Chelsea Clinton. And musicians like Cole Porter.

    We joined Jenny and Bruce in the tasting room and enjoyed sharing travel stories while sampling the sherry, or was it wine? They are very interesting and interested people.

    Three hours later, we walked the short distance home at the height of Carnaval activities. Actually we stopped for a drink and more tapas, and people watched. There was so much fun stuff to see! Funny costumes, bands and lots of little dogs. There are a lot of dachshunds and Maltese terriers in Spain. Lol.

    When we got home, I contacted the Get Your Guide people, they contacted the tour people who contacted me with what had happened and said that they are sending us a refund. All in all a good ending to a rough start. And the Sherry Tour was free!

    Happy Birthday dear Chris! (And to his twin sister, Hilary, too!).    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    A Day Trip to Cadiz

    18. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Our cottage friends, Karen and Rob, visited Cadiz last Spring and loved it. Rob often talked with fond memories about the market and the wonderful seafood sold there. Karen had picked an apartment to stay in, next to the main square, and it was in the perfect location to visit most of the main sights.

    Since we are staying fairly close by in Jerez, we knew that we wanted to visit Cadiz too. On Sunday, we took the Renfe train #2 right to the centre of Cadiz in 40 minutes. It was a short walk to the historic centre.

    Founded 3,000 years ago by the Phoenicians, Cadiz is the oldest city still occupied in Western Europe. The peninsula that Cadiz sits on, is right on the Andalusian Atlantic coast.

    Here are a few fun facts about Cádiz -

    Cadiz is one of the sunniest cities in Europe.

    It was the home of the Spanish Navy and the port boomed in the 16th-century as a base for exploration and trade.

    Christopher Columbus set sail from Cadiz on his second and fourth trips to the New World.

    Cadiz is a beautiful city known for its numerous plazas.

    Cadiz has one of the world’s most famous carnivals.

    Cadiz boasts more than 100 watchtowers.

    Manuel de Falla, the composer, was born in Cádiz.

    In the movie, Die Another Day, James Bond (Charles Bronson) is walking down the seafront promenade in "Havana". But all the scenes in Cuba were actually filmed in Cádiz. Parts of Cádiz were remodelled or erased to look like the Cuba. The Playa de Caleta is a gorgeous beach! Do you remember Halle Berry coming out of its blue water?

    Thanks Rob and Karen for recommending this city!    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    We made our way through this!

    Cadiz and Its Crazy Carnaval!

    18. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We knew that Sunday was the last day of Carnaval in Cádiz after a week of celebrations but we didn’t know what we were in for when we went to Cádiz for a day trip. A lot of crazy fun!

    We found out that the Cadiz Carnival is one of the most famous carnivals in the world, surpassed only by the one in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil. This unique event is a weeklong street party with a huge turnout as we found out. People from all over come to participate in the festivities, which include parades, music, and an incredible range of costumes. The locals put their heart and soul into the carnival, and it was hard not to get wrapped up in all the fun.

    “People, young and old, come in groups and they all dress up in themes or in the same costumes. The more ridiculous the costume, the better. It is sort of like Halloween, but not scary - much more silly. I also have to mention that this is not just a holiday for young people, half the people dressed up were middle age and older!” We were part of a small group that were dressed up like foreigners. Lol.

    The plazas are big but the side streets are small. Bands were playing and singing different music on every corner using guitars, bass drum, snare drum, hi hat and KAZOOS! No microphones used, just their voices. The audience, most carrying beer in cups or bottles, clapped and danced and laughed. As I said everyone was having fun.

    We got stuck in one of the jammed streets as we were making our way through the dense crowd. Everyone smiled as we and others pushed our way through to get to a free spot. There was never an ugly moment.

    What an experience!    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Out 'whatever' tapasChicharonesWhoops! Too much beer!

    Lunch in the Cadiz Market

    18. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Our cottage friends, Rob and Karen, told us about the central market in Cádiz. They suggested that we visit it as it is amazing and there are a lot of tapas bars surrounding the main market. We like tapas!

    The market was built in 1838, on the site of property that belonged to an old convent.? We heard that there are more than 100 stalls selling fresh seafood, meats, olives, pastries, and much more. Oh, to have a market like that at home!

    As we were there on a Sunday, the main market was closed but the market had an area called the Rincón Gastronómico around the market, which served up all kinds of international as well as local dishes at the outdoor tables.

    It is Carnaval weekend and all the tables were full of costumed people eating tapas and drinking beer. Of course we joined them! We asked a few people what they were eating and where they bought it. So we ended up trying foods that we didn’t have a clue what we were eating but everything was tasty.

    Thanks Rob and Karen for the tip!    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Tia Norica puppet2

    Cadiz Puppet Museum

    18. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    When I was researching places to visit in Cadiz, I stumbled on an article about a puppet museum located near the train station. Well, we just had to go visit it. And it was great!

    It is located inside the gates of the old city fortress and it’s free to visit. Chris and I enjoyed checking out how the puppets were made.

    There are a variety of puppets on display - marionettes, hand puppets, shadow puppets, rod puppets and even finger puppets. There are puppets from all over the world, from traditional Spanish puppets to exotic puppets from Vietnam, Russia, Java, Ghana, Turkey, Thailand, Mexico and Spain. tyle and personality.

    I found the following article by Désirée Ortega Cerpa from the World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts and as it is very interesting reading, especially for my puppetry friends, I included it here.

    “In the middle of the 18th century, a growing regard for theatre and woodcarving encouraged the development of puppetry. In 1815, the artist Pedro Montenegro (1778-1857) opened a theatre on Calle Compañía in Cádiz, to present a play popularly known as Nacimiento de figuras de movimiento (Birth of Figures in Motion). His trademark performances, Isabel II and then Libertad, featured a character, Tía Norica (Aunt Norica), who gave the shows and the theatre their popular names. After the theatre was demolished in 1870, performances were held in other premises.

    From 1901, the company was headed by Luis E. Chaves (1847-1919). He introduced electric lights and a portable theatre that could accommodate an audience of two hundred spectators. This theatre featured a retablo, a miniature Italian-style proscenium stage adapted for puppets.

    Manuel M. Couto (Seville, 1880 – Cádiz, 1947) succeeded his father-in-law and perfected his manipulation techniques of both string puppets and rod puppets. His string puppets were supported by a small, vertical T-cross – whose centre supported the string of the head and the extremities of the arms, while the legs were independently controlled and animated from a bridge. Rod puppets were manipulated by the puppeteer while sitting in the small theatre’s orchestra pit. Couto toured different localities and introduced new themes into the repertoire.

    After the Spanish Civil War, Joaquín Rivas (1919-1993) directed the theatre until 1959. He reassumed a leadership role in 1974.

    In 1976, Carlos Aladro published the book, La Tía Norica de Cádiz, and in 1978, the Ministry of Culture acquired the puppet collection and moved it to the Museo de Cádiz (Cádiz Museum). Once restored, the collection was exhibited at the II Fiesta Internacional del Títere de Sevilla (Second International Puppet Festival) held in Seville in 1982. The exhibition was so successful that the city of Cádiz decided to revive the company in 1984 with reproductions of the original puppets. Pepe Bablé took charge in 1985 and, since then, the company continues to present performances from its repertoire by always mixing modernity with tradition.

    La Tía Norica has participated in many renowned festivals, such as the Festival Internacional de Teatro in Madrid (1991), the Feria Internacional del Títere de Sevilla-Expo´92 (1992), Festival Mundial de Teatro de las Naciones in Chile (1993), Festival Internacional in Caracas, Venezuela (1996). The Ministry of Culture awarded the theatre the “Medalla de Oro al Mérito en Bellas Artes 2002” (Gold Medal of Merit in Fine Arts) for its work in 2002.

    La Tía Norica had occupied space at the Baluarte de Candelaria (the 17th century fortress) before moving to its permanent home on the site of the former Teatro Cómico on Calle San Miguel in Cádiz. The company’s workshop and storehouse still remain at the Baluarte de Candelaria.”

    Check out - https://youtu.be/BaFg11oem8w?si=Ukk4T8oMhc9UaiqS    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The school housed in this mansionThe stablesElaborate decorations on the houseThe horse arena where shows are heldCarriage museumHorse waiting for training. No eating allowed.Storks!Making harnesses

    Royal Andalusian Sch. of Equestrian Arts

    19. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Andalusian horses are absolutely magnificent animals. And Jerez is considered the horse capital of Spain. We could not be here and not see these beautiful creatures in action. So we went on a 2+ hour tour of the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Arts.

    The institution is in charge of the selection and breeding of Andalusian horses. It aims to ensure the training of excellent riders as well as to conserve and promotion the skills involved with dressage. In short, it is preserving the long tradition and rich culture of Spanish horsemanship.

    The horses remind me of carrousel horses with their arched necks, flowing manes and tales and noble demeanour. Just a pleasure to watch.

    We started out by walking through the botanical gardens of a 19th century palace built for the French wine merchant, Julian Pemartín, to get to the indoor arena, where the daily training of students and horses was taking place..

    This arena, with its yellow/gold coloured sand, can seat up to 1,600 spectators. Twice a week a show that demonstrates the abilities of the riders and the horses is performed in this arena. We would have liked seeing the show but it was not being performed while we are in Jerez. Seeing the horses being trained was a wonderful experience and we throughly enjoyed our unrushed time watching them go through their moves.

    The formal part of the tour was led by a woman who obviously knew and loved her job. Her English was very good and she spoke loud enough for all of our group to hear the interesting facts about the history of the horses and the school.

    Only 6 students (ages 16 - 24) are admitted to the school each year and they stay for 4 years. Each student works with 7 or 8 horses. In the photos, students wear green shirts and trainers wear blue shirts.

    Our first stop was at the Carriage Museum. The main room exhibited carriages from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as a collection of the best harnesses and all the carriage driving equipment. She explained how 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 horses could be hooked up to a carriage. Little did we know.

    Then we continued through the stables and met many of the horses who seemed happy to have some new company. A little further on we saw the work areas, where we watched how the grooms washed and harnessed the horses and cared for the carriages and the equipment.

    In the centre of the stables is a beautiful and well-organized tack room, made of wood, where they keep all the harnesses used for daily training and for the performances themselves.

    Returning to the arena we watched the trainers and their horses as they practiced for an upcoming show. It was fascinating how calm everything was. Soft Spanish music was playing and it was very peaceful. Loved it!

    The guide told us that we could wander around and what to see on the premises. We walked outside past the outdoor training areas and spotted 2 storks on a nest. The last time we saw storks was in Antequera.

    The Horse Museum that was in the palace consisted of 11 rooms that contained displays showing the origins and evolution of equestrian art in Andalusia and the rest of the world. We found the display and videos illustrating the various dressage movements to be very informative, especially after seeing those movements in the training area.

    Chris enjoyed seeing the workshop where the harnesses are made and repaired. This intricate work was being carried out by a master harness maker and his apprentice.

    After 3 hours, we weren’t really ready to leave but our tummies were telling us that they ready for lunch.    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Cannon clock
    The Summer PalaceSundial clock1755

    A Palace of Time

    20. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Tomorrow, we leave Jerez by train to Seville. We have really enjoyed ourselves here and in 6 days have only touched on the many things that we could see and do from here. We are leaving with some wonderful memories.

    This morning, we walked to a Palace of Time, a clock museum, located in a summer palace surrounded by beautiful gardens. When it was built in 1873, the ‘cottage’ was out in the country, north of the city. Now the city has grown all around it.

    This museum is the only clock museum in Spain. It opened in 1973 and all the clocks on display work. When we went inside you could hear the gentle ticking of the 280 clocks on display, with soft Baroque music playing in the background.

    There are ten rooms and one of the most valuable collections of antique clocks in Europe. There are actually 302 clocks in the Museum. Of special interest is the oldest clock, dating back to 1670 but there are also English clocks, pocket clocks, desk clocks, travel clocks, bedside clocks, etc. Quite an interesting collection.

    The majority of the clocks in the collection are French or English but there are some from
    Italy, Switzerland and Germany. It was interesting to see that the French clocks were elaborately decorated with gold, filigree work, gilt, glass and porcelain. They are visual works of art. In comparison, the English clocks are more utilitarian, but apparently, more accurate.

    There were some very unusual clocks. One was a sundial shaped like a cannon that fired on the hour! Another was a ship that swayed back and forth while it measured time, and another clock was an automan clown that juggled cups.

    Many of the chiming clocks still work. They are tended by experienced and dedicated clockmakers who ensure they are all correctly wound and set to the correct time. We wondered about who had the job of winding all of those clocks every week…

    On the half-hour the French clocks chime in unison - tinkly, sweet sounds. On the full hour, the bass notes of Westminster chimes resound through the building.

    We were there at noon when all the clocks started chiming the hour. What a great sound!

    Upstairs was where the more precious clocks were kept as well as a very big collection of canes.

    When we were done, we finished off our visit by wandering through the old gardens, just biding our time…    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Our hotel1One of the several indoor patios

    Seville Cervantes Hotel

    21. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    I have always loved the novel Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes. In the story, Don Quixote is a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with the chivalrous ideals he read about in books, he decides to take up his lance and sword to defend the helpless and destroy the wicked. But what adventures he has!

    The writer Miguel de Cervantes lived primarily in Seville between 1596 and 1600. Because of financial problems, he worked as a purveyor for the Spanish Armada, and later as a tax collector. In 1597, because of discrepancies in his accounts, he ended up in the Royal Prison of Seville for a short time.

    Because of my love of the story, we are staying in the old section of Seville in the Cervantes Hotel on Cervantes Street. Maybe I had a Don Quixote moment when I booked it… But I couldn’t resist.

    We arrived by train from Jerez, in the early afternoon and took an inexpensive cab (our first in Spain) to the hotel.

    We settled into our room and then went out for a late tapas lunch at a recommended outdoor restaurant. The food was great - a seafood salad, spaghetti with garlic and shrimp and an artichoke dish, topped off with a huge slice of a yummy cake (like three leches) that we shared. In fact we shared the whole meal. It was all so good.

    When we returned to the hotel, we made some plans for how we were going to spend our week here. We booked a flamenco show for Sunday and just checked out a few things that we wanted to look into.

    Our room was nice but too warm and stuffy and the door needed oil as it creaked loudly. The lady at the reception suggested that we could change rooms tomorrow. Perfect.

    All in all a good travel day. I think we are going to enjoy our say here!    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    A Walk Through the Old Jewish Quarter

    22. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Before we left home, I cut up a Rick Steve’s Andalucia guidebook and just took pages of the places where we were going to stay. He recommends several interesting places in Seville, including a walk in the old Jewish area, so we decided to check it out after eating a filling breakfast that was included in the price of the hotel room.

    We packed up our belongings and the receptionist said that they would move our stuff to a new room when it was ready while we were out.

    So with Rick Steve’s guide we went to visit “ the narrow lanes of its oldest quarter - the Barrio Santa Cruz”.

    This area, once a thriving Jewish neighbourhood, was a maze of winding narrow streets. We were thankful for the little map that we had! But getting lost in this area would have been fun too. Apparently, the streets were built narrow for their shade when it gets really hot here. It reminded us of the medinas in Marrakesh.

    Anyways, we started in the Plaza de La Virgen de Los Reyes where the huge cathedral and Giraldo bell tower are located. So much history surrounds this square! The tower has blocks at the bottom from when Seville was a Roman city, 2,000 years ago. The main body of the tower was built by the Moors as a call-to-prayer tower for a mosque and the top was built by the Christian’s in the 16th Century. All of Seville’s history in one tower.

    We opted out of visiting the cathedral as the line ups for entry were very long. Maybe another time. Maybe…We have seen a lot of churches! One interesting fact though… there were columns and chains around the cathedral. Why? If a person from Seville was running from the law, they just had to cross these chains to find sanctuary. A border between the secular and Catholic worlds centuries ago.

    We proceeded on to the Plaza del Triumfo that is surrounded by the walled Alcazar (palace fortress), the cathedral and the archives building which is filled with historic papers.

    Going through an arched opening in an old wall, we ended up in the Patio de Banderas, an old military parade ground surrounded by barracks. Under this area, archaeologists found remains of a Moorish palace and 2,000 year old Roman ruins. They excavated it and then covered the site up to protect it.

    We learned something interesting. This patio is surrounded by bitter orange trees. Because they never lose their leaves, they provide constant shade. The oranges are used to make vitamins, perfumes, cat food and marmalade. When they blossom in the spring, it smells lovely for 3 weeks. Bitter orange leaves have a tiny extra leaf between the main leaf and the stem.

    We passed a gate and went into a lane way next to an old city wall called the Calle Agua. At the end of the road are 2 old pipes built into the wall. These 12th century pipes, part of a 16 km aqueduct, once carried fresh spring water to the palace.

    The heart of the barrio (neighbourhood, is a lovely little square called Plaza de Santa Cruz. A synagogue used to stand here. When the Jews were evicted in 1391, the building was demolished and a Christian church built on the spot. But then Napoleon had it demolished when he invaded. Now, there is a beautiful 17th century iron cross on the spot.

    We passed the mansion where Seville’s famous painter, Bartolome Murillo lived during the 17th century. Across the street was a convent that the renowned mystic St. Teresa of Avila lived.

    Then, we walked on an incredibly narrow street, Calle Reinoso, that was called a kissing street. This led to the Plaza de Los Venerables that inspired so many operas like Don Giovanni, Carmen, The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro.

    Our last little square was the Plaza of Dona Elvira, a cute square with orange trees, tile benches and a stone fountain. Dona Elvira was the lady love of the legendary Don Juan.

    After the Jews were expelled, this whole area went into decline. In the early 1900s it was deserted and run down. But then Seville began a big urban renewal project preparation for the 1929 World’s Fair and the area became a showpiece of Andalusian style. Tradition was respected and the neighbourhood’s 800 year old history carries on.

    Thanks Rick! A great free walking tour with no tips!    Lue lisää

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Flamenco dresses in many stores
    So colourful. Beautidul scarves too.A hat and accesory shopStreet paintingsOld arches with surprises around the cornerPeeking in houses. Lovely courtyards.A bust in Murrillos mansion.In a barOld Seville. Ships could sail up the river from the coast.Sidewalk chalk paintingsOur new roomLots of air and light.

    Interesting Sights in Seville so far…

    22. helmikuuta 2024, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Just an update. Hotel Cervantes upgraded us to a beautiful big room on a corner with three doors that open to balconies. Two in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. A penthouse suite, kind of… Lol.

    We could stay in this room for a long time. It’s wonderful - spacious, airy and quiet. What a treat to come back to!

    The photos are random colourful photos that Chris took. This colourful city is a photographers’ dream city.    Lue lisää

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