After being in Madrid for awhile, we decided to take a narrated bus trip to Avila and Segovia, two famous cities to the north of Madrid.
The main monument is the imposing Walls of Ávila (11th-14th centuries), the medieval work was started in 1090. The enclosed area is 77 acres, it has 88 semicircular towers, and walls over 9 ft thick, with an average height of 39 ft, and 9 gates. It is the largest fully illuminated monument in the world. It is possible to walk upon the walls themselves for roughly half their circumference.
We also visited the Cathedral of Ávila, a Romanesque and Gothic church, a cathedral-fortress, its apse being one of the turrets of the city walls. It is surrounded by a number of houses or palaces. Across town we also visited the church and museum dedicated to Saint Teresa.
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Arriving by train, really late (about 10 PM) we got a taxi to the place we were staying. They didn’t charge us for being late which was good because the rules said it would cost us 30 euros (1.12 cents= 1euro). But restaurants nearby were still going gangbusters and we ate, then went to bed.
The next day was typical Madrid, better said in pictures than words, a shop full of deserts (John in convinced no one can do desserts like Spain), the subway (we got very good at this), Plaza Mayor, a very nice OLD bar, statues, buildings, Lions about to eat men, Historical figures hanging out of buildings, churches, Museo del Prado (they wouldn’t let us take many pictures inside), and fantastic old doors.
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Text by Judy J. Pinegar, Pictures by John J. O’Dell
Coming into A Coruna it was a nice hotel with horrible basement parking. John did it the first time, but then they asked him to let them park the car in the future, and John was more than happy let them!
These homes are called glass houses because of the intense number of windows
So out for a stroll we saw the most famous sign of A Coruña, glass houses facing the marina/port, then the Plaza de Maria Pita… dedicated to Maria Pita. The English were bad neighbors here, first the Spanish Armada took off from here and failed badly, mostly due to the horrible weather. Then Sir Frances Drake the famous pirate came to take over the town, and was succeeding until Maria Pita, who was assisting her husband, an army captain manning the defenses, when he was killed by a crossbow bolt that struck him in the head. An English soldier with a banner, who was making his way to the highest part of the wall, was killed by Pita. She appeared on the heights of the wall herself, shouting: Quen teña honra, que me siga (“Whoever has honor, follow me!”) whereupon the English incursion was driven back by the defenders. The English later gave up the assault and retreated to their ships. I always like it when the women come through!
Plaza de Maria Pita
We then went into the walled old town and saw a 12th century church, a beautiful walled garden, and views of the port.
We then came to the Plaza of Humor, with cartoons from all over the world including Disney engraved into the concrete, and a statue of a funny man… John is still mad that I put my hand on his leg!
Later we went to a archeological museum, inside of what used to be a prison, Castillo de San Anton, with Roman ruins and evidence of the later military uses.. Then a walk along the exposed coast, where we saw an odd glass structure that turned out to be the port navigation center (on high like at an airport)! and finally the Tower of Hercules, which was first a Roman Lighthouse, then made over several times to the current structure. Fairly well preserved relics were still beneath the tower, but the ceiling was about 5’6″… my son Kevin would have had to be in a crouch to see it!
Tower of Hercules A Coruna
One day (well actually two) the first time John had forgotten the old picture he had of his Mom’s house that he had taken when she was visiting with him in her old age. We showed the picture to two people who were born and still living in Buno and they recognized it right away and gave us directions. So we took some pictures for the family. See John beside what is now a metal door into the stone structure. His mother told him that the animals lived on the first floor, and the people lived on the second floor, which was quite common in those days.
John’s mothers home in Buno Spain
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Text by Judy J. Pinegar, Pictures by John J. O’Dell
After leaving Bilbao we spent three days getting to A Coruna. Our first stop was Cuervas de Monte Castillo, a site with several caves with prehistoric wall paintings by humans since 150,000 years ago. We had a 45 minute guided tour of the cave which has 275 paintings and engravings of bison, deer, goats mammoths, hand prints, and other mysterious symbols dating from 26,000 to 11,000 BC. Unfortunately they wouldn’t allow pictures so you just have to take our word for it… I did get a picture of John standing outside the entrance, by a big rock, some flowers which appeared to be growing out of pure rock, and the scenery of the area!
When we stopped at the Villa Rosario hotel in Ribadesella, a beautiful, beachfront hotel, a classic century old mansion built by a returned emigrant from Latin America or the Caribbean (with money), I thought I must have really gone off my budget of 70 euros a night. But it turned out we were in the newer addition (black glass and grey rock across the street, for only 55 euros)… still very nice, almost luxurious inside, really…. and we had breakfast for only 9 euros each in the all glass beachside restaurant next to the older hotel. The town was nice with lots of boats and a fantastic beach… too cold of course this is the Atlantic. They had our same London plane tree, but cut back like a fruitless mulberry (pollarded I think it is called), with the branched grown together within and between trees. Very interesting.
Cudillero, Spain
The we were on the way to Ribadeo, stopping first at Cudillero, with streets winding down an impossible steep cliff side to end at a picture perfect harbor, this tiny fishing town now gets many visitors in the summer, luckily we are before tourist season to start in June. However the food here was still about three times the average for a meal an any of the towns we have been visiting so we moved on.
Then Ribadeo with plenty of time to explore the small town. We visited Santa Clara Convent, built in the Middle ages and still operational now we heard singing from a half open door and the sign said earlier in the day they sell almond cakes to make money. Then the Moreno’s Tower built between 1914 and 1915 following the design of an Argentinean architect, which is now the best known building in Ribadeo. Then down to the port past a tiny staircase path to houses above, and a tiny shop filled to the brim with everything you can imagine! After walking the town for several hours, we had to go back to the hotel and wait because restaurants don’t even open until 8PM. Still at 8:30 we were the only ones there until 9PM. This is true all over Spain on this trip. The waiters tell us most people come to dinner between 10 and 11 PM. People working on roads, parks and in stores start at 9 or 10 until 2 PM then a siesta until 4PM then continue working until 7PM. So dinner is Later!
Next the city of A Coruna and visiting John’s mom’s birth town of Buno!
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John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
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Text by Judy J. Pinegar, Pictures by John J. O’Dell
After leaving San Sebastian by bus, we arrived in Bilbao, famous for the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. Again we stayed in the old part of town (Casco Viejo), and after a rest, took the river walk to the Museum.
The first thing we saw was a beautiful red bridge, for cars leaving and entering town, going over some huge towers to mark the beginning of the museum. Next the huge spider, the dancing women and the tower of silver balls, all famous signs of the Guggenheim Museum. Inside was modern art which didn’t thrill either of us and an interesting temporary exhibit about the sculpture, painting and other art, including a full length movie by Niki de Saint Phale. Very interesting woman, now deceased. In front of the museum is a huge puppy, his body made from flowers planted in turf on a huge mesh statue.
Walking home we see some tapas bars and many narrow streets. The next day we visited a museum of the history of the Basque peoples, along with some maritime exhibits, some churches and other neat buildings.
That day we ate in a typical Basque restaurant with a cideria (a huge barrel of the local apple cider) … to pour a glass you have to start far away from the stream/spigot, and not spill a drop! Ha! that was fun, and tasty too! This area’s documents show that the people were sipping cider as far back as the 8th century. The region churns out 80% of Spanish cider up to 30 million liters a year!
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John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
O’Dell Realty
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Flamenco del Oro Nevada County’s Flamenco Music and Dance Troupe will be performing at The Holbrooke Hotel Restaurant featuring Gypsy Flamenco artist from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain KINA MENDEZ. Kina’s powerful and soothing voice will be accompanied by the rooted guitar works of Gopal Slavonic. Also performing will be percussionist Roger Aiton.
Singer and dancer KINA MENDEZ grew up in the Mendez clan of Gypsy artists from Jerez. She began singing under the influence of her aunt, legendary singer La Paquera de Jerez. Her professional career began when she joined Manuel Morao’s company. She later worked with Mario Maya and toured internationally with Salvador Tavora’s productions Carmen and Carmina Burana. Performing in festivals such as La Fiesta de las Bulerias and Las Fiestas de la Vendimia in Jerez de la Frontera, she has shared the stage with Agujetas, El Grilo, La Macanita and others. A featured artist at last year’s Festival de Jerez, her solo CD De Sevilla a Jerez was released 2008 in Madrid.
Gopal Slavonic has studied and played flamenco for 17 years and studied Flamenco guitar in Sevilla, Spain at La Fundacion Christina Heeren. He studied at the Foundation for two years where he received the opportunity to study with many great guitarists. Gopal has returned to Spain to study many times over the last decade. Gopal has worked with California Flamenco artists Mark Taylor, Cerro Negro, La Fibi, La Carola, Roberto Zamora, Pilar Moreno and recently released his second CD “Dos Orillas”.
