A Day in Seville

We left Estepona to begin our 2 1/2 hour journey 

to Seville in the dark of night.  As we drove we 

could see dawn breaking over north Africa.

The day was looking bright and sunny and I was

hoping to find lots of treasures at the Thursday

Antique Market in Seville.  We were making great

time and then the rain started.  We made it to the

city and got terribly lost and ended up in a part of

the city that was definitely not for tourists, we were

on the tiny streets that I call "mirror scrapers" in

our Citroen Picasso that I called Das Boot.  After a 

long backtrack we parked near the bullring and 

started our day of exploring.

We hopped a bus to the Macarena district in

the northern part of the city.  I went into an

antique store to ask about the market but 

they said it would be canceled due to the rain.

Noooooo...

So we went to church instead.  Specifically

to the Basilica of Nuestra Senora de la 

Esperanza Macarena.  It is a small but

beautiful Neobaroque church built in the

20th century.

It is so well known because it houses the 

Virgin of Hope statue, the most revered

image in Seville.

The wooden statue dates from the 17th

century.  La Macarena is the Patron 

Saint of matadors.

You can climb behind the altar to 

view the church as the Madonna does.

Through mirrors on each side we can view

her face, including the crystal tears of the

Crying Virgin.

The museum attached to the church 

houses the floats, costumes and treasury

of the Holy Week Brotherhood.  These

items are used in the Holy Week processions

called Semana Santa which happen all over

Spain during Holy Week but are very popular

and elaborate in Seville.

This paseo shows:  When Pilate saw that he could

 prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, 

he took water, and washed his hands before the 

multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this 

just person: see ye to it.

The rain had stopped when we left the 

church so we decided to walk back to the

central part of the city.  We took lots of

photos, popped into a bakery for a little

treat to eat on the way...

... now, it may have taken a bit longer than

anticipated since I jumped into every other 

doorway to take photos of the tiles in the

vestibules.  So beautiful.

Seville is a very pretty city,  I always feel 

the best way to get to know a place is to

walk its streets.

We finally made it down to the beautiful

plaza near the Cathedral.

The Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede is

the largest Gothic cathedral and the 3rd

largest church in the world.  

I have been in A LOT of Gothic cathedrals

and I have to admit I am not a big fan.

I find them too large and too cold.  Now 

Mr. Wonderful and I differ on this subject.

When we are traveling around Europe there

is often a church on every block and we often

have this same conversation:

Mr. W:  Ohhh, look a church.

Me: We can't go into every church we see.

Mr. W: I'll just pop in really fast...

Me:  Grrrrr...

So here is my confession.  I had words 

with Mr. W in the cathedral.  Maybe it was

because we were up before dawn, maybe 

because we walked what felt like many 

miles, okay, maybe I was cranky but 

essentially I told Mr. W to find himself a 

church that travels and go visit churches 

with them.  Yeah, not my finest moment.

And I was in church.

I can appreciate the architecture ~ yes.

But I find that I can't help thinking

about Martin Luther...

An interesting fact about the cathedral is

the presence of the tomb of Christopher

Columbus, though there is a dispute about

whether or not his remains are actually here.

I soon escaped to the Patio de 

las Naranjos.  It is filled with the

beautiful orange trees that are seen

all over Seville.  Don't be tempted to 

eat them though, they are bitter and 

used for marmalade.

From the patio you can see the Giralda

Bell Tower ~ a former minaret of the 

mosque that stood on the site.

After a little time in a cafe I was in a 

better mood which is generally what 

happens when I visit a cafe.  We then

visited the Alcazar of Seville, a Royal

Palace and formerly a Moorish fort.

I have heard the Alcazar described as 

a small Alhambra.  I would agree, I 

found it to be more colorful than the

Alhambra.

The gardens are breathtaking, even

in February.

And there was one after another...

after another.

The rains started again so we walked

back to our car and headed home and 

thought we were doing so well when 

once again we missed the road we needed

and this time it was in rush hour traffic.

Ugh.

When we finally found our way we had

a pretty frightening trip home through the

mountains in a downpour.

But we had to get home because we were

going to see Flamenco that night.

Then home to pack because we were moving to

a different village the next day and we had to be

up before dawn again since we were headed to

Granada the next day, another 2 1/2 hour trip

through the mountains in the other direction.

And this is why we often feel we need a 

vacation after our vacation...

Eggcup Pincushions

When I travel, I like to bring home a little gift for

my friends.  Something that evokes the feel of the

country I have traveled in.  

I explored many of the villages along the

southern coast of Spain, I was looking for

something sewing related that also 

was Spanish.

I strolled many flower bedecked lanes, 

popping into shops but I couldn't find

the right thing...

Daily, I would stop off in a cafe to 

contemplate my conumdrum.

Haha, there's something for me.

That's my name when I'm in Spain.

Finally, it dawned on me at one of the 

morning markets.  I'd have to get a little

crafty but I could take an everyday item

and make it into a gift that reflected the

feel of Spain and be sewing related.

I took a decorative eggcup (handpainted

in Spain), then I made a yoyo and stuffed 

it with fiberfill then popped it into the space

where the egg would go and voila! 

I hope my friends enjoy them.

Seeing the World Through Wine

For Anthala

When I see people taking great photos, I will

often ask them if I can see the shot.  It is a 

great way to share ideas and information.

On one of our first nights in Spain we were on

the beach watching the sunset and a group of

3 young people came on the beach and sat a

few chairs away from us.  One of the young

women in the group was in the sand at one 

point taking photos with her phone.  After

the woman's friends had gone back to the 

resort I yelled over to ask if she was taking

a photo of the glass of wine or through the 

glass of wine.  She called back to say she was 

on the phone with her brother but would 

show me when she got off the phone.  After 

a bit she came over and Rob & I got into a 

fabulous conversation with her.  It was one

of those instances when we made an instant

connection with a fellow traveler, we all had 

so much to share and talk about, it was 

wonderful.  It was the same connection we

have made many other times, such as Tess,

Adithya, Ahmet, Sumi and Avnish, Olivia, 

Barb & Steve for example.

We were in such a fabulous conversation we 

didn't realize the sun had completely set and

a lot of time had gone by.  Suddenly Anthala's

friends returned to the beach.  They had been

texting her and searching for her and were 

quite concerned when they couldn't reach her.

Whoops!  Sorry about that...

Finally, we got around to looking at her photos.

She was taking a photo through the glass of wine

and it was very cool looking.  We decided we 

should do a series of these shots as we travel

using the local wines of the region we are 

traveling in.  So here is my first shot, we have

had a busy trip and quite a bit of rain so this was

the first chance I got to shoot the sunset through

the local Spanish vino blanco.  This will be the

first in the series.

It was great to meet you Anthala!



Gambas al Ajillo

In Marbella, Spain today, the winds are

howling, the palms are swaying, the waves

are crashing and we are taking a day to just

hang out at home.  This afternoon Mr.

Wonderful decided to go for a massage.  He 

was telling Hailey, his massage therapist, that

he was going to make a shrimp dish for dinner

tonight and this is the recipe she suggested.

It is gambas al ajillo, often thought of as the

perfect tapas dish ~ easy to make and delicious.

We moaned with delight while eating this and

sopped up every bit of the sauce and garlic 

with fresh baguette ~ heaven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cCGoQyO_yM

The Road to Ronda, Spain

Today's adventure was a visit to the beautiful 

mountaintop village of Ronda.

"I have sought everywhere the city of my

 dreams and I have finally found it in Ronda"

    ~Rainer Maria Rilke

We started from our condo on the beach and 

headed up the San Pedro Road through the 

mountains.

After my first trip, I swore I would NEVER

go back by car.  On my last trip, that would

have been my eye in the car except it had a

tear coming out of it.

I admit my first trip up the mountain was

awful.  It is a 2 lane road with constant twists

and turns but what made it awful was the 

daredevil motorcyclists that were weaving 

between cars and banking so far in the curves

that it was frightening.

This photo shows the tree line, the area 

where trees can no longer thrive.

And when you reach the top it is nothing

but rock, some scrub and mosses.

And then you come upon the beautiful city

of Ronda, like an oasis in a desert.

"There is nothing more startling in Spain 

than this wild and mountainous city."

                  ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Ronda is home to Spain's oldest bullring.

Bull fighting is still an important part of

Spanish culture.

The views into the surrounding valley are

delightful.  I wonder what life is like for the

people living in these farmhouses?

And the views beyond of the surrounding

mountains are breathtaking.  What a variety

of color.

This is a lovely spot to take in the view.

Today there was a harpist playing in 

the gazebo.

You don't realize the plunge until you 

look at it from this angle.

Hem is popular here, as he is in many places.

He spent summers here researching bull fighting.

It is a lovely little city filled with cafes and 

restaurants, many with spectacular views.

Everyone has their cameras out for shots

of the Puente Nuevo or New Bridge, odd to

call it new since it was built from 1751-1793. 

But that just shows how old this city is.  How

did people get to this place back then?

The bridge spans this canyon, it 

reminds me of the legs of an elephant.

I love to stroll through the narrow,

winding streets.

I peek into the courtyards.  I would

like to live there.

And spend a quiet Sunday afternoon

near the church.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FB3z7Cz45g&feature=youtu.be

See the complete photo journal here:

http://homesteadtravels.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/ronda-spain-photo-journal.html