November 9-11, 2013
This was our farthest driving location. We went to a flamenco show and dinner. The food was really good, expensive, but good. It was a small venue so we could see the show really well. There was a guitar, main male singer, and three backup guys who would mostly do the clapping rhythm. The male dancer was from Cadiz and very tall. The female dancer was very small. Her dress was very pretty but seemed to just get in the way when she was dancing. My best way to describe flamenco dancing is that it is tap dancing with only using your heel. I would hate to be their downstairs neighbors! The female dancer was an older lady, I would say in her 70s and was pretty good. I would love to know what they are singing about. Most of the time it just sounds like they are saying the dancers name. On Sunday we went to the Prado Museum. What we liked about this museum was how the art was organized by style and artist so we could really learn what was so unique. The most famous piece is Las Meninas by Velazquez. The significance is that the scene is a snapshot showing the real life of the royal court instead of just the typical portrait that was common at the time. The Prado also has a copy of the Mona Lisa done by one of da Vinci's apprentices. The most identifiable artist was Goya because all his human forms are very stretched. After the museum we walked around the city. There was trash everywhere because all the trash workers went on strike. Many of the buildings were built by the Hapsburgs with a very grand style.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Olvera, Spain
November 9, 2013
This town is another Pueblo Blanco and has our favorite castle. It is very small, but has lots of little halls and staircases to explore. We were the only people there. The city's main industry is agriculture so the town is surrounded by plowed fields. Olvera did seem more prosperous than other cities we have seen purely because there were not as many empty stores. The cathedral is also very prominent, but we didn't go inside. The castle was quite the hike for all those stairs to get to the top!
This town is another Pueblo Blanco and has our favorite castle. It is very small, but has lots of little halls and staircases to explore. We were the only people there. The city's main industry is agriculture so the town is surrounded by plowed fields. Olvera did seem more prosperous than other cities we have seen purely because there were not as many empty stores. The cathedral is also very prominent, but we didn't go inside. The castle was quite the hike for all those stairs to get to the top!
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Baelo Claudia, Spain
October 26, 2013
These are ruins from the Roman era, but the history stretches much farther back than Romans. The town was most known for tuna fishing as the tuna go into the Mediterranean to breed. Right by the water were basins to put the fish into salt baths. One of the statues was for Isis, evidence that all cultures had an influence. The town even became so large that it had its own mint.
These are ruins from the Roman era, but the history stretches much farther back than Romans. The town was most known for tuna fishing as the tuna go into the Mediterranean to breed. Right by the water were basins to put the fish into salt baths. One of the statues was for Isis, evidence that all cultures had an influence. The town even became so large that it had its own mint.
Vejer de la Fronterra, Spain
October 26, 2013
Another Pueblo Blanco. The most famous restaurant here is a middle eastern place. It was closed for siesta when we were by. We had an authentic breakfast which started with extremely fresh orange juice, then hot chocolate and toasted bread with jamon. In the guided tour we went to a cathedral that was once a mosque and then another time it was a synagogue. The minaret became the bell tower. There are even still stars of David painted on the exterior. Half of the structure was Moorish built and then the Christians added more. The two styles of construction were very clear. All of the inner courtyards were once cisterns with a well bucket to get the water. The cisterns were blocked off when the Malaria became uncontrollable. All of the landscaped areas were incredibly well manicured.
Another Pueblo Blanco. The most famous restaurant here is a middle eastern place. It was closed for siesta when we were by. We had an authentic breakfast which started with extremely fresh orange juice, then hot chocolate and toasted bread with jamon. In the guided tour we went to a cathedral that was once a mosque and then another time it was a synagogue. The minaret became the bell tower. There are even still stars of David painted on the exterior. Half of the structure was Moorish built and then the Christians added more. The two styles of construction were very clear. All of the inner courtyards were once cisterns with a well bucket to get the water. The cisterns were blocked off when the Malaria became uncontrollable. All of the landscaped areas were incredibly well manicured.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)