Tag: #spain

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Bullfight in Valencia Spain

I am not a fan of bullfights like Hemingway but I wanted to introduce my friend to this part of Spanish culture. The link below explains the participants of the bullfight in detail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-style_bullfighting#:~:text=the%2019th%20century.-,Participants,cuadrilla%20or%20team%20of%20bullfighters.

This is the real bullpen
The pageantry of the opening ceremony
The floor matadors with their capes to be greeted by the crowd
A visitor from Mexico proudly displays his flag
I am not sure what these numbers and symbols indicate but it is brought out before each fight
The picador is loosening the shoulder muscles
Form is very important for the matador
Placing the Banderillas
The matador throws his hat to someone in the crowd
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Valencia Spain

Nice welcoming to Valencia
Reminds me of some photos I have seen of architecture in Mexico
Italian restaurants are everywhere and you can find good pizza in many places
Even this powerful cat (MANNEKI NEKO) turn welcoming you to eat ramen and assistant cat wishing you peace can be found in the city
The beaches are very long and the water is pretty clean
This was redesigned but originally was the local governors palace and offices
The ceiling here and in the next photo are the original parts of this room which were found some other place in the city and refitted here
Looking at the floor at a good angle gives a very nice perspective
We’re private meetings were held
This entrance was large enough to allow people on horseback inside though I don’t know that really happened but it is something that I learned at a palace in bologna Italy
Paella is the local food, may be considered the fast food of Spain but nice to have when you want something simple
Getting their hair wet on a very warm day at the local fountain
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Madrid

At a taco restaurant. The “spicy” sauce on the right of the small sauce tray of 4 was very spicy. We mixed them to suit our taste.
Musicians entertaining us. They are everywhere. Very nice to hear the more traditional music around town.
The lady you see chased me away before i could get in a better position. She set this up for money, of course.
This sunny day umbrella guy wouldn’t move. Maybe he was expecting rain to fall soon only on him.
This was an “all you can eat” buffet called ….. look at the napkin. The gazpacho was almost as good as my mothers so we visited 2 times.
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Flamenco in Madrid

In Madrid, La Cueva De Lola is a small, unassuming, movie picturesque bar to view flamenco dancing. The show quality/price ratio was surprisingly high so i can t recommend it for an evening out. But the sangria there is not really recommendable so try to order something else for your “included” beverage in the €25 price.

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Madrid Royal Palace

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Palace_of_Madrid

A light with a soccer ball reference?
He was playing the brass rubbing instrument
There must have been lions in Spain
Juan Carlos, in the middle, abdicated for his son on the right.
A Stradivarius. There is even a Stradivarius bass on display
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San Sebastián

Very close to the French border, in Spain, and on the Atlantic, this town is a premium priced beach (by Spain standards) easy going and lovely little town. The people are Basque as is the food in some restaurants. Going back into France was slightly tricky since the train booking sites for France are not great for cross border trips especially if you have a Eurail pass as we did. Getting only the seat reservation (the rest free on the pass) was tricky, going through a third party site. But just relax and enjoy San Sebastián.

Very delicious traditional Basque food at very reasonable prices.
Pork cutlet had no sauce but was tasty.
Order at the counter for take away if you like
The beaches are very clean and nice, and crowded.
Not my idea of a beautiful arts event building.
Chorizo, smoked salmon and sangria.
Of course you need a pool on the beach?
I just sat at the elite Londres hotel cafe on the beach area pretending to be “elite, haha.
Why not a simple homemade costume? I don’t think it would be good for swimming however.
Ice cream to follow the coffee, of course.
Above is Spanish and in the middle is Basque, considered by some scholars to be the oldest language in western Europe, unrelated to others.
Great vantage point
From the train a photo of houses in a small Basque town just north of San Sebastián, all white. There must be a reason.
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Barcelona-Sagrada Familia

Like a Christmas tree
Flowers at the top
His tree imitations seem to provide enough support so flying buttresses are not necessary
The inside is pretty much finished. When I came here 13 years ago it was not.
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Barcelona-Casa Batllo

Click on the link below for information about this building; One of Gaudi’s best.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Batlló

Lots of people
The building was remodeled by Gaudi. Here is the before and after models.

Neighboring building also designed by Gaudi.

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Barcelona-Gaudi-Casa Mila

the descriptions here indicate that this was Gaudi crowning achievement. This house was created for a wealthy family. You will notice his tendencies to reject straight lines, and his multiple references to different forms in nature.

Actually, this photo and the one below were taken in Portbou. This photo shows the rally for the socialist party leading up to the election a few days later.
This made me question where this games origins were
Even the ceiling corners are nonlinear
most old buildings of this era have many very small rooms, very compartmentalized. This was the dining room and the meeting room that Gaudi decided should become what we now call a “great room”.
This is casa Batlló before and after Gaudi’s remodeling
Chimneys designed as guards or warriors
Sagrada Familia in the distance
During the two hour lunch break at the train station there were only two windows open to serve over 50 people waiting to buy tickets