ART dream

MADRID, CORDOBA

From Segovia we journeyed onto Avila, its narrow alleyways and longest continuous stone wall in Europe. Many protruding balconies and no cars.

After a short drive we arrived to a huge city lined with avenues of trees and wide walking paths. And lots of  bustling traffic, mainly one way. After wondering around the Santa Ana Plaza we found our apartment in one of the prettiest surrounded by an buildings array of painted tile work depicting scenes of major Spanish towns.

What a location in the middle of one way streets and plazas. And traffic! At siesta time people are either eating or resting out of the sun. Exciting things happening another protest. This time all the way around the plaza whistles shouting banner

waving. So many food places offering so much.

We did the whole art thing in Madrid. The Prado with the full assault of Masters. Fra Angelico with his vibrant colours illuminated with gold radiated from the composition bought tears to my eyes it was so beautiful. Namely the Annunciation and the Virgin of the Pomegranate. Next fav is Hieronymus Bosch Garden of Earthly Delight repositioned so you can view the triptych more fully.  And the table of the Seven Deadly Sins. Either Bosch was tripping of something most probably Ergot poisoning from infected wheat, which bought on hallucinations to most of the population. Vibrant colours and spectacular detail. Other artists we viewed were Titan, Durer, Velazquez, Goya, Raphael, Memling, Brueghal, El Greco, and Caravaggio to name a few.

Prado is a must see as is the collection of Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza the art ranges from The C13 to C20. An eclectic mass of works.

Walked all over Madrid viewing the Cathedral and parks.  Location in Santa Ana Plaza perfect.

We stayed in Madrid for a few days before moving onto Cordoba. More one way streets and alleys. Cordoba the home of the Mesquita, a perfect example of the marriage or utilization  by various conquering cultures and religions to use buildings and materials from their predecessors, adapting them to their own style. The red and white arches of the Moors, surrounding the central altarpiece of the Catholic church emphasis the contrast in their cultures. Outside in the orange filled courtyard are fountains where the Moors  washed before entering. The Minaret has been added to several times over the centuries. Another enticing aspect of Cordoba was the wafts of caramelizing sugar, almonds and pinenuts.

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Wine and more architecture

Logrono, Soria and the Rioja

After viewing the magnificent architecture of the Guggenheim we set off for Logrono, taking the scenic route off the highway we cruised past towering red and ochre sheer cliffs rising from the heavily wooded forests below. Perfect for abseiling! The terracotta roofs and stone houses stud the landscape creating a perfect Spanish scene. More mountains and the weather is slightly humid, as yet no sign of autumn here. As we drive on solar and wind farms dot the rolling hills and the land becomes flatter, resembling the classic plains in Spain.

Logrono is developing a reputation as a gourmet destination in Calle Laurel.  Everyone stands around small bar tables drinking and eating pintxos and tapas. Each café has its own speciality. Along with 2 stunning cathedrals – St James the Great and Cathedral de Santiago. Inside and out they are elaborate and full of gold and religious paintings. Visiting these churches at night you can see they are the centre of community life with people gathering inside and out after mass even though it is after 8.00pm.

In the Rioja we visit 2 magnificent wineries. The architecture of these buildings is breathtaking. Costing more than 85 million Euros! Marques de Risel was designed by Frank Gehry the Gugg guy. Ribbons of aluminium sweep around the building, reflecting pinks, purples and copper tones shining from the sun, We had a delicious coffee on the balcony. This is a very stylish hotel indeed as well as a winery. The other was Ysios winery with a wave like roofline reflecting the rugged stoney mountains behind it. The building is further reflected in shallow pools of water which run the length of the building. We were too early for a wine tasting.

Onto Soria through more rugged outcrops and wooded forests, jagged scree slope scar the woods. In Soria we were greeted by a festival for the Virgin to celebrate the Autumn harvest, people we out in the thousands, all ages eating and drinking obviously no work today. The evening sees a procession of an illuminated statue of the Virgin carried solemnly through the streets accompanied by a band and people following. I think everyone in Soria was there. Lunch was out in the open under trees with tablecloths and cloth napkins delicious food and rioja wine.

Pictures will come later when I get this G*D damn awful wordpress to work!

Wine and More Wine – OleBilbao OLD and NEW Monday dawned sunny and warm and we headed down to the Guggenheim Museum, even though it is closed we wanted to relish the slick titanium skin, contrasted against the smooth pale limestone blocks. Everything glistened in the bright morning sun, reflections of the curved surfaces bounced off the water surrounding the metal walls and the metallic sculptures in the forecourts around the Guggenheim. Did you know that every surface in the building is curved and there are no straight lines thus emphasising the organic flowing lines of this magnificent Frank Gehry masterpiece Tomorrow we’ll visit this amazing museum along with our Silk Road companions Pat and David who we are travelling with around Spain and Portugal in our trusty MGs. Hop on and off buses have always been a favourite and quick way of acquainting ourselves with a city. We cruised around the narrow streets enjoying the views from the top deck. We were diverted by police a few times into the back streets because of a rally of thousands of people marching along the main thoroughfare of the city. Red, white and Green flags and banners waving, fire crackers exploding, releasing clouds of smoke. How We hopped off a The Mercado de la Ribera one of the largest fresh food markets in Europe and we arrived just in time for some Pintxos which we enjoyed with a beer and Sangria. So many delicious sweet and savoury munchies to choose from – what a treat!

OLD and NEW Bilboa

Bilbao  OLD and NEW

Monday dawned sunny and warm and we headed down to the Guggenheim Museum, even though it is closed we wanted to relish the slick titanium skin, contrasted against the smooth pale limestone blocks. Everything glistened in the bright morning sun, reflections of the curved surfaces bounced off the water surrounding the metal walls and the metallic sculptures in the forecourts around the Guggenheim. Did you know that every surface in the building is curved and there are no straight lines thus emphasising the organic flowing lines of this magnificent Frank Gehry masterpiece

Tomorrow we’ll visit this amazing museum along with our Silk Road companions Pat and David who we are travelling with around Spain and Portugal in our trusty MGs.

Hop on and off buses have always been a favourite and quick way of acquainting ourselves with a city. We cruised around the narrow streets enjoying the views from the top deck. We were diverted by police a few times into the back streets because of a rally of thousands of people marching along the main thoroughfare of the city. Red, white and Green flags and banners waving, fire crackers exploding, releasing clouds of smoke. How

We hopped off a The Mercado de la Ribera one of the largest fresh food markets in Europe and we arrived just in time for some Pintxos which we enjoyed with a beer and Sangria. So many delicious sweet and savoury munchies to choose from – what a treat!

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Sunny Spain 2019

OLE Spain

Sunny Spain and Portugal are you ready to be conquered by the mighty Shamrock?

After prepping, washing and cleaning our trusty MGB GT Shamrock we drove around the Chiltern Valley catching up with a few friends. The drive from Princes Risborough to Portsmouth was quick. The weather has started to cool down here, the trees are taking up their autumnal mantles of red, yellow and orange. The pheasants have been released and in about a month’s time the shoot will be on. We saw many baby pheasants by the side of the winding country tracks and a few larger adult birds strutting their stuff in the ploughed fields.

After boarding the car ferry, we quickly settled into our very comfortable cabin ready for the 28 hour journey. Thank goodness for seasick tablets. The seas were rough and the waves crashed up onto the portholes sending streams of water cascading down them  –  alittle like the old fish and chip shop water windows. The ferry creaked, groaned and gave out unexpected thuds as it met the challenge of unpredictable waves. By morning we were greeted with much calmer seas and blue skies. Once on shore in Santander, we could feel the warmth of the sun.

We had a quick 1 ½ hour drive along a curving coastline to Bilbao.

We didn’t waste time in exploring this city. We have indulged in tasty pixtos and refreshing beers whilst sitting in the Plaza Berria Plaza Nueva in the Old Town just a short walk along the river from our hotel.

Sauntering through the narrow alley ways lined with apartmentos with beautifully carved enclosed verandas, we came across the C14th and C15th Cathedral de Santiago, devoted to St James the Great. A stunning cathedral of sandstone, stained glass and intimate chapels. Surprisingly the main altar was quite austere by Gothic Revival standards. Magnificent brass chandeliers fashioned as buildings hung from the high vaulted ceilings.

San Souci

San Souci in Potsdam is similar to Versailles in France with its extensive gardens, follies, galleries, pavilions, mini palaces fountains and orangeries. It is more Rococo in style than its French rival which is more in the Baroque style. We had a stunning day there on our way to Berlin. Pictures or words can’t do justice to the extent of this complex originally built by Fredrick the Great, King of Prussia. A most touching sight is a collection of simple gravestones of Fredrick the Great’s dogs, along with a stone with his plaque. The story goes that King wanted to be buried in the garden with his dogs but his great nephew didn’t fulfil his uncle’s wishes and had him buried elsewhere. Fredrick the Great was re-buried here only in 1991.

 

 

 

Gold Chinese Folly

Gold Chinese Folly

Europe here we come….

Hamelin Rathaus

We set off from Apeldoorn with Mike and Kay, Maja and Henk our Silk Road travelling buddies. We had a long day ahead of us before we reached Magdeburg Germany. To break the journey we stopped in Hameln (Hamelin) famous for the Pied Piper. We arrived just in time to enjoy the food stalls and music.  A very pretty town, the building are mainly of wood which has been intricately carved and painted. Stunning. On the streets if you look carefully you can see little brass tiles of rats inlaid into the cobblestones. they have certainly embraced the Pied Piper theme.

Hamelin Rathaus

In the photos you can see the statute of the Pied Piper, town hall with bells and Peter and our friends preparing to leave Apeldoorn. And one of the food stalls sold beautifully iced  heart shaped gingerbread treats. Here we enjoyed a traditional bratwurst sausage, coffee and cake.

After a restful night in Magdeburg we set off for Berlin – only a short distance but once again we were side tracked to the magnificent Palace and Park of San Souci  in Potsdam – Summer Palace of Fredrick the Great and his son and nephew. Absolutely stunning and we spent a huge amount of time wandering through the grounds, admiring the gushing fountains, the numerous follies and the many different Baroque, and Rococo palaces which are scattered across a vast area of a stream, lake, ponds and forests. there are even terraces of vines and hot houses leading up to the main Schloss.

 

 

One more castle…

After leaving Berwick upon Tweed we drove south to the Border to Newcastle upon Tyne to take the overnight ferry to Amsterdam. Taking the coastal track we were greeted by the sight of the King of Castles, Bamburgh Castle, an imposing sight not far from the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, famous for its low tide only crossing. This medieval castle is home to Lord Armstrong and has stood on this site from early Celt- Briton times. The state rooms are imposing, grand and the grounds expansive. The castle was in near ruin in the 1897’s until the second Lord Armstrong decided to convert to a respite home, spending more than a million pounds on it. Lord Armstrong  of Armstrong Whitworth fame was an industrialist who invented modern arms, airplanes (Siddesley engine), and many more machines.
It is still a family home during certain times of the year.  The views out to the neighbouring islands and the sea beyond bear testament to the importance of its position. Well worth the visit.

Battlements of Bamburgh Castle

Impressive foundations

what a castle should like like!

Windows of State rooms

It didn’t take long to reach Newcastle and the ferry terminal and before we knew it we were sailing on smooth seas down the coast of England to Amsterdam.

Once again we were on the road preparing to meet some of our Silk Road companions in Apeldoorn to start our European tour in our trusty MGs.

On the ferry – smooth sailing

 

Castles by the Score

The scenery of the Highlands is breathtaking and the weather has started to improve slowly. After a pleasant stay in Dower House in Muir of Ord, near Pitlochry we drove onto a town not too far for our ferry point. We found ourselves in Berwick upon Tweed. Quite comforting to see familiar names from Australia on the map as we drove. Blairgowrie, Perth, Dalwhinnie (distillery),  Berwick, Newcastle.

 

Royal Border arched bridge

Berwick upon Tweed walking the ramparts

buildings on the ramparts

Low tide from the ramparts

Defensive cannon

view from ramparts in Berwick upon Tweed

Lowry’s House and ammunitions stronhold

Ancient stone walls and buildings within the ramparts

Cromwellian church

Berwick upon Tweed a town on the Scottish borders must have been fought over 13 times by the English and Scottish over 300 years. The town is surrounded by tall steep ramparts with openings for cannons facing the sea, ready to repel invaders from the sea. Known as the Elizabethan walls they represent the most complete bastioned town defences in North Europe. Several impressive bridges cross the Tweed river, the most famous was built by Robert Stepehenson, the son of the Father of the Railways George Stephenson. The royal borders Bridge is over 2000feet long with 28 magnificent arches which span the river. It is amazing what you spot when walking around a town. We came across the Lowry a beautifully restored house which was once owned by the Artist LS Lowry – 1887 – 1976, recognised for his stick like drawn figures and town scenes.

In the town there were many churches and one of the most interesting was the Trinity Church of St Mary, the most northerly Anglican church in Great Britain. It was builtin the Cowellian style – very austere, no spire, stained glass or even an altar. These all came later. The entrance is flanked by two Norman like towers.

Seafood is to be relished here such as sardines, haddock, cod, plaice and small sweet muscles which we enjoyed in a quaint hotel called the Cobbled Yard Hotel. It had recently been refurbished and boasted original etched Rose and Thistle glass windows which the owner recently discovered. On all the tables there were vases of red roses and beautiful purple and green sea thistles.

 

Falconry and Whiskey

Children’s nursery

Driving from Thurso we stopped off at Dunrobin Castle and were introduced to an outstanding display of falconry. Dunrobin Castle home to the Duke of Sutherland is one of the grandest homes  in Scotland. Fashioned a like a French Chateau with conical turrets and the most superb gardens, set on the coast overlooking the sea.

Dunrobin castle

Eagle Owl

The eagle owl was very happy to sit and watch his other feathered pals do their thing after he had finished his performance…

Travelled past Glenmorangie a fully working distillery and the aromas and scent of roasting barley and mashing enticed us in. The copper stills are the tallest in Scotland up to 6mts, the height of an adult male giraffe which is their mascot. Plus a sampling of a 10 year old whiskey and a 12 year old one – very aromatic.

 

We saw a hawk, falcon and owl eagle catching prey and the falconer explained and demonstrated how they trained the birds. Extraordinarily graceful and intelligent even though “tame” still wild.

Interiors of Dunrobin Castle were stunning, beautifully set up to display how the Sutherland family and clan lived their lives.

 

Green and Gold room

Ladies Breakfast room

Such breathtaking grandeur!