August 30, 2014
Doñana National Park is on the opposite side of the Guadalquivir River as the Doñana Natural Park we visited last year in October. This park is where the Guadalquivir River meets the ocean. Many of the famous Spanish explorers went down the river through the park to begin their grand explorations. This is one of Spain's UNESCO sites and can only be entered via a tour boat that leaves from Sanlucar. The boat took us about 10 miles up the river to see the native houses and go along a boardwalk to see the animals and vegetation. It all reminded me of the Eastern Shore in Maryland. I liked that the houses also had their own beehives made from tree bark. The houses were all made from a thatch-type of material. One of the houses is still owned by one family that will periodically visit. They have a solar panel for electricity so I guess they don't totally live like the datives. Through the park is a very wide sandy path used for the El Rocio pilgrimage. This occurs in June ending on Pentacost Monday. The length of the pilgrimage depends on how far the person lives from the church. El Rocio is the most famous pilgrimage that attracts nearly one million people per year. It began in the 12th century when a hunter found a statue of the Virgin Mary in a tree trunk in what is now the Doñana National Park. A chapel was built where the tree stood and it is the destination for the pilgrimage.
The "native" house with a solar panel.
The road for the El Rocio pilgrimage.
Where we left from in Sanlucar.
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