A frame is a frame…but, so much more!

These two are from Spain – an empty frame and a frame in a frame.
A frame is a frame…but, so much more!

These two are from Spain – an empty frame and a frame in a frame.
Yes, why yellow walls? Driving through the north of Spain, I recognized this almost saffron colour on a great many walls in the cities and villages.
Personally, I love this colour. Its warmth and connection to Africa and to the desert.
In Pamplona I found this enormous Lion on such a yellow wall – Impressive painting, and so in harmony with all that yellow. On a closer look, I found the painting even more impressive.
I still do not know why those walls are painted saffron yellow, but at least I have figured out what the colour is hiding…
In the header, the replica in Gernika of Pablo Picasso’s Guernica – reminding us all of the 1937 bombings. His masterpiece is hanging in the Reina Sofia museum, Madrid.
The Assembly House (built 1826) and the Tree of Gernika are the living symbols of the Basque People’s history.
The two of them became a meeting point of all the territories of the Basque Country – bringing together cultural and ethnographic traditions.
In this room are held all the plenary meetings of the General Assembly. It was conceived as a Church-Parliament that could bring together political and religious functions at the same time. The portrait gallery shows different dates when the Oaths were taken for The Old Law ( based on usage and custom) in a ceremony.
The Tree og Gernika is the best known symbol of the Basque People.
For centuries, under its shade the meetings of the General Assembly were held. This is the old trunk of the oldest remaining of the Assembly Oaks, planted around 1700. A new oak tree (a direct successor of the old one) is planted when the old venerable tree is gone.
Everywhere is the symbolic tree represented, in embroideries as well as wood carvings.
This is the Room of The Stained Glass Window. The space was originally designed as an open air patio, and is now currently employed for institutional uses.
The gigantic stained glass window – or in fact ceiling – completed in 1985, has a special significance. It was crafted completely by hand by a company from Bilbao, Vidrieras de Arte S.A. It is a graphic representation of the Tree as a meeting point for the districts of Bizkaia.
Legend has it that Santo Domingo, who lived around the year 1000, was honoured for his miracles … by keeping a live cock and hen in a golden cage in the church wall.
Santo Domingo de la Calzada

The story tells of a German pilgrim, who rejected a local girl’s love, but then she wrongly accused him of theft, and the pilgrim was hanged. Later his parents found him still alive in the gallows. The parents went to the local judge, who said: ”Nonsense, he is not more alive than the cooked rooster on my plate.” Then the rooster stood up and crowed.
Believe it or not – but they are still there…
…and so is the saint – but in another cage.

A rather big city, renowned for its yearly dangerous race between men and bulls…
…running along this street…

…ending up in the arena on the other side of these red doors.

The man who made this race known to the whole world had a street named after him here – just beside the arena.

And he happens to be one of my favourite authors. Although I must say the monument does not do him justice…
Surely you, by now, know where we are in Spain? – Pamplona!
Sometimes strange things happen…like a jigsawpuzzle everything just fits in, and you experience a picture you thought you would never see…

…or be able to walk into. This happened to us this July, on the north coast of Spain. We had booked a hotel for the night, and had checked our guide books as usual – nothing special here in Santiago de Reinante…
But, I got a hint from a leaflet I saw at the hotel…that maybe we should go down to the beach. A square of 2×2 cm pictured Catedrales, a very special beach it seemed…
We soon realised that a permission was needed to walk the beach – it is a UNESCO World Heritage! Nothing, absolutely Nothing in our books had us prepared for these magnificent views.

My heart sank, maybe we would have to stay on the cliffs and not come down…But, there were very effective assistants on the steps down, and they helped us getting the permit via Internet – so, we were two of the 4000 people allowed on this beach per day. My heart jumped and beat so hard I could feel it in my throat. This was so unreal…How could there be ebb as well? How could we be so lucky?
We walked for hours and hours…endless kilometres…trying to savour this moment as the precious gift it was. Unbelievable. This was not happening…
I never wanted the sun to go down, never wanted to leave this magnificent world…
But finally the sunset had to come, and the night closed in. I cannot say how grateful I am for this evening gift. Pictures cannot convey …my deepest feelings.
I wish you all such wonderful and unexpected gifts – and a good night!
More facts and photos on this beach at Albatz Travel Adventures.

We passed the tiny village Castro in our search for the hidden monastery. After the visit there, the decision was easy – to park the car and walk up the main street of Castro.
At first sight it looked abandoned, but …electricity and a TV antenna told another story.
And all those doors…most of them belonging to abandoned houses or houses torn down – the door opening onto endless meadows behind… every door having its own secret story.

And, somebody is caring for the lonely rose.
Monasterio de Santa Cristina (Ribas de Sil) in Galicia, Spain, originates from the 11th century, when monks came here to live in seclusion to meditate.
We had great difficulties in finding the hidden monastery, and had to follow winding roads for miles. Then a multitude of stone steps down…but, we were richly rewarded.
There is not much written about the monastery, or its church, but the very location and surroundings are enigmatic. I hope you noticed the stone faces watching us from above in the header…
Hidden in the forest, it was impossible to get an overview of the buildings. We walked up the layered paths, and the unreal feeling only escalated. Not many monks have ever lived here – but how did they survive? It seemed impossible that they would have grown anything in this stone paradise. No matter how green it was…
The old trees all seemed to be aware of us being there…and as I turned around on the path, one of them made my eyes wander up the trunk for his message…resting some four, five meters up…
Why do I love Antonio Gaudí? Maybe because of his love for nature’s wonders – starting when he was only a small child. His way of using nature’s forms and designs in everything he created. Making the pillars in Sagráda Família with scars like the tree trunks get when they have lost a branch, making lamps look like flowers and light spill out like waves in the sea…

In every detail he was …mirroring nature.
In Comillas, on the north coast of Spain, you will find this ”folly” – El Capricho – by Gaudí, built for Máximo Díaz de Quijano (a relative of the marquis of Comillas) in the 1880´s. You immediately recognize his style using iron structures, glazed pottery and stained glass.
Come, let’s take a ”folly” walk …
In my dreams, a dinner with Antonio Gaudí would be optional… to get the opportunity to listen to his ideas and maybe discuss nature’s impact on humans – body and soul. I would have had many, many questions…
I was lucky enough to meet him in his garden, sitting there admiring his work. I tried to get some answers, but mostly we sat quietly contemplating…me admiringly of course. But, I am so thankful for having finally met him – my favourite architect.
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