| So here we are in the south
of Spain near a small town called Periana; we rented a cabin which we affectionately
called "Casa Rural" -- one of its "charms" was that it was heated by a
wood-burning fireplace. This gave it a certain rustic appeal. |
 |
| Here are James and Paul
and Adam. WWherever we went in Spain Adam got a lot of attention. I guess
Disney has world-wide market penetration. |
 |
| Here is Adam on the front
porch of Casa Rural -- he wants in because it is cold out. Of course
once he was inside he'd want out because he is a dog . . . . |
 |
| One of the highlights of
the trip was visiting the Alhambra , A moorish Palace/fortress located
in Granada. Here is a picture of one of the courtyards in the palace. Most
of the walls are covered with intricate mosaics. |
 |
| The tile work and mosaics
in the Alhambra reflect an Islamic belief that art should not reproduce
living images. The geometrical patterns where the inspiration for many
of M.C. Escher's works |
 |
| We then went on to Segovia and Avila; two medieval
walled cities near Madrid. Segovia is known for its aqueduct and the local
culinary specialty of roast suckling pig. Spanish cuisine is very carnivore
oriented; this is due to the persecution of Spanish vegetarians during
the inquisition. |
 |
| Here's a picture of Tom on the medieval walls
of Avila; yes, that 's snow on the ground which made walking along the
ramparts a touch treacherous. |
 |
| While in Avila, we got kicked out of a church
(because it was closing time -- why did you think there was another
reason?). This gentleman was charged with locking us out. Look at the size
of those keys!! |
 |
| We also went to Bilbao in the north; Bilbao is
pretty much of a one sight town -- namely the Guggenheim museum designed
by Frank Gehry. Look at all that curvy titanium cladding. |
 |
| In front of the museum is a rather doleful puppy made
out of pansies. I guess the big pup is a cultural icon in the Basque
country. |
 |