tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12644873136695312102024-02-20T03:55:08.695+01:00SPANISH IMPRESSIONSBlogs, articles and photos about Spain by travel writer Robert BovingtonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-36647850330908514352017-01-27T17:46:00.000+01:002017-01-27T17:46:24.052+01:00Almería Cathedral<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The ‘Cathedral’ is one of the major attractions in Almería. It was designed as a place of prayer and of war, when it was built in the sixteenth century. This was because the shores of Almería were continually under attack from Turks and Berbers and so it was designed as a place of refuge as well as worship. It was built in Gothic style with a Renaissance façade.</span></div>
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Whilst I can appreciate the workmanship inside, particularly the carved walnut stalls, I find the interior rather austere. However, a door in the south wall leads to a sunny little oasis of peace and tranquillity in the form of a little garden brimming with flowers and shrubs. </span></div>
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<a href="https://bovingtoninspain.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/0dc85-almer25c325ada2bcathedral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://bovingtoninspain.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/0dc85-almer25c325ada2bcathedral.jpg?w=300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://bovingtoninspain.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/3dafa-almer25c325ada2b20102b62bmay2b2528252529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://bovingtoninspain.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/3dafa-almer25c325ada2b20102b62bmay2b2528252529.jpg?w=225" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The east facing façade of the Cathedral has a relief of the Portocarro sun, the symbol of the city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the north side of the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Catedral, a large attractive square with many tall palm trees. Tourist leaflets describe the Cathedral as having stark formidable walls. Certainly, they are tall and solid and the buttresses, towers and bastions give the building the appearance of a fortress rather than a place of worship. Yet, I think the Cathedral is attractive, the sandstone coloured building set against the bright “Almerian Blue” sky with the palm trees in the foreground make for an agreeable scene. In any case, the cathedral doorways are impressive with rich Renaissance decorative features.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Another good thing about Almería Cathedral is that it is sometimes the venue for classical concerts especially at Easter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Robert Bovington<br />
English expat living in Almería province</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com1Almería, Spain36.83816432108955 -2.467389026458704436.837369821089553 -2.4686495264587043 36.838958821089548 -2.4661285264587045tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-20087507567494015922017-01-18T17:36:00.000+01:002017-01-18T17:59:34.091+01:00 Almería - a mix of old and new<span style="color: white;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">by Robert Bovington</span><br />
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I like Almería. I like its mix of old and new. It is essentially a Spanish city with a North African flavour. It is one of the most ancient cities of Andalucía. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans have all left their mark, but it was the Moors that really put Almería on the map! The Romans called it 'Portus Magnus', but later it was called al-Mariyah, meaning 'Mirror of the Sea'.</div>
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During the time of Moorish rule, Almería rivalled Seville as a major Andalucian city. The Moors ruled from 955 until 1489 when the 'Catholic Monarchs' — Ferdinand and Isabella — captured the city.</div>
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<b>Alcazaba</b><br />
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Approaching the city from the west provides a dramatic view of the town with the magnificent Alcazaba on the mountainside on the left and the port on the right.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-31T8I9Un89s/WH5IzDCqj3I/AAAAAAAArrI/39lJylL60EYs-v5EHdaX1Y9K19NzadlSACLcB/s1600/Almer%25C3%25ADa%2BAlcazaba%2BOct%2B2004%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-31T8I9Un89s/WH5IzDCqj3I/AAAAAAAArrI/39lJylL60EYs-v5EHdaX1Y9K19NzadlSACLcB/s400/Almer%25C3%25ADa%2BAlcazaba%2BOct%2B2004%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alcazaba Almería © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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There are many things to see in Almería but the undoubted jewel in the crown is the Alcazaba. This enormous fortress dominates the city standing as it does on a hill overlooking the town and the sea. It was built in the tenth century but over the centuries it had further enhancements added such as a Moorish palace and, in the time of the Catholic Kings, a Christian palace.</div>
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<a href="http://bobbovington.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/alcazaba-almeria-article-by-robert.html" target="_blank">(please refer to separate article “Alcazaba de Almería”)</a><br />
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The Cathedral is the other principal monument in Almería. It was built in the sixteenth century and was designed as a place of prayer and of refuge. This was because the shores of Almería were continually under attack from Turks and Berbers and so it was used as a place of safety as well as worship. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NyImbrRWdXWI1AtwaCuOn6DawNKtYyDbjytejJ4vRWJ9jlfWEgacBVOGW35jJ-ho6jYWT0j-rLA2dtTmBRFebH7vxQYDi0ulMcO2ScQd53UbvZFj_RoFRu56ApKZhjYxF3L6zDAgISQp/s1600/Almer%25C3%25ADa+Cathedral+2004+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NyImbrRWdXWI1AtwaCuOn6DawNKtYyDbjytejJ4vRWJ9jlfWEgacBVOGW35jJ-ho6jYWT0j-rLA2dtTmBRFebH7vxQYDi0ulMcO2ScQd53UbvZFj_RoFRu56ApKZhjYxF3L6zDAgISQp/s400/Almer%25C3%25ADa+Cathedral+2004+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catedral de Almería © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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There are many historic buildings in Almería - the excellent map provided by the Tourist Office identifies thirty-three key places of interest but there are many more places of historic importance or of architectural merit. The city is a mixture of old and new and, I think, the buildings are a delight to look at with their Renaissance and Mudéjar façades. They are often exquisitely decorated in pastel colours, usually two-toned and have ornate window grilles. If you like looking at tasteful architecture you will like Almería.</div>
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Avenida Federico García Lorca, a wide boulevard that has replaced the old Rambla de Belén, divides the modern city into east and west. West of the old rambla is the Paseo de Almería, one of the main thoroughfares with banks, shops and cafés. At the top of this road is Puerto de Purchena, the heart of the city.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avenida Federico Garcia Lorca © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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West of these landmarks is where the real historic part of the city is to be found.<br />
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The Cathedral was built in Gothic style with a Renaissance façade. Whilst I can appreciate the workmanship inside, particularly the carved walnut stalls, I find the interior is rather austere. However, a door in the south wall leads to a sunny little oasis of peace and tranquillity in the form of a little garden brimming with flowers and shrubs. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyf9Jb_7oq29rbR9GSAFhwiqiX-uRFJVjwWj7xkTjXTRSTGwqpfXl0qcvIwf4x9yrdIDqCtVyWTtwLWkd-1EaAyVMw82l4OkdxNIQcSgLOYMvWPihqfNOfwVTDzzWgF1uLQ4-vvoEYQrnh/s1600/almer%25C3%25ADa+2010+6+may+%252825%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyf9Jb_7oq29rbR9GSAFhwiqiX-uRFJVjwWj7xkTjXTRSTGwqpfXl0qcvIwf4x9yrdIDqCtVyWTtwLWkd-1EaAyVMw82l4OkdxNIQcSgLOYMvWPihqfNOfwVTDzzWgF1uLQ4-vvoEYQrnh/s200/almer%25C3%25ADa+2010+6+may+%252825%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
The east facing façade of the Cathedral has a relief of the Portocarro sun, the symbol of the city. <br />
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On the north side of the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Catedral, a large attractive square with many tall palm trees. Tourist leaflets describe the Cathedral as having stark formidable walls. Certainly, they are tall and solid and the buttresses, towers and bastions give the building the appearance of a fortress rather than a place of worship. Yet, I think the Cathedral is attractive, the sandstone coloured building set against the bright “Almerian Blue” sky with the palm trees in the foreground make for an agreeable scene. In any case, the cathedral doorways are impressive with rich Renaissance decorative features.</div>
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Opposite the Cathedral is another attractive building, the 'Palacio Episcopal' or Bishop's Palace. It was built in the nineteenth century when the upper classes started erecting the grand stately homes and palaces outside the old walled city of Muslim Almería. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almería - Palacio Episcopal © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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In the northwest corner of Plaza de la Catedral is the 'Convento de las Puras'. It is now a church, and was built in the 17th century on the site of the former convent.</div>
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A short distance the Cathedral is the ‘Plaza de la Constitución’ — also called the Plaza Vieja or Old Square. This 17th century arcaded square was really rather splendid a couple of years ago but, at the time of writing, it is being renovated. The plaza is entered via narrow alleyways and in the centre are palm trees and a commemorative monument in remembrance of a group of liberals who lost their lives in a revolt in 1824. I hope this square returns to its former attractiveness because it is a little haven of peace in busy Almería.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almería - Plaza Vieja © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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In this area of the city there is one of the best tapas bars in town - 'Casa Puga' is located in Calle Jovellanos. Just opposite is one of the oldest streets in the city, Calle de las Tiendas, which literally means 'street of the shops'. This area has many little side streets with plenty of bars and shops.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almería - Casa Puga © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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The Iglesia de Santiago is also located in this area and the main façade of this church is really rather splendid with its imposing Renaissance portal and magnificent sculptures including one depicting St. James, Slayer of the Moors.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iglesia de Santiago © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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There are many fine churches in Almería and 'Iglesia de San Pedro', which stands in the square of the same name, is no exception. Named after St. Peter, it was one of three parish churches founded by the 'Catholic Monarchs', the others being San Juan (St. John) and the aforementioned Santiago (St. James). </div>
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The church of 'San Sebastian' is appropriately sited in the Plaza San Sebastian with its delightful little statue, a simple monument to the Immaculate Conception. It was originally erected in 1800 and restored after the 1936 Spanish Civil War. From the 11th century onwards, this plaza was one of the most populous parts of the city. In Moorish times, a mosque stood there and later, in Christian Almería, it became a shrine to Saint Sebastian. In the 17th century, the church was built. Other religious buildings in the city include the convent of ‘Las Claras’ and the ‘Virgen del Mar’ church. </div>
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There are also a number of modernist buildings in Almería such as the 'Palacio de los Marqueses de Cabra'. It is fine example of the aristocratic mansions built in Almería in the 19th century. Economic and demographic growth meant that the upper classes had much more money to spend so they started building grand stately homes outside the old Arab quarter.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almería - Palacio de los Marqueses de Cabra © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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West of Calle Real is the old Arab quarter of the city. During the 11th century, Almería ceased to be part of the 'Caliphate of Cordoba' and became an independent kingdom. Many refugees from the Cordoban Civil War sought shelter in Almería but had to settle outside the old city walls. New defensive walls were built and the area between the older and the newly built walls was called the 'Musalla Quarter'. In the maze of little streets of this area there are glimpses of the magnificent 'Alcazaba' high on its arid hill.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Almería - El Cable Ingles</span></td></tr>
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Other monuments in the city include the bullring, which was opened in 1888, and ‘El Cable Ingles’ which was used for loading ships with iron extracted from local mines in the early part of the 20th century. </div>
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There are museums in Almería including the recently opened ‘Cinema Museum’ – the ‘Casa del Cine’ is located in Casa Santa Isabel, a 19th century mansion. John Lennon resided there when filming “How I Won the War”.</div>
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If you don't like architecture or museums, there are also beaches in Almería but you would probably be better off staying in Roquetas or Mojacar Playa!</div>
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There are plazas, parks and gardens in the city including the ‘Parque de Nicolás Salmerón’.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almería - Parque de Nicols Salmeron © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com1Almería, Spain36.834047 -2.463713600000005536.783216499999995 -2.5443946000000057 36.8848775 -2.3830326000000053tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-46753715664940453242017-01-15T16:35:00.000+01:002017-01-15T16:52:34.430+01:00Virgen del Mar, Almeria<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Virgen del Mar church is an attractive place of worship situated in heart of the old town in Almería. It is located in the Plaza Virgen del Mar. Park benches and attractive trees line the little park on the side of the square. These trees, ficus retusa, are to be found in many streets in Almería.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iglesia Virgen del Mar © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have attended classical concerts in this lovely church - usually at Easter.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%22http://www.tablondeanuncios.com/venta-casas-chalets-en-ugijar-granada/casa_adosada_en_ugijar_-2382039.htm" target="_blank">www.tablondeanuncios.com</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com1Plaza de la Virgen del Mar, Almería, Spain36.8372895 -2.46494480000001236.835701 -2.4674663000000119 36.838877999999994 -2.4624233000000122tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-43732123580943854112016-07-19T16:16:00.001+02:002016-07-19T16:33:34.919+02:00Seville Cathedral<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now here is a piece of useless information - the three largest churches in the Christian World are named after Peter, Paul and Mary! However, I guess that we are talking about biblical characters rather than a pop group! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxyiuH1oZLsGigTbyhZAPDP6lVyKPMUK-G5mLjwlm-hZJC_DyVlyvjv73B2Yjm0DRUyhjMmyH9mIELec4Xe5OrQLAdL4OCA0pA_HohekV_b7rWMj3irUYYOuiEtaYP91_NDrg7TRksWDPa/s1600/Sevilla+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxyiuH1oZLsGigTbyhZAPDP6lVyKPMUK-G5mLjwlm-hZJC_DyVlyvjv73B2Yjm0DRUyhjMmyH9mIELec4Xe5OrQLAdL4OCA0pA_HohekV_b7rWMj3irUYYOuiEtaYP91_NDrg7TRksWDPa/s200/Sevilla+%25281%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Sevilla's cathedral is actually called the Cathedral of Santa María. It is immense! However, there is some confusion as to whether it is the largest Christian church. Some guidebooks claim that Sevilla Cathedral is the third largest behind St. Peter's Rome and St. Paul's in London. Others claim that it is the largest in area. Well, who cares - it is pretty big! </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6WkR34ZdaGA/V44zi8EwdDI/AAAAAAAAquU/PqmVB--rLyotkMGxIa1wFC2hxV7ClggkQCLcB/s1600/Sevilla%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6WkR34ZdaGA/V44zi8EwdDI/AAAAAAAAquU/PqmVB--rLyotkMGxIa1wFC2hxV7ClggkQCLcB/s400/Sevilla%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was built over the period 1401-1519 following the Christian Reconquest on the former site of the city's mosque - the Giralda tower being all that is left of the former Moorish temple - well apart from the Patio de los Naranjos - and the Almohad archway and door of the Puerta del Perdón - and a few pillars - well most of it was newly built! The main portion of the Cathedral of Santa María was built in North European style, Gothic in design with high vaulted ceilings and flying buttresses but there are Plateresque, Baroque and Renaissance elements. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> There is much to see in this vast place of worship including the tomb of Christopher Columbus, the Capilla Mayor chapel and works of art including paintings by Goya, Murillo and Zurbarán. The main altarpiece is absolutely fantastic with every centimetre lavishly decorated. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F8WptODSIV4/V44znLssjSI/AAAAAAAAquY/MA0DN8BQt7k8Mq39QPvJmzmlOS9FNJ9kQCLcB/s1600/Sevilla%2B%25289%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F8WptODSIV4/V44znLssjSI/AAAAAAAAquY/MA0DN8BQt7k8Mq39QPvJmzmlOS9FNJ9kQCLcB/s400/Sevilla%2B%25289%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Catedral de Sevilla, 41004 Sevilla, Spain37.3857475 -5.993751299999985337.3841705 -5.9962727999999856 37.3873245 -5.9912297999999851tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-20263017588379843262016-05-25T18:49:00.000+02:002016-05-26T17:00:13.218+02:00Walking is thirsty work!<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The fuentes of Berja<br />
by Robert Bovington</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Quite often my wife and I travel from Roquetas to the beautiful Alpujarras and often we stop in or near the attractive town of Berja for a coffee break. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">However, occasionally we visit Berja because we like the town and like strolling along its quaint historic streets. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One of the noticeable features of Berja is its fuentes (fountains) - there are more than thirty of them scattered around the town and its nearby environs! When you think that the province of Almería is the sunniest, driest part of Spain, you might wonder where the water is coming from! In the past, the Sierra de Gádor was heavily mined, mainly for lead and silver but now water is its biggest treasure. The mines were abandoned in the early nineteenth century but water, surprisingly, still appears to exist in sufficient quantities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In villages like Berja there are numerous fuentes where water can be obtained – the meagre rainfall and the melted snow from the high sierra is efficiently stored and purified before being released as pure clean water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, a walk that takes in some of these fuentes is not a bad idea. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The place to start is the tourist office - the young lady there is most helpful and will provide leaflets in Spanish and English. One of the leaflets features the famous fountain routes - you don't have to do them all in one day especially as some of them are rather off the beaten track.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Go in Spring or Autumn - it's best to avoid going in the heat of summer - even winter can be pleasantly warm at times! Take a container to fill with water - it's free and probably tastier than bought water!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Not far from the tourist office is the main plaza where the Town Hall and church (Iglesia de la Anunciación) are situated as well as one of the fountains - the fuente de los 16 caños.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPKDCvQWgQxsZDy-8ngZmM2Z9GsAZEud5wHHqYIkySIr-MxjYVKsNotMS_jOjtDkoVyJtlC6KiKSwf1sn4oQSGr4B_AFo6XuMnCx7GvaqaiSeAMcE6Fln5rjDcwh-2jC42DcaobjU8aOP/s1600/Berja+2012+02+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPKDCvQWgQxsZDy-8ngZmM2Z9GsAZEud5wHHqYIkySIr-MxjYVKsNotMS_jOjtDkoVyJtlC6KiKSwf1sn4oQSGr4B_AFo6XuMnCx7GvaqaiSeAMcE6Fln5rjDcwh-2jC42DcaobjU8aOP/s400/Berja+2012+02+%25289%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">fuente de los 16 caños</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy your walkl(s)!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVElTomF4yGBGc55M0fJLxcn_gOAbsF-LRkUaX5rb1izx6YtkuKPMnGUcsN6cZ7RFThXR6ynvvo6zlLw65UDr1M9R3EZUjUeO4PyhaAHVlRjjYfdk_3rCjQQg2qkR_z-iky4OJuy8n6Mw/s1600/Berja+2014+Jan+17+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVElTomF4yGBGc55M0fJLxcn_gOAbsF-LRkUaX5rb1izx6YtkuKPMnGUcsN6cZ7RFThXR6ynvvo6zlLw65UDr1M9R3EZUjUeO4PyhaAHVlRjjYfdk_3rCjQQg2qkR_z-iky4OJuy8n6Mw/s400/Berja+2014+Jan+17+%25283%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%22http://www.tablondeanuncios.com/venta-casas-chalets-en-ugijar-granada/casa_adosada_en_ugijar_-2382039.htm" target="_blank">www.tablondeanuncios.com</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com004760 Berja, Almería, Spain36.8451829 -2.94506799999999236.8197684 -2.9854084999999921 36.870597399999994 -2.9047274999999919tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-27270257874168452842016-05-22T17:59:00.003+02:002016-05-22T18:01:24.773+02:00Almerimar - a lovely coastal resort!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I quite like Almerimar!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />It is technically part of El Ejido, the town that sits amidst the invernaderos (greenhouses) in the Campo de Dalías. However, drive a couple of miles south to the coast, to find a modern resort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLOOzvlqHz0gb3WYyq__3eDkrZ9ldus93UCIh_VJcuDQDhgtzHdHf99GRSVwcF4RMZAj6OjtuHEnM7EMz8d-hWk-BCNRmM4qXxA6PA8ZtwYnbTrpxXm1x92213TwxTvtVWHdHqP6tFReb/s1600/Playa+Almerimar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLOOzvlqHz0gb3WYyq__3eDkrZ9ldus93UCIh_VJcuDQDhgtzHdHf99GRSVwcF4RMZAj6OjtuHEnM7EMz8d-hWk-BCNRmM4qXxA6PA8ZtwYnbTrpxXm1x92213TwxTvtVWHdHqP6tFReb/s400/Playa+Almerimar.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Almerimar is a lovely coastal town boasting 13km of wide, sandy beaches with excellent clean blue waters for swimming and a host of aquatic sports facilities. Swimming, windsurfing, fishing and yachting are all available. In fact, there is a 1,000-berth marina and yacht club in the town.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-V_7tuXvhxHvkUeDyWFMd0MbVhPoh1m5R3Nj8h_8UGv3_-bZlgoQ6BGEwuaCvx72gJ-xC_FiNIP09OV2JgVPFJpHLZtFNUGswgOclz6vkSaUuMy4JeBH9mSkzqNi3Pc3YbvjWQiODlVF/s1600/Almerimar+Oct+2011+%25284%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-V_7tuXvhxHvkUeDyWFMd0MbVhPoh1m5R3Nj8h_8UGv3_-bZlgoQ6BGEwuaCvx72gJ-xC_FiNIP09OV2JgVPFJpHLZtFNUGswgOclz6vkSaUuMy4JeBH9mSkzqNi3Pc3YbvjWQiODlVF/s400/Almerimar+Oct+2011+%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Almerimar also has its own 18-hole golf course; a lovely fishing harbour and, of course, restaurants, bars and shops.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjrTvMJMX6lgIdnrSyops-FwycpXLhDY3guionoDzRAVqMcHcO4Qdzs17QxRzCbY4KkQun4N7cbdpAmFR_hjiXXnFvQ-l76QKHo-aKMCeLGUu8KDzv9A6RE_03xOOWD0sAxHZOfATW7-z/s1600/punta+entinas+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjrTvMJMX6lgIdnrSyops-FwycpXLhDY3guionoDzRAVqMcHcO4Qdzs17QxRzCbY4KkQun4N7cbdpAmFR_hjiXXnFvQ-l76QKHo-aKMCeLGUu8KDzv9A6RE_03xOOWD0sAxHZOfATW7-z/s400/punta+entinas+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puntas Entinas</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Nearby is the Puntas Entinas Natural Park.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%22http://www.tablondeanuncios.com/venta-casas-chalets-en-ugijar-granada/casa_adosada_en_ugijar_-2382039.htm" target="_blank">www.tablondeanuncios.com</a><br />
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more blogs by Robert Bovington...
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com004711 Almerimar, Almería, Spain36.7033926 -2.790639699999928811.1813581 -44.099233699999928 62.225427100000005 38.517954300000071tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-85727891372778035942016-04-28T16:39:00.001+02:002016-04-28T17:31:29.264+02:00“A delightful oasis of peace in the centre of Benalmadena”<div id="copy_more_clean_child">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Occasionally I yearn for some peace and solitude away from the noise and bustle of the Costa del Sol. One of the places I head for is Parque de la Paloma in Benalmadena.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is delightful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is a lake In the middle of the park. It is inhabited by swans, gulls, ducks, mallards and turtles. And, of course, fish. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRFJ18PCIzGfiKjmuJiPR72KMakkRCRlpR5AzK9j91SMUK7Ztc1_uQJjz6tDumsottnkvN07D_1R1UIkxVTFqdc60bq2SgyrO37iuV1WErHzR4W1vUHeYmvE7MiOU_0GBTzE90n1bC7RO/s1600/Benalmadena+park+feb+2008+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRFJ18PCIzGfiKjmuJiPR72KMakkRCRlpR5AzK9j91SMUK7Ztc1_uQJjz6tDumsottnkvN07D_1R1UIkxVTFqdc60bq2SgyrO37iuV1WErHzR4W1vUHeYmvE7MiOU_0GBTzE90n1bC7RO/s400/Benalmadena+park+feb+2008+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The path around the lake makes a pleasant walk especially for the elderly - or should I say older people than me! There are many paths that criss-cross this attractive park, some with a bit of a gradient but not too steep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Little animals roam freely. These include hens, chickens, roosters, pigeons, sparrows and rabbits. There are also ibex and ostriches but these are penned in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a variety of trees, deciduous and evergreen which include eucalyptus, weeping willow, palm and cypress. There is also a cactus garden with other species as well as cactii.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tnWkQ-zZzH8/VyIghEEDn4I/AAAAAAAAqSg/wpsch1Jf2aw9GdpFYPXV1QastAisEZGvgCLcB/s1600/Benalmadena%2Bpark%2Bfeb%2B2008%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tnWkQ-zZzH8/VyIghEEDn4I/AAAAAAAAqSg/wpsch1Jf2aw9GdpFYPXV1QastAisEZGvgCLcB/s400/Benalmadena%2Bpark%2Bfeb%2B2008%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Los niños are catered for with a playground and other areas where they can be let loose safely. Some areas of the park are closed to dogs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On my last visit in April 2016, I visited the little cafe near the south-east corner of the park for a beer. And very pleasant it was too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The park is located in the centre of the town only 200 metres from the windmill roundabout on the seafront. I parked nearby without difficulty.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Robert Bovington<br />
April 2016 </span><br />
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<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g562812-d2013574-r367827006-Parque_De_La_Paloma-Benalmadena_Costa_del_Sol_Province_of_Malaga_Andalucia.html#" style="background-color: transparent; color: green; font: 14px arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g562812-d2013574-r367827006-Parque_De_La_Paloma-Benalmadena_Costa_del_Sol_Province_of_Malaga_Andalucia.html#</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%22http://www.tablondeanuncios.com/venta-casas-chalets-en-ugijar-granada/casa_adosada_en_ugijar_-2382039.htm" target="_blank">www.tablondeanuncios.com</a><br />
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more blogs by Robert Bovington... <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Parque de la Paloma, Benalmádena, Málaga, Spain36.5987966 -4.516805599999997936.5478006 -4.5974865999999981 36.6497926 -4.4361245999999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-60543257081178148312016-03-27T19:15:00.000+02:002016-04-07T22:14:56.776+02:00Sierra de Gádor - a mountain range in southern Spain by Robert Bovington<br />
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The Sierra de Gádor mountain range is situated in the south-western corner of the province of Almería. It belongs to the Betic system, specifically the Cordillera Penibética. The maximum altitude is 2249 meters – the summit of Launilla Morrón.</div>
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To the north is the Sierra Nevada; to the south lies the Mediterranean Sea whilst the Sierras Alhamilla and Contraviesa lie respectively to the east and west. </div>
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At the foot of the Sierra de Gádor lies the region of the <span lang="en-US">Poniente Almeriense</span> (Western Almería), traditionally called the Campo de Dalias which, in my opinion, is by far the least attractive part of the diverse region of Almería. Author Gerald Brenan didn’t like it either – “…a depressing sight met my eye. For fifteen miles the road ran in a perfectly straight line across a stony desert…” was part of his description of the Campo de Dalías in his book “South to Granada”. Nowadays the stony desert is replaced by an ocean of plastic, the ubiquitous invernaderos. These greenhouses may have allowed the province of Almería to become Europe's market garden but they sure look ugly! </div>
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Never mind! The Sierra de Gádor is a pleasant, largely unspoilt mountain range that is technically part of that delightful region of the Alpujarras. The following towns are within its boundaries: </div>
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<i><span lang="es-ES">Felix, Enix, Gádor, Alhama de Almería, Alicún, Huécija, Íllar, Instinción, Rágol, Fondón, Laujar de Andarax, Alcolea, Berja, Dalías and Vícar</span></i></div>
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<span lang="en-US">In the past, the Sierra de Gádor was heavily mined, </span>mainly for lead and silver but now water is its biggest treasure. The mines were abandoned in the early nineteenth century. Water, surprisingly, still appears to exist in sufficient quantities. In villages like Berja, Felix and Dalías there are numerous fuentes where water can be obtained – the meagre rainfall and the melted snow from the high sierra is efficiently stored and purified before being released as pure clean water.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beninar © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Gádor, Almería, Spain36.948325570590782 -2.487573627149686236.941980570590779 -2.4976586271496863 36.954670570590785 -2.4774886271496861tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-77562380649801764022016-01-03T17:59:00.001+01:002016-01-03T17:59:04.097+01:00Frigiliana <span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">I have visited Frigiliana on a number of
occasions. It is an attractive pueblo blanco, a short drive from the equally
pretty coastal town of Nerja.
Administratively it is part of Torrox in the Axarquia region of the province of Málaga.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> The village lies on the southern slopes
of the Sierra de Almijara and is 300 meters above sea level.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Places to see:</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The village has a number of
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Church of San Antonio de Padua,
located in Calle Real, was built in the 17th century on the site of an old
mosque. Its bell tower is the former minaret of the mosque.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7X7QqIg38rsPAKD8_AaHzKcXpyZoVafc-8BqrQQHw4KQFzryM6dRDTkVjjT-b3qhPvIZlTr0iPbOVOSKjOjUCFTtwlyHhplBZBo8dLnyuxr1-DB4iBdZdQ9rNi1PqEGcin93raC-8oT3o/s1600/Frigliana+april+2010+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7X7QqIg38rsPAKD8_AaHzKcXpyZoVafc-8BqrQQHw4KQFzryM6dRDTkVjjT-b3qhPvIZlTr0iPbOVOSKjOjUCFTtwlyHhplBZBo8dLnyuxr1-DB4iBdZdQ9rNi1PqEGcin93raC-8oT3o/s400/Frigliana+april+2010+%252820%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua, Frigiliana © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Another religious building is La Ermita
del Ecce Homo. This small chapel was built in the 18th century. Nowadays, many
citizens prefer to call it the "Ermita de Santo Cristo de la Caña". </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Palacio de los Condes de Frigiliana
used to be a 16th century renaissance-style palace which belonged to the Count
and Countess of Frigiliana, the Manrique de Lara family. Nowadays it tends to
be known as El Ingenio and is believed to be the last remaining sugar cane
honey factory in Europe. Just around the
corner, Bar el Ingenio is a pleasant little place to drink. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Nearby are the Reales Pósitos. Back in
the 18<sup>th</sup> century, it was built to store grain. Nowadays, it is used
for both dwellings and shops. And bars!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq7QKw2ak_g/VolLvkjUskI/AAAAAAAApP0/AKOkNBIxKvE/s1600/Frigliana%2Bapril%2B2010%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq7QKw2ak_g/VolLvkjUskI/AAAAAAAApP0/AKOkNBIxKvE/s400/Frigliana%2Bapril%2B2010%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calle Real, Frigiliana © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The 17<sup>th</sup> century </span><span>Casa del Apero originally served as </span><span lang="EN-GB">a granary and a warehouse. In 1990, the building was restored and it
is now the Municipal House of Culture. Inside there is there is a library, an
exhibition room and the tourist information office. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Tourist guides mention two other places
of interest in the town - La Fuente Vieja and the 9<sup>th</sup> century </span><span>Castillo de Lizar. The former is attractive enough
but it is after all only a fountain! The latter is only worth visiting for the </span><span lang="EN-GB">spectacular views because there is hardly anything left of the
original castle!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgDGIRRq20w/VolMENLFXBI/AAAAAAAApP8/ssRXTHPw4SM/s1600/Frigliana%2Bapril%2B2010%2B%252823%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgDGIRRq20w/VolMENLFXBI/AAAAAAAApP8/ssRXTHPw4SM/s400/Frigliana%2Bapril%2B2010%2B%252823%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Fuente Vieja © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOIl7LsYAJAYbiaNQ5WT3fW8qL0ZtEeBKvkC56lrDM6i4zR9aMg9Ud3wjzafrT1VZm8sIa-Xr3P2MC53p1X5JMtKjmHmm3BOMXesXhUpVRAegCfoEQkbnx0JKPcy4YGT4sssQxnV0TS-I/s1600/Frigliana+april+2010+%252822%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOIl7LsYAJAYbiaNQ5WT3fW8qL0ZtEeBKvkC56lrDM6i4zR9aMg9Ud3wjzafrT1VZm8sIa-Xr3P2MC53p1X5JMtKjmHmm3BOMXesXhUpVRAegCfoEQkbnx0JKPcy4YGT4sssQxnV0TS-I/s200/Frigliana+april+2010+%252822%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span>So, there are a number of interesting
places to see in the town but probably the best bit is just wandering around
the old Moorish quarter!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Festivals:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Like all Spanish towns and villages,
Frigiliana has its fair share of festivals. A couple, in particular, are pretty
spectacular:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Cruces de Mayo celebration occurs on
May 3 every year. Every plaza of the town gets a big wooden cross. The crosses
are adorned with Spanish shawls, plants and flowers. Many villagers offer
visitors tapas and wine for free. In the afternoon, the town band and other musicians
make music. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5c_iGyQ0P70/VolNvjcgwwI/AAAAAAAApQQ/ut2NWV2ucW0/s1600/cruces%2Bdel%2Bmayo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5c_iGyQ0P70/VolNvjcgwwI/AAAAAAAApQQ/ut2NWV2ucW0/s400/cruces%2Bdel%2Bmayo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
Cruces de Mayo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">During the last week of August, the
‘Festival Frigiliana Tres Culturas’ brings together the influences of the Moors,
Jews and Christian cultures with a festival of food, music, art and street
entertainment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Q2HRY01k2ZG3vp8MMfUtZ2brz0MP5q6322aJviyQ4Vgm6O9klvL_5FKVE4roZ2JPG-n5akxhq_7q0SI265Lxzdtcb6sZR55xMQSNBaEhTxaJQEZrjQVumxL7LfEWYEjVBbdp9DJkN2QG/s1600/3cultures-festival-frigilia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Q2HRY01k2ZG3vp8MMfUtZ2brz0MP5q6322aJviyQ4Vgm6O9klvL_5FKVE4roZ2JPG-n5akxhq_7q0SI265Lxzdtcb6sZR55xMQSNBaEhTxaJQEZrjQVumxL7LfEWYEjVBbdp9DJkN2QG/s400/3cultures-festival-frigilia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mynerja.com/view/news/the-three-cultures-festival-in-frigiliana/">http://mynerja.com/view/news/the-three-cultures-festival-in-frigiliana/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Other festivals in Frigliana are listed below:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-TRAD"> Fiesta
de San Sebastián in January;</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span> Carnaval in
February;</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> The Feria of San Antonio in June;</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span> Feria de San Juan in June (usually
on the beach in Nerja);</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-TRAD"> Fiesta
de las Candelarias in September.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES-TRAD"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span>Of course there are
also the national celebrations including Christmas, Holy Week.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span>In summer, there
are other cultural events held in Frigiliana including </span><span lang="EN-GB">the
traditional dance festival; the annual band contest, and the contest between
choirs dedicated to Our Lady of El Rocío.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Robert Bovington</span><span></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com029788 Frigiliana, Málaga, Spain36.7908751 -3.894706100000007636.7781591 -3.9148761000000074 36.8035911 -3.8745361000000078tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-44181462179998063802015-12-13T16:54:00.000+01:002015-12-13T16:54:07.663+01:00Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington<br />
<br />
Córdoba was once the most important city in Europe. It was the centre of the medieval Caliphate of Córdoba and capital of the western Islamic Empire. It reached its peak in the 10th century when it rivalled Baghdad and Constantinople as one of the great cities of the World. Its greatest surviving monument to the city's magnificent past is its Grand Mosque – the Mezquita. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4HcRAGfcufef0WZdrG2Yiqy-5poE_2qIZMo0gw4HABu8M0wkGGMSkwZYqvhdtWXw6VrP-7Jzg0fVp0oW2f7Ed2ImSLjoqhAsFYB4JTCtJ6dW_zxVMla31ov8SL7RGkX9gXjQ_-byOxGZ/s1600/c%25C3%25B3rdoba+%252827%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4HcRAGfcufef0WZdrG2Yiqy-5poE_2qIZMo0gw4HABu8M0wkGGMSkwZYqvhdtWXw6VrP-7Jzg0fVp0oW2f7Ed2ImSLjoqhAsFYB4JTCtJ6dW_zxVMla31ov8SL7RGkX9gXjQ_-byOxGZ/s400/c%25C3%25B3rdoba+%252827%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Córdoba Mezquita © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Work on the mosque actually started in 786 when it was built on the site of an old Visigothic church. However, it was enlarged three times before reaching its present size in 987 when it became the largest sacred building in the Islamic world.</span></div>
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And big it most certainly is - so massive that a Gothic cathedral was built inside the mosque - and lots of chapels!</span></div>
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Following the Christian Reconquest of Córdoba in 1236, the mosque was consecrated as a Christian cathedral. During the 14th century, the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Capilla Real were built and then in 1523, work on the cathedral started with the building of a huge nave inside the mosque.</span></div>
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The interior of the mosque is spectacular – a forest of pillars and arches. 856 of the granite, jasper and marble columns remain – some were removed to make way for the Christian parts of the building. Horseshoe-shaped arches consisting of alternating red brick and white stone were placed above the lower pillars, which has given the Mezquita its distinctive character. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuiV82lKj5zn-pOOAxNAWkJ9CfWmqgAj1x3ZmUQuF3Gzp_QTg9MxMYUIzIeDOigBzaNXahc2BhMurQfBuvHrT2IpiAjnA04PGQ7XcNxpyRvJQ34CUmi5nra59irwzsOb99y0lIc6aI7Xo/s1600/c%25C3%25B3rdoba+%252886%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuiV82lKj5zn-pOOAxNAWkJ9CfWmqgAj1x3ZmUQuF3Gzp_QTg9MxMYUIzIeDOigBzaNXahc2BhMurQfBuvHrT2IpiAjnA04PGQ7XcNxpyRvJQ34CUmi5nra59irwzsOb99y0lIc6aI7Xo/s400/c%25C3%25B3rdoba+%252886%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Córdoba Mezquita © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Of course, there is much more to this magnificent building than pillars and arches! The Mihrab is particularly magnificent with its intricately carved marble ceiling and exquisitely decorated chambers with their Byzantine mosaics. All this ornamentation is in great contrast to the worn flagstones – an indication that many Muslims prayed here.</span></div>
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The Villaviciosa and Capilla Real chapels are both quite splendid and are good examples of Mudéjar architecture.</span></div>
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There used to be many entrances into the mosque but nowadays, the only one open to the public is the Puerta del Perdón.</span></div>
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No self-respecting mosque should be without a patio where prospective worshippers can perform their ritual ablutions. The Patio de los Naranjos was used for this purpose. Visitors still pass through this delightful courtyard with its orange trees and fountains on their way into the Mezquita.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RDcsZ-9V1C0/Vm2SFSOA7XI/AAAAAAAApLU/o2JTo1JkZKU/s1600/c%25C3%25B3rdoba%2B%252834%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RDcsZ-9V1C0/Vm2SFSOA7XI/AAAAAAAApLU/o2JTo1JkZKU/s400/c%25C3%25B3rdoba%2B%252834%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patio de los Naranjos © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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The minaret of the mosque is no longer visible. It is enveloped in a Baroque bell tower – the Torre del Alminar.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOk1bjWQ2caGgw26sw9vTN2el1Ka_sf0IT8OruDgjcchrk-L3p3YuaI6M-7yrxYtgeMjJzeY_0EhswcmKulo3jAJ_hliA6dz4ZUVQ68G0rT0F7Y5iJTKy5C3usCL_4Il_ncuUBOOlCLTir/s1600/c%25C3%25B3rdoba+%252838%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOk1bjWQ2caGgw26sw9vTN2el1Ka_sf0IT8OruDgjcchrk-L3p3YuaI6M-7yrxYtgeMjJzeY_0EhswcmKulo3jAJ_hliA6dz4ZUVQ68G0rT0F7Y5iJTKy5C3usCL_4Il_ncuUBOOlCLTir/s400/c%25C3%25B3rdoba+%252838%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torre del Alminar © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Finally, there is the Cathedral. Charles V later regretted the decision to build it within the Mezquita and many people since have agreed that its construction has devalued the mosque’s simple beauty. Nevertheless, the Cathedral has many impressive features, particularly the choir with its Baroque mahogany choir stalls that were carved by Pedro Duque Correjo in the 18th century. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mezquita Cathedral - part of the choir © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Anything this special ought to be afforded special protection and it is – UNESCO has declared the Mezquita a World Heritage site.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Mezquita, 14005 Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain37.8631626 -4.838758200000029337.862379100000005 -4.8400187000000292 37.8639461 -4.8374977000000294tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-48033060296685656602015-12-09T19:33:00.001+01:002015-12-09T19:33:46.231+01:00 Pablo Picasso museum in Málaga<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga in 1881 and is perhaps the best known of modern painters - certainly he was one of the pioneers of Cubism.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqjVL3EQwFM/VmhwhK0eZ3I/AAAAAAAApJM/Xa12mDKXXLQ/s1600/pablo_picasso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqjVL3EQwFM/VmhwhK0eZ3I/AAAAAAAApJM/Xa12mDKXXLQ/s320/pablo_picasso.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He had a bit of a head start with his painting career because his father was an art teacher so no doubt he was already skilled in the basics when he entered the Academy at Barcelona in 1895 at the age of 14!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whilst there, he painted 'Barefoot Girl (1895)'. Later, he studied in Madrid and won a gold medal for 'Customs of Aragón (1898)'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In 1901 he started working in his studio in Paris - in the Montmatre area. He worked for many years there and, after mastering the traditional forms of art, he started developing his own style.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He went through his 'Blue' period - in colour as well as mood and then broke with tradition with his Cubism work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of his masterpieces, in Cubism style, was 'Guernica (1937)' - Picasso's horror at the bombing of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War was expressed in this spectacular canvas.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDy6CnFwAQsOP7mdfYOCGtfre2EXJPY7XKwZN6bc4c2toA9gkmBv0WuOjLgeeHyl2n3G-L7pPTixlel0CgOJiaXfv2Z-9Koju0B0iwdgLyMTRim_uX6FqYC8_exakNeb1BFNxANM0eiMM/s1600/guernica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDy6CnFwAQsOP7mdfYOCGtfre2EXJPY7XKwZN6bc4c2toA9gkmBv0WuOjLgeeHyl2n3G-L7pPTixlel0CgOJiaXfv2Z-9Koju0B0iwdgLyMTRim_uX6FqYC8_exakNeb1BFNxANM0eiMM/s400/guernica.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">His home city of Málaga has honoured him by opening the Picasso Casa y Museo in the city and very interesting it is too. When I visited the gallery recently, I was surprised how much I enjoyed the museum. Beforehand, I did wonder whether I would appreciate the exhibits there. I like a cow to look like a cow so artists like Constable are more my cup of tea. My perception of Picasso women was that they were too abstract for my tastes. Well, on my visit to the Picasso Gallery, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes - many of his works are abstract but nevertheless most are strangely attractive and most certainly I could appreciate that here was a true artist - the exhibits were true works of art unlike most of the garbage in Tate Modern where unmade beds and the innards of cows seem to be the norm. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picasso Museum Málaga © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Picasso painted his first picture at the age of 10 and went on to produce over 20,000 paintings, sketches and sculptures. Some are in the museum in Málaga - well about 200 are! The artist's daughter-in-law has donated them. Many of Picasso's works displayed in the museum in Málaga are abstract and many are of his second wife, Jacqueline. I particularly liked one of Picasso's paintings of her - "Señora Z (Jacqueline con flores) 1954", which is an abstract but not so 'way out' as many of his works. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another painting in the museum that I liked was "Olga Koklova con mantilla 1917". Olga was a prima ballerina who Picasso had met in 1916. They were married in 1918. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The artist shared his life with a number of women - he had a number of mistresses - and all featured prominently in his works. These paintings had varying degrees of abstractness - some like "Woman in Red Chair 1932" were painted during the artists surrealism period and bear little resemblance to real women. Other works by the artist do capture the likeness of the subject but exhibit Picasso's fondness for disfiguring part of the human form. "The Yellow Pullover 1939" is one such work. It is a portrait of Dora Maar, one of the artist's mistresses. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc52Alip7HwGeaOX0J5iVOH7M05PXqMmj7iTBp9gK5k4wFSsAb-V4mYqDnLwurlxZg6Dvkd9FOEv1o6HG2WBbYYe247fCAYoiwVEWbX_f9N8AVjWrpaZqVcPo_q1ZkpVOebR2acR00P_kf/s1600/yellow+pullover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc52Alip7HwGeaOX0J5iVOH7M05PXqMmj7iTBp9gK5k4wFSsAb-V4mYqDnLwurlxZg6Dvkd9FOEv1o6HG2WBbYYe247fCAYoiwVEWbX_f9N8AVjWrpaZqVcPo_q1ZkpVOebR2acR00P_kf/s400/yellow+pullover.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picasso - "The Yellow Pullover" (1939)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Following my visit to the museum in Málaga, I determined to find out more about the artist. I discovered that there are many paintings by Picasso that I actually like - even some of the abstract ones but then, during his long lifetime, he had produced a tremendous variety of work and contributed greatly to the development of modern art in the 20th century!</span></div>
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</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Málaga, Málaga, Spain36.721261 -4.421265500000004136.5176115 -4.7439890000000045 36.924910499999996 -4.0985420000000037tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-77895486933715822212015-12-08T17:45:00.002+01:002015-12-08T18:20:02.341+01:00Costa del Sol<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Costa del Sol is essentially the coastal areas of Málaga province in the south of Spain. This 'Sun Coast' stretches from Estepona in the west to Nerja in the east of the province.</span><br />
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Originally, it was a region of quiet fishing settlements but since the 1950s, it has become a massive urban abomination - sorry - agglomeration of high-rise hotels and apartment blocks running the length of the coastline.</span><br />
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This Mediterranean coastline includes the towns of Nerja, Vélez-Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Puerto Banús and Estepona together with the city of Málaga.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NGVuXleQ9SQ/VmcBjHej4eI/AAAAAAAApGY/Dd_mNBkQ68E/s1600/dec%2B10%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NGVuXleQ9SQ/VmcBjHej4eI/AAAAAAAApGY/Dd_mNBkQ68E/s400/dec%2B10%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benalmadena harbour © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In my opinion, this coastal region suffers from all the worst excesses of mass tourism - a concrete jungle with parades of bars, supermarkets and shops selling cheap souvenirs and beachwear. 'Full English Breakfast', 'Fish n Chips', 'John Smiths Smooth Bitter', 'Football on Sky TV tonight!' appear on the signs outside many establishments. I think Spain is a fantastic country with beautiful cities and spectacular natural parks and yet the majority of British visitors to Spain head for the Costa del Sol. The good news, of course, is that it leaves the other areas of Spain free from beer swilling, football shirt-clad morons!</span><br />
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To be fair, not all the towns in this coastal strip are that bad - some are rather pleasant to live or visit including Marbella, Nerja and Mijas.</span><br />
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Marbella is rather swish. It is a jet-setting resort with many luxurious holiday complexes, mansions and shops yet despite this opulence it has managed to preserve its old Moorish quarter with its maze of winding streets and whitewashed houses.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mfO_iJ-840A/VmcCdW0OGFI/AAAAAAAApGo/-2Os2pncxos/s1600/Marbella%2Bapril%2B2010%2B%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mfO_iJ-840A/VmcCdW0OGFI/AAAAAAAApGo/-2Os2pncxos/s400/Marbella%2Bapril%2B2010%2B%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbella © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Nerja too consists of whitewashed alleyways, though the old Moorish houses here are perched on a rocky promontory. There are magnificent views of the Mediterranean below especially from the Balcón de Europa.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2rP2-MIcn6frND1IuOvYs54aX5ISe6l6JYjsMfGI6igAdxYxeGBXsQnDcZ27CXF6wd84iqAH1Bmt6_Y3K54LoDL2HTxF46lLaCZ25_tRczAQf-i7mXg31vfThlzNI3vbdpxkeijDuCdT/s1600/nerja+feb+2008+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2rP2-MIcn6frND1IuOvYs54aX5ISe6l6JYjsMfGI6igAdxYxeGBXsQnDcZ27CXF6wd84iqAH1Bmt6_Y3K54LoDL2HTxF46lLaCZ25_tRczAQf-i7mXg31vfThlzNI3vbdpxkeijDuCdT/s400/nerja+feb+2008+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nerja - Balcón de Europa © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Mijas is one of my favourite places. It is situated in the foothills of the coastal mountain range that overlooks the coast - from the gardens of 'La Muralla' there are magnificent views of the coast below. This park is a quiet oasis away from the bustle of tourists, yet is only a few minutes walk to the centre of the village. Its maze of old Moorish streets are awash with colour - pottery, basketwork and other goods are displayed in the many shops and colourful floral displays adorn the walls of the houses. Mijas is a good place to get away from the urban sprawl of Fuengirola.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aX7uU5H7aF4/VmcD2VUpeRI/AAAAAAAApG4/4XD6nxWte-U/s1600/Mijas%2BSept%2B2015%2B%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aX7uU5H7aF4/VmcD2VUpeRI/AAAAAAAApG4/4XD6nxWte-U/s400/Mijas%2BSept%2B2015%2B%25288%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a street in Mijas © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Another delightful place to visit is Puerto Banús. It is a magnificent marina filled with the most luxurious yachts imaginable. Alongside the moorings stand a huge array of luxury shops and plush restaurants where it is quite common to see Ferraris, Mercedes and other luxurious cars parked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The main city in these parts is Málaga. Even though it is the international gateway to the Costa de Sol, Málaga has escaped the depressing image of brash tourism. In fact, it is refreshingly Spanish and has many examples of historic architecture, excellent museums and leafy parks and gardens. Just some of the sights on offer are the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro Castle, the Cathedral and the Palacio Episcopal. The Picasso Museum is well worth a visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKa6KnHacC4kf6VBJdrplJtElQJvR0Pxe316DwJCmIUxv5aoOqMsnGD6jtQkQQDSYYAd2X1wyKy26C5Tyt2bkxebGbf08J51k9OgrI3QkFCNBQ5HWVcerizgn-YWR7xB8dJrOcDxgYRcLi/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga+Nov+2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKa6KnHacC4kf6VBJdrplJtElQJvR0Pxe316DwJCmIUxv5aoOqMsnGD6jtQkQQDSYYAd2X1wyKy26C5Tyt2bkxebGbf08J51k9OgrI3QkFCNBQ5HWVcerizgn-YWR7xB8dJrOcDxgYRcLi/s400/M%25C3%25A1laga+Nov+2008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"a grumpy old man in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/">http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"bits and bobs"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Expressions"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/">http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Costa del Sol, Málaga, Spain36.524807 -5.039053599999988435.7077095 -6.3299470999999885 37.341904500000005 -3.7481600999999882tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-57978963072351416432015-12-04T19:11:00.000+01:002015-12-04T19:11:43.699+01:00Vitoria-Gasteiz<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Basque place names can be confusing. Elburgo is Burgelu in Euskadi, Elvillar is Bilar, Guernica is Gernika-Lumo and there are many more places where the Basque name is different to its Castilian appellation. There is no such problem when visiting the capital as in both languages it is known as Vitoria-Gasteiz. Vitoria, to give it its Castilian name, is situated in the province of Álava (Araba). As well as being the capital of the whole of Pais Vasco, it is also capital of the province. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufrFU7tAgW8BiXjvnFnicd_KPK7WLLVJiRlHfFHYJ0CA4Xzs7dXTOuSZtjNgKHFxCw5-DbD8rv_rJEh2-6JBaQLg1PRD6qpA8hQh4FQ36KLcEu-7DoYFa-wyM588IeDyjxfjMOTawWthI/s1600/Plaza_de_la_Virgen_Blanca_en_Vitoria-Gasteiz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufrFU7tAgW8BiXjvnFnicd_KPK7WLLVJiRlHfFHYJ0CA4Xzs7dXTOuSZtjNgKHFxCw5-DbD8rv_rJEh2-6JBaQLg1PRD6qpA8hQh4FQ36KLcEu-7DoYFa-wyM588IeDyjxfjMOTawWthI/s400/Plaza_de_la_Virgen_Blanca_en_Vitoria-Gasteiz.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaza de la Virgen Blanca en Vitoria-Gasteiz<br />
photo: public domain by Guyletsbuild </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Vitoria has many architectural gems - many of them in the old town - thanks to the city's historical development. Well over 800 years ago, a small hamlet stood on the hill where the historic centre of the city now stands. It was known as Gasteiz. In 1181, Sancho VI the Wise, the King of Navarra, founded 'Nueva Victoria'. In 1200, Alfonso VIII of Castile captured the town and incorporated it into his kingdom. Over the succeeding years, the town grew and, in 1431, King Juan II granted Vitoria the title of city. On 21 June 1813, the armies of Napoleon were defeated at the Battle of Vitoria - the defining moment of the Peninsula War. The British army, led by the Duke of Wellington, comprehensively beat the French whose control of Spain was finally ended. In 1980, Vitoria-Gasteiz was chosen as the capital of the Basque Country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The city still conserves much of its medieval layout that, during the time of Sancho the Wise, was surrounded by a wall. As Vitoria grew the urban centre spread down the sides of the hill. In spite of this growth, the city is remarkably green with tree-lined avenues, pedestrian and cycle paths and open countryside within walking distance of the historic centre. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n_AgulTpmyQ/VmHJyrSN9MI/AAAAAAAApE0/uoA4ukKUPlU/s1600/Torre_de_la_Catedral_vieja_de_Santa_Mar%25C3%25ADa_en_Vitoria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n_AgulTpmyQ/VmHJyrSN9MI/AAAAAAAApE0/uoA4ukKUPlU/s200/Torre_de_la_Catedral_vieja_de_Santa_Mar%25C3%25ADa_en_Vitoria.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">To begin our exploration of the city, let's start at the top - at the Cathedral of Santa María. It was built as a church-fortress in Gothic style in the 13th century. Further additions were made in the 14th & 15th centuries and, in 1496, it became a collegiate church. Finally, in 1861, it obtained the rank of cathedral. It is known as the Old Cathedral because there is a newer one down in El Ensanche the 19th century suburb. The Cathedral of Santa María has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the area around the Cathedral are the oldest streets in the city. They have names like Cuchillería (knifesmiths), Herrería (blacksmiths), Zapatería (shoemakers) and Pintorería (painters) reflecting the craftsmen's guilds that thrived there. In this medieval area there are a number of Renaissance buildings including the Palace of Escoriaza-Esquibel with its picturesque courtyard. Other palaces include those of Urbina Zárate, Bendaña, Villa Suso and the Casa del Cordón, which was built in the 15th century in late Gothic style. This Historic-Artistic Monument has an attractive façade that includes the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q5T7-KPEmF4/VmHP7nvVEbI/AAAAAAAApFY/Ueb916116jA/s1600/casa-del-cordon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q5T7-KPEmF4/VmHP7nvVEbI/AAAAAAAApFY/Ueb916116jA/s400/casa-del-cordon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vitoria-Gasteiz - Casa del Cordón<br />
<a href="http://www.euskoguide.com/es/lugares-pais-vasco/espana/vitoria-turismo/">http://www.euskoguide.com/es/lugares-pais-vasco/espana/vitoria-turismo/</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca is a monument to Wellington's victory at the Battle of Vitoria. The Church of San Miguel is located in this square. It was built between the 14th and 16th centuries and is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance elements. It houses the image of the White Virgin, the patron saint of the city. The Gothic portico of the church leads to Los Arquillos, an arcaded walk that connects the historic quarter with the nineteenth century new suburb. Here, too, there are fine palaces, churches and civic architecture but they are more modern, having been built in the 19th and 20th centuries.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gTlCQoa9u3I/VmHLoj5cytI/AAAAAAAApFA/lh--rNMpPZU/s1600/Vitoria_-_Plaza_de_la_Virgen_Blanca_14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gTlCQoa9u3I/VmHLoj5cytI/AAAAAAAApFA/lh--rNMpPZU/s400/Vitoria_-_Plaza_de_la_Virgen_Blanca_14.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monumento a la Batalla de Vitoria (1813), en la Plaza de la Virgen Blanca<br />
photo: public domain by Zarateman</td></tr>
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The new cathedral is called Concatedral de María Inmaculada. It is a Neogothic building that was started at the beginning of the 20th century. Next door, is the 19th-century Basque Parliament. Of the palaces built in this area of Vitoria, the Augusti Palace is yet another building that has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument. It houses the Museum of Fine Arts, one of many museums in the city.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloMyy9uCU1Du_bQuUfBKKVfo7x3gTHSzDsA88flvD4F5nH5uSuaNgcTtZq5apLnp_0Qx4Wgj1BoPpBqFq4eWtNSsL1AxqkH5UMGnX7jq6a9aKFMkTh7cpG7co_mKJkK8hvcTYbYb34opl/s1600/Vitoria_-_Catedra_Nueva_0000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloMyy9uCU1Du_bQuUfBKKVfo7x3gTHSzDsA88flvD4F5nH5uSuaNgcTtZq5apLnp_0Qx4Wgj1BoPpBqFq4eWtNSsL1AxqkH5UMGnX7jq6a9aKFMkTh7cpG7co_mKJkK8hvcTYbYb34opl/s400/Vitoria_-_Catedra_Nueva_0000.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catedral Nueva de Vitoria-Gasteiz <br />
photo: public domain by Zarateman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Other museums in Vitoria-Gasteiz include the Museum of Archaeology; the Arms Museum which contains weaponry rather than body parts; the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Natural Sciences which is housed in the Torre de Doña Otxanda, a slender tower constructed in the 15th century. A museum with a difference is the Museo Fournier de Naipes. It is a museum of playing cards. It contains - um - playing cards - lots of them - 18,500 decks to be precise. They cover a vast range of subjects and are made with different types of material. All the different printing techniques used by card-makers over the years are represented in this delightful museum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With all these medieval monuments and museums, some of you may be forgiven for thinking that Vitoria is a dull boring city - it is not! There are many green spaces - more than other cities in Spain. Only minutes from the historic quarter is Parque Florida - a 19th-century garden with bandstands, statues, ponds and, of course, plants. Other parks include San Juan de Arriaga Park, the largest in the city. Only half an hour's walk from the city center is the Forest of Armentia - a vast parkland crisscrossed by cycle paths. And that is another thing; the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz has promoted the use of bicycles. There are many cycle routes both within and without the city and, what's more, the Vitoria-Gasteiz Town Council has decreed that there is no charge for hiring the bikes. It is just one of a number of environmentally friendly schemes drawn up by this forward thinking band of politicians - like rubbish collection - rubbish is efficiently disposed of through underground tubes to distant incinerators. No wonder that the city has won prizes for its cleanliness and its greenness. A vast green belt completely surrounds the city and the citizens enjoy more open space per head of population than any other city in Europe. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YZMTQTCioSM/VmHRNzt5xNI/AAAAAAAApFg/TcfYanz4atQ/s1600/parque-florida-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YZMTQTCioSM/VmHRNzt5xNI/AAAAAAAApFg/TcfYanz4atQ/s400/parque-florida-park.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiosko del música en el Parque de la Florida<br />
<a href="http://www.euskoguide.com/es/lugares-pais-vasco/espana/vitoria-turismo/">http://www.euskoguide.com/es/lugares-pais-vasco/espana/vitoria-turismo/</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">more blogs by Robert Bovington... </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/">http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"you couldn't make it up!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"a grumpy old man in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/">http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"bits and bobs"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Expressions"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/">http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain42.8591656 -2.681791800000041842.812603599999996 -2.762472800000042 42.9057276 -2.6011108000000416tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-57083468075911286092015-12-03T18:35:00.001+01:002015-12-03T18:47:34.695+01:00Vizcaya<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The area of northern Spain that we British know as Biscay is called Bizkaia by the people who live there - but then they are Basques! The Spanish people as a whole call it Vizcaya. Be that as it may, what isn't in dispute is that it is a province in the autonomous region of the Basque Country - known as País Vasco by the Spanish and Euskardi by the Basques. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Its fellow Basque provinces of Guipúzcoa and Álava share its eastern and southern borders whilst the provinces of Cantabria and Burgos lie to the west. The Bay of Biscay lies to the north, although we had better call it by its Spanish name of the Golfo de Vizcaya. The only sizeable town is Bilbao, the capital of the province although Guernica is regarded as the spiritual centre of the Basque Country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bilbao is a major seaport and is the industrial heartland of the Basque Country. Notable landmarks include the 14th century Gothic Cathedral of Santiago, the Plaza Nueva, the Baroque Town Hall and the Guggenheim Museum.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bilbao by Zarataman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Guernica lies northeast of Bilbao and was the capital of the former Lordship of Vizcaya. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the German Luftwaffe bombed the town causing great devastation and loss of life. Despite that, there are a number of architectural highlights including the 15th-century Church of Santa María la Antigua, the Museum of Euskalerria and the Casa de Juntas del Señorío de Vizcaya which is the Parliament House. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bvh5-W6CHQ/Vl8-AfsORKI/AAAAAAAApEA/m_rRodbCuy4/s1600/Guernica_-_Casa_de_Juntas%252C_Arbol_Nuevo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bvh5-W6CHQ/Vl8-AfsORKI/AAAAAAAApEA/m_rRodbCuy4/s400/Guernica_-_Casa_de_Juntas%252C_Arbol_Nuevo_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guernica - Parliament House by Zarataman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just outside the town are the Caves of Santimamiñe - the cave paintings there demonstrate that this area was inhabited in prehistoric times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Urdaibai Nature Reserve is near Guernica. It is a large marshland formed by the Riva Oca and is home to a large variety of seabirds. In 1984, UNESCO awarded it Biosphere Reserve status.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vista de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai desde Oiz.by Txo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">more blogs by Robert Bovington... </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Photographs of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"postcards from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/">http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"you couldn't make it up!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"a grumpy old man in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/">http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"bits and bobs"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Expressions"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/">http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Biscay, Spain43.2204286 -2.6983867999999842.4798641 -3.9892802999999804 43.960993099999996 -1.4074932999999803tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-79964820834823031162015-12-02T17:47:00.000+01:002015-12-02T18:00:22.233+01:00Zaragoza<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Zaragoza is one of the principal cities of Aragón, that historic region in north-eastern Spain. In fact, it is the capital of the autonomous community of Aragón and of the province of Zaragoza itself. Like other provincial capitals in Spain, the city has countless beautiful buildings, many of which reflect its glorious history. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gYNIK4QGV_M/Vl8Yz0Mrv8I/AAAAAAAApC0/XUsGtJzTjVQ/s1600/Zaragoza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gYNIK4QGV_M/Vl8Yz0Mrv8I/AAAAAAAApC0/XUsGtJzTjVQ/s320/Zaragoza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">It is the fifth biggest city after Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Zaragoza</span><span lang="EN-GB"> has lots of monuments to its illustrious past, many of them are in the 'casco viejo' - the historic city centre. Churches, basilicas, palaces, stately homes and plazas are all to be found within the city walls. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9DQfNXgOh6idiDrZ43_dK6u7HgzYYiPm5epNxr60ZQliIgJ5Y4SAvqCpW2WoNvRATG0Ahc9b38KnkbphPHd-79PFzUwmGP-4pOMnW61gwStRw8FwH3SeWBaTFc3A8fb1zEtBu7FtneOR/s1600/Zaragoza-beautiful-cities-Spain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9DQfNXgOh6idiDrZ43_dK6u7HgzYYiPm5epNxr60ZQliIgJ5Y4SAvqCpW2WoNvRATG0Ahc9b38KnkbphPHd-79PFzUwmGP-4pOMnW61gwStRw8FwH3SeWBaTFc3A8fb1zEtBu7FtneOR/s400/Zaragoza-beautiful-cities-Spain.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Zaragoza and the River Ebro</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">A most appropriate place to begin a discovery of the city is in the Plaza del Pilar. In this beautiful square, standing beside the Ebro River, are two of Zaragoza's most important buildings - the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar and La Lonja Palace. The Cathedral de la Seo is also nearby. These are just three of the 'must see' sights in the city but also in this square is the Municipal Tourist Office, which is worth visiting if you wish to take guided tours of the city. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB"> If, like me, you prefer to amble around the streets of the medieval quarter under your own steam then the tourist office can provide you with a map or even a little booklet, which might include a guided walk. Whatever you do, though, ensure that you have enough time to visit one of Zaragoza's star attractions - the Aljafería Palace which is located a little further out than many of the attractions.<br />
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It could be said that Zaragoza has two cathedrals because the Basilica del Pilar is often called the Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Pilar. Be that as it may, it is one of the most famous sanctuaries of the Virgin Mary in the World and commemorates her alleged appearance on January 2, AD 40. It is said that the Virgin Mary was standing on a pillar when she appeared before the Apostle St. James who was apparently busy in the city converting some of the locals to Christianity. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zaragoza - Basilica del Pilar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The Basilica is an enormous but attractive Baroque structure with four towers. The inside is pretty impressive too, with a Gothic altarpiece in alabaster, Renaissance choir-stalls, frescoes by Goya and Velásquez and - the star attraction - the Santa Capilla or Holy Chapel that enshrines the statue of the Virgin del Pilar. The Basilica has been declared a National Monument.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">The other cathedral is pretty impressive too! The Catedral de La Seo, as it is sometimes called, mirrors the history of the city because it has grown through the centuries and reflects different architectural styles. Even before the building of this impressive structure started, there had been previous temples including a Visigothic church followed by a Grand Mosque and then a Romanesque church. Construction began in 1119. It was originally Gothic but further changes resulted in Mudéjar, Renaissance and Baroque styles. The cathedral is also known as the Catedral del Salvador. Inside there is a tapestry museum.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Between the two cathedrals is a beautiful Renaissance building - La Lonja. It was built in the 16th century as a public place where merchants could carry out their commercial transactions. The remains of the 1st-century Roman Forum are displayed in this fine building.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Lonja Zaragoza</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Opposite the Plaza del Pilar is the oldest bridge on the River Ebro - El Puente de Piedra- the stone bridge built in the 15th century.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">Another fine church is the Basilica de Santa Engracia, which has an extraordinarily beautiful façade. The church was built in the 16th century in Renaissance style. Inside there is a crypt housing Paleo-Christian sarcophagi and the remains of the Martyrs of Zaragoza. There are many other churches in the city including the 14th-century Gothic churches of San Pablo and Magdalena.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">There are many stately houses and Renaissance palaces too, including the Los Pardos Palace that, nowadays, houses the Camón Aznar museum. It is a treasure house of Art with paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Goya, Renoir, Manet and Sorolla. The Museum of Fine Arts has an impressive range of pictures too, with paintings by early Aragónese artists as well as masterpieces by El Greco, Ribera and Goya!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">There is much else to see in Zaragoza - the University, the Town Hall, beautiful parks, Roman remains, historic towers, arches and gates, and beautiful plazas. I could describe some of the Modernist architecture like the Post Office and the Central Market - but I won't! Instead, I will mention one of the most impressive of all the palaces in Zaragoza - the Aljafería Palace!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-GB">Aljafería Palace by </span></span>Escarlati</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">La Aljafería is probably the best Moorish monument outside of Andalucía! It is part palace, part castle - from the outside it looks like a fortress with strong walls and rounded towers. However, if you cross the moat, which is now a sunken garden, you enter the world of Muslim Spain - or, at least, partly - apart from the Arab architecture that includes the Moorish Palace there is also the palace of the Catholic Kings. The much-restored Muslim Palace of the Aljafería was built in the 11th century as both a place of recreation and as a defensive stronghold. Nowadays, it is the seat of the Aragónese parliament. However, it is open to visitors who can follow in the footsteps of the Catholic Monarchs by visiting Santa Isabel's Courtyard or admiring the beautiful coffered ceiling of the Throne Room.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain41.6488226 -0.8890853000000333941.553906600000005 -1.0504468000000333 41.7437386 -0.72772380000003345tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-75455378693610209412015-12-01T18:53:00.004+01:002015-12-02T16:27:29.509+01:00Zamora 'La Bien Cercado'<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the Middle Ages, the city of Zamora was continually fought over by Moors and Christians, which is, perhaps, why this Castilian municipality has such impregnable looking ramparts. The city originally had three layers of fortification and the first of these walls has been preserved almost intact. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UqzmMNq7h8uwGdwSBC4YBcxQbTdtiTJ54qXBLRY4r_rgkxqbfua-MEBJoVi6h6cik6IFiJtY0iqIINydReaJ2fn1RXqLpwMYgYjGtomkZ2nO3KFoK3QsPU_1hbJb0YTqrM7rpfUMsE7U/s1600/Zamora+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UqzmMNq7h8uwGdwSBC4YBcxQbTdtiTJ54qXBLRY4r_rgkxqbfua-MEBJoVi6h6cik6IFiJtY0iqIINydReaJ2fn1RXqLpwMYgYjGtomkZ2nO3KFoK3QsPU_1hbJb0YTqrM7rpfUMsE7U/s320/Zamora+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Zamora stands on the northern bank of the River Duero that winds its way across Castile-Leon towards Portugal. The city's position has made it strategically important throughout history. In Roman times it was known as Occelum Durii and was part of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis. It lay on the road from Augusta Emerita (modern Mérida) to Caesaraugusta (modern Zaragoza). Zamora was especially important during the Christian Reconquest and the city passed between Arab and Christian hands on a number of occasions.</span><br />
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Zamora preserves many buildings from the Middle Ages with its walls, castle, palaces and religious buildings - so much so, that it has been declared a Historic-Artistic Site.</span><br />
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The 12th-century stone bridge, the Puente de Piedra, is a good place to start because it not only provides a tremendous view of the city but it is also the actual entrance to the historical quarter. The bridge consists of 16 pointed arches. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of the historic sights of Zamora are located immediately to the north of the bridge whereas the cathedral and castle lie half a kilometre in the westward direction.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_P864moq_GxJAPd55CX3-QDcY6YX0B-A2CsCTGXvp8EUeShYMjl0KlUsPHRdyUDyyqt_2irVP86NGlzDFcRgRpNDByOfpfkhcSrHrDS1AYBGg_7UXpEJfgv_GzpjEsU-ZQfbe5Gu6nJP/s1600/Catedral_zamora+pd+%2528Sira%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_P864moq_GxJAPd55CX3-QDcY6YX0B-A2CsCTGXvp8EUeShYMjl0KlUsPHRdyUDyyqt_2irVP86NGlzDFcRgRpNDByOfpfkhcSrHrDS1AYBGg_7UXpEJfgv_GzpjEsU-ZQfbe5Gu6nJP/s400/Catedral_zamora+pd+%2528Sira%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Zamora Cathedral is most impressive. It was built in the 12th century and is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful churches in the religious World. Because it is so special it is called the 'Pearl of the Duero'. It has a magnificent Byzantine cupola with fish-scale-like tiles and many other notable features that include an impressively sculptured Romanesque entrance - the Puerta del Obispo. Inside there are a number of richly decorated chapels, opulent altarpieces and intricately carved walnut choir stalls decorated with biblical figures and allegorical scenes. The Neoclassical cloister houses the Cathedral Museum. </span><br />
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Much of Zamora Castle is preserved including its keep, doorway and moat. The fortress is of Arab origin and has a trapezoid ground floor and a polygonal tower. There are six turrets, which afford spectacular views of the city and the surrounding countryside. The fortress along with the three layers of walls provided the city with a fair degree of impregnability. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFDj_jX6Q37pUcVbpUjNl59sGv7cCkqcR93_Fz-M5-rtOYTO-7EWQVK5_bHi0lfkUN0m4rF9Tgv3shQZhjzxg_0ZLAFn5OMxRTJbxQOw3ReB1afugvAWoIIVBrO4MthxNC6BJIR4jLf1I/s1600/Zamora_Castillo_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFDj_jX6Q37pUcVbpUjNl59sGv7cCkqcR93_Fz-M5-rtOYTO-7EWQVK5_bHi0lfkUN0m4rF9Tgv3shQZhjzxg_0ZLAFn5OMxRTJbxQOw3ReB1afugvAWoIIVBrO4MthxNC6BJIR4jLf1I/s400/Zamora_Castillo_720.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruinas del castillo de Zamora.</td></tr>
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One of Zamora's nicknames is "ciudad del románico". This is because it has one of the greatest concentrations of Romanesque churches in Europe. In fact, many beautiful buildings are squeezed into its cobbled streets and plazas. Walking from the cathedral in the direction of the Plaza Mayor one encounters quite a few churches including the Romanesque San Pedro y San Ildefonso, La Magdalena and San Cipriano.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y39aaQe5ppI/Vl3bmFeW0MI/AAAAAAAApCA/MTO0t1FvyOA/s1600/312_ZAMORA_-_PLAZA_MAYOR_-_IGLESIA_DE_SAN_JUAN_DE_PUERTA_NUEVA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y39aaQe5ppI/Vl3bmFeW0MI/AAAAAAAApCA/MTO0t1FvyOA/s200/312_ZAMORA_-_PLAZA_MAYOR_-_IGLESIA_DE_SAN_JUAN_DE_PUERTA_NUEVA.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Juan de Puerta Nueva</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;">The impressive Church of San Juan de Puerta Nueva stands in the middle of the Plaza Mayor. This attractive square has two town halls - the current one and the Ayuntamiento Viejo, a solid 15th century building that was altered in the 17th century and which is now the police headquarters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Just a short distance from Plaza Major is the Palacio de los Momos. It is the current home of the Provincial Court and is one of a number of palaces in the city. Another is the Palacio de Puñoenrostro, which is an excellent example of 16th century civil architecture. It is now the museum of Zamora. It is located near the stone bridge, in the Plaza de Santa Lucía.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzedsBMr4u8UMS0sMNAktdCcen56X0khkvh7Ht4-_2Cc75Dddw8NM8etZ9zY8P82_hHCFCmNIMha9Ot_rNUQNIcTvbSpw03fKcYXcq-9u-815zOgDX2pYqZ0ivEn6_15nvDOs9Sx2Bdbp/s1600/Iglesiadesantalucia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzedsBMr4u8UMS0sMNAktdCcen56X0khkvh7Ht4-_2Cc75Dddw8NM8etZ9zY8P82_hHCFCmNIMha9Ot_rNUQNIcTvbSpw03fKcYXcq-9u-815zOgDX2pYqZ0ivEn6_15nvDOs9Sx2Bdbp/s400/Iglesiadesantalucia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="mw-mmv-title">Iglesia de Santa Lucía</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have covered just a few of the historic sights in Zamora. To do them all justice it would need more than one day and an excellent place to stay would be the local Parador de Turismo. It is housed in yet another enchanting building - the Palacio de los Condes de Alba y Aliste. It is a 15th-century Renaissance palace - a medieval jewel in the crown that is Zamora.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Robert Bovington </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Zamora, Zamora, Spain41.5034712 -5.746787899999958441.4559042 -5.8274688999999587 41.5510382 -5.6661068999999582tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-12757270297742754902015-11-25T17:55:00.002+01:002015-11-26T17:42:42.344+01:00Toledo<span style="font-size: small;">by Robert Bovington</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Toledo is a little bit like Sheffield - only a little bit mind you - the thing they have in common is steel. Like Sheffield, Toledo is famous for its steel and, in particular, swords, which have been forged in the city since the time of the Romans. Any other resemblance to Sheffield ends there because Toledo is an attractive and fascinating city with many important monuments to its historic past.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_R1OVZYzq8/VlXcZJHzjNI/AAAAAAAAo-8/mFQX9seHWTk/s1600/Toledo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_R1OVZYzq8/VlXcZJHzjNI/AAAAAAAAo-8/mFQX9seHWTk/s320/Toledo.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Romans called it Toletum when it was the capital of the province of Carpentia. Later, it was the political and religious capital of the Visigoths. This was during the 6th century following the city's capitulation to the Vandals. Following the Arab invasion of Spain in AD 711, Toledo was incorporated into the Caliphate of Córdoba. In 1085 Alfonso VI of Castilla and Leon reconquered Toledo and made it his capital. This was the first crucial step of the Reconquista. The city remained the capital of Christian Spain until 1561 at which time Philip II moved the royal court to Madrid.<br />
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So with all that history it is no wonder that Toledo has so many important monuments. There are so many delightful and historic cities in Spain that there is a danger that the traveller might think "I've seen it all before". However, Toledo really is worth a visit. Not for nothing has it been awarded 'World Heritage' status. In fact, there are so many important buildings in the city that a whole book would be needed to do justice to them all so I will restrict myself to some of the "must see" monuments.<br />
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There are many religious buildings here including churches, convents, mosques and synagogues - testimony to the Christian, Muslim and Hebrew cultures that coexisted for centuries within the walls of the city, which has led to Toledo being called 'The City of the Three Cultures'. This merger of customs can be seen in the architecture and it is the Mudéjar style that predominates. This mix of Islamic and Christian styles can be found all over the city. Perhaps the most import monument is the Cathedral.<br />
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Toledo Cathedral was built on the site of previous temples. A church was built in the 6th century during the reign of the Visigoth King Recaredo I. Later, it was converted into a mosque and it was not until 1227 that construction started on the present building. History books tell us that King Ferdinand III and Archbishop Rodrigo Jimenez de Rada began work on the building but I am sure these illustrious personages did not get their hands dirty. I guess they just financed the work! Not that they lived long enough to see its completion - it was not finished until the 16th century. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="commentDescriptionContent">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Toledo Cathedral (Wikipedia/Nikthestoned, CC BY-SA 3.0) </span></span> </h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The Cathedral is an excellent example of Spanish Gothic art. It has five naves and eighty-eight columns support the roof. Within the building are many superb works of art such as the stained glass windows, the marvellous woodcarving of the choir stalls and the Baroque altar that is called El Transparente. It was created in the 18th century and is exceedingly tall as well as extremely elaborate with fantastic figures created from a variety of artistic medium including stucco work, painting, bronze castings and multiple coloured marble. <br />
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<span id="goog_1766008108"></span><span id="goog_1766008109"></span>There are quite a few chapels in the Cathedral and the most outstanding are the Chapel of Don Alvaro de Luna, the Mozarab Chapel and the 15th-century Santiago Chapel, which has a rather </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Z5B3JLEDL8/VlXf9k49uqI/AAAAAAAAo_Q/lNWrqIol6p8/s1600/El_Expolio_del_Greco_Catedral_de_Toledo.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Z5B3JLEDL8/VlXf9k49uqI/AAAAAAAAo_Q/lNWrqIol6p8/s200/El_Expolio_del_Greco_Catedral_de_Toledo.jpg" width="116" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Greco<br />
'The Disrobing of Christ' </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">flamboyant Gothic style. There are many works of art in the Cathedral's museum too with paintings by Raphael, Rubens, Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Van Dyck, Morales and others. It is a veritable treasure chest of art and includes one of the greatest paintings by El Greco - 'The Disrobing of Christ'. In fact, there are many paintings of the artist throughout the Cathedral.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br />
El Greco lived in Toledo and his works are displayed throughout the city. In the Cistercian Convent of Santo Domingo de Silos his first commission can be seen - he painted the reredos in this 11th-century building which is the oldest monastery in the city. In the church of Santo Tomé is one of El Greco's more famous paintings - 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz'. <br />
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More of his work can be viewed in the 16th-century Hospital and Museum of Santa Cruz. It includes his masterpiece 'Crucifixion'. The Hospital was a home for foundlings and orphans under the patronage of Queen Isabella. The building is quite splendid in its own right and was constructed in Plateresque style. The Museum offers much more than just El Greco paintings - there are works by other artists and an archeological section that includes Roman mosaics. <br />
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The El Greco House Museum is an elegant building dedicated to the life of the celebrated painter. It also includes the works of other artists such as Murillo and Leal. <br />
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The Alcázar dominates the city. This huge fortress is perched on the highest point of Toledo and enjoys spectacular views of the city and the River Tagus. In the past it has been an imperial residence but it now houses a military museum. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Nq7wa9iFBY/VlXitQMfRcI/AAAAAAAAo_s/szspl1iLdrw/s1600/Toledo%2B%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Nq7wa9iFBY/VlXitQMfRcI/AAAAAAAAo_s/szspl1iLdrw/s400/Toledo%2B%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toledo with Cathedral (L) and Alcázar (R) © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are quite a few museums in Toledo and most are located in historic buildings. For example, the church of San Román is currently a museum of Visigothic culture. The building was originally a Visigothic structure and later became a mosque. It is an attractive building, Mudéjar in appearance but with a mix of styles including Caliphal arches, Roman columns, Visgothic and Mozarab capitals, and even Byzantine elements. Romanesque paintings cover most of the walls.<br />
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Toledo was known for its religious tolerance and had large communities of Jews and Muslims - or it did until they were expelled from Spain in 1492! There are a number of synagogues and mosques in the city including the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Synagogue of El Tránsito, and the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz. <br />
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The Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca was built in 1180 in Mudéjar style. It was turned into a church in the 15th century but, today, it is no longer used as a temple. It is, however, a splendid piece of architecture with its wooden coffered ceilings, Plateresque altars and horseshoe arches. <br />
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Samuel Levi, a 14th-century Jewish financier, built the Sinagoga El Tránsito. He also built El Greco's home. The synagogue is home to the Sephardic Museum and is also a National Monument. Intricate filigree artwork and Hebrew inscriptions from the Psalms adorn the walls of the building.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sinagoga del Transito, Toledo<br />
© All Rights Reserved by jesussilgado</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz dates from AD999 and functioned as a mosque until the Christian Reconquest. It is one of the most important monuments in Toledo because most of the original building has survived into the 21st century. The only change made to the building came in the 12th century when a Romanesque-Mudéjar sanctuary was added.<br />
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There are many more interesting monuments to see in Toledo - churches, convents, monasteries, arches, palaces and public buildings. There is even a Roman circus located just outside the city walls. </span></span></span><br />
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It is easy to catch the flavour of this historic city because you cannot walk around the narrow, winding streets without coming across an important building. Toledo looks pretty good from a distance too! It almost looks like an island city - it is located on a hill surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tolido & the River Tagus © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"> There are so many places to visit in this unique city that I almost got carried away - I forgot to tell you whereabouts in Spain, it is! Well, Toledo is situated in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It is pretty central being only 42 miles south-southwest of Madrid. It is the capital of the province of the same name. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Toledo, Toledo, Spain39.8628316 -4.0273230999999939.7653251 -4.1886845999999895 39.9603381 -3.8659615999999897tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-61690511519343778592015-11-20T18:33:00.000+01:002015-11-23T16:41:56.057+01:00The Spanish Costas<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Almería</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The coastline of Almería is dotted with virgin beaches, particularly in the natural park of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar. Some of the coves here are only reachable on foot. Northeast of this spectacular park is Mojácar - a Moorish fortress town standing on a towering crag overlooking the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I quite like Mojácar Pueblo with its maze of steep winding streets, old houses and tiny bars. However, it is rather touristy and has several souvenir shops. I do not like Mojácar Playa but many English people do. There are too many English bars and shops along the long coastal strip for my liking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I much prefer Roquetas de Mar but then I am biased as I chose to live here! The town does not have the brash, mass tourism of other Spanish resorts. Life here moves at a much gentler pace. There is a tourist area, in the Playa Serena part of the town, and it does have British and German bars and restaurants but these stand alongside typically Spanish hostelries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the south-western end of the Costa Almería, there is the resort of Almerimar, which has a fine marina, golf courses, hotels and many holiday homes and apartments.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playa Monsul (Cabo de Gata, Almería) © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Blanca</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two thousand five hundred years ago, Greek traders founded the colony of Akra Leuka, meaning 'White Headland', near to present day Alicante. Successive invaders have colonised this area of Spain and not for nothing is it called the Costa Blanca. The brilliant light and the endless miles of white sandy beaches make the 'White Coast' one of Spain's favourite tourist areas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is the coastal region of the province of Alicante and extends from the town of Dénia in the north to Torrevieja in the south, and includes the major tourist destinations of Benidorm and Alicante.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Other popular places to visit are Calpe and Altea. Calpe was formerly a fishing village and has fine sandy beaches that are overlooked by the imposing rocky outcrop of the Peñon de Ifach. Altea is a pretty little town. Its old quarter has escaped the ravages of mass tourism - it is a perfectly preserved labyrinth of steep narrow alleys between whitewashed houses dominated by a blue-domed church.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5d55oI-F8Xg/Vct4S-tSO7I/AAAAAAAAoSU/eilI-_ii4Sg/s1600/ben%2B30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5d55oI-F8Xg/Vct4S-tSO7I/AAAAAAAAoSU/eilI-_ii4Sg/s400/ben%2B30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benidorm © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Brava</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Costa Brava is the most northerly coastal strip of Catalonia extending from Portbou near the border with France down to Blanes, the most southerly town in the province of Gerona near the border with the province of Barcelona. This stretch of the Catalonian coast is extremely rugged - waves of mountain ranges plunge abruptly into the sea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Costa Brava or 'rugged coast' has been a major holiday destination since the 1950s when Franco's government identified the area as suitable for the development of tourism. Since that time, seaside resorts such as Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar and l'Estartit have attracted millions of visitors from Northern Europe and especially the United Kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not all the places along this coastal strip have had large-scale development - there are many small towns and fishing villages. The scenery of the Costa Brava captivated artists like Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso where the intense light and the raging fury of the sea were a constant source of inspiration. No more so than the little town of Cadaques where Dalí spent many years and where the Casa Dalí Museum is situated.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbw2iXwnUPEEv96XY0DG3NbvZmTMVnQD1jXouMxT8q4ckflTLfMRqM9Dw1dwsEAQwADvpfxoVqpc-_CuJFll0YQ1rbHYOd4ssmQdqzrdTGwXVCt3LUbF8kKRcgKBVfhWbzHL-KA7tMitg/s1600/32+Spain+-+Calella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbw2iXwnUPEEv96XY0DG3NbvZmTMVnQD1jXouMxT8q4ckflTLfMRqM9Dw1dwsEAQwADvpfxoVqpc-_CuJFll0YQ1rbHYOd4ssmQdqzrdTGwXVCt3LUbF8kKRcgKBVfhWbzHL-KA7tMitg/s400/32+Spain+-+Calella.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callela © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Cálida</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa Cálida is the province of Murcia's seaside. It extends from El Mojón near the border with Alicante to Águilas near the border with Almería province. This 250-kilometre coastline is known as the Costa Cálida or 'Warm Coast' because of its favourable year-round temperature.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Near the northern end of this coastline is Mar Menor or 'Little Sea' - Europe's largest coastal saltwater lagoon. It is separated from the Mediterranean by a 22-kilometre strip of land called La Manga on which is built La Manga del Mar Menor a major tourist resort.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The biggest city on the Costa Cálida is Cartagena. It is a major port and the site of Spain's chief Mediterranean naval base. Because of its long history - the Carthaginians first founded it circa 230 BC - there are many historical monuments in the city including Punic and Roman sites, 19th century mansions and Modernist architecture.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJqqhBhxl5Q/VlHpmD_dgjI/AAAAAAAAo8s/1iSl_QkYq3Y/s1600/La%2BManga_Cala%2Bdel%2BPino%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJqqhBhxl5Q/VlHpmD_dgjI/AAAAAAAAo8s/1iSl_QkYq3Y/s400/La%2BManga_Cala%2Bdel%2BPino%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">La Manga - Cala del Pino © Robert Bovington</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa de la Luz</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa de la Luz extends all the way from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Portuguese border. This 'Coast of Light' is the coastline of both Cádiz and Huelva provinces in Andalucía. It is cooler than the neighbouring Costa del Sol because of the influence of the Atlantic.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This coastline has miles and miles of wide sandy beaches backed by pine groves. Much of the Costa de la Luz is unspoiled. There are a number of resorts but they are mostly Spanish in character.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are three major towns along this coast - Tarifa, Cádiz and Huelva whilst the sherry town of Jerez is only a few kilometres inland. Tarifa is close to Gibraltar and is the most southerly point in Europe. It is only a few kilometres from the North African coast. Cádiz is midway along this beautiful coast. It is claimed to be the oldest city in Europe and legend has it that Hercules founded it. Huelva is quite close to the Portuguese border and is the capital of the province of the same name.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Located between Cádiz and Huelva is the Doñana National Park which is home to 150 species of birds. It is Spain's largest national park.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpC3UUGa5SdxK1qFKrPodfwDZjbfAERurzwFbtUVlTS8sxZmhtmNIYX5xu85HB27G93Lzt4qmTpcJ4BgjbnC8M3PwGohdHfgI9RZAcM1uNIuWu4W4JD3bL3uuol9czzA0FRgqLkGi4Mlh/s1600/tarifa+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpC3UUGa5SdxK1qFKrPodfwDZjbfAERurzwFbtUVlTS8sxZmhtmNIYX5xu85HB27G93Lzt4qmTpcJ4BgjbnC8M3PwGohdHfgI9RZAcM1uNIuWu4W4JD3bL3uuol9czzA0FRgqLkGi4Mlh/s400/tarifa+%252811%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coast of Morocco viewed from Tarifa (Cádiz) © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa del Azahar</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The coastal region of the province of Castellón is known to the Spanish as the Costa del Azahar and by English-speaking people as the 'Orange Blossom Coast' which is not entirely accurate because Azahar means orange or lemon blossom. In fact, this beautiful coast of white sandy beaches is bordered by mile upon mile of orange groves. There are also many lemon groves and fields of almond so, 'Orange, Lemon and Almond Blossom Coast' would be a more appropriate name!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa del Azahar is adjacent to the Costa Brava - its southernmost point is at Gandia in the province of Valencia. The northernmost point of this coastal region is at the border of Castellón and Catalonia.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This coast is less commercialised than its brash neighbour and there are some delightful resorts - like Peñíscola with its sandy beaches dominated by a medieval castle built on a rocky promontory. Other resorts include Viñaros, Oliva, Benicassim and Torreblanca.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main towns of the Costa del Azahar are Valencia and Castelló de la Plana. Valencia is Spain's third largest city. It is famous for its 'Fiesta de Las Fallas' - the pyrotechnic spectacular held during March every year. Of course, like other major towns, it has its fair share of historical monuments and museums but it has also entered the modern age - it is known as the 'City of Arts and Sciences'. The 'Ciudad de las artes y las Ciencias' is a huge parkland of futuristic buildings dedicated to fun and learning.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Castelló de la Plana is the capital of the province of Castellón. It has several historic buildings in the old part of the city including the 14th-century Gothic-style Santa María Church.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa del Sol</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa del Sol is essentially the coastal areas of Málaga province in the south of Spain. This 'Sun Coast' stretches from Estepona in the west to Nerja in the east of the province.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Originally, it was a region of quiet fishing settlements but since the 1950s, it has become a massive urban abomination - sorry - agglomeration of high-rise hotels and apartment blocks running the length of the coastline.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This Mediterranean coastline includes the towns of Nerja, Vélez-Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Puerto Banús and Estepona together with the city of Málaga.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my opinion, this coastal region suffers from all the worst excesses of mass tourism - a concrete jungle with parades of bars, supermarkets and shops selling cheap souvenirs and beachwear. 'Full English Breakfast', 'Fish n Chips', 'John Smiths Smooth Bitter', 'Football on Sky TV tonight!' appear on the signs outside many establishments. I think Spain is a fantastic country with beautiful cities and spectacular natural parks and yet the majority of British visitors to Spain head for the Costa del Sol. The good news, of course, is that it leaves the other areas of Spain free from beer swilling, football shirt-clad morons!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">To be fair, not all the towns in this coastal strip are that bad - some are rather pleasant to live or visit including Marbella, Nerja and Mijas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Marbella is rather swish. It is a jet-setting resort with many luxurious holiday complexes, mansions and shops yet despite this opulence it has managed to preserve its old Moorish quarter with its maze of winding streets and whitewashed houses.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nerja too consists of whitewashed alleyways, though the old Moorish houses here are perched on a rocky promontory. There are magnificent views of the Mediterranean below especially from the Balcón de Europa.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mijas is one of my favourite places. It is situated in the foothills of the coastal mountain range that overlooks the coast - from the gardens of 'La Muralla' there are magnificent views of the coast below. This park is a quiet oasis away from the bustle of tourists, yet is only a few minutes walk to the centre of the village. Its maze of old Moorish streets are awash with colour - pottery, basketwork and other goods are displayed in the many shops and colourful floral displays adorn the walls of the houses. Mijas is a good place to get away from the urban sprawl of Fuengirola.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another delightful place to visit is Puerto Banús. It is a magnificent marina filled with the most luxurious yachts imaginable. Alongside the moorings stand a huge array of luxury shops and plush restaurants where it is quite common to see Ferraris, Mercedes and other luxurious cars parked.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main city in these parts is Málaga. Even though it is the international gateway to the Costa de Sol, Málaga has escaped the depressing image of brash tourism. In fact, it is refreshingly Spanish and has many examples of historic architecture, excellent museums and leafy parks and gardens. Just some of the sights on offer are the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro Castle, the Cathedral and the Palacio Episcopal. The Picasso Museum is well worth a visit.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Lnj8G0v0Jw/VlHrmZkETiI/AAAAAAAAo88/m8IbuGLYTnw/s1600/Costa%2Bdel%2BSol%2BDec%2B2003%2B%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Lnj8G0v0Jw/VlHrmZkETiI/AAAAAAAAo88/m8IbuGLYTnw/s400/Costa%2Bdel%2BSol%2BDec%2B2003%2B%252816%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benalmadena © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Dorada</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa Dorada is the coastal region of southern Catalonia and extends from Barcelona down to the Ebro delta. This 'Golden Coast' is so called because it comprises over 200 kilometres of golden sands. These fine sandy beaches are washed by crystal clear waters and bordered by lush green mountains.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sitges, Salou and Cambrils are the principle resorts of this region.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Salou is the biggest, more down-to-earth resort. Its main attractions are its theme parks like Port Aventura and Costa Caribe, its discos and its clubs. However, its beaches are pretty good and have 34 European Blue Flags for being the tidiest, safest and cleanest sparkling waters on the Mediterranean.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sitges is more sophisticated and is popular with young weekenders from Barcelona. It has an old-world charm - its old town built on a promontory and there are a number of good museums there, especially those displaying works of art. The Cau Ferrat was the house-cum-studio of artist and writer Santiago Rusiñol and now houses work by famous artists including Picasso and El Greco. The Palau Mar I Cel was built by American Charles Deering to house his art collection and many paintings and objets d'art are on display there. The Museu Romàntic is a perfectly preserved 19th century house displaying the lifestyle of a family of Catalan householders.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cambrils is a traditional Spanish fishing town, with narrow cobbled streets, traditional old buildings and excellent seafood restaurants. Fishing is still a feature of the town's economy - the fishing boats look rather odd with their large lamps that enable the fishermen to fish at night.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are two major cities on the Costa Dorada - Barcelona and Tarragona.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">..</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Tropical</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa Tropical is the coastal region of the province of Granada sandwiched between the Costa del Sol to the west and the Costa Almería in the east. It is called the Costa Tropical because of the exotic fruits that grow there. Its unique microclimate has enabled the cultivation of chirimoya, mango, kiwi, avocado and sugar cane.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of the guidebooks claim that the Costa Tropical is quite picturesque - probably because there are no high-rise hotels or apartment blocks nor many tourists. However, in my opinion, much of this coastal strip is spoiled by the ingress of the invernaderos - the plastic greenhouses that have become a feature of the west of Almería province. Nevertheless, I would concede that there are some delightful stretches of this coastal region. In particular, Almuñecar and Salobreña are extremely attractive.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Almuñecar derives from the Arabic name Hins-al-Monacar, or fortress city. The old town is strategically positioned on the top of a hill. The town has a long history dating from Phoenician times and much evidence of its historic past can be found there - the Castillo de San Miguel being the most obvious example. There are relics of its Roman occupants - aquaducts, baths, bridges, tombs and palaces. Evidence of the Moors occupation can be seen in the streets and buildings of the old town.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Other sites are the necropolis from the 7th century BC, a 4th century fish salting plant and a number of churches dating from the Christian reconquest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Salobreña is rather splendid especially as viewed from a distance. It has been described as the Jewel of the Tropical Coast - swathes of whitewashed houses tumble down the sides of the Gran Peñón, a rocky outcrop crowned by a Moorish castle. The old town's narrow streets are awash with bougainvillaea. From here one can look down on orchards of sub-tropical fruit trees and sugar cane plantations as well as Salobrena's modern development - not the ugly tower blocks of its Costa del Sol neighbours but low-rise, attractive apartments gracefully spreading out towards the shoreline and the beaches of the Costa Tropical.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The biggest town in these parts is Motril. In the 18th century it was a small fishing village. Nowadays it is primarily a fishing port. It does have some attractive beaches and it is handily placed for driving to Granada and the Alpujarras. Its only claim to fame is the fact that Boabdil, the last king of Granada, lived there.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUDqiViZ_mf8BN80e2V9YR4zFBZZ2_7T9bCRT0fTlmg97reUjkgKOFiq68d4IfeHkg2IM-GcDDxbRjxFGNL1FMjTalQHt4f22MJLC7DeR6XpwiGdSI-3V8sNHP2zmI8lyR3PQyI5Refrq/s1600/Calahonda+dec+2011+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUDqiViZ_mf8BN80e2V9YR4zFBZZ2_7T9bCRT0fTlmg97reUjkgKOFiq68d4IfeHkg2IM-GcDDxbRjxFGNL1FMjTalQHt4f22MJLC7DeR6XpwiGdSI-3V8sNHP2zmI8lyR3PQyI5Refrq/s400/Calahonda+dec+2011+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calahonda (Granada) © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa Verde</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I used to think that Spain was a land of sun-baked villages and crowded beaches - a land of bullfights, flamenco, fiestas and fantastic Moorish cities.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was misguided. There exists a different Spain - a Spain of verdant landscapes, babbling brooks and plunging waterfalls. The regions of Cantabria, Galicia and the Asturias, in the north of Spain, are a world away from the parched landscapes of the south. Not for nothing is it known as Green Spain.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Galicia has a diverse coastline - rugged and isolated in the south, white sandy beaches in the north.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cantabria has plenty of variety to offer the traveller. There are fishing villages and miles of unspoilt beaches and, inland, there are the Cantabrian Mountains that include the snow-capped heights of the Picos de Europa.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Asturias also has beautiful sandy beaches and verdant countryside. The Picos de Europa National Park extends into this region also.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The coastal strip of these delightful regions is known as the Costa Verde.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">.. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Costa do Marisco</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Costa do Marisco or “Shellfish Coast” is a label given to the coast of Galicia. It consists of the Costa da Morte; the Rías Altas and the Rías Baixas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Rías Altas ("Upper Rias") refers to the coast of the northern part of La Coruña province and the entire coastline of the province of Lugo. Ferrol is the largest city in these parts and is a major seaport.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Rías Baixas ("Lower Rias") are a series of estuaries located on the southwestern coast of Galicia. The northernmost Rías Baixas begin below Cape Finisterre while the southernmost rias border the Portuguese coast, taking up the southern part of the province of Coruña and the entire Province of Pontevedra.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lying between the relatively sheltered Upper and Lower Rias is the Costa da Morte or “Coast of Death” situated in the northern part of Coruña. The Costa da Morte received its name because of its treacherous rocky shore, exposed as it to the Atlantic Ocean. It is an area of shipwrecks, pirates and sea legends. Thousands have died and ships continue to sink along this treacherous coast and on a number of occasions Galicia's granite coastline has been painted black by oil spillages from stricken oil tankers.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Photographs of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"postcards from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/">http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"you couldn't make it up!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"a grumpy old man in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/">http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"bits and bobs"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Expressions"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/">http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Spain40.463667000000008 -3.749220000000036614.545040000000007 -45.057814000000036 66.382294 37.559373999999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-90600008637081164912015-10-13T18:52:00.001+02:002015-10-13T18:52:09.825+02:00Casarabonela - a pueblo blanco in Málaga province<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Casarabonela is on the easternmost edge of the area officially classified as the White Towns of Andalusia. It is situated in the Sierra de las Nieves and is yet another attractive pueblo blanco that has preserved its Arabic heritage with its narrow streets and whitewashed houses festooned with flowers. Like many of the villages some of the alleyways are rather steep.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q4I5WlBmF9I/S4lioZyk5WI/AAAAAAAAB_c/0UQR7PvOp9A/s1600/Casarabonela+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q4I5WlBmF9I/S4lioZyk5WI/AAAAAAAAB_c/0UQR7PvOp9A/s400/Casarabonela+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">An attractive church - the Iglesia de Santiago Apóstle is located in the main plaza. It has some interesting crypts and a museum of silver and religious artifacts.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsvezNl9Qk5UEBnc9GUKa3S2woZzo2EP-dgcq92Rp9XbRoILVlA1JZylZScn9pvSHOhcB13LiFxSGA2v8pxaIl0JJkux28Rkzx546Gi2RWbsIE2OxmEDjTNGuBSOQUrrY15eKBmSDxZi-/s1600/Casarabonela+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsvezNl9Qk5UEBnc9GUKa3S2woZzo2EP-dgcq92Rp9XbRoILVlA1JZylZScn9pvSHOhcB13LiFxSGA2v8pxaIl0JJkux28Rkzx546Gi2RWbsIE2OxmEDjTNGuBSOQUrrY15eKBmSDxZi-/s400/Casarabonela+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a number of attractive fuentes, like the one below...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmbUmMT3zhhR_OY0StjW7ecsfJ4_crD4J6iVZJMGBMkwWBgE9HbnIwi2OD5VcSjZXLE_plUegYO61rpip5RCuI2ug5ilhy74M6zmN9Es2fxCiZ5qAOTiGFf_uXxz1MX3fkEpFo_XDoXbE/s1600/Casarabonela+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmbUmMT3zhhR_OY0StjW7ecsfJ4_crD4J6iVZJMGBMkwWBgE9HbnIwi2OD5VcSjZXLE_plUegYO61rpip5RCuI2ug5ilhy74M6zmN9Es2fxCiZ5qAOTiGFf_uXxz1MX3fkEpFo_XDoXbE/s400/Casarabonela+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">more blogs by Robert Bovington... </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Photographs of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"postcards from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/">http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"you couldn't make it up!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"a grumpy old man in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/">http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"bits and bobs"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Expressions"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/">http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 140.1pt;" valign="top" width="187"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 5.0cm;" valign="top" width="189"><div class="MsoPlainText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/">http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com029566 Casarabonela, Málaga, Spain36.7852433 -4.8423417000000236.7788848 -4.85242670000002 36.791601799999995 -4.83225670000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-76258133727319008422015-10-12T16:52:00.000+02:002015-10-12T18:31:35.542+02:00Málaga - the Costa del Sol's cultural centre<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Málaga, the second largest city in Andalucía, is surprisingly attractive given its close proximity to the Costa del Sol. In recent years, it has made some concessions to tourism but the changes made have only further enhanced the city's reputation as a cultural tourist destination. For example, the Picasso Museum has recently been opened. Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga and the new museum has an extensive selection of his works. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7s1i_12BIA/VhvBpdoCDbI/AAAAAAAAouU/Cy7Z35X_b30/s1600/malaga%2Bpicasso%2Bmuseum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7s1i_12BIA/VhvBpdoCDbI/AAAAAAAAouU/Cy7Z35X_b30/s400/malaga%2Bpicasso%2Bmuseum.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picasso Museum, Málaga</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Only a short walk away is the Renaissance Cathedral. It was begun in 1528 on the site of a mosque. However, the building is still incomplete, as one of the two towers remains unfinished. To be fair most of the building - the interior, the main facade and one of the towers - were completed in 1782, a mere 254 years later! It was worth the wait for the building is quite splendid especially the Baroque façade which faces the Plaza del Obispo. Whilst the exterior is quite exuberant, the interior is rather solemn – mostly Renaissance but with some Baroque embellishments.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVyTV2jLNLc/VhvCIFVqUHI/AAAAAAAAouc/Gu1cNB9Nye8/s1600/malaga%2BOctNov%2B2006%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tVyTV2jLNLc/VhvCIFVqUHI/AAAAAAAAouc/Gu1cNB9Nye8/s400/malaga%2BOctNov%2B2006%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Málaga Cathedral © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Málaga - El Sagrario<br />
© Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next door to the Cathedral are two more historic buildings - El Sagrario and the Palacio Episcopal. The former is a 16th century church that actually stands in the gardens of the Cathedral. The 18th century Bishop's Palace stands in the Plaza del Obispo. Its pink and grey doorway is especially attractive.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kq_-Gsyng9g/VhvEDXMtnuI/AAAAAAAAouw/pgIzhemm76s/s1600/malaga%2BOctNov%2B2006%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kq_-Gsyng9g/VhvEDXMtnuI/AAAAAAAAouw/pgIzhemm76s/s400/malaga%2BOctNov%2B2006%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Málaga - Bishop's Palace © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hx3s5hU1In4/VhvExoECGaI/AAAAAAAAou4/wKL5O6pGsVI/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga%2Bnov%2B2008%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hx3s5hU1In4/VhvExoECGaI/AAAAAAAAou4/wKL5O6pGsVI/s200/M%25C3%25A1laga%2Bnov%2B2008%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">an alleyway in Málaga<br />
© Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This area of the city has many monuments dating from the Christian era yet there are many little alleyways and tiny streets with a decidedly Moorish feel to them. There are numerous bars and cafés here, so it is a good place to obtain refreshments, which you'll need if you intend to visit the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro! These monuments are but a short walk from the cathedral – along Calle Cister to the Plaza de la Aduana.</span></div>
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Málaga is a big city but most of its main attractions are in close proximity.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLJIZyzPCdIRzWI2RDBd9sdk0NS94U8OhFaeYVt9DD0dtQ2kSKMBqdV4eryRQvgRyZ7RDgR4AMW0s72Dmw8udEz88ATTh1WwxSkijoYlRuy4SOXml-7jX3Jw4UvF4IN9Qjb9k83uSGP-F/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga+feb+2008+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLJIZyzPCdIRzWI2RDBd9sdk0NS94U8OhFaeYVt9DD0dtQ2kSKMBqdV4eryRQvgRyZ7RDgR4AMW0s72Dmw8udEz88ATTh1WwxSkijoYlRuy4SOXml-7jX3Jw4UvF4IN9Qjb9k83uSGP-F/s200/M%25C3%25A1laga+feb+2008+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The Plaza de la Aduana is where the Teatro Romano is situated. Following extensive restoration work, the theatre was opened to the public in 2011. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Overlooking the theatre is the Alcazaba which stands near the foot of Gibralfaro Hill. From Calle Alcazabilla, a series of zigzag walkways gradually wind their way up to the fortress. The Moors built it between the 11th and 14th centuries when Málaga was part of the Kingdom of Granada. It is a delightful place to stroll. Bougainvillaea, jasmine and honeysuckle adorn its courtyards and gardens and there are views of the city and the port from the ramparts of the fort. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sxe8I3Bl47o/VhvF8004hAI/AAAAAAAAovI/kL9dh8RxwWg/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga%2Bfeb%2B2008%2B%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sxe8I3Bl47o/VhvF8004hAI/AAAAAAAAovI/kL9dh8RxwWg/s400/M%25C3%25A1laga%2Bfeb%2B2008%2B%252822%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Málaga Alcazaba © Robert Bovington</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPZu9a8LPu30FHRiTPv9_kNuSNFNn4L9oCOK8RjpqVIFntnFpUKTjltHeXwnIXqztl39TLcirLrdq8KEfproXjv0QBO0FrlVAu-Y5P2i_e9ArEXHQC616hFiPDQa0i_qgYEMjL5dTcoDO/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga+feb+2008+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPZu9a8LPu30FHRiTPv9_kNuSNFNn4L9oCOK8RjpqVIFntnFpUKTjltHeXwnIXqztl39TLcirLrdq8KEfproXjv0QBO0FrlVAu-Y5P2i_e9ArEXHQC616hFiPDQa0i_qgYEMjL5dTcoDO/s200/M%25C3%25A1laga+feb+2008+%252812%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Málaga Gibralfaro<br />
© Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For really spectacular views, however, a visit to the Castillo de Gibralfaro is necessary! The remains of the 14th century castle overlook the Alcazaba as well as the city that, from this height, looks rather attractive with its ribbons of greenery. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-05RjOMgleBU/VhvHpcfdGoI/AAAAAAAAovk/kZRXpFFN8D0/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga%2Bnov%2B2008%2B%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-05RjOMgleBU/VhvHpcfdGoI/AAAAAAAAovk/kZRXpFFN8D0/s200/M%25C3%25A1laga%2Bnov%2B2008%2B%25288%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paseo del Parque fuente<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Paseo del Parque, in particular, is a pleasant place to visit. A splendid way to get from the Alcazaba to the harbour is to walk the length of this verdant botanical garden. It is a quiet oasis amidst the bustle of the surrounding streets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are many other interesting places to see in Málaga – churches, museums and attractive squares like the Plaza de la Constitucíon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One particularly fascinating place to visit is El Cementario Inglés. This English cemetery was the first Protestant burial place in Spain. It was founded in 1831 and among its famous visitors was Hans Christian Anderson. He visited in 1862 but didn’t stay – unlike Gerald Brenan, the English author, who did and is buried there! </span></div>
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Most English people who fly to the busy Málaga airport miss the opportunity of sampling the delights of this fascinating city. Instead, they head for Torremolinos, Fuengirola and Marbella and good luck to them! It has meant that depite its close proximity to the Costa del Sol, the city of Málaga has retained its Spanishness. Amidst the high-rise blocks of the modern town can be found fascinating old buildings, leafy parks and tiny bars where the locals gossip over a glass of fino and a tapa.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbRz9zLesJHZJVNOGy2mn4Z-rgJ19piGGR3ZS0tKAJSLlW7iNNbNtVZSr7vrRqPhyHeXIROLE6v-VJUCWrLNvUzsEZ6N1S6R0NNR8QT8A5nsygfbQh3NNurcXfSYEwEqujvrZAxhB-p9F/s1600/M%25C3%25A1laga+feb+2008+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbRz9zLesJHZJVNOGy2mn4Z-rgJ19piGGR3ZS0tKAJSLlW7iNNbNtVZSr7vrRqPhyHeXIROLE6v-VJUCWrLNvUzsEZ6N1S6R0NNR8QT8A5nsygfbQh3NNurcXfSYEwEqujvrZAxhB-p9F/s400/M%25C3%25A1laga+feb+2008+%252813%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Málaga © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Málaga, Málaga, Spain36.721261 -4.421265500000004136.5176115 -4.7439890000000045 36.924910499999996 -4.0985420000000037tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-33402883637802950052015-10-09T18:35:00.000+02:002015-10-09T18:41:10.818+02:00Cádiz - the oldest city in Europe?<u><span style="font-size: large;">Cádiz - the city</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The city of Cádiz lays claim to being the oldest city in Europe - the Phoenicians allegedly founded the place in 1104BC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of modern day Cádiz is not that old, however, but the architecture is nevertheless splendid and mostly dates from the 18th century. Only the ruin of the Roman theatre provides evidence that the city is much older than it looks.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hwHpIqMlFruudx8fKgmdm5wtpb1zPP9XdER5REmgOIr09Wf148gpiL6oZqcfdpknPIprefk28ffDP8_q2yKLUdnxCuQ-K4e4tNCT13Q3ejxcaR2CLirr4z2er6upKhftUGk_IekMeRFI/s1600/C%25C3%25A1diz+Plaza+de+la+San+Juan+de+Dios+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hwHpIqMlFruudx8fKgmdm5wtpb1zPP9XdER5REmgOIr09Wf148gpiL6oZqcfdpknPIprefk28ffDP8_q2yKLUdnxCuQ-K4e4tNCT13Q3ejxcaR2CLirr4z2er6upKhftUGk_IekMeRFI/s400/C%25C3%25A1diz+Plaza+de+la+San+Juan+de+Dios+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cádiz - Plaza de la San Juan de Dios</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZay6C36I7g/VhfpFW1MnpI/AAAAAAAAoso/BsRa76wYqz8/s1600/C%25C3%25A1diz%2Bcathedral%2Bcrypt%2B-%2BFalla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZay6C36I7g/VhfpFW1MnpI/AAAAAAAAoso/BsRa76wYqz8/s200/C%25C3%25A1diz%2Bcathedral%2Bcrypt%2B-%2BFalla.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manuel de Falla portrait<br />
in the Cathedral crypt</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are many baroque buildings including the Hospital de Mujeres whose main attraction is a painting by El Greco - the 'Extasis de San Francisco'. Other places of note are the Museo de Cádiz and the Gran Teatro Falla, named in honour of composer Manuel de Falla, who is buried in the crypt of the Cathedral. There are lovely places to walk in the city like the palm-fringed Plaza San Juan de Dios and the bustling Plaz de las Flores.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The jewel of the city, though, is the cathedral - the Catedral Nueva looks particularly splendid from the waterfront. Its dome glitters like gold in the sunshine but in reality is made of yellow glazed tiles.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5mDLKIlZSQ/Vhfpt8SHpEI/AAAAAAAAosw/xzR8Pl7wHCM/s1600/C%25C3%25A1diz%2Bcathedral%2Bview%2Bfrom%2Bseafront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5mDLKIlZSQ/Vhfpt8SHpEI/AAAAAAAAosw/xzR8Pl7wHCM/s400/C%25C3%25A1diz%2Bcathedral%2Bview%2Bfrom%2Bseafront.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cádiz Cathedral © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Cádiz - the province </span></u><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Cádiz is also the capital of the province of the same name - one of the eight provinces of Andalucía. Other important cities are Jerez, famous for its sherry and Algeciras. Tarifa is an interesting place and is the most southerly town in Europe. It is also a tad windy - handy for those that go there for the windsurfing!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHwJlITNXFE/VhfquIJwCnI/AAAAAAAAotA/VektPiUKDk0/s1600/tarifa%2B%252801%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHwJlITNXFE/VhfquIJwCnI/AAAAAAAAotA/VektPiUKDk0/s400/tarifa%2B%252801%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarifa - old town gate © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But most of all the province of Cádiz has tremendous scenery and dramatic landscapes. It is a nature lover's delight with many protected areas including the Sierra de Grazalema and the Parque Natural de Doñana.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitijfQhEREncBjXVHzLdt06Fy1m12RB9vfM5LqGuUBiZh2V1bAXu1Fuq5Djg85LaKEOq24qjbzeUQD5EzGiPdLpwBFkpO_Di7YlI4Bp48tNwDTt5Zc7xfVftBh8BgEP_8xpNVH5yhLinDn/s1600/countryside+%252817%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitijfQhEREncBjXVHzLdt06Fy1m12RB9vfM5LqGuUBiZh2V1bAXu1Fuq5Djg85LaKEOq24qjbzeUQD5EzGiPdLpwBFkpO_Di7YlI4Bp48tNwDTt5Zc7xfVftBh8BgEP_8xpNVH5yhLinDn/s400/countryside+%252817%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sierra de Grazalema © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Robert Bovington</span><br />
<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain36.5270612 -6.288596200000029136.4760152 -6.3692772000000293 36.5781072 -6.2079152000000288tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-50391128990789892902015-10-07T18:42:00.000+02:002015-10-08T18:33:01.009+02:00Yegen - a village with a literary past<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Robert Bovington</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yegen is a little village in the Alpujarra of Granada. Like other pueblos blancos in this region, it is situated amidst spectacular scenery lying as it does on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_7TYn1ljaUo/VhVIqAv869I/AAAAAAAAosM/rmAQ88A2QWw/s1600/yegen%2Bnov%2B006%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_7TYn1ljaUo/VhVIqAv869I/AAAAAAAAosM/rmAQ88A2QWw/s400/yegen%2Bnov%2B006%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a typical street in Yegen© Robert Bovington</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBp4W0SRwInB8i-IS7dIZDJBHUrxjQhZd2LYfPmWPu-VnNh_V4sDkbEHEytIwY_XK7-2FVNrI2rsH1uNdeaIe208STtMOgjj6jsQFFnCQGnMTNUQYQhI5wBvFoj0qlSlBiXTHYmIn0puT/s1600/185908_191888517508147_191326437564355_540566_4115022_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBp4W0SRwInB8i-IS7dIZDJBHUrxjQhZd2LYfPmWPu-VnNh_V4sDkbEHEytIwY_XK7-2FVNrI2rsH1uNdeaIe208STtMOgjj6jsQFFnCQGnMTNUQYQhI5wBvFoj0qlSlBiXTHYmIn0puT/s200/185908_191888517508147_191326437564355_540566_4115022_n.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Yegen was the setting for 'South from Granada' by the celebrated English author Gerald Brenan. He lived in the village between 1920 and 1930. A number of famous friends visited him there including Virginia Woolf.<br />
<br />
Brenan was one of the foremost English chroniclers of Spain and its people. He wrote 'The Spanish Labyrinth' and 'The Face of Spain' but it was 'South from Granada' for which he is most famous. It was his autobiography of his time in Yegen.<br />
<br />
There is a plaque over the door of the house where the author lived and one of the streets in the village is named after him. There is even a 'Sendero de Gerald Brenan' footpath - it is one of a number of walking routes in the vicinity of Yegen. The long distance GR7 passes nearby. It is part of the International E-4 footpath that runs all the way from Tarifa to Greece. So even without Gerald Brenan, Yegen can lay claim to being well and truly on the map!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">more blogs by Robert Bovington... </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Yegen, Granada, Spain36.9810769 -3.119635900000048436.9747349 -3.1297209000000485 36.987418899999994 -3.1095509000000483tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-11909299274205337212015-09-23T15:51:00.002+02:002015-09-23T16:14:57.455+02:00Mijas - a pueblo blanco in the Costa del Sol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mijas, a pueblo blanco, is situated in the foothills of the coastal mountain range that overlooks the Costa de Sol. Mijas itself is a typical pretty mountain town but due to it's close proximity to Fuengirola it get's a tad crowded with tourists, even in the winter months. The actual municipal area covers about 140 square kilometres, from the mountains down to the sea and comprises three urban areas, Mijas Pueblo, Las Lagunas and La Cala de Mijas. It is Mijas Pueblo that we and other tourists visit. It is here, the old town with its Town Hall, its historic buildings and its whitewashed houses that holidaymakers seeking a distinct change from the over developed coastal strip are to be found.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxwRKDUYwug/VgA1xTw_3rI/AAAAAAAAogA/GSrv8YCPn3Y/s1600/Mijas%2BSept%2B2015%2B%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxwRKDUYwug/VgA1xTw_3rI/AAAAAAAAogA/GSrv8YCPn3Y/s400/Mijas%2BSept%2B2015%2B%25288%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a typical street in Mijas</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My wife likes Mijas because of the shops. Yes, some are a trifle touristy and sell the usual pottery, leather goods and pictures of white-washed houses but there are also more tasteful establishments including shops selling antiques and fine art. There are also the little bars and restaurants some with stunning views. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I just like walking the steep narrow streets with the little houses with their white facades adorned by colourful pots of flowers. On one occasion I walked up to the little chapel, the Calvario Hermitage, on the hill high above Mijas. It was rather a strenuous climb and I wished at the time that I had picked a colder day to do it but once there I enjoyed the views and the well-earned rest. Unfortunately the chapel itself was locked.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPO1qdG0jRvJmO5KbSdGaW1WMbfmwu5NrZUcQUGHaKo7mf6YCYmXAxbnH0CEDjVyRIY_m4qzzHPaczfPTh-DwKQP3hJYG2nrJpA00qpweMlgaGamo2nOBis6J8Q_ke6_PAu3njNhMS_1P0/s1600/Mijas+Sept+2015+%252817%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPO1qdG0jRvJmO5KbSdGaW1WMbfmwu5NrZUcQUGHaKo7mf6YCYmXAxbnH0CEDjVyRIY_m4qzzHPaczfPTh-DwKQP3hJYG2nrJpA00qpweMlgaGamo2nOBis6J8Q_ke6_PAu3njNhMS_1P0/s400/Mijas+Sept+2015+%252817%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Calvario Hermitage</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A less strenuous chapel to visit, and one that isn't usually locked, is the Hermitage of the Virgen de la Peña, the patron saint of Mijas. The chapel was built by Mercedarian monks in 1520 and inside is a carved wooden image of the virgin allegedly dating back to AD850. It is a delightful little building, although I find it a bit incongruous that, just like a number of ancient churches that I have visited in recent years, it has electronic candles rather than the real thing! Outside there is a lookout point overlooking the Mijas valley and the Costa del Sol.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZPfGpz79T8/S5z-7oWFLsI/AAAAAAAAols/a0tvYbYAgUU/s1600/mijas-Ermita%2Bde%2Bla%2BVirgen%2Bde%2Bla%2BPe%25C3%25B1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZPfGpz79T8/S5z-7oWFLsI/AAAAAAAAols/a0tvYbYAgUU/s400/mijas-Ermita%2Bde%2Bla%2BVirgen%2Bde%2Bla%2BPe%25C3%25B1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hermitage of the Virgen de la Peña</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Other places to visit in Mijas are the Casa Museo and Carromato de Max museums; the Plaza de Toros bullring and museum of bullfighting. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6r_AS9xphTDWrnOAXPx8_1CI9cx7mEbB-rc32ep1_sGemG8shBMJUtaAL8cnUZwu74F1gaZ6i5tsx35J_j7HGsykiTYI4fQAxseGfpF3iIm9JCKLaDiIlgC2iqNC1aFaFOZaviUipo5zW/s1600/Mijas+Sept+2015+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6r_AS9xphTDWrnOAXPx8_1CI9cx7mEbB-rc32ep1_sGemG8shBMJUtaAL8cnUZwu74F1gaZ6i5tsx35J_j7HGsykiTYI4fQAxseGfpF3iIm9JCKLaDiIlgC2iqNC1aFaFOZaviUipo5zW/s400/Mijas+Sept+2015+%25286%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mijas bullring</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, my favourite place in Mijas is La Muralla - a park with balconies from where one can view the coast below.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuHBq4EGWP0oW9479bfWUjDsWMx3ZkFL9rN2aZQu9gAVm5-hlt9kjllu6I8PFgVe23OCAlske5XrkmFl2wiJPwLidf-rR3OPOxXgAiBb-apRTZztgyJUP_y51lS38rFizP0Ls6cbh14vb/s1600/Mijas+Sept+2015+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuHBq4EGWP0oW9479bfWUjDsWMx3ZkFL9rN2aZQu9gAVm5-hlt9kjllu6I8PFgVe23OCAlske5XrkmFl2wiJPwLidf-rR3OPOxXgAiBb-apRTZztgyJUP_y51lS38rFizP0Ls6cbh14vb/s400/Mijas+Sept+2015+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">view from La Muralla</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for more photos of Mijas, click on my photo below:-</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.panoramio.com/user/2391258/tags/Mijas" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTvdNXA3pTHXJD5x-RW42kxAnLgVc4F49PZEoA-gyRZ1KLtL4jiJrFg8xP51NxoPuG6tEHJE-0zO87Y1KmGnkKEq4nJ_c8a_soIbC6jEFJy8aoICgFaYHKr-QAYKIjFGcENVa9iu80iMd/s200/RBovington+aug+2014+%252813%2529.jpg" title="Robert Bovington" width="199" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%22http://www.tablondeanuncios.com/venta-casas-chalets-en-ugijar-granada/casa_adosada_en_ugijar_-2382039.htm" target="_blank">www.tablondeanuncios.com</a><br />
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<img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbYfZfho7OFzLjgwAd70icEi8E8arZrAghHObaP2jqECkns4VTSP7-mfJnqCx9fcn2EcaPIdgX1c6kTcmlmfjMbv0CxcBi80prA8xza8MsL9p3bziZAct6uBZ-d73ppksQeRfJhCeuJut/s200/house+2b.JPG" width="200" /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Spanish Art"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11.0pt;">"Books About <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region></st1:place>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com029650 Mijas, Málaga, Spain36.5967755 -4.632306699999958336.584027 -4.6524766999999585 36.609524 -4.612136699999958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-23218955505487458062015-08-09T17:19:00.002+02:002015-08-09T17:25:10.765+02:00The Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>by Robert Bovington</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabo de Gata - Las Salinas © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the south of Spain, a few miles east of Almería, there is a delightful area that offers miles of unspoilt beaches with secluded coves, sand dunes and much more within a protected coastal reserve. It is the Cabo de Gata, a natural park that I think is quite splendid. It is one of my favourite areas in the province of Almería.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is a nature lover's delight. There are thousands of different species there including the pink flamingo and the rare Italian wall lizard. There are eagles, kestrels, puffins, cormorants, oystercatchers and storks. The extraordinary wealth of wildlife is unbelievable. There are some species that are unique to the park. This includes the dragoncillo del Cabo, which flowers all the year round. Europe's only native palm tree - the dwarf fan - is to be found here. In the sea, there are bream, grouper, prawn and squid. There are hundreds of species of seaweed, which are home to the many varieties of crustacean, mollusc and fish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps the reason for the great variation in wildlife is due to the diverse habitats in this natural park. The 71,500 acres of the Cabo de Gata is volcanic in origin and comprises coastal dunes, steep cliffs, spectacular beaches, salt marshes, saltpans, arid steppe, dry riverbeds and a substantial marine zone. It is probably this ecological diversity that has led to the park being designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As well as the spectacularly varied landscape, there are also scattered settlements of whitewashed, flat roofed houses and delightful little fishing villages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the things I like about the natural park is that man's intervention can scarcely be detected in this area. There has been some development but it has mostly been confined to the existing settlements. San José used to be a small fishing village. Nowadays it is a tourist village but it has not been spoiled too much. La Isleta del Moro - only a cluster of fishing huts and houses a few years ago - is undergoing some development. Apartments are being built but they appear to be tasteful and their white façades blend in with their surroundings. Other villages have also been expanded slightly.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San José © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Isleta del Moro © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cortijo del Fraile</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Between Los Albaricoques and Rodalquilar is a cluster of ruined buildings. The largest one is known as the 'Cortijo del Fraile'. A notice outside refers to it as a typical example of a farmhouse. However, that is only part of the story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The famous Spanish author, Federico García Lorca used it as the setting for his chilling play 'Blood Wedding'. It was no coincidence. It is allegedly based on real life events. It is said that in 1928, a tenant farmer lived there. Apparently, he offered a large dowry to the younger of his two daughters. This angered the elder sister. A conspiracy was hatched whereby her brother-in-law would offer marriage and split the dowry with the elder sister and her husband. However, on her wedding day, the bride attempted to run away with her cousin, planning to return after the marriage was consummated to claim the dowry. As the newlyweds set out at night, they met with the elder sister and her husband. The cousin was shot in the head and the bride left half-strangled. The sister and her husband were imprisoned and the bride lived as a spinster. Apparently, she died quite recently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The building has also been used for a number of spaghetti westerns including 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly'.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Rodalquilar</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The road between the 'Cortijo del Fraile' and Rodalquilar is a bit rough but the necessary slow driving enables the traveller to enjoy the scenery. It is quite a pleasant sight, driving along this road with the yellow flowers of the pita plant silhouetted against the blue sky and the low mountains in the distance, especially on my last visit, when I observed lots of hoopoe flitting from plant to plant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This part of Spain has always had an abundance of raw materials and this area of the Cabo de Gata has been extensively mined for 2000 years. The Romans extracted silver here. Later 'lead fever' took hold in the middle of the 19th century. However, the golden years for Rodalquilar followed the discovery of gold around 1880. At the beginning of the 20th century, a British company acquired the mining rights and, under the name 'Minas de Rodalquilar', started actively mining the precious metal. They built the millstone in which 900 tons of rock was ground day by day. Rodalquilar, with its electricity supply and its tennis courts and other luxuries was the envy of the other Andalucian villages. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">By the late 1930s, the British company had extracted 2,000 kg of gold and following the end of the Spanish Civil War; the mines were handed over to the Spanish government. In 1956, a second golden age came to Rodalquilar. Around 500 men from faraway countries arrived to seek work in the mines and consequently 4000 kg of gold was extracted, together with 165,000 kg of silver. The village had struck it rich. Among the new buildings erected were schools, a cinema, and a casino. This was not to last. In 1966, Spain's only gold mines were closed down. This could have led to Rodalquilar becoming a ghost town. In fact, it very nearly did so, but probably due to the protected status of the Cabo de Gata, some of the old houses have been restored. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I visited, I walked along to a viewing platform in order to look down on the old mine workings. It was a pleasant enough view. It was not so much the dilapidated buildings that made the panorama attractive, though they were interesting enough, the Rodalquilar valley beyond the mining area looked splendid - especially with the white houses of the town further on and the range of mountains in the distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Driving downhill towards the town, the dusty track becomes a properly made up road with palms and adelfa bushes lining both sides. Near the old disused buildings is an Information Centre where visitors can obtain maps and guides to the area. There is a botanical garden nearby.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Playa de Playazo</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The highlight of any trip to the Cabo de Gata is to visit one of the many delightful beaches. One of my favourites is the Playa de Playazo. This long unspoiled beach is only a short distance from Rodalquilar. On the way there, visitors can take a detour to view another ruin, this time a small castle called 'Castillo San Ramón', a defensive fort from the 18th century. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Playa de Playazo enjoys an exceptional environmental setting. Incidentally, the beach is also known as the Playa de Rodalquilar due to its close proximity to the town. Playa de Playazo roughly translates as big beach. It is utterly stunning. It is long and unspoiled and its sweeping bay enjoys excellent views. It is one of a number of attractive beaches in the Parque Natural. When I visit, I usually walk along the sandy coastline until I reach some cliffs. They are easy to walk on because they are smooth, not the jagged harsh variety found elsewhere in this area. It is enjoyable clambering over the cliffs and, near the next cove, there are fossils embedded in the rocks. One could be tempted to take a hammer and chisel in order to take home some samples but that would probably be illegal - the Cabo de Gata's special status as a protected environment means there are a number of restrictions. For example collecting protected species is not allowed, nor is removing soil, sand or seabed. Fishing is restricted. It is not allowed in some parts of the park with or without a permit. Fishermen still make a living in this area but a maritime mile restriction zone has been declared in order to prevent the larger fishing vessels exhausting the seabed or destroying the natural habitat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whenever I visit, I look for a delightful little cove. It is only big enough for three or four people - a tiny private beach. To reach it one has to either jump seven or eight feet from the cliff-side to the beach or swim underwater through the little tunnel in the rock face. It is a perfect little haven for a seaside picnic. At the back of the beach is a shallow cave that provides protection from the fierce Almerian sunlight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a number of delightful coastal villages and many more pristine beaches, some of them only accessible on foot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Aguamarga, a small coastal town that is quite pretty. There are the traditional single story whitewashed buildings, many festooned with flowers especially bougainvillea. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agua Amarga © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Las Negras © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Las Negras gets its name from the shape and colour of the black hill that one can observe from the beach. It was formed by the solidification of volcanic lava. I am not that impressed with Las Negras, though I might have liked it thirty years ago. It does have character but also lots of hippies. On my first visit, a group of them sat on the pavement playing guitars and flutes. A girl in a long floral dress with bare dirty feet was juggling. Others were selling jewellery on the promenade. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whenever I visit the Cabo de Gata I usually stop at the 'Mirador La Amatista', with its splendid panorama of the coastline. The views are stunning. It lies between Playa de Playazo and La Isleta del Moro. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">La Isleta del Moro </span></b><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The approach to La Isleta del Moro is quite magnificent. Twin peaked hills drop down to a blue sea. Palm trees and pita frame the view. The village is another of my favourite places. It is made up of a small group of white houses where simple people who have earned their livelihood fishing have lived since time immemorial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is a danger of beautiful villages like this being despoiled by development. New buildings have been erected though, at the moment, they do not detract from the overall scene. Some friends of ours stayed here several years ago, in a simple hostel, and they told me that it was not quite as quaint as they remembered. It is still delightful though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The 'The Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar', to give it its full title, is Andalusia's largest coastal nature park. Whenever I drive around this area, I experience an abundance of different panoramic views. The coastal dunes and salt flats are surrounded by volcanic hills that fall away steeply to the sea forming dramatic cliffs and rocky promontories. The hidden coves and white sandy beaches here form part of probably the only virgin coastline in mainland Spain.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">El Cabo de Gata</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I sometimes visit the small village actually called El Cabo de Gata. It is a pleasant little seaside resort beside a beach of white sand. The whitewashed buildings, that line its promenade, are mainly holiday apartments, interspersed with the occasional bar. The village still supports a small fishing fleet and the fishermen's boats, nets and lobster pots pepper the beaches at the southeastern end.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Cape</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Southeast of the village of El Cabo de Gata is the tiny hamlet of Salinas de Acosta, where salt from the Salinas is piled in great heaps. Its church, which has a very tall tower, dominates the area for miles around and is almost on the seashore. Further along this lovely coastal road there are a number of little fishermen's houses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Beyond them the road starts a steep climb. Near the top, the road narrows and there are sheer drops down to the rocks below, so wear your brown trousers! It is well worth the perilous journey. The road eventually descends and after crossing a riverbed, between dark rocks you will emerge at the foot of an outcrop upon which stands the lighthouse. This is the actual Cabo de Gata, the cape!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I do not know why it is called the 'Cape of the Cat'. Maybe one of the rocks jutting out of the sea far below reminded someone of a cat! I don't know but the views here are tremendous. Black and grey jagged rocks emerge from the bright blue sea below. The largest of the peaks is called the 'Arrecife de las Sirenas'. Even though the road plunges quite dramatically, it is still quite high up here. The lighthouse is not open to the public but nearby is a mirador and more tremendous views.</span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">Arrecife de las Sirenas © Robert Bovington</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The western side of the Cabo de Gata is only a very small part of the whole natural park. It is possible to walk to the eastern side of the cape, but to see more of this astonishing area in a short time a car is needed. However, the road stops just below the lighthouse. It is necessary to return to the village of El Cabo de Gata before driving to San José, the next village in the park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On one occasion, as I drove between the cape and the village of El Cabo de Gata, I viewed the spectacular sight of hundreds of pink flamingos! I also noticed a couple of bird watchers in a hide on the shore of the lakes. Between spring and autumn, thousands of migrating birds stop here on their journeys between Europe and Africa. Apart from flamingos, there are storks, avocets, eagles and many other types. Only a few remain in the winter when the Salinas are drained after the autumn salt harvest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are many other delightful places in the natural park and not just the coastal parts. The inland scenery is delightful too, especially the mountains, some of which have a distinct pyramid shape to them. Compared with all the other mountain ranges in the province of Almería, the Sierra del Cabo de Gata is not nearly so high. Yet, some are still over 1000 feet! Most of the mountains here have a distinctly volcanic appearance with sharp peaks and crags. Where they fall sharply into the sea, jagged cliffs are created. These are broken by gullies leading to small, hidden coves with white sandy beaches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Cabo de Gata is a truly splendid place and I would recommend you visit it. Go tomorrow. There are cheap flights these days between the UK and Almería. On second thoughts don't! One of the beauties of the natural park is that so often one can find peace and solitude in this enchanting area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Robert Bovington</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Parque Natural Marítimo terrestre de Cabo de Gata-Níjar, Níjar, Almería, Spain36.7254448 -2.194908199999986211.203410299999998 -43.503502199999986 62.247479299999995 39.113685800000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264487313669531210.post-90408929095855547372015-08-07T18:32:00.000+02:002015-08-07T19:22:50.989+02:00Ávila<b>by Robert Bovington</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ávila is the highest city in Spain. It is 3,715 feet above sea level and is situated on a plateau that is surrounded by even loftier mountains. It is a good place to visit but not to live because, whilst the city is rather spectacular and is a notable tourist centre, it has long cold winters and short summers. The surrounding neighbourhood is not too attractive either. It is an arid, treeless plain strewn with immense grey boulders, which, I suppose, came in useful when the walls of the city were built.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Universidad Católica de Ávila © Robert Bovington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Ávila is old. It is one of the oldest of all the cities in Castilla y León. Celtic Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians have all left their mark on this fine city.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Las Murallas - the walls - are magnificent and encompass the whole of ancient Ávila. Building started at the end of 11th century and they are 2.5 kilometres long, 14 metres high and around 3 metres thick. They are still in pretty good nick. Alfonso VI ordered their construction after his conquest of Avila in 1090. Moorish prisoners were allegedly employed to build the wall. I don't suppose they were paid though! There are eighty-eight towers and nine gates that include the imposing Puerta del Alcázar and the Puerta de Rastro. Visitors can walk along the walls between these two points. The walls are beautifully illuminated at night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The modern part of the city lies outside the walls. Within the old city are many fine buildings including churches and the 12th-century Gothic cathedral. Ávila Cathedral was planned as a cathedral-fortress - its apse is actually part of one of the turrets of the city walls. Construction started in 1095 shortly after the Reconquest. The earliest parts were in the Romanesque style and built like a fortress with battlements and sentry walks incorporated into the structure. Most of the cathedral was built between the 12th and 14th centuries and the building is, therefore, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic. It is credited with having introduced Spain to Gothic architecture. The Cathedral Museum has a display of religious art including an El Greco - the "Portrait of Garcibáñez de Múxica". </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are quite a few religious buildings in Ávila but, then, there have been a number of religious residents. These include the 4th-century theologian Priscillian who was the first Christian to be executed for heresy and the notorious Friar Tomás Torquemada who was Spain's first Grand Inquisitor and the zealous leader of the witch-hunts of the 15th century. Another resident was San Juan de la Santa Cruz who was a reformer of the Carmelite Order. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Santa Teresa de Ávila</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Saint Teresa of Ávila is the city's most famous resident. She was born in Gotarrendura in Ávila province on March 28, 1515. She was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Following a period in the care of the Augustinian nuns, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Order.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">She was a major figure of the Catholic Reformation - a prominent Spanish mystic, writer and monastic reformer. Gregory XV canonized her in 1622. Her feast day is October 15 when the city honours its most famous daughter with a celebration in her honour. It begins with an opening speech from the Town Hall balcony followed by a solemn mass in the cathedral. The celebration continues with a procession through the main city streets, and, like all good Spanish fiestas, concerts, bullfights, fireworks and partying takes place for a few more days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">St. Teresa has left Ávila with a legacy - not only the memory of her Carmelite reforms and her writings but a reminder of her can be found in the Convento de Santa Teresa, which was built in 1636 over her birthplace. Another monument to her name is the Monastery of La Encarnación where St. Teresa lived for thirty years.</span><br />
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<b> <span style="font-size: large;">Tomás Luis de Victoria</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another famous person, born in Ávila was the composer Tomás Luis de Victoria. Born in 1548, Victoria is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was certainly the most significant Spanish composer of sacred music in the late Renaissance. The biggest influence on Victoria is said to be the aforementioned Saint Teresa, which is probably why he wrote only religious music.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With all those devout residents, it is no wonder that there are so many temples in Ávila. Quite a number have prestigious connections like the Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás that houses the tomb of Don Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs. There is the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista that contains the baptismal font in which Saint Teresa was baptised. It is just one of many Romanesque churches in the city as well as one of a number with Saint Teresa connections. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ávila is not just about churches. There are a number of palaces and houses of noble ancestry as well as museums. Because the city is so rich in architecture it has become a UNESCO World Heritage site.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b>This article is an extract from “Spanish Impressions” by Robert Bovington</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367109545432137417noreply@blogger.com0Ávila, Ávila, Spain40.656685 -4.681208599999990840.608501000000004 -4.7618895999999911 40.704869 -4.6005275999999906