Village

The Evening Charms of Lerma

/ Leya / 21 kommentarer

We spent an evening walking in Lerma, in Castile and León, Spain. A little village the size of my home town in Sweden, but Lerma has important monuments dating from the 17th century, which were built by the Duke of Lerma, the King’s favourite.

To me, the greatest attraction here was the two main streets. One of them in the header, and in the very old part, I found this remarkable house.

Its façade and its colours caught my eye – and held it there for longer than just a moment.

The unevenness was made even more beautiful in the stray rays of the setting sun.

And further on, down the road, I also found a little door into the unknown…maybe 45 cm wide and 1.50cm high – No key. A stray…uncomfortable bench in a dark alley and some dry thistles on a stone fence…

I do love these things…

…as I loved the stork nest on the church and the lonely dog in the lonely street…

…and the charming restaurant waiting for its bustling guests arriving by 9 p.m.

I do love odd places and odd things and  – almost everything about Spain.

Abandoned

/ Leya / 27 kommentarer

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.

Maybe food storage
Number three…
…and the Marguerites

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.

Sweet Painted Ladies – Sgraffito Part II

/ Leya / 14 kommentarer

Guarda and Ardez – pearls of Engadin

These two genuine villages belong to the area of Engadin in Switzerland- stretching from the Maloja pass to Zernez. More about them and the technique in sgraffito I.

Ardez is the other painted houses’ village using the sgraffito technique –

Maybe not as beautiful as Guarda, but let’s take a closer look at the details…

I loved their way of doing this! Carefully put together, leaving the window clear.

Water fountains in every open area. And, the windows of course.

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Then, walking along the main street, this house really stood out from the others…

Some of the paintings want a restoration, but for the most part they are well preserved.