Paris1972-Versailles2003

This is yours truly with another episode of some news from Spain !!! Lots of things going on so let me tell you my latest news chosen by yours truly, By the way CLXI is old Roman numeral for 161, Hope you enjoy this post as I.

In the number 87 of the Calle Atocha in Madrid was printed the first edition of ‘The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha’, in the year of 1605. In the basement, in the last press, under two sordid windows, the great story took the best work of Spanish literature. In that same place, the Sociedad Cervantina, an entity aimed at celebrating the legacy of the author of the ‘Quijote’ was formed in 1953 and to put it in contact with contemporary creation. The building, restored in 1987, now opens its theater room with ‘Marcela (a song by Cervantes)’, show based on the monologue of the pastor who wrote Cervantes in Chapter XIV of his novel and that has mounted the team formed by three Women: María Folguera in adaptation and dramaturgy, Celia Freijeiro in the interpretation and Leticia Dolera in the direction. Open now until May 26, 2024, Webpage: https://sociedadcervantina.es/eventos/marcela/

A trip to Madrid of the 1980s: the most castizos graffiti route, the book ‘Guía del arte urbano de Madrid’ or Urban Art Guide of Madrid tour the history of the region through the most unique street murals. Javier Abarca, respected pioneer of Spanish graffiti, to enter the protagonists, curiosities, legends (black included) and neighborhoods that marked (and continue to do so) the day to day of these movements through his book, just published by the Anaya Touring publishing house. This Castiza guide, divided into 15 chapters that seek to provide the keys to enjoy the street art, delving into subcultural, social, historical and geographical aspects. Hence, in its 288 pages there is a place for propaganda stories, works of the transition, optical illusions, and the time of the movida, the closed door square, highlighting the figure of a nice cook . Nor are the main graffiti centers left from Lavapiés to Malasaña, La Latina (see Mercado de la Cebada), Azca, Carabanchel, Alcorcón or Móstoles or even the black paintings of Francisco de Goya. Not surprisingly, in their origin, these were created as murals drawn on the plaster walls of the Quinta del Sordo, the Aragonese (Goya) residence in the Puerta del Ángel neighborhood. The book also reviews other representatives such as E1000, Wolf, Eltono, Suso 33 or SpY, whose furtive works can still be contemplated in some cases, while others have come to go through the Arc Fair. We must not forget the flecheros, a group to which Abarca belonged, native signatures spring followers who used the arrow stylistic and much fun, Webpage: https://www.guiasdeviajeanaya.es/guia/guias-singulares/guia-del-arte-urbano-de-madrid/

The Camping de Osuna, the only one within Madrid, turns 65 in which it has received clients from 90 nationalities , just a few meters from the M-40 beltway and a short distance from the suburban trains, an oasis ,a hidden paradise, a secret island , The Osuna Camping opened its doors back in 1959 and enjoys the great advantage that it is totally urban, but is surrounded by vegetation. A walk through this campsite located next to the Jardín de El Capricho ,a garden, in the district of Barajas, allows us to verify that the motorhomes have displaced the tents, which have practically disappeared from the map. In the cafeteria, breakfasts are served for modest prices and in the small market quality and food prepared for those who do not want to cook are sold. In addition, concerts are held on weekends in the area called El Ring, where there is also a bar. The camping has 160 plots, in addition to some cabins and bungalows; a place with several environments and barbecue; A covered room to telework and a daily concert area, 40 euros for motorhomes and 70 euros for cabins. A bargain lodging in Madrid! Webpage: https://campingosuna.com/camping

The ‘Soho’ of the theaters in Madrid is not the Gran Vía: the neighborhood that brings together dozens of rooms in four streets The dynamism provided by the numerous alternative theater rooms that populate Embajadores is something that can barely be described with words. Only the one who has meloded through its streets, especially Calle Ercilla and the first numbers of the calle Palos de la Frontera, knows how the spectators gather at the gates of these businesses that always fight to survive. Spaces for the emerging, also for research, have found in this neighborhood a home not without the vicissitudes of becoming. In these lines, the directors of the Cuarta Pared (fourth wall), La Usina and Nave 73 tell their experiences. Gratifying ones, more bitter others, Cuarta Pared is one of the most veteran rooms in ambassadors. Once in 1985, initially as a theater school and almost immediately as a company and exhibition room, its first headquarters was located on the Calle del Olivar, in the Lavapiés neighborhood. Seven years later, he arrived at his current enclave, on Calle Ercilla, where there are also La Encina, Plot Point and Lagrada. The La Usina Theater began in 2006 in a room where they could build theatrical research groups, laboratories, in Calle Tirso de Molina. Just two years later, they went to the premises that welcomes them now, at no 4 Calle Palos de la Frontera, a street in which there are also the hall and theater. In the economic crisis of 2008, some rooms left, others made the need, by virtue. Nave 73 was born in 2012 , at no 5 Calle Palos de la Frontera, has no own production. Its objective is to show how the new one, “how to get to the future”, its activity is area in which there are more rooms and theater schools of the entire capital ;sadly says its director with regret, its activities will end on December 31, 2024 Madrid tourist office: https://www.esmadrid.com/salas-teatro-alternativo-off-madrid

The Teatro Real is on preparations for the premiere of the blockbuster ”Los maestros cantores de Núremberg’, or the masters singers of Nuremberg’, which will bring 230 artists on stage, as well as 70 technicians, to interpret the work of Richard Wagner. Between April 24 and May 25,2024 they will enjoy nine functions and a half and a half hours that lasts the work, webpage: https://www.teatroreal.es/en/show/die-meistersinger-von-nurnberg

Let me take you on a tour of the buildings of Antonio Palacios, on the 150th anniversary of his birth, The architect of the Circulo de Bellas Artes or Circle of Fine Arts, the Maudes Hospital or the Palacio de Cibeles palace was celebrated as we know it in the beginning of the 20C,he was problematic and feverish that sang the tango of Discépolo. The one of Porriño (Galicia), designer and intellectual of eight metro/subway stations, of the temple rebuilt of Gran Vía, of the same suburban icon, serves so that the walker reconstructs the way in which the Madrid of Galdós became metropolis, You could enter the Palacio de Cibeles, his work, so cathedral that in a city that has walked cathedrals, he had there, next to the Cibeles that magnificence of the neighbors in Toledo or Segovia. Palacios also drew, the building of the Circle of Fine Arts, where you have to stop at each plant to verify that from the cafeteria to the terrace, everything has a reason to humanize geometry. Staircases that do not tired, and a temple of culture and let themselves be seen. Palacios drew, created, wrote, and has to know that the traveler when he passes through the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute, also of his firm, Beautiful buildings indeed and full of history, this is Madrid, walk it and feel free!!

Carmen of G. Bizet, a classic versed by the Flamenco Ballet Company in Madrid that can be seen at the Teatro Capitol theater. A cast of 20 artists on stage among dancers, soloists and live music seeks to break those topics related to Spanish dance, creating a proposal that adapts their music and dance to the current public. The work takes place in Sevilla around 1830 and tells the relationship between the gypsy Carmen and Don José, an inexperienced soldier who for love is creep against his superiors and ends in a band of smugglers. The story is marked by the free and indomitable love of its protagonist and the jealousy that drives Don José to commit the murder of Carmen. Webpage: https://gruposmedia.com/cartelera/carmen-ballet-flamenco/

A huge saucepan rests in Santerra’s kitchen. Calle del Gral. Pardiñas, 56, still smoking, is up to Bechamel and with hundreds of ham tacos inside. Thirteen kilos of mass that will end up becoming more than 400 croquettes. But not in any croquette. They will be the best ham croquette in the world, an award that this little bite has achieved twice: 2018 and 2022. The starting point of your croquette is to elaborate a good roux. A kilo of butter and another of flour are the base, which is constantly removed to get everything well. Eight liters milk with extra fat content and infused with three ham points will be able to give the creamy point to the bechamel to this overflow. The dough will rest overnight in the fridge before facing the final process. Several expert hands come in less than an hour the 13 kilos of dough and converts them into 450 croquettes of 30 grams each , Hr jumped to the Madrid Fusion contest, where he won the first prize. In 2022 they presented themselves to the contest that selected the champion among the champions. And they won again, Taste at Webpage: https://santerra.es/

American Express rewards restaurants with more essence in Madrid for a year, it granted the restaurant awards with the purpose of recognizing those with a special touch in two categories: sustainability and innovation, The ceremony took place at the hotel Edition Madrid with the assistance of various experts in the hospitality sector, The sustainable essence category rewards both the commitment and practice of responsible actions by the restaurant and its commitment to offer diners a healthy and balanced diet. Verdura y Brasa, whose kitchen covers from fresh ingredients and seasonal vegetables to grilled meat cuts, always including a creative touch to each dish, has triumphed in the sustainable essence category with an average expenditure for superior diner 50 euros. For its part, Bistró Barceló has been awarded among the restaurants with an average expenditure per diner of less than 50 euros. The most innovative restaurant of this edition among those with an average price per diner greater than 50 euros has been CEBO, which offers tasting menus in which the technique and the careful choice of seasonal ingredients are the main protagonists. Within the restaurants with an average price per diner of less than 50 euros, the winner has been BarraCruda Mercado ,located in the neighborhood of Ibiza, this restaurant is characterized by its simple kitchen under the philosophy of the RAW Food that combines creativity and takes full advantage of the resources available to offer the best experience to the consumer. Webpage: https://www.americanexpress.com/es-es/negocios/comerciante/restaurante-con-esencia/#categorias

A bit of news outside Madrid city, by yours truly!

The La Real Unión de Criadores de Toros de Lidiaor the Royal Union of Bull Breeders of Lidia celebrated the eighth edition of its awards last Thursday April 25 2024 the awards ceremony held at the Wellington Hotel in Madrid. The Community of Madrid -by its unconditional help to the Bravo Campo, Samuel Flores -by its exemplary trajectory -and Nacho Fernández -by their support for the party -were the winners in an act that was attended by the Infanta Elena. Nacho Fernández, captain of Real Madrid, awarded for his support for bulls, as he said “Football is my life; bullfighting, my passion, thanks to my father who, since childhood, took me to bullring as I do today with my four children in order to transfer them the values of the bull world ” The bull of Lidia is protected in Madrid because it has in the region a census of 11700 animals that makes us proud of genetic wealth and what they contribute to the brave bull line. In addition, they allow a magnificent maintenance of our places. We have not hesitated to help farmers every time it has needed because the continuous struggle they do to fight for this breed has a lot of merit. Now we are working on a program to encourage the consumption of fighting bull with more than 30 restaurants. ” According to the Community of Madrid region spokesmen, Webpage: https://ganaderosdebravo.es/es/

If visiting ,and want to get the feeling for the real castizo Madrid then go around and visit the 11 villas of Madrid, take advantage of good weather and see Chinchón, Colmenar de Oreja, Buitrago de Lozoya, Navalcarnero, San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Rascafría, Patones, Torrelaguna, Villarejo de Salvanés, Manzanares el Real, and Nuevo Baztán, All seen several times and even almost purchase house in Villarejo de Salvanés but sadly my dear late wife Martine passed away in 2018, Comm Madrid tourism webpage: https://turismomadrid.es/en/discover/villas.html

A bit more news in my other Spain, shall we? Yes !!!

58 years ago, in another Spain and without museums of contemporary art, the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español opened its doors. An exhibition now counts that unusual final adventure of 1966, Alfred H. Barr, first director of the famous MoMa in New York and one of those responsible for ‘invent’ the one who eventually became the most influential museum of the twentieth century, traveled to Spain. And, of course, he insisted on visiting the Museum of Abstract Art of Cuenca, the only and lonely initiative in the entire Spanish cultural landscape that then exhibited contemporary art: abstract expressionism, informalism, op-art … etc. History continues from this beautiful Museum in a historical place, see my article on my blog on it, Webpage: https://www.march.es/en/cuenca

The Museo de San Isidoro of León ,a museum after eight years of works is reborn this jewel of the European Romanesque with the triple of exhibition space and unpublished pieces of its medieval treasures a change completely, from the entrance door to the final traca, with the wall paintings of the Pantheon of the Kings, of the first half of the 12C, restored. You can see in splendor the camera of Doña Sancha, with the wall paintings of the 16C restored. In the showcase in the foreground, custody donated by Cristóbal de Castellanos (1576). In the background, Enrique de Arfe Processional Cross, in golden silver, from the 16C, Webpage: https://www.museosanisidorodeleon.com/en/

I give you some of my favorite most vertiginous enclaves in Spain, These are: Alquézar (Huesca province). Alquézar was ‘Al-Qasr’, El Alcázar, a Moorish castle with a pit of more than 300 meters deep: the Vero River Canyon its Castle, a walled collegiate with a beautiful Romanesque cloister, the only one in Aragon that is entirely preserved painted; And the canyon, a non -hikers who travel by walking through metal catwalks set to their vertical walls and Barranquistas that descend with a neoprene through the slides, corridors, badinas and swimming pools that the Vero has worked in the limestones of the mountains of Guara, Then, Albarracín (Teruel province). Three castles and two walls, one of them very long. Below, the curved and deep pit of the Guadalaviar River. Above, the highest castle, the Caliphate tower of the walker, of the 10C. And at medium height, next to the Molina portal, the house of the Julianeta, which dates from the 14C, but seems much more modern, of the cubist era, For its capricious perspective: so tilted that it seems that it will collapse. Not only the house of the Julianeta: all Albarracín leans because it is a pure slope, I did by car hard but not impossible and walking forget! And my sentimental favorite, Cuenca (Cuenca province). It is not a small small town, but there is no other place in Spain more beautifully planted on the edge of the abyss than this millenary city, with its houses hanging on the Hoza del Huécar and its júcar skyscrapers, all built without using a crane, a laser , an architect. To admire this medieval card castle, nothing like touring the peripheral path of the Hoces de Cuenca (SL-CU 10 trail), which draws a circle of four kilometers around the historic center, first climbing through the Huécar river canyon and then going down by the Júcar. Signified with signs and brands of white and green paint, starts in the auditorium, where there is a parking lot. It takes two and a half hours to complete the walk. Again, on the road alongside have done it,,,,

Suzanne Valadon, the queen of the Belle Époque, model of Renoir, Degas or Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec named her Suzanne at 19 years, in reference to the biblical myth of Susana , The oldest one born as Marie-Clémentine, Queen of Montmartre and the most famous artist, radical and free of the Belle Époque. At her funeral, Picasso, Braque and the main painters of the moment attended, but after her death, the figure of Valadon fell into the most unfair of forgetfulness, despite leaving an extraordinary legacy of about 500 portraits and 300 works on paper. The National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC) now claims it in the exquisite exhibition Suzanne Valadon. A modern epic, the first anthological dedicated in Spain, in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou a girl born in a humble family, of an unknown father, who worked as a florist, dishwasher, babysitter, laundering, waitress and acrobat in a circus until she dedicated herself to posing for the artists of the avant -garde and to paint some works that, in many cases, surpassed those of the teachers. A modern heroine whose work is absolutely contemporary, as if it were a mixture between the stylized elegance of Henri Matisse and the stark palette of Lucian Freud, which she advanced several decades. Suzanne Valadon is better known as a model than as an artist. No one knew that she drew while posing … In France it has begun to recently claim the atmosphere of the cafes, the alleyways of Montmartre, the cabaret air ,the small Marie-Clementine lived 100 meters from the Moulin Rouge, the artist’s workshop .In this Paris of the Belle Époque the group of Bohemian Catalans, headed by Ramon Casas, Santiago Rusiñol and Miquel Utrillo, who in addition to a painter was an engineer, art critic and collector’s. Everyone took Valadon as a model (,as well one the muses of Renoir, which immortalized her on several canvases. But with Utrillo she lived an intense sentimental relationship that was embodied in several portraits. Utrillo took to recognize his son Maurice and give him his last name. Maurice Utrillo, who Valadon gave birth with 18 years, and who would also become an outstanding painter, collegue of Modigliani, although tortured by his ethyl excesses. With the pianist Erik Satie she was still more. After its breakup, Satie composed Vexations , a complex score with a single reason that requires being touched 840 times in a row without stopping. The first who dared to interpret it was John Cage in 1949. She was the first woman to paint a naked man, Adam and Eva (1909). But to be able to present the work in the Autumn Hall, she had to paint a Renaissance Parra leaf over Adam’s genitals as Eva’s nakedness did not created a problem. That Adam was, in reality, her new love: André Utter, a young friend of her son Maurice with whom she would end up marrying. Utter was 23 years old; Valadon, 45. Valadon always went beyond conventions, both moral and pictorial. Her Black Venus (1919) was a revolution. And its great the Blue Room (1923) a feminist manifesto avant la lettre. An ode to the cultured and real woman, to the free woman she herself was. Webpage  : https://www.museunacional.cat/en/suzanne-valadon

This is a tour we took it many years back before marriage and camera but just saw a documentary and reminded me, will be close by it this summer so maybe if time, eventually, For now enjoy it and think about doing it is marvelous, Long reading but worth it me think! This is Salamanca!!

Salamanca is a living city that treasures under its urban framework headed by its Baroque Plaza Mayor , one of the most beautiful in Spain, . Such is his wealth that it can boast of being one of the six Spanish cities that includes two cathedrals in its list of outstanding monuments. The Salamanca Cathedral grouping is formed by the Vieja or old woman (12C to the 15C), dedicated to Santa María de la Sede y la Nueva or main and new, which began to be built in the 16C and ended in 1733 and its interior there is the Image of the Virgen de la Asunción. The visit begins through the Sala de la Mazmorra, a space that was originally marked by the defensive nature attributed to the two towers of the Cathedral and that, currently,welcomes the box office and a small gift shop. After climbing the first steps, you reach the Estancia del carcelero,or jailer stay, a small rectangular plant cover with a pointed cannon vault that belongs to the construction of the tower in the 13C ,and that was possibly destined for the custody of the enclosure,hence its name. The first space to be highlighted is the Sala del Alcaide, or warden’s room, a stay dedicated to music in which one of the most extraordinary Renaissance aerophones sets in Spain can be contemplated. In addition, from its geminated window you can see the interior of the old cathedral. Up a bit more,and you reach the Sala de la Torre Mocha, or room of the Mocha Tower, whose name is contradictory since it was never cut, and in fact its height was recreated. Dedicated to the archive and constructive memory houses documents of the modern era related to the construction process of the new cathedral (16-18C) and a collection of historical drawings of the towers among which the one of Anton Van Den Wyngaerden, which which It represents the profile of the city of Salamanca in the 16C and in which you can see the Mocha tower with the terrace level with battlements in its perimeter and protected with a canopy. For its part, the Sala Alta or upper room give the opportunity to architecture lovers to deepen a little more in the different restorations that these temples have suffered over the centuries.

The Sala de la Boveda or vault room, considered as ‘the cornerstone’ of the cathedral, was initially built in the 13C and is covered with a barn -gathered vault, the forest arc in the middle and ribs attached to the walls that are born at medium height on brackets . Here is the oldest privilege of Salamanca (1102) and documents related to the construction of the temple and on its walls the scars left by the fire caused by lightning in 1705 are visible. The first exit abroad is carried out by the terraza de la Torre Mocha orterrace of the Mocha Tower, a magnificent balcony to admire the cathedral team in all its splendor and some of the essentials of the city such as the Palacio del Obispo, or bishop’s palace, the Iglesia del Arrabal or church and the Puente Romano or Roman bridge. In addition, from here you can cross a metal catwalk on the roofs of the side nave of the new cathedral that brings the visitor to the Torre del Gallo or Rooster tower and allows you to look at the Patio Chico or small courtyard. The next stop on the route is the upper balustra of the Catedral Nueva or New Cathedral advanced verse of the primitive wandering and trifia -, which allows to appreciate their large dimensions, as well as the churriguera choir flanked by the Renaissance and Baroque organs and the image of the Virgen de la Asunción located in the head of the main chapel. Next, the escalera de caracol de Mallorca or caracol de Mallorca staircase leads to the northern terrace that gives to the plaza de Anaya. The staircase was made between 1513-1522 in the first construction campaign of the New Cathedral.Once outside, you can see the most historical Salamanca that includes the Convento de San Esteban, la Clerecía and the Universidad Pontificia ,and Casa de las Conchas (shells), among other buildings.

One step before reaching the end of the visit is the Sala del Reloj or clock room, where the clock mechanism was originally and where today you can see the events that have marked their walls such as the fire, the expansion of the tower or the Lisbon earthquake. Finally, there is the body of bells, the highest stay of the cathedral held in the 18C. This space is formed by the body of arches that house the bells , a total of nine bells, a second body, semi -inferous dome on pechinas, lantern, cupulin, pinnacle, cross and weather vane. The best thing is that from this area you can see through the holes that house the bells, the cathedral, the city and the forest that surrounds it. Beyond visiting the interior of both cathedrals that, in addition, are attach, it is best to choose to climb their towers, a tour that allows you to know its history thoroughly, as well as obtain one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Salamanca. The visit is most complete since you can see the interiors of both cathedrals. Access will be made for the Mocha Tower in Plaza Juan XXIII s/n, Have a great tour of awesome monuments !!! Salamanca tourism : https://salamanca.es/en/essential-salamanca/culture-and-cultural-heritage/monuments

There you go folks, another dandy tour of my dear Spain.  It is time to enjoy my some news from Spain once again, Remember, Spain is everything under the Sun ! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.

And remember ,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!