photos

[low_delta]

Finally! I got a batch of photos developed. I don't think these posts are going to be in order, but most of these pics are from Monday.

Here's the garden of our hosts.



Here are our hosts, Donna (pondhopper) and Manolo.


And here's Cyn, sitting on a magnolia root. I must admit the tree is not as big as it looks. I'm good with a lens. It's still pretty big, though. 400 years old, or something?


Another magnolia in the gardens outside the Barrio de Santa Cruz.




Monday morning, we went inside the Archivo de Indias, or the India Archives. This is where the Spanish empire kept its records of all the travel to the new world. All the ships' manifests, and treasure returned. It was mostly closed while they set up a new exhibit, so the green stripe is on the glass of a door, but this shows what it looked like. The huge building was filled with shelves and cases, which had been filled with books and maps and such (they're now across the street in a new home).


Hotel Alfonso XIII.


This was from sunday night. Cyn looks a little tired, doesn't she? She and Manolo are standing behind a cannon outside the military somethingorother.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's our gnarly 250 year old olive tree. We have two others out back that aren't quite as impressive. This one was split down the trunk by lightning at some point in its history.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Olive wood has the most wonderful grain, doesn't it? Unfortunately, here in Spain, it's not valued as a good wood for any sort of woodworking, oddly enough. I suppose it's too common. Ask Cyn and Kevin about the olive trees that stretch as far as the eye can see. It's often used for firewood and we've burned loads of limbs from our trees in our fireplace.

I used to be able to find small object, bowls, trays etc made of olivewood and would get them as gifts for people in the States, beautiful object. But I can't even find those any more. Familiarity breeds contempt, maybe?

You are completely right about the beauty of the wood.

Oh...and there is very little that will kill an olive tree. They live for many centuries, even a millenium.

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

The shot of Hotel Alfonso XIII is really gorgeous.

[northernsnokat.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous pictures and Cyn looks exhausted!

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

You can really see the Moorish influence on that hotel - wow!

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

It's a very elegant and fancy hotel. It's not that old...built just before the 1929 Ibero-american Expo held here. The style is called "regionalista" and yes, it draws on all sorts of cultural influences that left their mark here, Moorish included. You should see the tile work inside.

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Woah - thanks! So many influences, so much time (including things 80 years old).

[i.livejournal.com]

i like the green stripe a lot.

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

Oh goody goody. The pictures are coming in.
And yeah. Cyn looks tired alright.

[stellar7.livejournal.com]

That tree has a lot of personality ! Great pics so far,can't wait to see the rest.

Great photography

[spencer-diehard.livejournal.com]

You do this professionally, right? Great pics.

Re: Great photography

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

No, I'm hoping to turn amateur, someday. Thanks!