Paris1972-Versailles2003

I like to condense and update these older posts from my news from Spain series, Therefore, here is my new take on my serie some news from Spain July to December 2021 !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Some news from Spain CVII July 23 2021 !!! On the occasion of the celebration of the Jacobean Year (Holy year) and within the framework of the commemoration acts of the VIII Centenary of the Cathedral, this year a special edition of The Ages of Man is being held. Under the title of LUX, which refers to the light inherent in Gothic cathedrals, the exhibition takes place in the provinces of Burgos, Palencia and León and has five exhibition venues: the Burgos Cathedral, the Churches of Santiago and Santa María del Camino, in Carrión de los Condes and the sanctuary of La Peregrina and the Church of San Tirso, in Sahagún. The exhibition addresses the origin and meaning of cathedrals and has as its common thread the figure of the Virgin Mary, a constant presence in so many cathedrals, churches, hermitages and monasteries that mark the Way.

Let me tell show you the way to Avilés, the city where the founder of St Augustine in Florida USA (oldest city in USA 1565) was from Pedro Menéndez de Avilés! Avilés is the third city in Asturias in terms of inhabitants after Gijón and Oviedo and has one of the best preserved old quarters in the Principality, declared in part a Historic-Artistic Site, as well as an interesting commercial past with still visible examples such as its medieval market of Mondays, which continues to be celebrated in the Plaza de los Hermanos Orbón since the Catholic Monarchs themselves allowed it in 1479. The Brazilian architect Óscar Niemeyer, responsible for the center that bears his name ( Centro Niemeyer), which was inaugurated on the edge of the estuary just one year before his death in 2012 at the age of 104. It is also the only building of his in Spain and “his best work of him in all Europe”, as he himself said. The follower of Le Corbusier gave the project to the city on the 25th anniversary of the Príncipes de Asturias Awards after he himself received it in the field of the arts in 1989. Both Woody Allen and Brad Pitt stayed in the best suite at the NH Collection Palacio de Avilés, a 17C building owned by the Marquis of Ferrera. That was what it was called until it was transformed in 2003 into a five-star hotel with 78 rooms, a monumental spiral staircase made of marble and mahogany and original furniture from the 16C. We must mention its French garden, in which Woody Allen shot several scenes of Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona in 2008. The Calle Galeana street, famous for its arcades, and in the heart of Plaza de España, an area known as El Parche since the 19C. With the hotel starts the route of palaces through the center such as those of Valdecarzana, Camposagrado or Balsera, current headquarters respectively of the Municipal Archive, the School of Art or the Conservatory of Music.  The Valdés Theater, one of the buildings with the best acoustics in Spain. Its inauguration at the beginning of the 20C confirmed the cultural interest of the town, for which it is known as the Athens of the North. You can see in Avilés  the workshop of the luthier Roberto Jardón Rico ( Calle Domingo Álvarez Acebal, 4), one of the most prominent in Spain. There he makes violins for clients like artist Ara Malikian with a two-and-a-half-year waiting list. The tour of Avilés ends in the medieval fishing district of Sabugo and the marina, once separated from the walled area by the estuary through a wooden bridge. This was where the burly whaling sailors lived, of which the local Avilesinos were also an institution.

It is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Spain, and also one of the most famous among those who visit our country. We are talking about tapas, which has become an everyday thing, a way of life, of socializing and enjoying gastronomy. This art, proposed to be Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco, is mandatory especially in some cities, which have entire streets and neighborhoods full of establishments in which the pincho is king. Holidu, the vacation rental search engine, has just published a study to establish which ones are the best to go for tapas. Of course most in Andalucia from where the idea originated. The cities of Sevilla, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Cadiz, Malaga, Salamanca, Toledo, Almeria, La Coruña , and Pontevedra are tops as big cities goes.

In this return to the origins, Cruzcampo returns to rescue his roots in the same place where, in 1904, it brewed its beers for the first time. A venue full of history where Factoría Cruzcampo is now located, a renovated cultural space in Sevilla in which innovation and experimentation are the mantra of its young brewers Juan and Irene. In addition to tasting the seven craft beers that are made here, those who come to Factoría Cruzcampo can carry out a series of beer experiences, which include guided tours with blind tastings or tasting of pairings. Some words that implies Spanish way of life are arrejuntarse or getting together is synonymous with spending time in the company of family or friends, but it also implies joy and gratitude for being with those we love. It goes with the word fetén ,  pronounced when a meal is good or when we have a memorable moment. Not to mention duende or elf, that power that is born from within us in an almost magical way, that turns our emotions into forms of expression and that makes our creations come alive. Arrejuntarse, fetén and duende are three words with roots, character and, above all, a lot of accent, because they are closely linked to our way of being. Along with arte or art, fiera or beast, jaleo or fuss, flama,or flame, coraje or courage, pellizco or pinch, poderío or power, ojalá or hopefully and reliarse or reliance .Six young Andalusian artists have illustrated these words and used Cruzcampo’s most powerful beer bottles and cans as canvas: Cruzcampo Especial.

The Ribera de Curtidores is always a brilliant idea, but it might be best to avoid the late hours of the morning so you don’t die trying to find a nice heirloom at a good price. But they are right. Madrid in summer is transformed. For good. The festivities of San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and the Virgen de la Paloma in August are a summer gift, although the health situation does not allow the crowds characteristic of such celebrations. Even so, in the middle of the walks through the streets of La Latina reaching Plaza del Alamillo, going up Calle de la Morería until reaching Calle Bailén, crossing Caños Viejos , you can see the Almudena Cathedral. In search of a better view of the Cathedral, descending the stairs of the Segovia Viaduct and crossing the street of the same name, the heated passerby comes face-to-face with what will be his best discovery to date. The Emir Mohamed I park where, camouflaged among the infinite cultural offer of Madrid, the Arab Wall of the city has stood for centuries. There it is. An escape with more than 1,100 years of history. To this wall, from which new finds have been discovered over the years – as following the excavations of the 50s in the Cuesta de la Vega –, the legend of the nickname of ‘cat’ is also attributed to the people of Madrid . Already in the 11C, with the troops of King Alfonso VI waiting on the outskirts of Mayrit to conquer said Arab territory, a Castilian soldier scaled the wall – with the agility of a cat – raising the Christian flag over it. From its initial feat, the city became part of the Kingdom of Castile. It is said that since then the citizens of Madrid adopted this peculiar term. In the enclosure the fortress and the almudayna stood out, built between 850 and 886. The walled Madrid, although later a large part of the population settled in the suburbs. Today, it is the neoclassical Royal Palace that rests on the foundations of Arab origins. The same happens with the main mosque of which there are no vestiges as such, but there are remains of the Church of Santa María, built a posteriori on the Muslim temple and located between Calle Mayor and Calle Bailén. Although there are other stone footprints that reveal the Muslim passage through the city – such as the Watchtower in the parking of the
Plaza de Oriente , the fortified wall is the greatest cultural expression of the Andalusian period in
Madrid. And the heat is carried in another way: because it is already eight in the afternoon and because if a wall has withstood the pains and glories of the city that does not sleep for more than 10 centuries,

And Picasso finally hangs in the Prado , the museum of which he was appointed director on September 19, 1936. Although he accepted the appointment, he would never take formal possession of the position. He is in room 9B of the Villanueva building, where he shows’ Bust of a woman 43 ‘(painted in a single day, on October 7, 1943, in his studio on rue des Grands-Augustins in Paris, where he painted the’ Guernica ‘).This is a five-year loan, made by the American Friends of the Prado Museum, to which the Aramont Art Collection of the Arango Montull family has donated. After five years, it is expected that, as with Velázquez’s ‘Portrait of Felipe III’, it will end up being donated to the Prado. Bust of a woman 43 is a sample of Picasso’s response to the violence of World War II. In many of the female images painted in this period, the artist deformed the features of the figures in a radical way. Picasso couldn’t be in better company. On one side, Velázquez and his ‘Bufón Calabacillas’. It was one of the two paintings that Picasso copied, at age 14, in his notebook during his first visit to the Prado in 1895 (the other was ‘Francisco Lezcano, the boy from Vallecas’). The drawings, made in lead pencil, are in the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. On the other side, a group of portraits by El Greco: ‘The gentleman with his hand on his chest’, ‘Jerónimo de Cevallos’, ‘Portrait of a young gentleman’, ‘Old gentleman’ … In the room, in addition to the splendid paintings by El Greco for the altarpiece of Doña María de Aragón, there is a nod to the donors of Picasso, ‘El Calvario’ by Luis Tristán is exhibited, which he donated to the Plácido Arango museum, who he was president of the Board of Trustees of the art gallery. In 1897 Picasso registered in the Prado copyists’ book to study the work of Velázquez. That year he also copied ‘The Annunciation’ by Murillo and a Venus by Titian. Picasso used to say that Velázquez “is first class” and El Greco “has magnificent heads.”

Some news from Spain CVIII August 2 2021 !!! One of the nicest places to spent a summer or more is at the town of  El Puerto de Santa María, with its hundred palaces and a lot of art. Historic enough to show off Phoenician, Roman and medieval legacies, but also current, since the poet Rafael Alberti was born here and today it is a pole of contemporary art .  A 13C castle of San Marcos and under the watchful eye of the bust of King Alfonso X the Wise. Alfonso X built it as a fortress church on an old mosque of which remains are still preserved. To get to know the nearby Phoenician site of Doña Blanca, it is necessary to travel by car or taxi to the foothills of the San Cristóbal mountain range, about  7 km from the city center. The Rafael Alberti Foundation, located in his old house (Calle Santo Domingo, 25), treasures valuable works by the Puerto poet, grouped together in its exhibition rooms and the library. A few steps away, the youth home of the playwright Pedro Muñoz Seca is today Casa de Indias, a hotel and contemporary art center with a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions.  Bodegas Osborne , one of the most visited monuments in the city (Calle Los Moros, 7). The beautiful architectural ensemble allows you to dive into the production of its famous wines , tasting included  among centuries-old barrels. The facilities also house the Toro Gallery, an interpretation center on the origin and cultural imbrications of its famous bull of the roads. By the way, of the 94 fences that exist, El Puerto is the town that has the most: almost a dozen (not counting those of the museum). The Port area has 15 km of fine white sand beaches, many of them safe from the furious east wind.. You can discover the patrimonial legacy left by the shippers of the Indies who traded with America; in this case, with sherry wines. The Casa de los Leones and its baroque façade from the 17C (Calle La Placilla,  stand out; the Palace of Purullena (Calle de las Cruces) , with its beautiful 18C patio, or that of the Marquesa de Candia (today Municipal Museum; Calle Pagador, 1). A stop on this way is the Greater Priory Church, whose Plateresque façade, its Mexican silver altarpiece, the choral stalls or the neoclassical baldachin give a good account of the commercial splendor that El Puerto enjoyed. For the nights the life  in El Puerto de Santa Maria revolves around the Guadalete River. Wonderful Andalucia and Spain. A place to visit and plan ahead.

The Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Jaraba (Our Lady of Jaraba sanctuary), in the Hoz Seca ravine, a kind of dry and dry Mount Athos, the same color and texture as the cliffs from which it hangs. It is one of many sanctuaries of Visigothic legends prior to the Muslim era, with its timely appearance of the Virgin just in time to prop up the Christian reconquest. The beautiful waterfalls of the Monastery of Piedra  such as Vista de La Caprichosa, one of the waterfalls of the Monasterio de la Piedra, a natural space that has just reopened its doors in Nuévalos (Zaragoza province) the Iris cave, ,without not forgetting the inside cloister of the Monasterio de la Piedra. You can make a road warrior wonderful trip continuing towards Embid de Ariza and the stately and melancholic Casa de la Vega, a very noble work house with a chapel, farmhouse, neglected garden, superb avenues of plane trees and wheat fields. There you have to see the famous cathedral gall that was already old in the days of the Catholic Monarchs: they call it the Tree of the Encounter because, according to legend, Isabel of Castile and Fernando of Aragón would have seen each other for the first time in its shadow. It seems more documented that it was the Royal Site of her daughter Juana la Loca, and there she would have been punished as a widow with her inconsolable mourning before ending up locked up in Tordesillas 

The Marco de Jerez region, which includes the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María, has become in recent years one of the most visited in Spain and Europe, in terms of oenological tourism is concerned. You have between Finca Alcantara Ecuestre and Finca Salto al Cielo (about 15 km outside Jerez) you can enjoy a guided ride on the back of a Carthusian horse. The four-hour excursion begins at Alcantara Ecuestre and travels through lands that have seen the best Jerez wines born. Later, in the emblematic Finca Salto al Cielo you can see a historic chapel with a circular structure and an old bullring, walking among cattle. The excursion ends with a visit to the Conde de Peraleja winery, with a tasting of Sherry wines accompanied by typical tapas from the region. The experience continues with a guided visit to the Bodegas Tradicion (Tradition Winery), which houses an art gallery with a collection of Spanish painting from the 14C to the 10C. with the help of a guide, observe paintings by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco, Zurbarán … and the collection of etchings Suite Vollard, by Pablo Picasso.

 After a few weeks of movement of works and painting of rooms, the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection
reopens with a new organization, the first important one since its inauguration in 1992. The ground floor of the museum will be used for the exhibition of the Carmen Thyssen collection. The museum’s floor ,which will retain the classic salmon color of its walls will house the old masters, while modern painting will occupy the first floor now painted in white. The Dutch school of the 17-18C distribution for the Dutch continues the thematic scheme proposed in rooms 20 and 21. In this new order, the visitor will find three rooms dedicated to the landscape; in the first one, the great painting by Frans Hals has been installed. The urban and Italianate landscape will be the second stop on the tour in room 26, and Ruisdael and the
painting of seascapes will occupy room 28. The interiors, one of the most striking chapters of the collection, are exhibited in room 25 and the portraits in room 27. Room 22 with examples of Italian
artists, room 24 where French and British painting meet, and room 29, dedicated to romanticism and Goya have been set aside for 18C painting. The reinstallation of the modern painting collection follows a chronological sequence combined with a few thematic groupings. The tour begins with French Impressionism, Central European Expressionism, the first historical avant-gardes and the development of abstraction. The visit continues with Dadaism, Surrealism and European art from the middle years of the 20C. Rooms 37, 38 and 39 propose a thematic approach on the transformation of the portrait and the representation of the human being during the 20C. A selection of American art from the 19-20C is also featured, which is a provisional installation until the opening of the American Art exhibition at the Thyssen Collection on December 13, 2021.

The Reina Sofía Museum reorders the artistic creation of the Spanish postwar period. In the new reorganization of its collection, it puts the production of exile into a dialogue with that of the ruling party. The episode ‘Lost Thought: Autarchy and Exile’, the third in the reorganization of its collection that the Museo Reina Sofía is carrying out and which it plans to culminate in November 2021 with the aim of offering a new reading of its collections, ends with the scene of ‘Red phone? We fly to Moscow ‘(1964), that nuclear bomb that Kubrick ends up detonating because the world will never stop being a stupid place, where no one seems to want to make the slightest effort to learn anything. ‘Lost thought: Autarchy and exile’, the product of the acquisitions policy undertaken in recent years by the Museum and field work in countries such as France, Mexico or the US, a “historical debt” is considered settled. In this artistic
reinterpretation of the period between 1939 and the 1950s, you see an important part of this production, which here includes the exhibition of three hundred works, many of them exhibited for the first time,
and abundant archive material and bibliographic documentation. The collection, which is spread over sixteen rooms on the fourth floor of the Sabatini building, brings together paintings by artists such as
Picasso (‘Monument to the Spaniards who died for France’ 1946-47), Dalí (‘Atomic and melancholic uranic idyll’ , of 1945, product of his shock by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), Tàpies or Miró. There are also architectural projects, such as those donated by the José Antonio Coderch family, film fragments, books, magazines, prints, illustrations, mannequins, and photographs such as those taken by Robert Capa in Republican concentration camps. With this new approach, they aspire to recover that lost thought of exile, which goes beyond the specific time and the nation.

Unesco has come up with additional World Heritage sites and one of them was the Retiro park and Paseo del Prado area of Madrid. This has allow to revive all plans to reborn the Salon de Reinos or hall of thrones in the old Palace of Retiro in the Retiro park of Madrid. The rehabilitation of the Salon de Reinos
or Hall of Kingdoms. King Felipe IV lengthened the Habsburg idyll with Madrid by ordering the building of a large architectural complex to act as a retirement palace (Retiro). The Buen Retiro Palace began its construction in 1630 around a small royal quarter from the times of Felipe II. The epicenter of the project was in the Salon de Reinos , an elongated enclosure about 35 meters long by 10 meters wide and 8
meters high;  it was conceived as the great hall of ceremonies and parties, a symbol of past, present and future power of the dynasty. The interior was painted white, with gold arabesques on the walls. In the vault, preceded by numerous windows, were located the shields of the twenty-four kingdoms of the Spanish Monarchy, a declaration of intentions of the king, then immersed in his famous union of arms with which he sought to involve all the Hispanic territories In the defense of the empire. This collection, which forms the backbone of the Prado today, was made up of twelve great paintings of battles, among them ‘The Surrender of Breda’ and ‘The recovery of the Bay of All Saints’; ten scenes from the life of
Hercules, considered the legendary founder of the dynasty, painted by Zurbarán; and five equestrian portraits by Velázquez’s brush around the figures of Felipe III and Felipe IV, their respective wives and
Prince Baltasar Carlos, the ill-fated heir of the Rey Planeta or Planet King. The French family already began to spend long periods in the Buen Retiro, which with its less surly appearance and its closeness to nature he remembered the palaces of Versailles and Marly, where he had spent his childhood been born in Versailles and baptised at Notre Dame Collegiate Church (see posts) , and from where the current king Felipe VI descend. Over time, only the Casón (one of the buildings that today occupies the Prado Museum) and the wing where the Salón de Reinos was located (converted for many years into the Army Museum) remained standing.

Some news from Spain CVIIII August 21 2021 We review the places highlighted by UNESCO after the proclamation of El Paisaje de la Luz or the Landscape of Light as a World Heritage Site in the Comunidad de Madrid. Such as the Paseo del Prado, El Retiro Park, the Royal Monastery of El Escorial and the Historic Site of Alcalà de Henares with its most illustrious neighbor Don Miguel de Cervantes and its most famous creations Don Quijote de la Mancha and Sancho Panza. And it is that the aroma that the city gives off smells of literature and its Roman past. Its Plaza Cervantes, Calle Mayor, the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso, the university, the cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace ; the Cultural Landscape of Aranjuez, includes practically all the natural elements and historical attributes that make it up: crossed by the riverbeds of the Tagus and Jarama rivers and their groves, it integrates a large part of the irrigation systems and traditional hydraulic structures, all the orchards, gardens, the layout of streets and tree-lined squares, the Royal Palace and the 18C town center . And the Hayedo de Montejo located entrance at Calle Real, 64. Montejo de la Sierra is a mixed beech and fir forest of more than 250 hectares delimited by the Jarama River. All except the last shown in posts in my blog.

Through Galicia, we can admire the views from the old fortified fortress of Baroña, which dates back to the Iron Age, or contemplate the sunsets at the Playa de Area Longa, in Camariñas (A Coruña), go to Asturias, discovering small treasures like the Chorrón waterfall, near Villamayor, or be amazed by the jesters of Pría, spectacular rock formations on the edge of a cliff. the Quebrada de Cantabria coast, or we take a break in the peaceful corners of the Piquio Gardens, on Santander’s Playa del Sardinero. We can witness a sunset at Orio Beach, in Guipúzcoa, or the Valvanera Monastery, in La Rioja. The vast Castilla y León offers a choice, with surprises such as the landscapes of Puebla de Sanabria, while if we look towards Aragon, we will see the monumental Monastery of Rueda. Also down south see the Las Sirenas Reef, in Cabo de Gata (Almería), or the Pinsapos Forest, within the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park (Málaga), or getting lost in the corners and fountains of Priego de Córdoba. And what about the many attractions of the Canary Islands, among which we can highlight the spectacular Cascada de Colores in La Palma, or the quiet of Charco Manso, in El Hierro, Some ideas to get lost in Spain, everything under the sun !

You can start with royalty , in a Royal Site favorite of many kings, Aranjuez, arrived too at the Casa del Labrador continued (now in restoration) , its 18C theater, the historic and so graceful Puente Largo over the Jarama river, one of the two rivers that bathe the city, making its confluence with the Tagus a very pleasant place that the locals call “lajuntalosríos” (the joining of the rivers). Before continuing the road excursion, you go through the beautiful Royal Palace, with a strong but elegant front and an interior that starts grandly in the access staircase, with the same entrance, you can visit the Museum of Royal Barges, those ornate boats, most of the 18C, which evoke monarchical leisure activities less stormy than the current ones. At about 25 km (about 15 miles) later, you arrive at Chinchón and its National Parador which is a few meters from the Plaza Mayor. The dirt floor and the green-painted balconies are the two most notable components of this square, whose profile is very well framed by the silhouette of the two rear temples, one closed and the second not easily accessible, the rotund Church of the Asunción, which keeps a Virgin of Goya. At the opposite end of the town, and although impracticable, the Chinchón castle, or what remains of it, has a very suggestive picture, between the fortress that was and the romantic ruin that it seems today. Continue at six km (less 4 miles) away, and another destination with a beautiful square square, Colmenar de Oreja, Ulpiano Checa, with its own recommended museum, although his most powerful works are the three immense frescoes that he painted for the nearby Church of Santa María la Mayor. Checa, who died in 1916 where he lived the longest, France, but is buried in the parish cemetery of his town, is a pompier who is sometimes bombastic but with a consummate technique, which he applies to both portraiture and Andalusian prints, his forte being and what gave him world renown the great historical machines of Eastern and Greco-Roman antiquity. And now you arrive at my memorable Villarejo de Salvanés (almost purchase a house here if my dear wife Martine was still living) ,a town that cares for its treasures from the past, among which the extraordinary castle stands out, which is actually nothing but the old keep of the fortress of the Order of Santiago to which the passage of time and anonymous imagination gave it its most original present form, with eight stone lobes added to its square plan. But Villarejo de Salvanés offers another great modern novelty, this one from a well-known father. It is about his Museum of Cinema, a private collection that Carlos Jiménez, an enthusiastic fan as well as a scholar, son and grandson of local theater owners, has been treasuring and is now showing in his old family cinema, the Paris, converted from as ingenious as it is in a cave of the wonders of the seventh art. Here is the history of cinema in all its aspects; from archeology, with its rich amount of machines and precious contraptions, predecessors of the moving image, to the mythology of film fictions and the great stars of the screen. A cinematographic museum, in short, comparable to those of Turin and Girona, being the one from Villarejo de Silvanes more valuable for its audacity and its practically one-man maintenance.Wonderful tour recommended by yours truly,

And now let me show some nice attractions especially for families in my ancestral home of Tenerife ! The
Siam Park, the Loro Parque and also other less obvious visits such as the Enchanted Forest of Anaga. This is a recommended tour to do with the little ones, Tenerife is one special place for them ; its temperate climate, diversity of landscapes, the striking of its volcanoes, the largest water park in
Europe … There are all kinds of plans on the island, to young and old, and without spending too much money. In the south you will find some of the best beaches on the island, such as Los Cristianos (perfect if you go with children or prefer calmer waters). Also, do not forget to visit Las Américas beach (perfect for water sports). The Costa del Silencio also deserves its mention: it is a quieter bathing area and with the characteristic volcanic landscape of the island. In addition, you can go scuba diving and snorkelling.
Los Gigantes cliffs. In addition to enjoying the views of the cliffs, there is a marina where you can practice many sports such as paddle-surfing or kayaking. From here you can take the opportunity to take a boat and watch whales etc. In addition, you can also visit the Guios beach. Of volcanic origin, the state of the sea is usually optimal for children to bathe without problems. Take a tour of Vilaflor de la Chasna
, a haven of peace and tranquility surrounded by pine forests and a rural landscape that is well worth a visit. It is close to the Teide National Park and it is one of the highest villages in Spain , located 1500 meters above sea level. It preserves a rich historical heritage and its economy highlights the cultivation of potatoes, vines and almonds. Perfect to include in your excursion to the Teide (ancestral god of the
Guanches (originals of Tenerife people!), The Teide. Is neither north nor south, but rather in the center of the island. In any case, wherever you are, it is one of the obligatory and perfect stops to do with children. And, although there are those who dare to walk up (be careful, it is about four hours and you must go with suitable shoes), there is a cable car with which you can go up and down in a few minutes. It is not cheap (the adult ticket is almost 40 euros) and it is better to book in advance and choose the date and time, since the only way to get passes is online (the ticket office is not in operation for now). The ascent to the base of the cable car is well worth it, a unique opportunity to contemplate a spectacular lunar landscape and enjoy the views. Gorgeous Tenerife anichet !!

Some news from Spain CIX September 5 2021 !!! The 800th birthday of the Gothic cathedral of Burgos and the Jacobean Holy Year, with the Camino de Santiago crossing three towns that host the exhibition Las Edades del Hombre. (the ages of men). And its motto is Lux (light), the light that the Gothic style provided, precisely introduced in Spain through the Camino de Santiago. The Cathedral of Burgos, in whose cloisters, high and low, is the main exhibition of the Las Edades del Hombre , is one of those human artifacts that overwhelms you. With the Camino Jacobeo ,although the same would have happened without it, possibly the Gothic style is introduced in Spain, which contributes, among other innovations, to lighten the stone walls with stained glass windows that give way to clarity. The tomb
of the Cid and his wife, Dona Jimena, under the dome; the Golden Staircase; the monumental reliefs in the ambulatory; the grandiose chapel of the Constables, with a cornered Magdalene that some people
attribute to Leonardo da Vinci… Thanks to the heap of exquisite altarpieces and sculptures, scattered among 14 chapels, one can overcome the feeling of being in a cemetery. Or in a pantheon of illustrious men, The Chapel of Santo Cristo de Burgos is out of the circuit. A miraculous image, with human hair (which grows, according to pious tradition) and animal skin, much loved in the city, and whose devotion even overflowed to the lands of America, The Museo de la Evolución Humana (MEH) or museum of human evolution. The set of 3 buildings was directed so that from the large windows you can see the cathedral, just opposite, on the other side of the Arlanzón river with a desirable sample of paintings and engravings of the cathedral of various artists, some as illustrious as Joaquín Sorolla. Between the Paseo del Espolón and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento a medieval knot of streets and alleys (some with no exit), squares, arcades … It is known as La Senda de los Elefantes or the path of the elephants,

When it comes to big towns this is one of my favorites in my beloved Spain, San Sebastián is much more than a gastronomic tourist destination. It is a place that combines everything that is sought when traveling in summer: beach, good food and a wide cultural and artistic offer. Along the Paseo de la Bahía de La Concha, with the now famous white railing, you will find some of the most emblematic places of the city. Right in the area that divides the two beaches of the city, La Concha and Ondarreta, is the Miramar
Palace, a building built by the Spanish Royal House in the 19C during the reign of Isabel II. Continuing along the promenade leaving the Ondarreta beach behind, you will reach another obligatory stop next
to the coast, El Peine del Viento, which marks the end of the San Sebastián promenade The area also has
some wind and water that allows pedestrians to connect with the sea in a special way when the waves are strong. Right at this point where Ondarreta beach ends and El Peine del Viento is located, you can
access the mountain that offers the best panoramic view of the city, the Igueldo. It is reached by funicular and once there, although the main attraction is the views, you can enjoy the historic Monte Igueldo Amusement Park, with ferris wheels, mountains and old-looking carousels that evoke nostalgia and from which you can appreciate unique sea and mountain landscapes. Art lovers will be able to find in the old area with all the architectural styles that give San Sebastián such a picturesque aspect. On the one hand, the Catedral del Buen Pastor or Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, of neo-Gothic style and whose towers can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Right at the other end of the old town, the Basilica
of Santa María del Coro, with a façade that could be framed between the baroque and the rococo. And it is that, although it is obvious, it never hurts to remember that going out for pintxos (tapas) in San Sebastián is another of the things that must be done no matter how brief the visit is. The old part of the city has such a density of bars that you can enjoy a stroll through its streets with all kinds of snacks,
from the classic Gilda ( a pintxos of anchovies and veggies concoction) to other more elaborate meat and fish pintxos. And to top it off, a portion of La Viña cheesecake, one of the local recipes that triumphs all over the world. Leave out the film and go for the old town and the beach me think !!!

Some news from Spain CX September 17 2021 !!! La máquina Magritte at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza ,(see post) Retrospective of René Magritte , the great Belgian surrealist painter, whose work is characterized by its repetitive and combinatorial component: when he became obsessed with a theme, he repeated them with innumerable variations. The exhibition brings together more than 90 paintings and includes an installation and a selection of photographs and domestic films made by the author. From September 14 2021.

Sorolla. Tormento y devoción or Sorolla. Torment and Devotion at the Sorolla Museum (see post) until January 9, 2022 you can see a selection of the early years of the Valencian painter’s work, when he entered popular and devout manners, a genre that became fashionable during the last quarter of the 19C. Among his pieces, you can see those with scenes in sacred interiors and Valencian baroque churches, with episodes of folkloric religious devotion.

El Hijo Pródigo de Murillo y el arte de narrar en el barroco andaluz or The Prodigal Son of Murillo and the art of narrating in the Andalusian Baroque in the Prado Museum (see post). Exhibition dedicated to some of the main protagonists of the Andalusian pictorial baroque such as Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Antonio del Castillo, Juan Valdés Leal and Alonso Cano, They carried out their works in the 17C, works that have in common being organized in series, being mostly medium in size and having been commissioned by particular characters for domestic or oratory interiors. Among the selection you can see The Dissipation of the Prodigal Son (1660), by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo , or the series on the history of José, made by Antonio del Castillo. Will be on from September 29 2021.

El Jardín de las delicias or the Garden of Earthly Delights in the Matadero Madrid (see post), About fifteen artists from around the world contribute their multiple views on The Garden of Earthly Delights, Bosco’s masterpiece, in various formats, ranging from artificial intelligence or sound art to 3D animation, painting, sculpture or installation. The exhibition, curated by the SOLO Collection and co-produced by Matadero Madrid, can be seen from October 7 2021.

The route of the Holy Grail in Spain, which traveled from Huesca to Valencia. The Jubilee Year of the Holy Chalice, which ends on October 28 2021, is an opportunity to visit the Cathedral of Valencia or to travel the route that the historic cup followed. To enter the Cathedral of Valencia, you have to pay 8 euros, not counting the climb to the Miguelete (two euros more). There are usually no queues, even in high season. It takes a few minutes to be in front of the maybe Holy Grail, the cup used at the Last Supper, from which Saint Peter and the first Popes later drank, This year, until the end of October, Valencia celebrates its Jubilee Year, a good reason to approach the cathedral or even to do the complete route that the Holy Chalice could follow since its arrival in Spain, through Huesca, to its current location in Valencia. They are just over 500 km (about 310 miles) in which some pilgrims have already been seen. It is believed that this story began in the time of Sixtus II, who was executed in 258 in full persecution against the Church. His deacon, Saint Lawrence, then took care to safeguard the Holy Chalice that Saint Peter had brought from the Holy Land to Rome. Saint Lawrence, as is known, was roasted alive on a grill. But the current patron of Huesca would have managed to send the chalice to his hometown before that unbearable martyrdom. They say that in 553 the Grail was transferred to the Church of San Pedro el Viejo in Huesca, built by Bishop Vicencio precisely to contain the sacred relic, and where it could have been until the year 711. During the Muslim invasion, the chalice would have been passed through different refuges such as the Cave-Hermitage of Yebra de Basa, in the Alto Gállego region; the monastery of San Pedro de Siresa, where it is said that he was from 815 to 831; or, already in the 11C, San Pedro de la Sede del Real de Bailo, the Cathedral of Jaca and, of course, the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña, (see posts) where it would have remained until 1399, before being transferred to Zaragoza, Barcelona and Valencia, where it would have arrived in 1424 from the hand of King Alfonso the Magnanimous. The Chapel of the Holy Chalice, (see post) where it can be seen now, has exhibited this piece since 1916. The Valencian Holy Chalice is made up of a glass 7 centimeters high and 9.5 centimeters in diameter, made of agate, which could correspond to the time, the beginning of the Christian era; and a foot with handles added later, A must to see in Valencia.

And bring you some news of my roots and my dear Tenerife (see post). Let’s do some traveling ok, Tenerife has a surface area is 2,034 square kilometers, its maximum length is 87 kilometers and its maximum width is 45 km. It has two airports: the north and the south. But not only airplanes divide the island, so does its landscape and even the weather. In the north you can breathe a more tropical, leafy climate with black sand beaches. On the other hand, the south stands out for its drier heat and its endless beaches. The first thing is that the proximity to Teide, the visit par excellence, will not define anything, because it is located in the center of the island. The most typical option, especially if you go with children or as a family is the southern area full of resorts with all-inclusive options, various amenities and many on the beachfront or just a few minutes walk. It is also understood by the climate, hotter and drier than in the north, so you will have guaranteed beach and pool days. In the South, you also have attractions such as Siam Park, the largest water park in Europe and the best in the world. The northern area offers a quieter vacation. Of course, you must take the weather into account, because it is more likely that you have cold, cloudy and even rainy days. In the north are many of the island’s must-see spots, such as La Laguna (World Heritage Site), La Orotava or Garachico. Nor can you miss the natural pools of Bajamar or the famous Teresitas beach, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with golden sand (brought from the Sahara in the 60s), turquoise water and usually) calm, it is considered the Caribbean of Tenerife. The gastronomic options of the north are more attractive thanks to its guachinches, simple food houses that are mainly concentrated in the La Corujera area, in the town of Santa Úrsula, these are spaces within farmers’ houses that, to give way to their wine production, they gave it to taste and accompanied it with something to eat. Thus, you will not find great menus or many pretensions, but food typical of the island (grilled meats, stews …) and the best wine. Yes do enjoy it as I!

Thousands and thousands of people visit El Teide every year, the volcano located on the Canary Island of Tenerife, with an official altitude of 3,715 m, which makes it the highest peak in Spain. Protected natural area, is part of the Teide National Park, declared a World Heritage Site. And for good reason we descendants and natives need to climb it at least once in our life to be real Guanches, (see post) I did mine at 17 with my parents !!! There are several ways to climb the Teide: in the cable car whose base station is at an altitude of 2,356 meters and goes up to the upper station, known as La Rambleta, at 3,555 meters, or walk up to the summit by Montaña Blanca, with a total length of about nine kilometers (between 6 and 7 hours), something that requires a lot of physical effort. It is recommend a mixed option to climb to the top of Teide: take the cable car that takes you from the base station to La Rambleta (about eight minutes; price of one journey: 21 euros) and once there, walk up the path stony road from Telesforo Bravo (about 600 m and approximately 40 minutes) to the crater of the volcano. For this it is necessary to obtain a free permit.The road is well conditioned but the difficulty lies in the altitude (less oxygen) and the slope, which reaches 60%, although it will be worth it once at the top, with scandalous views .If you do not have permission to climb to the top of the Teide, another beautiful path starts from the cable car station that, crossing a sea of lava, leads to the Mirador de La Fortaleza, from where you can also enjoy incredible panoramic views of the north slope of Tenerife. Enjoy it either way, its awesome !!!

A long but worthy me think tribute to Francesco Sabatini of Palermo, Sicily Italy! And his contribution to my Madrid! Three hundred years ago, one of the most contributor to creating the image of Madrid as a great European capital was born in Palermo in 1721 Francesco Sabatini. He was the architect responsible for some of the most representative monuments, palaces and corners of the regeneration of the city during the reign of its great patron, King Carlos III. The Puerta de Alcalá. it is certainly the best known and most symbolic. And Alcalá’s was not even the only gate that he designed for Madrid. Also his is the one in San Vicente, on the Paseo de la Florida (although the one designed by Sabatini was dismantled at the end of the 19C and the current one is a copy inaugurated in 1995. And we could also add the Royal Gate through which the Botanical Garden was entered, (see posts). His direct source of inspiration was not the architecture of ancient Rome and ancient Greece, but that of the Italian Renaissance. This can be seen very well in the building of the Real Casa de la Aduana (current headquarters of the Ministry of Finance, almost at the beginning of Calle de Alcalá), with that air of a 16C Italian palace created by its façade of padded granite and brick and the pediments alternating curved and triangular of the first-floor windows. The Paseo del Prado (then known as the Salón del Prado) was one of the great projects of the reign of Carlos III, a place for walking and recreation for the people of Madrid, with roundabouts and fountains, where several spaces dedicated to science would also be located such as the Astronomical Observatory, the Cabinet of Natural History (today the Prado Museum) and the Royal Botanical Garden. (see posts) Sabatini was commissioned to design the latter, to move from its previous location next to the Manzanares river the more than two thousand plants that the botanist José Quer had collected in his travels through Europe. However, the garden that can be visited today has little to do with Sabatini’s design, since it was finished by Juan de Villanueva, the brain behind most of the Prado project who would modify it by creating the current layout divided into square barracks, King Carlos III who, at that time was still Carlos VII of Naples discovered Sabatini when he helped his father-in-law, Luigi Vanvitelli, in the construction of the Royal Palace of Caserta. So it is not surprising that, when Carlos unexpectedly acceded to the Spanish throne after the deaths of his half-brothers Luis I and Fernando VI, he turned to Sabatini to reform Madrid’s Royal Palace to his liking. for example in the Hall of Halberdiers and in the Hall of Columns and projected an extension of which only a part was carried out, the one known as San Gil wing, in the palace complex, which later served as private rooms of Isabel II, Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII. He also modified, already by order of Carlos IV, the main staircase of the palace, changing its orientation. And the famous Sabatini Gardens, (see post) next to the palace? Well, curiously, they have very little to do with the Italian architect, since they were created long after his death, during the Second Republic (1931-1939). The name apart from being an appropriate tribute, since it is a neoclassical style garden is mainly due to the fact that they occupy the place where the royal stables designed by him used to be. The Royal Palace is not the only one where Sabatini worked in Madrid. That of the Marquis de Grimaldi (adjacent to the Senate and which today houses the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies) is less imposing, but is entirely the work of the Sicilian, The Genoese Jerónimo Grimaldi, Secretary of State of Carlos III ; despite the fact that the palace has kept his name, Grimaldi never lived in it, since he resigned from his position even before it began to be built. For this reason, his first tenant was the Count of Floridablanca, Grimaldi’s successor. After him it was occupied by Manuel Godoy, who had it expanded and luxuriously redecorated and who took there his large collection of paintings, including Velázquez’s “The Venus of the Mirror” and the two majas -nude and dressed by ​​Goya. Later it was the residence of the marshal Murat during the French Napeolonic occupation, the Royal Library, headquarters of several ministries, the Admiralty Palace and the Museum of the Spanish People. The magnificent Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande is known for the spectacular dome, the largest in Spain and only surpassed in the world by those of Saint Peter in the Vatican, the Roman Pantheon and Santa Maria del Fiore , It is not his work, but that of Francisco Cabezas and Antonio Plo. Sabatini’s contribution was the main façade of the basilica, which overlooks the Plaza de San Francisco, at the crossroads of Calle de Bailén, Carrera de San Francisco and Gran Vía de San Francisco. What is unique about Sabatini’s work here is that, instead of joining a straight façade to the basilica’s circular plan, he made the façade itself convex, an ingenious solution that also made him set back the two towers. between which the dome protrudes. The Convent of the Comendadoras de Santiago, This old convent gives its name to the Plaza de las Comendadoras, where some of the most lively terraces in the University neighborhood are located. Again, Sabatini shares the limelight with other architects, such as Manuel and José del Olmo (who designed the church) and Francisco Moradillo (courtyard and Sacristy of the Knights, among other rooms). In fact, the part designed by Sabatini is the latest, which closes the block and unifies all the rooms of the convent, which until then were divided into different houses. Proof that Sabatini was not only an architect of palaces and monuments, but that he knew how to give practical solutions to very different spaces are the many works he did in the Casa de Campo, all of them very functional in nature, It was he who restored and completed the wall that closes the enclosure and it was he who (with the help of the engineer José de la Ballina) was in charge of channeling all the waters of the Royal Site, with a set of measures that include the small aqueduct still known as Sabatini or de la Partida and an ingenious set of oscillating bars that allowed the various streams that ran through the place to save the wall, preventing floods. Sabatini also built five bridges over the Meaques stream, a small tributary of the Manzanares river. Of two of them, no remains are preserved and two others are partially blinded and their structure covered with cement. But the most beautiful and original of them can still be seen in good condition, the Culebra Bridge, originally called Narrow Bridge and now known by that name due to the meandering granite parapets that crown its brick arches. The Convent of San Pascual , Sabatini not only worked for king Carlos III in Madrid, but also in other places linked to the royal court, such as Aranjuez. His most important work there was the facade of the Church of the Convent of San Pascual, in front of the Old Hospital of San Carlos, built at the same time. It is a very classicist facade, although with some touches of Italian Baroque, especially in the two towers. Hope you enjoy this tour of Sabatini’s Madrid, a great walk idea indeed, I have done on foot on various trips and its wonderful, One reason we say Madrid to Heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it every day !

Some news from Spain CXI October 2 2021 !!! Speaking of volcanos ,they are in the peninsula as well most in the Autonomous Community of Castilla La Mancha region: Campo de Calatrava, south of Ciudad Real, has numerous volcanoes over 2.5 million years old, one of the most important manifestations in Europe. In the middle of La Mancha, in the territory of Entreparques, located in the province of Ciudad Real, between the Cabañeros National Parks and the Tablas de Daimiel, is one of the most important volcanic areas in Spain and Europe. With an area of ​​about 5,000 km2, the Campo de Calatrava region is home to about 300 of these natural manifestations whose origin dates back 2.5 million years on the outskirts of the town of Poblete next to the hermitage of San Isidro, you will find the Mirador de los Maares, from the height of the Volcán Cabezo del Rey, from where you can see a large number of craters, holes, hills and castles. The open wooden facility houses the Volcanological Interpretation Center, which has panels and digital resources for augmented reality with complete and varied information on the volcanic activity in the area. Volcàan and Laguna de Peñarroya is about 20 km from Poblete, between the towns of Alcolea de Calatrava and Corral de Calatrava, where they are located. The volcano is an almost perfect cone of 60 meters high, one of the best examples of Strombolian-type building, and one of the highest in this volcanic region, whose slopes are populated by forests of holm oaks, kermes oak, juniper, broom and Mediterranean scrub. The lagoon (or maar), whose origin is due to a hydromagmatic eruptive event, was formed when the lava from the volcano captured the Lobo stream and reaches more than 1 km in diameter, which favors biodiversity in the flora and fauna when it is filled of water. On the outskirts of Porzuna, about 40 km north of Alcolea de Calatrava (and very close to the Cabañeros National Park), Cerro de los Santos, the volcano born from a single eruption is formed by a large dome raised over the plain . Today, you can still see the black and reddish slags from the lava flows on its slopes. At the top is the hermitage of San Isidro. The place is also known for being one of the points where the Celtiberians settled. Las Navas de Malagón, at the foot of the Sierra de Malagón, next to the town of the same name. It is a protected natural space, declared a Natural Reserve, made up of three lagoons: La Nava Grande, Nava de Enmedio and Nava Chica. The Nava Grande stands out especially, for its larger size, for the greater permanence of its waters and for presenting a ring of volcanic tuffs around it. In addition to doing this route by car and walking along its many trails, there is the possibility of seeing the entire volcanic region from the air through balloon rides. The company Vuela en Globo organizes the experience. A battle between volcanoes, a trip that leaves the town of Poblete to enjoy the region from the heights and discover, in addition to the history of the volcanoes, the battlefield that was the scene of fights fierce during the Reconquest, in the 12C. In the distance, you can see the Castillo de Alarcos, the bastion of Alfonso VIII in 1195 that he lost in the Battle of Alarcos against the Al-Mansur Almohad army.

Some news from Spain CXII October 15 2021 !!! The Prado Museum’s sensitivity to 17C Spanish painting explains the pictorial, iconographic and even detective interest of the exhibition dedicated to Murillo. It impresses the vicissitudes of the paintings and the outcome that has allowed them to be recovered since they came out in 1867. Queen Isabel II then agreed to give them to Pope Pius IX. And the Vatican sold them to a British collector, the Earl of Dudley, although the Murillos, like the false currency, would pass from hand to hand until they settled in Ireland owned by the Beit family. They were not safe. They ‘survived’ a fire. The IRA Stole them in 1974 . And the illustrious criminal Martin Cahill stole them again in 1986, in such a way that the kind Beit finally agreed to donate them to the National Gallery Museum. The collaboration consists of the pictorial and artistic interest of a Dublin loan that can be enjoyed in Madrid until January 23 2022

We are almost five hundred million, or what seems the same, four hundred and ninety-three million (four more than in 2020), 6.5% of the world population, That is the headline that throws the traditional yearbook published by the Cervantes Institute every October , Which does not hide the weight of inertia in this success as projections indicate that the Spanish-speaking community will continue to grow gradually until 2068, when it will exceed the seven hundred and twenty-six million, with different degrees of command of the language. The Spanish in the world. Cervantes Institute Yearbook 2021. According to Cervantes, Spanish is the native language of 493 million people; only Mandarin Chinese has more. If you add to the account those non-native speakers but who have some linguistic competence, the figure rises to 591 million people. English and Chinese are ahead. The language appears as the second preferred language in educational programs in the United Kingdom and the United States and in 18 of the 27 states of the European Union. The White House has relaunched its website in Spanish, the language that represents 7.5% of the world’s population, 9% of global GDP and will soon be spoken by 27% of Americans. Spanish is also the third most used language on the internet and the second on channels such as YouTube, Netflix or Spotify. There you go, yo lo sabia !!!

Some news from Spain CXII October 23 2021 !!! In the south of Madrid, between the old town of the city and the Manzanares River, is Matadero, (see post) a complex of buildings of more than 165,000 square meters that today houses one of the reference spaces for contemporary art and creation in Madrid. Its name may mislead those who visit it, but it gives a clue to its past: for more than half a century, the slaughterhouse and municipal cattle market of Madrid was here. It was inaugurated in 1924, chaired by an administrative building that also retains its original name, the Casa del Reloj, remained open until 1995. In addition to being an important cultural enclave for Madrid, with a wide program of events from different artistic disciplines, Matadero at Plaza de Legazpi, 8 is an example of the industrial architecture that the city conserves.

At the beginning of the 20C, no one imagined that the first elevated water reservoir in Madrid would end up becoming, more than 100 years later, a space of national and international reference in the world of photography. The Sala Canal de Isabel II Room Calle Santa Engracia, 125 programs temporary exhibitions of this discipline in a space with a circular plan and topped by a metal dome. An industrial work that looks more like a work of art. The deposit, which had a capacity of 1,500 cubic meters, remained in disuse between 1952 and 1986, when it began its stage as an exhibition hall.

The CondeDuque Contemporary Culture Center (see post) Calle Conde Duque, 11, in the central neighborhood of Universidad. It was built in the early 18C to house the Royal Corps Guards. Two centuries (and two fires) later, the 55,000-square-meter barracks was on the brink of demolition due to its poor condition, but the insistence of the public to use it for public use managed to save it. The current and reformed CondeDuque not only serves as a cultural container for the city, it also houses part of its history with the Villa Archive (with its Jurisdiction of 1202), the Historical Library, the Municipal Newspaper Library, the Musical Library and the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art.

Some news from Spain CXV December 13 2021 !!! One town to visit and do so more, is Càdiz, in the province of Càdiz and the autonomous community of Andalucia of the Kingdom of Spain. Plenty of ideas to see here. Cádiz treasures an epic past that culminates with the Constitution of 1812. On route through a historic center that smells of the sea and relives its history, Over the bay of Cádiz, this old part invites you to lose yourself in a legendary journey through its epic past sealed by the Constitution of 1812 or La Pepa. Six magnum letters and 209 years later, these days of celebration that celebrate the 43 years of the current Spanish Constitution revive that bittersweet symbol of independence, a dream of a lost revolution that did not prevent absolutism, You have key sites such as the monument to the Cortes of Cádiz, crowned by allegorical figures that support the Magna Carta. Shaped like a hemicycle and facing the pier, it welcomes the city from the gardens of the Plaza de España, The San Carlos walls, with a bastion, which baptize the neighborhood and show its military past, between Fernandino-style lampposts and views of Rota (friends at US Naval Base) and El Puerto de Santa María. Following the promenade over the sea, towards the west, you reach the Alameda de Apodaca, a pretty bougainvillea avenue, with giant centenary ficus trees and terraces. A little further on, you can see the Candelaria bastion, another key fort in the cannonball war against the French, which forced their withdrawal. Opposite, the baroque Church of Carmen incorporated two colonial towers-belfries and hosted readings from La Pepa. In the popular Plaza del Mentidero lived deputies of the extraordinary Courts meeting on March 19 1812. The neighboring San Antonio shows off her church and the bluish Casa de Aramburu (the first private bank), and hosted the Café Apolo, where enlightened, liberal and constitutionalists debated in gatherings and cenacles. Between the two, Calle de Veedor houses the mansion that the Duke of Wellington lived in, which today is the Tandem Palacio Veedor de Galeras, with 16 luxury apartments. In the Plaza de Mina we see the Museum of Cádiz and the House of Manuel de Falla. Returning to the commercial Calle Ancha , we end in the central Plaza del Palillero. We are opening our mouths towards the Central Market of Abastos, a true delirium of marine product, including tuna, in the Plaza de la Libertad. On the way, you can see the flowery Plaza de las Flores and the Torre Tavira, the highest viewpoint of a hundred in the city. The siesta time stops Cádiz, but the afternoon invites you to visit the famous Oratorio de San Felipe Neri, where La Pepa was approved and read. Annex is the Museum of the Cortes , and its model of the city. The culmination of this route is the Plaza de la Catédral of Santa Cruz and that of Plaza San Juan de Dios, seat of the City Council, which delimit the Pópulo neighborhood, with its Roman theater and three 13C arches.

The city of Madrid will enjoy this next January 5, 2022, the traditional Cabalgata de los Tres Reyes Magos or the Three Wise Kings parade after the previous one had to be suspended and located in Condeduque (see post) due to the advance of the covid virus pandemic. This has been advanced by the delegate of Culture, Tourism and Sports of the Consistory, during the presentation of the Christmas program for the capital ,For the first time in many years, Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar appeared in 2020 in the same float and without the accompaniment of others years, in which you could see horses, camels and many other floats. the traditional Cabalgata, whose route goes from Nuevos Ministerios to Cibeles, it has not yet been determined whether New Year’s Eve will be celebrated at Puerta del Sol with the twelve grapes (we still follow this family tradition). If carried out, it will be with a reduced capacity.

There go folks , gladly reporting from my beloved Spain. This is Spain, everything under the Sun ! Again, hope you enjoy this post on my serie some news from Spain July to December 2021 as I

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