tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57249338106871796752024-03-12T21:06:15.705-07:00Life in Spain.................................... and BeyondAyse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-70288410655876284232013-08-20T09:29:00.001-07:002017-07-25T07:14:07.010-07:00MontserratWe visited Montserrat on our way to Barcelona during grandma's visit in February 2008. After missing the gondola entrance, we had to drive a narrow and winding arduous road to get there, but it was all worth it because the spiritual and mystic nature of the place and the views were breathtaking - definitely not a miss while visiting Catalunya. Wish we were here during the choir singing hour; apparently, they are pretty good.<br />
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This jagged look is why it is called<span> </span>Montserrat</div>
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Cat, of course!</div>
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Black Virgin Mary</div>
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Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05426599272504558855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-39021146400744994072013-08-20T09:07:00.000-07:002013-08-20T09:07:01.720-07:00BarcelonaWe made this trip during grandma's visit in February 2008. We rented our usual Alfa Romeo and hit the road. Due to the short duration of this visit, we decided to take a city tour bus and see parts of the town that we did not want to walk or drive. We stayed at a hotel near Avenguda Diagonal and Plaza de Francesc Macia, which was a good walking distance from Ramblas and was a great accommodation for the price.<br />
Much of the details faded from the memory and I will not have the time to add the historical details of the city at the moment; however, we love this city: it is vibrant and exciting. Typical Spanish relaxed and happy characteristic mixed with a healthy dose of big city life. I would definitely chose to live here. <br />
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Parc de Tibidabo from Ramblas?</div>
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Plaza de Catalunya</div>
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Buildings on Rambla de Catalunya</div>
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Olympic Dorms</div>
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Olympic Plaza</div>
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No Milo no Barcelona :)</div>
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Monument de Colon from Rambla</div>
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Rambla as usual</div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9fbfc; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15.390625px; text-align: justify;">Boqueria market</span></div>
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<a href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Barcelona/IMG_4860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Barcelona/IMG_4860.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Sagrada Familia as seen from Gothic quarter</div>
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Palau de la Música Catalana</div>
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Some exterior details</div>
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Beautiful light play inside the church</div>
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Of course, Starbucks! Near our hotel.</div>
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Also visited Parc de Montjuic and the beach</div>
Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05426599272504558855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-47703511244318029002010-02-07T23:22:00.001-08:002010-02-08T08:29:04.147-08:00Cleaning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4575.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 584px; height: 437px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4575.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is the image of my morning walks to the Spanish class.<br /><br />Every morning, the vendors ritually washed the front of their businesses. It seemed as if all of them used the same pine-scented washing detergent, which diffused the air overpowering the orange blossom aroma when in season. They say the sense of smell creates the strongest memories: this fragrance, which is associated with cleanness and freshness for me, is engraved in my olfactory cells forever...Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-46525666580903710282009-08-25T16:45:00.000-07:002009-08-25T16:45:08.944-07:00<div style="text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_N9Ls66uwUE0/SpR3goSct5I/AAAAAAAAASo/qsKB_nTlE04/s1600-h/tr%C3%A6dga%CC%8Ardene+july+1st+019.jpg"><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_N9Ls66uwUE0/SpR3goSct5I/AAAAAAAAASo/qsKB_nTlE04/s400/tr%C3%A6dga%CC%8Ardene+july+1st+019.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> </div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tender Kiss!<div><blockquote></blockquote><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tage Anderson's Norrviken Park in Båstad in northwest Skåne, Sweden. June 2007</div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-76290074598019276522009-02-25T11:48:00.000-08:002010-02-19T09:08:17.410-08:00Reinas de Falleras<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/capucinos/IMG_5840.jpg"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5311.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 452px; height: 601px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5311.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Dilara with our good friends David and Suni's (right corner) daughter Maria, reina de la Foc, Sagrada Familia-Corea.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>155</o:Words> <o:characters>884</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>7</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1085</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="">When we were new to our environment, unfortunately many important traditions passed by without our notice. In November, there was a widely televised event of naming the 2008’s Fallera Mayor, Angela Bataller Palmer, and Fallera Mayor Infantil, Alba Garcia Lorente, which we paid little attention and did not even know the significance of the title until the Fallas in March.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></span> <!--EndFragment--></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="">Every year, each falla-community </span><span style="">nominates and selects their local Reinas Fallas, which includes a group of girls in adults and youth. The number of Reinas vary community to community. In Gandia Sant Josep- Raval had five Reinas Infantil: Falla, Foc, Fiesta, Poesia and Art; while it had three adult Reinas: Falla, Foc and Fiesta. All communities must definitely have a Reina de Fallas and most also have Reina del Foc. Also each city's </span><span style="">Junta Local Fallera and </span><span style="">Ayuntamiento </span><span style="">select its Fallera Mayor and Fallera Mayor Infantil and their courts. Each Fallera Mayor has her own court made up of representatives of each Falla-community. The Fallera Mayor is like the Miss USA: she is the face of the festival making visits to Valencian organizations and presiding on major events. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=""><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="">The</span><span style=""> title</span><span style=""> of Fallera is pretty prestigious in Valencia </span><span style="">and the competition is fierce</span><span style="">. The participation may cost one tens of thousands of Euros spent on clothing (some can be as expensive as $10,000), accessories, hair styling, make-ups and organizing and attending social events. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div><w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext></w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext><span style="font-size:14pt;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5672.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 445px; height: 333px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5672.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:14pt;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5312.jpg"></a><w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Our hair stylist, Amanda of X-Centric hair salon, fixing one of the reinas hair</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_4916.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 467px; height: 349px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_4916.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">All done - an art form!<br /></p></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>110</o:Words> <o:characters>627</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>5</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>770</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Some people begin with running for Fallera Infantil and continue the competition up until they run out of money or no longer eligible. I am told that the ladies are nominated according to their specific qualities to represent these communities (wonder if the politics does not get involved at some point - my friend says "no!"), but I am not sure if one can also self-nominate. A group of men is also elected to accompany each fallera during some of the events. As in the case of the beauty contests everywhere, contradicting sentiments about the Fallera’s essence was also noticeable among younger generation. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <span style=";font-family:Cambria;font-size:12pt;" ><br />During the Fallas parades, these reinas headed the parade of falla in their neighborhoods and attended the community functions mostly held in the tents by their monuments</span><!--EndFragment--> <w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5312.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 530px; height: 397px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5312.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Right before a parade when the corte de honor is getting ready</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5348.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 538px; height: 403px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5348.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Three of the Fallera de Infantil (Maria in the middle)</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5344.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 280px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5344.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Some of the representatives</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>14</o:Words> <o:characters>85</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>1</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>104</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><span style=";font-family:Cambria;font-size:12pt;" ><br />We also saw the Fallera Mayor walking along with the dignitaries during the Santa Semana processions. </span><!--EndFragment--><br /><w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility></div><w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility></div><w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility></div><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="http://www.ciberfallas.net/general/valencias-falleras-mayores-proclamation-act-2010/"></a><o:p></o:p></span><w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/capucinos/IMG_5840.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 346px; height: 259px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/capucinos/IMG_5840.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal">Far left in black dress Angela Bataller Palmer (Fallera Mayor de Gandia)during the hermandad Christ Resucido processions on March 23rd.<br /></p><br /></w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>87</o:Words> <o:characters>497</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>4</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>610</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-noshow:yes; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Throughout the week, the falleras walk around in their beautifully crafted folkloric outfits and male accompaniments in less flashy traditional clothing. They all have a band across their torso adorned by their representative communities’ insignia. The Falleras Mayores can be distinguished by the colors of the Valencian flag on their bandages. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">For more info about this event, you may follow the following link:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ciberfallas.net/general/valencias-falleras-mayores-proclamation-act-2010/">http://www.ciberfallas.net/general/valencias-falleras-mayores-proclamation-act-2010/</a></p> <!--EndFragment--> <w:compatibility><w:breakwrappedtables><!--EndFragment--> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> <!--EndFragment--> </w:breakwrappedtables></w:compatibility>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-77490211363554910712009-02-21T10:10:00.000-08:002010-02-23T14:34:21.889-08:00Las Fallas - Un Spectacular Valenciano<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5710.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 456px; height: 340px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5710.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">With our great friends, MacAulays<br /></span></div> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>347</o:Words> <o:characters>1981</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>16</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2432</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">Undoubtedly, this is one of the most spectacular fiestas that I have witnessed. During the fiesta days - and partly throughout the year - the streets become alive with fireworks displays, music bands, artistic lighting, street performances, parades and more...<br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><!--[endif]--></span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">We were lucky for being in the Valencia region during this one of a kind annual festival and got the chance to share the experience with our friends, the MacAulays. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">The Fallas, a tribute to St. Joseph, the patron St. of the carpenters' guild, is celebrated March 13-19th. The 2008 Fallas was exceptional in the sense that it coincided with Santa Semana (Easter), which made it difficult for the first timers, like us, to appreciate what customs belonged truly to Fallas and which ones to the Easter. Nevertheless throughout the week, Valencia and the Valencians were donned in festival attire and everybody seemed to be celebrating.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5714.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 423px; height: 316px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5714.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">The most important component of this festival is the effigies, which are basically combinations of miniature and giant papier-mâché, wood and wax thematic sculptures. This part of the celebration apparently goes back to the mid-18<sup>th</sup> century when the morning of the March 18<sup>th</sup> during the celebrations of St Joseph’s Day, people strung rag dolls called peleles across the city streets from window to window and put up niñots referring to an event or certain individuals, who were particularly deserving public derision. Throughout the day the children and young people collected the objects and burnt them on bonfires called fallas. This beginning gradually led to today’s highly organized and grandiose celebrations. For those of you interested, detailed information about <a href="http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=F.ad91e5a0-4d8b-491d-a54d-e36d3caffe7a&hl=en"><span style="color:blue;">the history of Fallas</span></a> can be accessed from the American Club of Valencia.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;">The preparation for the Fallas is a yearlong process. This is a fiesta with a complex, well-tuned business and administrative structure: the Junta Central Fallera (or Fallas Central Board) is its governing body and organizes all official events. Every monument is set up by a district association called a "comisión fallera" (Fallas Committee), managed by its members, the "Falleros." I hear this is a job taken very seriously and artists are well respected. Each Fallas Committee decides on a theme (usually a satirized version of current events) <o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5696.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 251px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5696.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">Encouraging people to vote</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><br /></p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>307</o:Words> <o:characters>1751</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>14</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2150</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;">and builds its work of art created by hundreds of specialists: carpenters, painters, sculptors, designers, etc (2008 Gandia Fallas employed 26 artists). During each Fallas Year (which officially begins on March 20th and ends the following March 19th), they meet periodically to decide on the fiesta's main lines of action. All kinds of activities take place throughout the whole year: from sporting (such as soccer championships) to cultural events (theatre, poetry or dancing contests) plus displays of Valencia's own folklore, traditions and customs. Many of these activities are organized by the Fallas Committees themselves, complementing the work of the Junta Central Fallera. (<a href="http://www.fallasfromvalencia.com/index.htm"><span style="color:blue;">http://www.fallasfromvalencia.com/index.htm</span></a>).</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;">The figures of the Fallas (ninots) look like cartoon characters. They show off their lively colors and enormous size, and make clear which personalities have been the focus of public opinion and attention. There are few Spanish politicians who escape from the satire of the "fallero" masters. One definitely needs to see these works in person to appreciate the delicacy and artistic value. </span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;">Beginning March 14<sup>th</sup>, these ninots were placed around the city for the public display. Each delegation set a tent near their ninots and served food and drinks – large quantities of paella and alcohol! I am told that in Valencia they prepare paella in the largest possible pan and serve it to the public.</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;">During the week of Fallas, the monuments are judged and the best ones win prizes. There are several categories to be placed and then the winner the Fallas. This year's winner was the monument titled "L'evolució de grans descobriments" (Evolution of Great Discoveries), of Communities Sant Josep Raval and Pla</span><span style="">ç</span><span style="font-family:Times;">a Prado by the artists Palacio and Serra.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5690.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 354px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5690.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Times;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5695.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 421px; height: 315px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5695.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5698.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 424px; height: 317px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5698.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5684.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 469px; height: 352px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5684.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The winner of the miniature ninots (Committee Carrer Major i Passeig)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;">This is a pretty pricey affair (I hope it contributes to the local economies as lucratively) - </span><span style="font-family:Times;">just to be burnt on the night of the March 19<sup>th</sup>!</span><span style="font-family:Times;"> The budget of 2008 Fallas Communities in Gandia area was </span><span style="font-family:Times;">€1,663,500. </span><span style="font-family:Times;">The most expensive monument in Gandia Fallas had cost around €60,000 (the cheapest one was </span><span style="font-family:Times;">€2,500)</span><span style="font-family:Times;"> and the Valencia official monument would not even be included in competition due to unfair resource advantage of the government. The burning of the product of such laborious effort and money supposedly signifies the sentiment of not to be attached to the worldly possessions and fret about their loss. This reminded me of the destruction of the Buddhist Sand-Mandala.</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p style="text-align: left;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:14pt;"></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>145</o:Words> <o:characters>831</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>6</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1020</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; 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mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1703750828; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:576193540 146030510 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.3in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;">The partial 2008 program of the Fallas in Gandia was:</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in 0.1pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.3in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">1.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Presentation of the Fallera Mayor Infantil and Fallera Mayor: Since I have another entry for the Queens of the Fallas, I will not get into explaining it here – November 16-17, 2007 at the Municipal Sports Pavillion<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in 0.1pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.3in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">2.<span style=";font-family:";" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Presentation of the official Fallas book “FOC I FLAMA.” – January 23, 2008 at the Marques de Gonzalez de Quiros House</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in 0.1pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.3in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><span style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">3.</span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Announcement and Proclamation: The processions of the different Fallas delegations arrive to attend the Festivity Proclamation. From the Town Hall Balcony, the two Falleras Mayores and the city major invite the citizens to participate in the festivities – February 2, 2008 at the Main Square</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in 0.1pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.3in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">4.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Great Cavalcade and Children’s Cavalcade of the Ninot: These are series of parades by different Fallas delegations. Some of our friends from the swim team took part in the children’s cavalcade. They end with the participation of Falleras Mayor and Infantil, their Court of Honor and the local Fallas council – February 17 and 24, 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5345.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 280px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5345.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5345.jpg"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>157</o:Words> <o:characters>896</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>7</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1100</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; 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mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.3in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">5.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Ninot Exhibition and Prizes: Fallas Associations exhibit their best Ninots in Adults and Children categories. After the prize-giving, the exhibition will remain open until March 14. – February 29, 2008 the Marques de Gonzalez de Quiros House<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.3in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">6.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Finals “Bac and Truc” Championships: Championship matches for the 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> classifications takes place followed by the final and presentation of prizes – March 3, 2008 Junta Local Fallera home<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.3in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">7.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Planta: Hundreds of different Fallas monuments are constructed throughout the day – March 15, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.3in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">8.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Baptism – Prizes 2008: Courtesy visit of the Fallas by the Falleres Mayores, Court of Honors, Junta Local Fallera, and the baptism ceremonies of the children born before the March 12<sup>th</sup> at the San Jose Church – March 16, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.3in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">9.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Times;">Offering of Flowers to Our Lady of the Forsaken: Citizens pay respect at the feet of her patron saint offering thousands of bouquets of flowers, baskets of posies and floral shrine arrangements in 24 hours. 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style=""></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" face="times new roman" style="text-indent: -0.3in;"></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.3in;"><span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5677.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 423px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5677.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5719.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 429px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5719.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5723.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 488px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5723.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><!--[endif]--><p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.3in; text-align: center;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Glass version of Virgin on display at the Palau Ducal dels Borja</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.3in; text-align: center;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" face="times new roman" style="text-indent: -0.3in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>5</o:Words> <o:characters>31</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>1</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>38</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.3in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="">10.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7pt;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Crema: Burning concludes the Fallas.<span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <!--[endif]--><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5747.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 507px; height: 380px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5747.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">Maria is lighting the ninots</p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5749.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 204px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5749.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5756.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 397px; height: 297px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5756.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman">Almost done!<br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>317</o:Words> <o:characters>1808</o:Characters> <o:company>Xmedica Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>15</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>2220</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; 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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">The Crema stage was quite ceremonial. The burning of the ninots began around 11 o’clock with the ones that did not earn any prize. Each monument was loaded with the large volumes of fireworks. A reina de la Fallas initiated the fireworks, which started a cascade of explosions. The people were restricted to a safe distance from the monuments, but once the fire began the heat was quite overwhelming. The fire hazard possibilities, such as fire sparkles catching nearby houses, trees or people seemed immeasurable.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5752.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 314px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Fallas/IMG_5752.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">Luckily, the city had provided a good supply of fire fighters and emergency medical team for just in case. The fire fighters also put out the fire once the big chunk of the monument was gone. The last effigies to be lit were those that were awarded prizes by the General Fallas Committee and those in the City Hall Square. </span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">Enduring noise and heat is not everyone’s cup of tea. In her blog <a href="http://katieprofunda.wordpress.com/2007/03/24/10-reasons-not-to-go-to-fallas-2/"><span style="color:blue;">España Profunda</span></a>, Katie lists 10 reasons why one should not participate in this annual event. If you have doubts, I recommend you check out her post.</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">Evidently each year, only one "ninot" is saved from the flames by popular vote, and exhibited in the Museum of the Ninot together with those from the various years.</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">Following the burning, people buy more fireworks and continue their own personal pyromania. The Spanish must have great fascination with fire and fireworks for almost every one of their celebrations somehow incorporates fire into it. </span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">After watching our friend Maria, Reina de la Foc of the monument start the fire on her delegation’s monument, we went to a tapas bar and had delicious variety of tapas for pretty cheap price. The bars and restaurants fill with crowds catching a bite and drink following the adrenaline surge. The kids found a vendor to purchase a supply of their own firecrackers and let them go off right in the middle of the wandering crowd – something which they would not even dream of doing back home.</span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="times new roman"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Times;">More info on Las Fallas can be found on this Valencia government official site: <a href="http://www.fallas.com/"><span style="color:blue;">http: //www.fallas.com/</span></a></span><span style=";font-family:Times;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-42846598139440431172009-02-20T09:38:00.001-08:002009-10-18T19:59:53.868-07:00Paella<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5762.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 493px; height: 369px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5762.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />On Sunday October 28, 2007, we visited our friends, Susan, Pedro, Laura and Sarah, in Denia. For lunch, we had a delicious chicken paella (take-out from a local restaurant, El Farallo) in its traditional pan. Paella (also frying pan in Valencian – from Latin patella) is a rice dish cooked with saffron and olive oil and garnished with vegetables, meat and seafood (it is nearly impossible to find paella without some sort of sea animal as an ingredient - and all of these animals have parts left intact!). I learned that the rice in paella tastes so good because it is cooked in a large pan, hence, spread flat for each grain to absorb the flavor. I heard that Vicente's mom makes the best Paella around here!<br /><br />The sizes for paella pans vary from 10” to 52” (they use larger ones for the festivities but only via special acquisition); and to cook in these large pans, they use special burners and tripods to hold the burners – if you don’t use burners, the food on the outer rim of the pan does not get properly cooked. Paella is the main dish for picnics, family and community gatherings (like the ones at our apartment building) in this region as we have pizza or subs. The most famous paella cooking is performed during Fallas in Valencia (a Valencian tradition to celebrate St. Joseph Day on March 19th). There are many myths about how the paella was originated. The most plausible one seems to be the one with mixing the leftover rice dishes into one! In Middle East, there are rice dishes prepared similarly, but not festively.<br /><br />The most exotic part of paella is saffron and it is unbelievably expensive. The spice is derived from the stigma of saffron crocus flower. Each flower has only 3 stigmas so about 40 flowers yield 1 ounce of saffron (1 acre of plantation yields about 10 lbs!) and the price varies from $20.00 to $45.00 per ounce depending on its grade (there are 4 different quality grades). For a paella dish to serve 6-8 persons, you might need to use only about 1/10th of an ounce.<br /><br />Anyways, we later discovered the restaurant for the best prepared traditional paella in the region: Puig Mola Restaurant.<br /><br />Finding the place was an adventure in itself! Following the directions as we drove, we often doubted that this could possibly be a famous place and anyone would take the trouble getting here just to eat paella... In disbelief, we finally found the place and noticed the fancy cars parked around. So it was true: it was a well-known restaurant and people do come here just to eat paella. The restaurant was located in a small town called Puig Mola near Barx (about 15 km from Gandia) and surrounded by total of 6 visible houses. Perched on a hill, it had a spectacular view of the prairie below and surrounding mountains above (including the one that I had hiked before with some friends).<br /><br />Yes, it is definitely worth the trip if you can. The traditional chicken and rabbit paella was the best at this restaurant among the ones we had tried in Spain. For the seafood paella lovers, El Farallo Restaurant was the best by our experience. Both places require a reservation. At Muig Mola, they need to know how many in your party so they can prepare your food ahead of time.<br /><br />Puig Mola Info: Puig Mola Restaurant Barx (Valencia) Phone: 96 280 7008; 606 073 131<br />El Farallo Info: C/. fenix, 10 Las Rotas Denia (Alicante) Phone: 96 643 0652<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5763.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 246px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5763.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5764.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 188px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5764.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5765.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 326px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/valencia%20with%20marlis/IMG_5765.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-65590462060026947922009-02-20T08:55:00.000-08:002009-02-20T12:35:56.459-08:00Finally Back to Work!It has been nearly one year since I made entries to this blog. There has been that nagging feeling that demands my diligence to finish logging our marvelous life in Spain.<br /><br />Here it is: I am finally motivated to complete journaling this incredible experience. I realize the long time passed since our traveling will impact my memory and the words will not quite express the emotions, which these encounters once invoked.<br /><br />Alas, it is better late than never, and here we go!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/arcos%20cadiz%20sevilla%20gibr%20fallas%20gaudix%20grana2%20calp/IMG_5701.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 483px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/arcos%20cadiz%20sevilla%20gibr%20fallas%20gaudix%20grana2%20calp/IMG_5701.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Madonna adorned (glass), Palacio de Borja March 2008<br /></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-57992684071131164352008-03-02T23:08:00.000-08:002008-03-03T16:07:55.401-08:00PoinsettiaHave you ever seen our infamous Christmas plant poinsettia in a tree form? I haven't, until recently.<br /><br />One day as I was walking by, I noticed this tree with some red leaves among the green ones in the garden of a villa across from our apartment. When I looked closely, I realized that it is a poinsettia tree! I could not believe my eyes because this tree was tall and strong - nothing like our flimsy dainty plants that go bold within the months after Christmas is over.<br /><br />In Spain, I am impressed with some little natural phenomenon that just pop up out of nowhere in your way as you are passing by...<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/poinsettia/IMG_5034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/poinsettia/IMG_5034.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>You can see the red leaves scattered.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/poinsettia/IMG_5031.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/poinsettia/IMG_5031.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The relation of the tree to the 2-storey villa can you a perspective about the tree's height.<br /></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-17955805702095013322008-03-01T06:43:00.000-08:002008-04-14T23:21:18.589-07:00Rome in 30 Hours<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5063.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5063.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Piazza Barberini - Triton Fountain by Bernini 1642 (Hotel Bernini in the back)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5296.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5296.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Fountain of the Bees Bernini 1644<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Yes, in 30 hours!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Using Rick Steves' "Rome in 3 Days" itinerary, I made a schedule which also included the Bernini landmarks mentioned in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" book. Thanks to Steves' suggestions and our strong legs, we were able to see all the main tourist attractions of Rome - note the word "see," not "study!" That was enough time accomplish the goal of visiting Rome, and I don't think I would want to know anything more in depth than a superficial taste of it at this moment. If I were to go back to Rome again, I would like to visit some of the museums that we had to skip due to time constrain and spend more time in Vatican Museums.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We decided to make this trip because of a change in plans due to Yunus' broken arm. Since he could not swim to get ready for the Valencia Regional Championship, we decided to travel to make the use of this idle time. This was a good decision because we realized that traveling Italy by pieces gave us the chance to recharge – physically and mentally. In Rome, there is so much history, arts and culture that after a certain point, things get blurry and I began to confuse what basilica we are in and what ruins we are visiting!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">This is the advantage of living in Europe: you can hop in the plane and visit the city of your choice on a weekend excursion.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We flew to Rome on February 25th at 9:30 pm by Ryan Air (460 euros for 3 of us), took a taxi, (which was arranged by the hotel for 65 euros and thanks to the driver, included a grand tour of Rome before reaching the hotel) and stayed at the Albergo Ottocentro (a 4-star hotel, 615 euros for 3 nights, breakfast included - a bit expensive but I did not arrange it through our travel agency in Gandia and it was too late for the good deals on the internet). The location of the hotel could not be better and the reception staff was extremely nice – I definitely would go back there again. It was located near the Piazza Barberini, where Hotel Bernini is located (also mentioned in Brown’s book). From the hotel, we began our days by using the metro and ended by walking (all the attractions were pretty much in walking distance).</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5297.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5297.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span>T<span style="font-family:georgia;">he smartest thing I did: purchased the museum tickets in advance and did the Vatican guided tour that included St Peter's Basilica. For a couple of euros more, I purchased all the museum tickets (www.rome-museum.com) and I didn’t have to wait in line anywhere. This proved to be extremely helpful to cut down the stagnated time and visit many more places.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The Vatican Museums were 44 euros per person for 4-hour tour. Every penny spent on this tour was worth it. Our guide (who was associated with the oldest university in Rome, La Sapienza) was very knowledgeable and we learned about the juicy details that we couldn't if we did this on our own. We also ended up getting a private tour of St. Peter's Basilica because no one else had signed up for the additional hour (which was 5 euros more). With the guided tour, we were able to see all the important parts of the museums (which would take us longer to find) and have all our questions answered, and still had the flexibility to continue visiting the rest of the museum all day long if we wanted.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The price for a Colosseum ticket, which included the Palatine, was 13 euros per person. While I was picking up my tickets, I asked for the Domus Aurea, Nero's golden palace. I had not heard about this article before because apparently, it has been opened to public 6 months ago and I am not sure if it will be open forever due to some preservation problems. During our visit to Vatican, the guide kept mentioning about so many pieces removed from Domus Aurea to build something else; I became somewhat curious. By our luck, they had tickets available for the afternoon tour (only about 12 people are allowed each tour; another American couple said they tried the day before but it was all booked). I think we were lucky because it was not tourist season, yet.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The worst thing happened: my digital camera became temperamental and for half of the trip, I could not take pictures or I could only take blurry ones - well, I hope that is the worst kind of thing would during any of my trips...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The weather was wonderful except a little bit of sprinkle on the day we visited Colosseum. Later, in the morning, the sun came out again. Everyday, it was pleasantly cool so walking long distances did not bother us. We did not pack anything heavy, just a couple pairs of pants, shirts, and our fleece coats. This way, we traveled with our backpacks and did not have to pay Ryan Air for luggage fees.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Even though it is hard to tell from the maps, the distances within the city of Rome and Vatican City were unbelievably walkable. We divided the whole area of interest into 2 parts: west/north and east/south. We finished the W/N on the first day and E/S on the second day.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Let's begin with some superficial (which is what you get in 3 days) cultural observations and comparisons to Spanish:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">1. Most people, especially police, in Rome could communicate in English (which is rare in most parts of Spain, even in the big cities).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">2. Roman police seemed much more approachable and friendly than the Spanish.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">3. Food is more interesting in Spain - maybe it is more original for us because we find Italian food in USA. However, pizza is definitely better in Italy than in USA in my opinion. Our lasagna expert, Dilara, adds that lasagna in Rome is #2 among all the places she has eaten (#1 is still the Helleland's).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In the mornings, we ate the breakfast at the hotel. For lunch, we tried different local restaurants and mostly ate pizza and lasagna. In the evenings, we were so tired from walking, we knew that if we stopped some place to eat, we could not have the stamina to get ourselves back to the hotel, so we ate both dinners at the hotel's restaurant - Rossini, which was quite exquisite. One evening I tried seafood Gnocchi; it was incredibly delicious.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">4. There are way too many beggars, street vendors and muggers in Rome than in Spain. The police walks among them but they probably cannot do anything about it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The last evening of our visit, we strolled the Via Condotti where all the expensive stores are located. For Dilara, we found a pair of Puma shoes on sale at the Ferrari store (Puma makes clothing for Ferrari). She had worn these kinds of shoes before and they were extremely comfortable. Afterwards, we took the metro to our hotel. When we got on the metro, I noticed a guy jumped in after us and in seconds he started working on the zipper of my cargo pants, where I stored some money. I placed the bag in front of the pocket and looked him on the eye. He switched his place and a different man took his place. This man looked toward the previous one as another man on his other side made the gesture of zipping his coat breast pocket up and down (where I stored our passports!). They looked like very ordinary people. Unfortunate for them and luckily for us, we got off the metro at the next station. It was kind of entertaining.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Luckily, I pay attention to my surroundings and grew up in Turkey where these kinds of things happened to anyone, not just to tourists. On the way back home, we met a young Italian couple, who lived in Rome. I asked if these pickpockets are problems for locals or just for the tourists. They said that there weren't really as many of them and they were not a problem for Italians, only for the tourists. Interesting! Obviously, we did not have any problems until we had that Ferrari bag in our hands. So the best way to avoid pickpockets is to act like locals (although my Nikon is a big give away!!).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">5. Italians seem to be more entrepreneurial and service oriented than Spanish.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">6. Food in Rome is much more expensive than Valencia (maybe even Barcelona).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">7. We have not noticed as many environmentally conscious ads in Rome as we do here.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">8. Cultural, artistic, and scientific genius in Rome is overwhelmingly abundant. Existing structures and works of arts from Rome's ancient and artistic history are definitely much richer than any place I have visited so far. After all, the Romans invaded many other places and brought their culture to those places.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">9. There aren’t as many ATM machines in Rome as in Spain, so don’t be left without any cash in far off places even within the city limits.</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Some traffic mishaps</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5065.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5065.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The blond lady in the middle hit the policeman who was helping with the pedestrian crossing in front of the Vatican Museums. The taxi driver had warned us to watch for the traffic while crossing the streets - even during the green lights to pedestrians.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5176.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5176.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The scene is right by the Colosseum near by the Arch of Constantine. The police who was attending the incident got a little upset with me for taking this photo. Both rear tires on this car were flat - a freak coincidence?<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">This is what most importantly we planned and accomplished during our visit:</span><br />1. Turned the Bernini and other Rome landmarks mentioned in the Dan Brown’s book "Angels and Demons" into a treasure hunt (A&D) and found all of them on the first day of our visit.<br />2. Visited 4 major basilicas of Rome: St. Peter's in Vatican, San Giovanni in Laterano, San Paolo Fuori le Mura and San Maria Maggiore.<br />3. Saw some beautiful Bernini masterpieces.<br />4. Learned about Ancient Roman life.<br />5. Climbed the Dome of the St. Peter's Basilica.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What I would want to do the next time around:</span><br />1. Visit Tivoli (Villa Deste)<br />2. The island of Tiberina<br />3. The University La Sapienza<br />4. Spend longer time in the Vatican Museums<br />5. Read about the Sistine Chapel frescos and visit afterwards<br />6. Visit villas and Ostea Antica outside the city limits of Rome.<br /><br />The Itinerary:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 1 - February 26, 2008:</span><br /><br />- We woke up at 7 am, had breakfast and left the hotel at 8:30 am and took the metro to visit Vatican Museums at 9:30.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5064.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5064.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We met our tour guide right across from the museum entrance. She first took us around the entrance area,<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5067.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5067.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5066.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5066.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Square Garden, Cortile Ottagono and Cortile della Pigna. Making our way towards the Sistine Chapel, we visited some of the rooms including Pio-Clementine Museum (animal room and gallery of muses was interesting – the Urania (astronomy) holding the globe reminded me of Madonna in Montserrat; again and again, I see the examples of how all the religions are influenced by each other.), Estruscan Museum, Vase Collection, Biga Room, Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of Tapestries (some amazingly beautiful and detailed tapestries, mostly by Flemish artists, were displayed on the walls of this room; apparently, some of them took as long as 15 years to complete!), Gallery of Maps (Yunus’s favorite), Gallery of St Pius V, Sobieski Room (Liberation of Vienna by Jan Matejko was interesting), Room of Immaculate Conception, Rapheal’s Stanze (finding the famous philosophers in the School of Athens was fun), Sala di Constantino (it was interesting to learn about the process of Constantine’s legitimizing Christianity in Roman world) Borgia Apartment (this was interesting for us because of its reminiscence of the Borja Ducal Palace in Gandia), Collection of Modern Religious Art and ended our museum journey with the famous Sistine Chapel (A&D). So this was where the famous meeting of the Cardinals was held to elect the new Pope. In the chapel, we were instructed to be quite, but with so many people in one room, it was nearly impossible; so the staff kept shushing people. For this reason, our guide explained the details of this room in the Room of the Maps. I also noticed some people using mirrors to study the ceiling – I would never thought of that; if you have a neck problem, it is good idea to bring one to investigate the art work for an extended period of time. Because I lack knowledge in art appreciation, I could not tell why the Michelangelo’s frescos were so special and famous; however, I admit they were incredibly beautiful, inspiring (especially God Creates Adam) and so vivid.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5072.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5071.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5069.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5070.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5068.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5068.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0382.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0382.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0381.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0381.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0378.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0378.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0380.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0380.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">- From here we split with our group and moved to the St. Peter's Basilica, which was beautiful and filled with incredible amount of artwork. The Vatican was built on the grounds of circus of Nero. A part of the basilica stands over this area. St. Peter’s grave is believed to be on these grounds. An archeological excavation surfaced a writing that read “Peter was here,” which gave a further evidence to this assertion.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5291.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5291.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Holy Door<br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5086.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5086.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5293.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5293.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Michelangelo was only 24 when he designed the Pieta! Just the thought of being able create (let alone at age 24) such beauty gave me goose bumps. It was displayed behind a bullet-proof shield after a vandalism attempt that destroyed the sculpture's nose.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- After saying goodbye to our lovely tour guide, we took the elevator halfway to the Michelangelo’s Dome, which thankfully helped us to skip 200 some steps. After the elevator, we continued walking up 330 steps.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0386.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0386.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0385.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0385.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- Found the Bernini bloques on the floor of the Piazza San Pietro and around the obelisk (A&D, West Ponente - element Wind). We also saw the famous Swiss Guard in their interesting costumes!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5283.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5283.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5294.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5294.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Ate lunch at one of the street restaurants on Via Borgo. The food was reasonably priced and good quality.<br /><br />- Walk to Castelo San Angelo (A&D): We did not enter because the line was too long for what's worth of it inside - just imagined the Emperor Hadrian's ambitions to built a castle as his tomb (117-138). Our famous Borja the Pope had apparently restored the castle. The guide at the Vatican mentioned that it was also used as a refuge for the Popes during turmoils.<br /><br />- Crossed the Ponte Umberto Bridge in front of the Palazzo di Guistizia.<br /><br />- Walked to the Piazza Navona and found the Bernini's architectural as well as sculptural masterpiece the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio de la Plata). It was under construction so we could not see up close all the details (A&D element Water).<br /><br />- Visited the Church of St. Agnese in Agone (the façade of this church was built by the Bernini’s student and rival) and the Fountain of the Moor and the Neptune.<br /><br />- Walked towards Campo di Fiori but for some reason, we could not find it even though it seemed pretty obvious on the map. This is something I realized during our walks: the distances seem much farther on the map than they actually are and you keep walking thinking that what you are looking for is still a long ways away. Anyways, we did not really look too hard because we were more anxious to see the Pantheon.<br /><br />- We watched a guard exchange at the Palazzo Madama (the house of the Senate of the Italian Republic).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5088.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Visited the Pantheon, the best-preserved ancient Roman monumental building. It is amazing how they built a perfect spherical dome with an exact circular opening in the 1st century BC. However, later we heard that the Nero's Domus Aurea's architects experimented with building the circular dome, and the Parthenon is suggested to be inspired by these works. As for most people, we were curious about the opening whether it had some Plexiglas cover or similar because how did they get rid off the water from the rain? Apparently, opening is not covered and the rainwater is drained through the small holes (total of 22) on the marble flooring. It was possible to imagine “dropping a body” through the 29 ft (8.7 m) diameter opening just as A&D heroine Vittoria suggests. Here we also found the Rafael's tomb, another mention in the A&D.<br />Outside at the Piazza della Rotonda, we saw the Fountain of the Pantheon by Giacomo della Porta and Leonardo Sormani (1575), mask with dolphins by Simone Moschino (1575) and the rock work by Vincenzo Felici (1711). Also near by at the Piazza della Minerva was the Bernini’s cute elephant sculpture.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5090.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5090.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5091.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5091.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Rafael's resting place<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5092.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Walked to the Piazza del Popolo passing Palazzo Chigi (the building where Italian Council of Ministers meet), Palazzo Montecitorio (the seat of the lower house of the parliament), Mausoleo Augusto and Ara Pacis, which we did not visit inside.<br /><br />- Found the Chigi Chapel (Capella della Terra) in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which housed the Bernini’s Habakkuk, the Angel, Daniel and the Lion (A&D element Earth).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5098.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5098.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- From there we walked to the Piazza Spagna passing the Fountain of the Babuino with the strange looking sculpture in the Via del Babuino. At the Piazza Spagna, we saw a Spanish flag hanging from one of the buildings; we wondered if it was the Spanish Embassy.<br />We climbed the steps and saw the Villa Medici, which currently houses the French School of Arts (maybe that's where Allis studied when she was in Italy). In the Piazza, the father Bernini's Fountain of Barcaccia (1623-1644) stood. Further up from here was the Piazza Mignanelli.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5100.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5102.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5102.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5101.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5101.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5104.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5104.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Villa Medici from the top of the Spanish steps<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Bought some roasted chestnuts - we ate lots and lots of chestnuts in Rome; they were much better quality than the ones we get in Valencia.<br /><br />- Continued to walk through Via Vittorio Veneto and Via del Triton towards the Fountain di Trevi. It was the most crowded area that we had encountered the whole day. As in the movies and the pictures, the fountain is incredibly magnificent. Its building began in 1732 by Nicola Salvi and finished by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762. And no, we did not throw any money in it! I don't think it was worth fighting the crowd for it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5105.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5105.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5107.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5107.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- Right across the street from the fountain, we found a Benetton store and bought a pair of jeans for Dilara since she grew out of her older ones and we could not find the style that she likes in her size in Spain.<br /><br />- We continued our walk towards the Church of San Maria della Vittoria (the same name as the A&D heroine) to find the final landmark mentioned in A&D. Climbing the Via Barberini, we arrived at the church where the Bernini's Ecstasy of St Theresa was located in the Cornaro Chapel (element Fire).<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5108.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5108.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5109.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>St. in the Cornaro Chapel (a common display of dead bodies of holy people)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finding the St. Theresa sculpture concluded our Day 1 adventure and around 7:30 pm, we headed towards our hotel for a good rest and dinner.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 2 - February 27, 2008</span><br /><br />- Left the hotel at 8:30 am and took the metro to the Termini first and exchanged to Line B for the Colosseum (the metro system works in a cross in Rome Line A goes from SE to NW and Line B goes from SW to NE). When we got outside from the metro station, we found a light drizzle, which was not bothersome. We proceeded to the reserved tickets box, purchased our Domus Aurea tickets for the 12:40 tour while picking up the ones for the Colosseum and entered the Colosseum before our scheduled time 9:30 am (so get there earlier if you like). The first of its kind in size and building materials used, this colosseum looked incredibly magnificent. The site was originally a man-made pond, which Nero’s Domus Aurea overlooked.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5115.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5115.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5112.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5112.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5174.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5174.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5116.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5116.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This must be where Nero's colossal statue used to be<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- From there, we walked to the Palatine Hills and the Museum. It was interesting to learn about the lives of Romulus and the ancient Romans.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5118.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5118.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5120.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Palace of Septimius Severus<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5119.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Domus Flavia<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5123.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Palatine Museum<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5125.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Huts of Romulus<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5121.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5121.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Stadium of Domitian Palace<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- We came down to the Roman Forum from there and walked along the ancient ruins. The story of the Vestal Virgins was quite fascinating. Vesta was the goddess of fire, which was among one of the many gods and goddess the ancient Romans worshiped. Some girls at ages between 6 and 10 would be selected to become the priests of Vesta, the keepers of the eternal fire. Letting the fire die out would be severely punished by beating or scourging by the highest priest. Losing their virginity was even a higher crime so the punisment would be being buried alive. According to the mythology, Romulus and Remus, fathered by Mars, were born to one of these virgins. Maybe that's how they had to be raised by a wolf for their mother might have been punished by death.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5117.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5117.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Arco di Tito<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5114.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5114.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Antiquarium Forense from Colosseum<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5128.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5128.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>House of the Vestal Virgins from Palatine<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5133.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5133.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5136.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5136.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5132.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5132.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Temple of Antoninus and Faustina<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5129.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Basilica of Maxentius<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5137.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5137.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5142.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5142.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Arco di Septimius Severus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5138.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Curia Julia<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- After the Roman Forum, we walked out towards the Capitoline Hill and the Museums. We did not visit the museums here; instead we walked towards the Piazza Boca della Verita.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5144.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5144.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5145.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5145.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Santa Maria in Aracoeli<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">- At the Piazza Boca della Verita in the Forum Boarium, we saw the Carlo Bizzacheri's Fountain of Tritons (1717) and the cylindrical Temple of Vesta (where the culprit virgin priests were whipped).<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5148.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5148.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- Across from the fountain was the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. This church was quite interesting because it was evident from the walls and columns that it was built using an ancient Roman temple. At the entrance of the church on the right-side wall was the famous mask Boca della Verita. This mask was the only reason we had walked to this area. According to the legend, anyone who told a lie while his/her hand stuck inside the mouth would have it bitten off. Obviously, we were OK!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5149.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5149.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5150.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5150.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5151.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5151.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- From here, we walked back towards the Colosseum to meet our tour for the Domus Aurea.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5154.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5154.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Circo Massimo<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5159.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5159.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Arco di Constantino<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Domus Aurea was one of my favorite visits of this entire trip. After this visit, I understood why Nero was the most hated Roman emperor and why they tried to systematically remove his memory from their history. It is suspected that Nero started the Great Fire of Rome in 64 BC. After the fire, instead of helping the Romans to rebuild their homes, Nero took over the land and built his golden palace, Domus Aurea, which helped to confirm these suspicions. The archeological digs discovered the flooring of Roman houses that preceded the palace. This palace is considered to be one of the greatest examples of Roman architectural and engineering genius.<br />After Nero’s death, the Trajans built some walls within the palace and filled it with rubles to bury. Above the palace, they built their baths.<br />During our visit, we met a couple from Austin, Texas (whose daughter and son-in-law would be graduating from medical school this summer and the husband was based in Yalova, Turkey during his military service with US Army; they recently traveled some archeological sites in Turkey), and an American college student (who was doing a study abroad program in German and philosophy with the University of Heidelberg in Germany). Being done with their trip, the Texan couple gave us their fancy laminated map, which was more informative than our hotel acquired one.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5167.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5167.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5165.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5165.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5163.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5163.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5164.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5164.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Painstakingly restoring the frescos<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5161.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5161.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5171.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5171.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here is the ground below the palace's floor (tile flooring belonging to one of the homes burnt during the fire)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5170.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5170.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Still work in progress<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5172.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5172.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5173.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5173.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Trajan baths<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- After the visit, I was curious to check out the Trajan baths above the palace. Well, not much was left of them and the rest of the place looked like a park occupied with some suspicious characters.<br /><br />- We ate lunch at a restaurant called Pizza Forum, which was kitty corner from the Domus and Colosseum. This was also a reasonably priced and good quality food restaurant. Since Yunus and Dilara are not the greatly fond of unfamiliar sandwich selections, we did not try the street vendor sandwiches, which looked quite delicious to me.<br /><br />- After the lunch we walked to the Baths of Caracalla. This was also an interesting site for there were areas of well-preserved tile floors and it provided a visual tool to imagine one of the ways the ancient Romans socialized. It was fascinating to learn how much they valued physical health.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5189.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5189.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5188.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5188.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5181.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5181.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5185.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5185.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5186.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5186.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- After our visit to the baths, we asked the staff how to get to the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. He told us that it would take 1 hour by walk; hence, we should walk back to Circo Massimo and take the bus. On the map, it did not look that far and he might have underestimated our ability in mileage coverage so we decided to walk. It took us about 20 minutes to reach the Piazza San Giovanni and the Giardini di Porta San Giovanni; it was not that tiresome at all. The Fountain of the Lateran Obelisk by Domenico Fontana (1607) at the piazza was also under maintenance.<br /><br />Maybe not as much as the St Peter's but San Giovanni was also pretty impressive. The facade of the main entrance was designed by Alessandro Galilei (1732-1735) and was quite remarkable. This was the first extraordinary landmark we had noticed on our way to the hotel after arriving Rome.<br /><br />During our visit to the basilica, a service in English was in process and the choir sang some hymns in English. On the same day, the Pope also addressed the crowd at the St Peter's Square but we could not go there to see it for we had the reservation for the Colosseum at the same time.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5197.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5205.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5205.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5191.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5191.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5204.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5204.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5229.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5229.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5227.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5227.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5223.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5223.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Note the eye, triangle and sun<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5226.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5226.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- Across from the Basilica were the Holy Staircases and Chapel of the Popes. We watched the people climb the stairs on their knees while praying. We joined them and climbed to the high altar on our knees.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5206.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5206.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5210.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5210.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5213.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5213.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5214.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5214.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Image of Christ<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">- We continued walking on the Via Merulana, which lined with many more churches and small gourmet food stores.<br /><br />- We arrived at the Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore with a fountain by Carlo Maderno and a bronze statue by Guillaume Berthelot. One of four major basilicas of Rome, this one also was full of artistic masterpieces. Dedicated to Virgin Mary, this Basilica houses the highest bell tower in Rome.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5220.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5220.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5242.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5242.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5233.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5233.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5236.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5231.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5231.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- From here, we walked to the Piazza della Republica near by Stazione Termini, passing Teatro del Opera in the Piazza B Gigli. Here we saw the Fountain of the Naiads by Mario Rutelli (1901). The piazza was surrounded by two similar looking building groups forming a half circle with Santa Maria degli Angeli across from them.<br /><br />- We took the metro from here to the Piazza Spagna to visit the Via Condotti. This was where we bought Dilara's Puma shoes and ate lots more roasted chestnuts.<br /><br />- Already exhausted from a long day, we took the metro back to our hotel and had the famous pick-pocketing incident.<br /><br />- We again finished the day with eating at the hotel’s restaurant.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 3 - February 28, 2008:</span><br /><br />- We again woke up at 7 am, ate breakfast and left the hotel at 8:15 am for our 9 am reservation at the Borghese Gallery. To get to the gallery, we walked through the Villa Borghese gardens. This garden was also filled with some impressive sculptures and fountains. The people were taking a morning stroll at the park.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0392.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0392.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0391.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0391.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0390.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/Photo-0390.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Gardens<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The gallery housed some important Bernini sculptures including the artist’s self-portraits and some Caravaggio paintings as well as art works of some other important artists such as Botticelli and Bruegel the elder. For me, the first floor of the gallery held more interesting works of art than the upper floor. Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne (with its incredibly delicate tree leaves made of marble) and Pluto and Proserpina were my favorite articles. Every time I see one of his sculptures, I am awed by Bernini’s artistic genius. The expressions and details in his work are mind-boggling. The kids and I studied Bernini’s David to compare it with the Michelangelo’s David when we visit Accademia in Florence.<br /><br />The reservation to this gallery is only for 2 hours and after that you are out. In short, the visit to this gallery was well worth it.<br /><br />- Well, since we finished my itinerary 1 day before, we had the time to do some more sight seeing that we had not planned. To make the most of it we decided to get a day pass for the public transportation and travel to farther distances.<br />From the gallery, we walked to the Piazza Spagna, had a bite at the Caffe Greco on the Via Condotti and ate some more chestnuts!<br /><br />- From here, we took metro to San Giovanni station and transferred to a bus to visit Appia Antica. The road was old fashioned and surrounded by many ancient ruins and open fields with farm animals.<br /><br />- We got off the bus at Catacombs of San Callisto. It was interesting to see how they buried their dead during early Christianity in Rome. They called their final resting place cemetery, which meant dormitory in Greek; hence, they laid their dead vertically on a piece of white cloth. The Christians regarded death not as an end but as a resting period before being awakened by Jesus at the Judgment Day. The Romans buried their dead in necropolises, which meant the city of the dead.<br /><br />During the early years of Christianity in Rome, people were not allowed to practice their religion freely so they came to these burial places to worship and hold services, which some still continue. Apparently, nearly 500,000 Christians including 16 bishops and all the 3rd century Popes were buried here. The sizes of the tombs were interesting to note because some were tiny for they held babies.<br /><br />- From here, we took the bus back to San Giovanni and took the metro again to visit the Pyramid of Cestius. Influenced by the Egyptian trend, apparently Cestius had this structure build as his tomb in 16th or 12th BC and took about a year to complete. I am not sure about its historical importance but I would not make a special trip for this piece. Luckily, it was on our way, right outside the metro station and we did not have to make any effort to find it.<br /><br />- We hopped on the metro again and went to Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura. This basilica was founded by Constantine and suggested to be Paul’s burial place.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5244.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5244.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div>- From here we took the metro and returned to the Vatican to find a puzzle that Dilara wanted and we could not see any other places we visited. We bought a 2000 piece puzzle of St. Peter’s Square with the basilica.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5349.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5349.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The puzzle in 5 days (completed in 10 days, sky took us as long as this much)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- By that time, we got hungry and also needed to hurry to collect our bags at the hotel and head towards the airport. We entered the first restaurant we saw (at the corner of Via dei Corridori and Via Orfeo; also had a gift shop in it) ordered food without checking the prices. The waiter was exactly the kind of persons Rick Steves describes in his website – talking you to buy things and ignoring to bring back the change after paying the bill. Anyways, we are not going to let one bad experience ruin the rest of our great time; however, we are not going back there ever again.<br /><br />- Afterwards, we rushed to the metro station and head towards our hotel. In the morning before we left, we were told to leave our bags in the room and they arranged the taxi to take us back to the airport.<br /><br />- We left hotel around 4 o’clock for our 7 o’clock flight back to Valencia. On our way, we noticed more works of arts including the Four Fountains by Domenico Fontana: the Tiber, Fortitude, Fidelity and Nile next to the Church of San Carlino by the Piazza del Quirinale.<br /><br />We have probably seen many more works of arts without knowing their importance. In Rome, everywhere you turn your head there is some thing phenomenal stands. Possibly to the locals these objects are background banalities passed by unnoticed everyday…<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5094.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/rome/IMG_5094.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>An ordinary office building!<br /></div></div></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-5612038382807204002008-02-18T05:15:00.001-08:002008-02-18T07:45:34.568-08:00Valencia OrangesThere is no way that you live in "Comunidad de Valencia" and not get intimately involved in their famous oranges. Our good friends, the Faus, own a farm home which includes an orange grove - many people I have met here do have such arrangements. They have been sharing some of their naranja crop with us - well, some might be a bit of an underestimate: we have received four crateful of oranges and mandarins in one month, so imagine the amount of citrus eating and juice drinking (our next door neighbors have also been supplying us with some oranges). The lemons below is Faus' first crop.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/oranges/IMG_5021.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/oranges/IMG_5021.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />These citrus are completely natural without any spraying or processing because the Faus are not producing them for commercial use. The Valencian oranges have a thin peel and are extremely juicy and sweet. They are best for making juice because it is hard to peel and slice them. These oranges became pretty handy while Grandma and our friends the Wassermans were visiting.<br /><br />Yunus and Dilara made a huge production of orange juice and stored for later consumption. Here is a juice making operation at the Tezcans:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/oranges/IMG_5023.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/oranges/IMG_5023.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/oranges/IMG_5022.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/oranges/IMG_5022.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />According to February 2006 USA Department of Agriculture report, Spain (estimated 2005/6 production 4.8 million tons) is the 5th highest citrus producing country (falling behind Mexico after a severe drought 2004, worst in 60 years). Brazil (estimated 18.2 million tons) is the largest producer followed by China (14.4 million tons, mostly mandarin and tangerine), USA (10.6 million), and Mexico. Spain does not produce much grapefruit. The report states that citrus production was affected in year 2005-6 by Hurricane Wilma in USA, abandonment of citrus fields in Brazil (apparently, Brazil is replacing its citrus plants with sugarcane; gotta have those cereals loaded, eh!), drought in Spain and a frost in late spring 2005 in Hunan region and cold temperatures and several typhoons in Zhejiang province of China.<br /><br />As one of the leading citrus exporter, Spain's citrus export (estimated 2.7 million tons) exceeds USA (899, 000 tons) - obviously, Spain sells much of what it produces. World's total citrus export was 9.3 million tons. With the recent economic developments, Russia is apparently becoming a major target market for citrus industry.<br /><br />The Valencian oranges are not available here until the end of November or so. Before the local crop is available, Spain imports its citrus from South America and South Africa. Those oranges are nothing like the ones you pick from the trees now. I have not yet found one Valencian orange that is dry and tasteless.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I also noticed the signs of abandoning smaller orange groves to be replaced by high-rises. On the other hand, I realize more trees are planted in the more commercialized fields. In any event, it seems like the Valencian oranges will be around here quite some time - luckily...Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-89852800273394698922008-01-23T22:12:00.000-08:002008-02-18T07:46:57.350-08:00Bustling Little CityHow is it possible that this little town with population of 50,000 can be so noisy? There is a constant traffic noise that relentlessly goes on day and night. No, I am not talking about the near highway experience here: it is Grau, a suburb Gandia. I can understand in the summer there are many tourists and night life, but in the winter time, with what are these people busy? Doesn't this town ever sleep? I will really appreciate the quietness of our surrounding when we go back home.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Some early morning sky scenes from our home - time: around 7:30 - 8:00 am.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4563.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4563.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4520.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4520.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4518.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4518.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Note the Mediterranean Sea<br /></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-63247573353154366682008-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:002008-01-23T08:37:45.735-08:00La Font Salada<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4246.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4246.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />On January 4th, Lucia, Hugo, Guillem and the Tezcans went to an authentic Valencian restaurant in the little village of Font Salada of Oliva-Pego, about 10 km. south of Gandia. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4249.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4249.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The usual road to the village was damaged by the floods in October, so we had to find a different route, which took us some maneuvering. It was all the worth waiting because the food was delicious and the environment was pleasant with fresh air and the view of thermal lake. At the edge of a national park, this village is known for this thermal and medicinal water spring, hence, is called Font Salada - salty lake.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4247.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4247.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4251.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We didn't but some others actually took a dip while we were there.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4245.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/La%20Font%20Salada/IMG_4245.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Because it took us so long to find the restaurant, Hugo was again late to distribute the Three Kings Day costumes for the team. When we arrived at the Dulcesol, Hugo met some anxious parents waiting, but his broad smile and easy-going mannerism make it hard to get upset with him, so it all worked out just fine at the end...Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-30419221234660602402008-01-13T15:03:00.001-08:002008-01-15T20:39:52.904-08:00A Day at the Playa del NorteToday is Sunday the January 13th. We went for a walk at the North Beach of Gandia. This beach is only 10-minute walking distance away from our apartment. The Gandia Beach is about 5.8 km long and includes five separate beaches: Naturist Beach (an extension of A'huir), Platja A'huir, Platja del Nord, Platja de Venecia, Platja de Rafalcaid. During our summer visit, we saw beach volleyball, windsurfing, kitesurfing and body surfing activities at this beach.<br /><br />Here is what you encounter on a day in January between 4 and 6 o'clock in the afternoon!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4501.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4501.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4448.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4448.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4445.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4445.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Royal Nautical Club of Gandia (remember the open water swim event?) located at the southern end of Platja del Nord. The city website tells that this club is considered one of the most important clubs in the Valencian District after Valencia. The boat storage capacity of the club is apparently 400 (both wet and dry).<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4451.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4451.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Pier<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4449.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4449.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Must be a foreigner! Just joking, there were few of these fishermen right behind the sign read "fishing is prohibited in this area!"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4460.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4460.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Que? Kiero? Not Quiero? Dime en SMS - This way we learn the lingo, too!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4456.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4456.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Lighthouse<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4459.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4459.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4457.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4457.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It is quite interesting: these boulders are man-made and placed around the pier.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4467.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4467.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Platja del Nord<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4464.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4464.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Gandia Port<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4496.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4496.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Is this a rock formation?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4468.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4468.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I think I have high-anxiety. I was pretty shaky walking on this strip without any railing.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4503.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4503.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The cleaning truck tracks on the beach sand. They clean these beaches everyday, summer or winter, rain or shine. The beaches and water are extremely clean - despite the human abuse!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4502.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4502.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4510.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4510.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Elderly people stroll on this Maritime Walkway everyday. It is so cute to observe them coiffed and sparked...<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4508.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4508.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4504.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4504.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I will not tell what they are eating but after two hours of walking, a little bit of junk food is OK.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4509.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4509.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Pop bottle art - a creative way of recycling them.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4506.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4506.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Practicing for the opening.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4515.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4515.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Geraniums - don't we start planting these in Coeur d'Alene around May?<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4513.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4513.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I would say the Gandians are ready for spring!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4514.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4514.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A tree specimen which we do not know anything about - a question for our friend Miguel.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4511.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4511.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One of the few remaining small houses on the beach. The Promenade is filled with apartment buildings. More are built as you can see behind this little one (I imagine this one might not be existing very long either).<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4516.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/a%20day%20at%20the%20beach/IMG_4516.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Entrance to one of the restaurants on our way.<br /></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-76951770965111848862008-01-13T14:18:00.000-08:002010-02-08T12:21:07.052-08:00Los Gatos de las CavernasWithin my three months spent in Gandia, I hardly noticed any street cats. I was quite impressed with the efficiency of Gandia Animal Control. However, Gandia might owe this animal control success to the cats themselves. During our beach stroll today, we discovered a klan of cats at the pier by the Playa del Nord. About 4-5 meters of the long pier wall was left as a pile of rocks. In the grooves of these rock piles, cats were laying and sunbathing. Apparently, these cats had chosen the caves behind these boulders as their homes - don't know whether this strip of the wall was purposefully left undeveloped. I would call these cats pretty smart (must be all the 3-omega fatty acids they eat!). What better place to locate yourself: a constant supply of fish by either the fishermen or the dead fish ashore! Either way, they all looked pretty chubby and healthy.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4470.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4470.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4453.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4453.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4480.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4480.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4476.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4476.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4474.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4474.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Old people seem to love these cats and they love them back - the cats follow them everywhere.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4472.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4472.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>What do you mean siesta is over?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4483.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4483.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4489.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4489.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4484.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4484.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4486.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4486.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4493.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4493.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4492.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4492.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4488.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4488.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Camouflaged!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4487.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4487.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Hide and seek.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4454.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4454.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4473.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4473.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Some variety in diet is healthy, right? Obviously no lack of fresh water, too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4481.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4481.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I go...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4485.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/los%20gatos%20de%20las%20cavernas/IMG_4485.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I come back!<br /></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-74536081797950535342008-01-12T23:31:00.000-08:002008-01-13T06:02:17.555-08:00Dime!I noticed that sales persons at the stores use this expression quite exclusively in this area. I cannot tell whether this is unique to the small towns in Spain because I only began to notice it recently. A worldreference.com forum thread explains it as "tell me." I don't think a shoe sales person will approach me with a "tell me" in USA. They would say "How can I help you?" or "Can I help you?"<br /><br />Now, I am thinking if it is appropriate to address a customer as "tell me" for it sounds informal. However, in small towns of USA, I have heard people in service industry address their customers as "hon," which sounds equally informal but viewed as a form of affection and normal - even preferred by the locals.<br /><br />This dilemma, encountered by a foreigner, actually represents one of many reasons why it is more efficient to learn and be proficient in a language in the country that it is spoken than taking a course at home. As grown ups, we tend to learn a new language by intellectualizing while the kids soak it up without comparing and questioning.<br /><br />The spoken-language is closely tied to the culture and ad infinitum dynamic, where it never ceases to evolve. These cultural differences result in expressions in language and consequently in misunderstandings. Based on my own experiences, knowing many different cultures definitely opens one's horizons and improves his/her prospects...<br /><br />Hasta la vista baby!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Pinet%20Hike/IMG_3944.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Pinet%20Hike/IMG_3944.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-32354180722174646222008-01-11T04:17:00.001-08:002011-04-09T18:05:32.007-07:00Two Last Names - Dos Apellidos<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">In America, I had not noticed the long Hispanic names. Ever since we arrived in Spain, I noticed that the Spanish people, </span><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">without exception </span><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">had very long names. I later learned that they actually didn’t have long names or middle names (sometimes they do of course); in fact, they have two last names! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">In Spanish, the last name is called <i>apellido</i>, which actually means surname. So, since Spanish has two of them, they have<i> apellidos</i> like our good friend’s name: David Ferrairó Escriva.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">The first surname is called<i> apellido primero </i>and comes from the father’s first surname and the second surname is called <i>apellido Segundo</i> that comes from the mother’s first surname (also mother’s maiden name for it comes from her dad). </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Geneva;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">When a woman gets married, her <i>apellido primero</i> remains the same but her <i>apellido segundo</i> becomes her husband’s <i>apellido primero</i>. Some instances, there maybe ‘de’ between the surnames to emphasize the marriage bond. No change happens to the men’s surnames due to marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">When the children are born, the same system is used to continue the cycle: if we use our friend, David, as example, here is what happens:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">David Farrairó Escriva and Suni Perales Farrairó have a daughter Maria Farrairó Perales. When she gets married, she will lose the Perales and no one will know she was related to Suni just from the last name.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">Shortly, the surname from the male side perpetuates but the female side eventually gets lost. Well, I say this is better system than we have where the identity of mother’s ancestry is lost at marriage and neither gender of the kids carry mother’s maiden surname. At least in Spanish model, until the female child gets married and the male child deceases, they are identified by both parents’ surnames. Wait a minute, they only inherent the mother’s father’s surname. So all the <i>apellido primeros</i> are male-related!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">When asked, the Spanish people explained all of this so as a matter of fact, which made me feel even more stupid for frying my brain trying to comprehend the connections. Now that I figured it all out, it looks so obvious.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times-Bold;">I don’t know how they are handled in Spanish speaking countries, but I can see the problems that this system might create with listing, sorting and storing names. Because the first surname seems to be more important, the second surname drop after marriage may create loss of information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-34763525402593865402008-01-11T01:22:00.000-08:002008-01-21T01:18:37.330-08:00PucheroOn December 30th, the Tezcans, Rachel and Vicente were invited to our new friends, Alicia, Miguel and Michael, for a puchero lunch (comido). If you remember, I had met the Faus family at the Fords' dinner party. After that, we went to hiking together. Miguel is a building contractor, who was originally educated as a biochemist. He is a wealth of knowledge in pretty much everything, but definitely an expert on vegetation and building homes. Alicia is a clinical psychologist and takes English classes from Rachel. She must be very good at her work for she always listens and is very compassionate. Michael is their only child and his birthday is only one day before Dilara's on the same year! He also takes English lessons from Rachel and last summer, he spent some time in England; hence, his English is pretty good - ironically, one of the friends he kept in touch with from this England camp is from Turkey.<br /><br />During our hike, we had talked about puchero because we spotted some Cardo (penca in Valencian) plants. Cardo is cardoon in English, artichoke thistle, and in Spain it is used for cooking. The flower buds can be eaten like the artichoke, but the stems are normally bitter in taste without processed, so they blanch the stems before using in recipes. Apparently, the plant possesses the same medicinal properties as artichoke, which is suggested to have liver detoxifying properties. After this scientific discussion about cardoon, I became very curious to taste it and decided to have a puchero meal one day. Anyway, that was the story about puchero arrangement but the real reason, of course, was just to get together.<br /><br />Puchero is Valencian word for Cocido in Spanish. It is basically a stew cooked with incredible amount of good stuff. The clear part of the juice (caldo) is sold in stores and used as stock in cooking.<br /><br />Los Fausos live in Rotova, about 10 km west of Gandia. Miguel renovated their house incredibly beautiful. The walls, floors, woodwork and staircase were exceptional craftsmanship. He swirling staircase was built from marble and obviously required some heavy duty fitting - amazing work.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4236.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>You can see the staircase behind this Santa.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4229fresco1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4229fresco1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4228fresco2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4228fresco2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Don Quixote wall murals in the garden<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4222.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4222.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4223.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4223.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Michael's Nativity Display (years of collecting)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4221.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4221.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Alicia's LLadro Nativity Display<br /></div><br />Well, the meal! It was not only puchero, but the whole lunch was a fiesta. First, we had a variety of Spanish entries - salchichons, jamon iberico, manchego cheese and etc. Then came the puchero. First we had it like soup with the meatballs and rice. Then the vegetables and the meat cooked in it came separately. After main course, we had some naranjas from the Faus' orchards followed by a variety of Spanish Christmas goodies such as all sorts of turrons and fruit filled pastries. The meal ended with a dessert wine from the region.<br /><br />The best part of the whole affair was being in the company of such wonderful people. I have recently found some blogs that talk about not very nice treatment of the foreigners by the Spaniards in Spain. We must be awfully lucky to have encountered such nice people so far. I have not, yet, met one nasty person during this visit - except some customer representatives on the phone (they are pretty useless, if you want to get anything done in Spain, you do it face to face).<br /><br />Anyway, what a way to finish a year: great meal, friends, family and a beautiful weather....<br /><br />Here is Alicia's recipe for Puchero:<br /><br /><div style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Coges garbanzos secos y los pones en agua y sal el dia antes del puchero. En una olla a presion pones carne de ternera, de cordero, de cerdo y de pollo (cada persona elige los trozos que mas le gustan). Despues añades la verdura, que puedes poner carlotas, pencas, patatas, boniato, nabo, puerro, apio, chirivia (puedes poner cualquier verdura que te guste). Lo cubres todo con agua, sal y azafran. Cuando el agua esté caliente, y antes de cerrar la olla, pones los garbanzos remojados, cierras la olla y la pones a fuego lento.</span></div> <div style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Despues preparas las pelotas que necesitas carne de ternera y magro muy muy picada, un huevo o dos crudos, un poco de pan mojado y muy escurrido, piñones, pimienta y sal. Lo has de amasar todo con las manos y hacerlo muy bien mezclado y despues modelar tantas pelotas como quieras. Se añade al resto del puchero al cabo de 1,5 hora. </span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Cuando ya esté todo cocido, que suele ser al cabo de 2,5 o 3 horas, sacas caldo aparte y cueces el arroz. Se sirve como ya vistes, es decir, el arroz con las pelotas primero y despues la carne y la verdura.</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><br /></span>You need a huge (believe me huge) cooking pot for this dish:<br /><br />1. take garbanzo beans and put them into water and salt the day before making puchero.<br />2. in a pressure cooker, put the beef, lamb, pig or chicken (you choose the kind you like but typical meat used are lamb and beef).<br />3. then add vegetables such as carrots, pencas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnip, leak, celery, parsnip (and any kind you like)<br />4. cover everything with water, add salt and safran.<br />5. heat it before covering the lid.<br />6. when the water is hot, add the soaked garbanzo beans, close the lid and reduce the heat.<br />7. prepare meatballs while the stew is cooking.<br />8. take finely ground beef and lean pork, 1-2 eggs, a little bit wet bread crumbs, pine nuts, pepper and salt, knead them by hand until mixed well and shape them into the size you like (ours were about 1/2 size of my palm).<br />9. add these meatballs into the stew about 1.5 h after they have been cooking.<br />10. total cooking time for the stew is about 2.5 to 3 hours with pressure cooker and almost the whole day under very low heat with a regular pot.<br />11. after the stew is cooked, take the juice into another cooking pot and cook with some rice into a soup.<br />12. serve the soup with meatballs first, then the vegetables and meat as second.<br /><br />Yum, yum...<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4227.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4227.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Haluk and Vicente with Spike and Lara in the garden<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4226.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4226.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>An avocado tree (I remember our attempts trying to grow the plant from the seed!)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4225.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4225.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One unripe avocado on the tree<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4234.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alicias/IMG_4234.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Faus' Christmas Tree in Spanish style<br /></div>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-20708159401503737432008-01-10T02:44:00.001-08:002010-02-08T12:10:33.668-08:00Winter Open Water Swim CompetitionOn the January 6th, Dilara, Yunus and Haluk participated in an open water swim competition. The competition was called "VII Travesia de Invierno al Puerto de Gandia." It is kind of similar idea of our Polar Plunge on the New Year's Day; this one is on the Three Kings Day.<br /><br />The competition was held at the water body between the Port of Gandia and the Sailing Club of Gandia (Real Club Nautico Gandia). The distance was 140 meters. The newspapers reported that water temperature was 13 degrees centigrade and the outside temperature during the day reached 20 degrees centigrade (although I am not sure about this even though it was exceptionally warm) - anyways, it was not as bad as diving into Lake Coeur d'Alene.<br /><br />42 swimmers were taken across the water and the race started at 12 pm. The competition was open to everyone so there were people from different abilities with wide range of ages. Hugo (our friend and one of the coaches at the swim team) finished first at 1 min 53 seconds. Jordi, another swimmer from the team, and Yunus followed him with 1 min 59 seconds. In women, Carmen, another swimmer from the team took first place with 2 min 7 sec. The third place in women's category was also from the swim team. So Gandia swim team took top 5 trophies.<br /><br />Dilara finished the race before Haluk and they were about in the middle of the finishers. Dilara said the water felt really cold. Apparently in the past, some people did stop before finishing the race, but this time everyone came back by swimming.<br /><br />I posted the newspaper articles of this event at the end of this entry.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4402.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 490px; height: 366px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4402.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Row, row, row your boat....<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4408.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4408.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Merrily, merrily, merrily off we go...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4413.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4413.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Jordi and right behind him is Yunus (Hugo is on the right corner). With the sun blinding me, I could not tell these guys were Yunus and Jordi; they looked so grown up. I thought they were some of the older participants, so I was still waiting for them to come out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4414.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4414.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Carmen and Joan (Jordi's brother) behind Carmen<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4417.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4417.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We are the champions! (more swimmers are still in the water)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4415.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4415.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Que Frio! Way to go Dilara, I am so proud of you...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4422.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4422.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Yunus is receiving his trophy<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4423.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4423.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Posing with the official (the president of the club and Jordi's dad is on the right with green T-shirt) - note the TV cameraman. They interviewed Carmen and the event was broadcasted on Gandia TV.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4425.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4425.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Top three in men's category (no age division)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4426.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4426.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Dilara is receiving her medal for finishing.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4427.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/jan%206%20swim%20in%20mediter/IMG_4427.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Haluk is receiving his medal for finishing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After the event, the competitors took shower at the Real Club Nautico Gandia and had hot chocolate and sweets. The hot chocolate here is something for real chocolate lovers: it is extremely rich and thick, almost like melted pure chocolate but very sweet. We also acquired 3 more t-shirts advertising La Vital...<br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES:</span><br /><table style="width: 455px; height: 761px;" border="0" cellspacing="5"><tbody><tr><td class="adenoticias_sgbreves" height="2" valign="top"><br /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="notportadasg_titular_leer" align="left"> <a id="dnn_ctr407_Noticiasver__ctl0_cmdTitulo" class="notportadasg_titular_leer"><span id="dnn_ctr407_Noticiasver__ctl0_lblTitular" class="notportadasg_titular_leer">Bernabeu y Cerezuela se imponen en la Travesía invernal del puerto</span></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="adenoticias_leer_encabezado"> <span id="dnn_ctr407_Noticiasver__ctl0_lblEnabezado">Hugo Bernabeu y Carmen Cerezuela se impusieron en sus respectivas categorías.</span> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="right"> <span id="dnn_ctr407_Noticiasver__ctl0_lblAutor" class="adenoticias_leer_encabezado">Juanjo Benítez</span> <span id="dnn_ctr407_Noticiasver__ctl0_lblFecha" class="adenoticias_leer_fecha">08/01/2008</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="notportadasg_texto"> <span id="dnn_ctr407_Noticiasver__ctl0_lblCuerpo"><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" height="188" width="250"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><img alt="" src="http://www.saforguia.com/DesktopModules/AdeNoticias/imgNoticias/N011843/trav.jpg" align="left" border="1" height="188" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="250" /></td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><a href="javascript:expandingWindow('/DesktopModules/AdeNoticias/imgNoticias/N011843/trav.jpg','Foto','320','295')"><br /></a></td></tr></tbody></table>El pasado día de Reyes se celebró una prueba que va camino de convertirse en todo un clásico en el calendario de la natación gandiense. Se trata de la VII Travessia al Port de Gandia, una prueba que reunió en las instalaciones portuarias gandienses a 42 valientes que se atrevieron a desafiar a la temperatura de 13 grados que marcaba el termómetro del agua.<br /><br />Dos nadadores del NiE Gandia-La Vital se llevaron el gato al agua, y nunca mejor dicho, y consiguieron alzarse victoriosos en la prueba. Fueron, en concreto, Hugo Bernabeu en la categoría masculina y Carmen Cerezuela en la femenina. El primero completó los 140 metros de distancia en un tiempo de 1 minuto y 53 segundos, mientras que la nadadora gandiense, lo hizo en 2 minutos y 7 segundos. Completaron el podio en categoría masculina Jordi Muñoz y Yunus Tezcan, y en la femenina, Carmela Roig y Chelo Bataller.<br /><br />Además de estos nadadores, todos ellos del Natació i Esports Gandia también tuvieron su reconocimiento el nadador Rubén Gregori que ha tenido que apartarse de su deporte favorito por problemas médicos, y Rubén Metola y Ximo Mas, nadador más joven y más veterano, respectivamente.<br /></div> </span></td></tr></tbody></table>http://www.saforguia.com/DEPORTES/sgOtrosdeportes/tabid/<br />74/NoticiasPageID/1/ID/11843/Default.aspx<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://ad.es.doubleclick.net/click;h=v8/3642/0/0/%2a/w;44306;0-0;0;22445391;25546-675/30;0/0/0;;%7Esscs=%3f" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><img style="width: 13px; height: 19px;" src="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5724933810687179675&postID=2070815940150373743" alt="Click here to find out more!" border="0" /></a><br />DEPORTES<div><div> </div> <div> <div>Hugo Bernabeu gana por segunda vez la Travessia al Port de Gandia</div> </div> <div> <div>La joven Carmen Cerezuela, primera en categoría femenina<br /></div> </div> </div> <div>09.01.08 - </div> <div> <div> <div>ÓSCAR DE LA DUEÑA</div> <div>GANDIA</div> </div> </div> <div> <div> <div><br /></div></div></div> <div><div><div><br /><div>Los participantes en la VII Travessia al Port de Gandia en el momento de echarse al agua. /LP </div> </div></div><div> <div> </div> </div> <div>La brillante carrera deportiva del joven Hugo Bernabeu cuenta desde esta semana con un nuevo éxito. El nadador de Gandia se hizo por segunda vez con el triunfo en una prueba clásica de invierno la VII Travessia al Port de Gandia. El deportista fue el primero en categoría masculina, mientras que en femenina el primer lugar fue para Carmen Cerezuela.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/prensa/noticias/200801/09/fotos/14486195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/prensa/noticias/200801/09/fotos/14486195.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>No es la primera vez que Bernabeu se coloca primero en este certamen, ya que en la edición del 2005 también consiguió el triunfo.<br /><br />Pero sus buenos resultados han quedado patentes en otras ediciones. De hecho, el deportista de Gandia ha participado en esta prueba desde que comenzó a celebrarse, hace ahora siete años, y siempre ha quedado entre los siete primeros, una muestra de la capacidad del joven del Natació i Esports Gandia-La Vital (NiE). Bernabeu consiguió finalizar la prueba en un tiempo de un minuto y 53 segundos. <script><!-- D(["mb","\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>Tras él se situaron Jordi Muñoz y Yunus Tezcan, que quedaron en\nsegundo y tercer lugar con unas marcas de un minuto y 59 segundos y dos\nminutos respectivamente.\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>En categoría femenina el triunfo también se quedó en casa, ya que\nla victoria fue para Carmen Cerezuela, al igual que Bernabeu, técnico\ndel NiE. La nadadora acabó la prueba en dos minutos y siete segundos. \u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>Tras ella llegaron Carmela Roig, en dos minutos y 43 segundos, y Xelo Bataller, en un tiempo de dos minutos y 45 segundos\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>La prueba, que poco a poco se va consolidando, contó con una\nelevada participación, fueron 42 entre hombres y mujeres, y de edades\nque oscilaban entre los 10 y los 51 años, 23 de ellos del NiE. \u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cstrong\>Contraste de temperaturas\u003c/strong\>\n\u003cbr\>Todos los participantes tuvieron que lidiar con la baja temperatura\nque presentó el agua del puerto de Gandia que estaba a 13 grados,\nmientras fuera el viento de poniente hizo que el día fuera agradable\ncon 20 grados.\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>En el acto final se entregó una placa de apoyo al nadador del Club\nRubén Gregori quién se ha tenido que apartar por problemas médicos de\nla natación y al que desde el Club. \u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>También hubieron menciones especiales para el más joven de la\ntravesía, Rubén Metola, del NiE, que a sus 10 años la nada por tercera\nvez consecutiva y al veterano Ximo Mas del Club de Correr El Garbí.\u003c/div\>\n\u003c/div\>\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>\n",0] ); //--></script><br /><br />Tras él se situaron Jordi Muñoz y Yunus Tezcan, que quedaron en segundo y tercer lugar con unas marcas de un minuto y 59 segundos y dos minutos respectivamente.<br /><br />En categoría femenina el triunfo también se quedó en casa, ya que la victoria fue para Carmen Cerezuela, al igual que Bernabeu, técnico del NiE. La nadadora acabó la prueba en dos minutos y siete segundos.<br /><br />Tras ella llegaron Carmela Roig, en dos minutos y 43 segundos, y Xelo Bataller, en un tiempo de dos minutos y 45 segundos<br /><br />La prueba, que poco a poco se va consolidando, contó con una elevada participación, fueron 42 entre hombres y mujeres, y de edades que oscilaban entre los 10 y los 51 años, 23 de ellos del NiE.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Contraste de temperaturas</strong><br />Todos los participantes tuvieron que lidiar con la baja temperatura que presentó el agua del puerto de Gandia que estaba a 13 grados, mientras fuera el viento de poniente hizo que el día fuera agradable con 20 grados.<br /><br />En el acto final se entregó una placa de apoyo al nadador del Club Rubén Gregori quién se ha tenido que apartar por problemas médicos de la natación y al que desde el Club.<br /><br />También hubieron menciones especiales para el más joven de la travesía, Rubén Metola, del NiE, que a sus 10 años la nada por tercera vez consecutiva y al veterano Ximo Mas del Club de Correr El Garbí.</div> </div><a href="http://www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/20080109/deportes/mas-deporte/hugo-bernabeu-gana-segunda-20080109.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://www.lasprovincias.es<wbr>/valencia/20080109/deportes<wbr>/mas-deporte/hugo-bernabeu<wbr>-gana-segunda-20080109.html </a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a class="textomenusimple" href="http://www.ondanaranjacope.com/">ondanaranjacope.com</a> > <a class="textomenusimple" href="http://www.ondanaranjacope.com/">Noticias</a> > <a class="textobold01" href="http://www.ondanaranjacope.com/noticias/seccion5-Deportes.html">Deportes</a> <table style="width: 438px; height: 1161px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr> <td class="titularnoticia01">Hugo Bernabeu gana la VII Travesia de Invierno al Puerto de Gandia</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"><table style="width: 430px; height: 1070px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr align="left" valign="top"> <td height="10"><br /></td> <td width="10"><br /></td> </tr> <tr align="left" valign="top"> <td class="textomenubold02justy"><p>Más de 40 nadadores disputaron esta prueba que ya comienza a ser un clásico en Gandia.<br /> <br /> <span class="textomenusimplejusty"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Excelente matinal del día de Reyes para realizar <st1:personname productid="la VII TRAVESSIA" st="on"><st1:personname productid="la VII" st="on">la VII</st1:personname> TRAVESSIA</st1:personname> AL PORT DE GANDIA, una prueba que poco a poco se va consolidando como un clásico en nuestra Ciudad, suave brisa de poniente que otorgaba una alta temperatura de <st1:metricconverter productid="20ºC" st="on">20ºC</st1:metricconverter> para la época en la que nos encontramos y de gran contraste a la hora de entrar en los 13ªC de temperatura del agua.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Si bien se informó en un principio que iba a ser <st1:personname productid="la Traves■a" st="on">la Travesía</st1:personname> más corta disputada hasta la fecha, por motivos de seguridad en la zona de la salida, se optó por parte de <st1:personname productid="la Organizaci?n" st="on">la Organización</st1:personname> a realizar la misma desde el mismo lugar desde donde se dieron salida las anteriores pruebas, por lo que al tener la meta en un punto más alejado del habitual, se convirtió en la más larga hasta la fecha disputadas, no obstante los valientes nadadores que la realizaron, y la que no hubieron incidentes algunos a destacar, se lanzaron sin temor al agua y disputaron los <st1:metricconverter productid="140 metros" st="on">140 metros</st1:metricconverter> en los que se convirtió la misma.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><img alt="Hugo Bernabeu gana la VII Travesia de Invierno al Puerto de Gandia" src="http://www.ondanaranjacope.com/noticias/reducewidth-200-foto7928_2.jpg" align="right" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Destacar que al igual que la edición pasada, más de 40 nadadores, en concreto 42 entre hombres y mujeres y de edades que oscilaban entre los 10 y los 51 años, pertenecientes 23 al Natacio i Esports Gandia-La Vital, disputaron la misma.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">El ganador de la presente edición fue Hugo Bernabeu, que con un tiempo de 1’53 realizó el total del recorrido, en segundo lugar atravesó la meta Jordi Muñoz y el tercero fue Yunus Tezcan realizando 1’59 y 2’00 respectivamente.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Por parte de las féminas la ganadora fue Carmen Cerezuela con un tiempo de 2’07, en segundo lugar Carmela Roig que tardo 2’43 y la tercera fue Xelo Bataller que realizó el recorrido en 2’45.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Significar que todos ellos pertenecen al Natació i Esports Gandia-La Vital y que Hugo y Xelo son dos de los técnicos que tiene el Club, siendo Hugo el responsable de las categorías Alevín y Benjamín y Xelo de los mas pequeños los Pre-Benjamines.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Indicar también que al acto de entrega de trofeos a la que asistieron diversas Autoridades locales, y en el que todos los nadadores se llevaron su recuerdo y una camiseta del Patrocinador del Club el Centro Comercial <st1:personname productid="La Vital" st="on">La Vital</st1:personname>, se entregó una placa de apoyo al nadador del Club Rubén Gregori quién ha tenido que apartar por problemas médicos por esta temporada su gran pasión por la práctica de la natación y al que desde el Club se quiso dar un cariñoso apoyo para su pronta recuperación, y se realizó una mención especial al nadador más joven de la travesía Rubén Metola, perteneciente al Natacio i Esports Gandia, quién a sus 10 años la nada por tercera vez consecutiva y al más veterano Ximo Mas del Club de Correr El Garbí que la nadó a sus 51 años de edad.</span></p></span>http://www.ondanaranjacope.com/noticias/articulo-7928.html</p></td> <td class="textomenubold02justy"><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-37915422743132277132008-01-10T02:43:00.000-08:002008-08-27T14:14:43.350-07:00Three Kings Day in GandiaSo far, the information about holiday celebrations in Spain on my Christmas entry has been accurate because everything that I was told about Christmas in Spain happened as expected. It is good to see some traditions remain the same throughout the centuries. This might be even more true for Spaniards for they love fun and fiestas.<br /><br />The final and most spectacular of these festivities was the Three Kings' Day Parade. The January 6th is the Feast of Epiphany (the Adoration of the Magi or the Manifestation of God). According to bible on the night when the Christ was born, three Kings (aka wise men/magi), Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, saw a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and presented Christ with gold, frankincense (an aromatic resin, from which ointment made to anoint newborns in religious rituals) and myrrh (a resinous plant originates from Ethiopia and used for medicinal purposes).<br /><br />The present buying heightens towards the evening of the January 5th when the Kings deliver the kids' presents.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4220.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4220.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One of the Kings, listening to the kids' wishes and handing out candies at La Vital. The candy business must be blooming during the holiday season - way, way too much candy every where.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4219.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4219.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A rollerskating show at the Passeig de les Germanies - I watch these kids practice at the poliesportiu everyday.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4324.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4324.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Temporary ice-ring at the Plaza del Prado (you can get the skates inside behind the ring) - imagine keeping this ice going at the temperatures in 60s degrees Fahrenheit!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4322.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4322.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4321.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4323.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4323.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4325.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4325.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div>Holiday Shopping Market set at the Plaza del Prado<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4321.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4321.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Why not? During Christmas everyone makes money! Vale!<br /><br /></div>When Hugo asked if Yunus and Dilara wanted to participate in the Three Kings' Parade, I did not realize how big of a deal it was for the city. Couple of weeks prior to the parade, a city official came to talk with the kids to explain the procedures. The swim team took part in representing the shepherds. Even non-church going people seem to fully participate and take pride on this event. It may be the fun-loving Spanish blood again...<br /><br />Apparently, a huge effort goes into its preparations and the result was spectacular.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4309.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4309.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Bahh, bahh... Yunus the sheep! After putting his costume on, he looked like a woolly sheep. Thought of candid camera prank also crossed his mind!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4314.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4314.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>What a relief! The rest of the team looked just like them (Hugo in brown shirt). They provided the boys' costumes, but most girls already had their own for apparently they participate in this parade every year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4320.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here are couple of finer examples of shepherd costumes; the lady's costume on the right is a Reina dress for Las Fallas festivities on the March 19th.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4312.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4312.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4311.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4311.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4316.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4316.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4315.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4315.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4313.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4313.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4312.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4312.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4317.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4317.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Pre-parade preparation in a schoolyard<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">AND THE PARADE BEGINS<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4333star.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4333star.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Star of Bethlehem<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4338.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4338.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4339.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4339.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4386.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4386.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Nativity scene<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4344.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4344.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Here is the swim team group following the Nativity cart. You may spot Yunus towards back in the middle and Dilara two girls in front him.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4387.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4387.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4342.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4342.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>When you have this much candy, you need a huge cart like this!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4357.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4357.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Each King came with their entourage following him before and after. I was not sure why there were eastern Indians, astronomers and etc. apparently these scenes symbolized the origin of each King. Obviously, I did not have enough knowledge of biblical references to these Kings.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4359.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4359.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4368.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4368.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4370.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4370.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div>After each King his camel and his presents followed.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4353.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4353.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4354.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4354.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4362.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4362.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4366.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4366.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Melchior<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4367.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4367.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4363.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4363.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4380.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4380.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4377.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4377.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4383.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4383.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Balthazar<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4371.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4371.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4373.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4373.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4374.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4374.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4351.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4351.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I find this idea very smart - these people followed every procession that included an animal and picked the droppings; this way there was no mess left for the following group to step on.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4396.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4396.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Parade ended in front of the Ayuntamiento.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4391.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4391.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Still happy after all these candies!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4327.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4327.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Roscon de Reyes filling the shelves at Tano - this is what the Spaniards would eat on the January 6th morning and the person who finds the golden ring in it will be the king of the house for the whole day. We did not buy one because they were too big. I would be the only one who gulps it down and I had enough sweets to last me for the rest of the year!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On the January 6th, another big family meal around 3 pm ended the Christmas celebrations in Spanish style - big family meals are major part of holiday celebrations in Spain. I have learned a lot about Spanish traditions during this time. As a result, I am more knowledgeable about Spain today than I was three months ago - who would know, ey?<br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/three%20kings/IMG_4391.jpg"><br /></a>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-50071930687296621942008-01-06T17:08:00.002-08:002008-01-21T06:18:07.245-08:00Post-Christmas Events<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">After we came back from Norway, our social life gained a momentum. On the December 29th, we had a lunch (comido) at the Fords' house. The meal was exquisite again. It was same as British Christmas dinner except few days later. We had lots of appetizers prior to the main course, moist and delicious roasted chicken (I must try this way of cooking the chicken: Merry bakes the chicken wrapped in aluminum foil first, then opens and roasts it; this way, chicken remains moist). There were so many scrumptious vegetable dishes such as green beans, potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, stuffing, regular gravy and bread gravy (this was the first time I tried this gravy and I really liked it). For desert we had apple pie and coffee. I tried to make the similar kind of dishes for Thanksgiving but these were far more palatable than mine. I am glad we had the chance to have a traditional Christmas meal before closing 2007.<br /><br />During our visit, Haluk got to learn so much about sailing from David, who was getting ready for another sailing by his boat across Atlantic in a couple of weeks. I have learned so much from these encounters with both Merry and David, they have amazing wealth of knowledge.<br /><br />After the lunch, we went to the swimming pool for a fun swim meet just among the team swimmers. At the end of races, they did a fun-relay carrying a foam-person across the pool - it was hilarious.<br /><br />The next day, we were at the Faus' for a puchero lunch, but that is topic of another entry.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4078.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4078.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Before<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4536.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/more%20gandia%20pics/IMG_4536.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>and after...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas%20pics%20after%20blog/IMG_4133.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas%20pics%20after%20blog/IMG_4133.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We found this spot at the Plaza Mayor after my Christmas entry, so they do have a pic opportunity with Santa in Gandia!<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas%20pics%20after%20blog/IMG_4131.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas%20pics%20after%20blog/IMG_4131.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-57758343697995540652008-01-06T17:08:00.001-08:002009-02-20T09:34:39.948-08:00New Year's Eve 2008 in Gandia<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">HAPPY 2008!<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div></div>The Tezcans' entry to the 2008 was not quite the Spanish style but more like the Tezcans style! Initially, we had thought about going to Valencia for a street celebration but decided against it because we did not want to drive after drinking (the last train from Valencia leaves to Gandia at 22:41) and had not made any arrangements to stay in Valencia. Additionally after too much partying, we were not in the mood for further more!<br /><br />So our New Year's Eve celebrations in Spain followed as:<br /><br />- having a roast beef dinner with some Spanish wine<br />- wearing party hats and masks and blowing party whistles<br />- working on our computers!<br />- watching TV for the Spanish celebrations - some really bad pre-recorded music and comedy shows! Since we don't have a cable or satellite, we have the privilege of watching free public channels mostly in Valenciano. Channel 3 disclosed the 12 Treasures of Spain throughout the night and right before the midnight bell, they announced the winner: Mezquita in Cordoba (which we already visited)!<br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">1. <strong>Mezquita de Córdoba</strong> (Córdoba)</span></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">2. <strong>Cuevas de Altamira</strong> (Cantabria)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">3. <strong>Catedral de Sevilla</strong> (Sevilla)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">4. <strong>La Alhambra</strong> (Granada)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">5. <strong>Basílica del Pilar</strong> (Zaragoza)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">6. <strong>Parque Nacional del Teide</strong> (Tenerife)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">7. <strong>Teatro Romano de Mérida</strong> (Mérida)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">8. <strong>Catedral de Santiago</strong> (Santiago de Compostela)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">9. <strong>Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias</strong> (Valencia)</span></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">10. <strong>La Sagrada Familia</strong> (Barcelona)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">11. <strong>Playa de la Concha</strong> (San Sebastián)</span><strong></strong></span><br /><span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left;">12. <strong>Museo Guggenheim</strong> (Bilbao)</span><br /><strong></strong></span><br />- eating 12 grapes with every chime of the bell - that proved to be more difficult than I thought for when we had only one grape left, the bell kept chiming and chiming .... Yunus had to keep the last one in his mouth before gulping. We are not sure if now the magic will work - should have learned the details!<br />- spreading confetti, kissing and hugging each other and toasting cava.<br /><br />Another year has gone by and a new year is still ripe with full of promises and expectations. I just hope that you have a grand year and all your wishes come true.<br /><br />Amor a todos,<br /><br />Ayse<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/IMG_4240.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/IMG_4240.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The kids decided that without a Christmas Tree, there was no spirit of holidays in the house. Here is what they set up (thanks to our neighborhood China store!).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/IMG_4244.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/IMG_4244.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Note the grapes!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0767.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0767.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Pre-celebration events!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0753.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0753.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0762.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0762.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Dancing Queen!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0754.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0754.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>They grow so fast....<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0750.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0750.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0764.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0764.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0757.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0757.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0761.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0761.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Of course, he had to be different!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0756.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0756.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0749.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0749.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0748.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/new%20year%202008/DSCF0748.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-25190226082384838602008-01-06T17:07:00.001-08:002008-01-15T20:28:34.436-08:00Christmas in OsloSuch a great treat for a special Christmas! We finally reunited with our immediate and acquired family on the Christmas Eve, so we did not have to be the lonely Americans oceans away from our home.<br /><br />On the December 23rd they after a swim meet in Gandia, kids and I left home early in the morning and took the train first from Gandia to Valencia, then from Valencia to Barcelona and flew to Oslo from Barcelona. It sounds like so much moving but actually it was very convenient and fun. We arrived in Oslo at 10 pm in the evening and entered the country without any passport check – this is the new European Union without borders policy, same idea as going from one state to another. We were so happy to meet Haakon and Tordis’s warm smiles and hugs again. Cold air hitting our face as soon as leaving the airport building was the first reminder of our distance from warm Mediterranean surroundings. The trees and bushes were all covered with beautiful frost, making everything look high definition.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4165.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4165.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A simple Christmas tree example at the Oslo airport<br /></div><br />Drive from airport to the Helleland’s home was about 30 min. The streets were very empty and quite. Along the road, I noticed some American company names (McDonalds of course), many high tech companies, a shopping mall and sports complexes including an indoor golf course. When we arrived at home, we met much anticipated beautiful welcome hugs and kisses of Allis and Maren. Such wonderful and beautiful family and again we realized how lucky we were to have our paths crossed.<br /><br />This was the first time that we visited the new Helleland home in Oslo. It was a 1967 built beautiful wooden house. Although they said it was in the process of partial remodeling, it already seemed perfect. The house was built by one of few Norwegian women architects Wenche Selmer. I was doing a little research on her work and this is what I found (http://www.aiasf.org/Programs/Gallery.htm):<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Norwegian Wood</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">February 13 - April 18, 2008</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Opening March 6, 6:00 pm</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Whether set along the picturesque coast of Norway or in its remote mountains and forests, architect Wenche Selmer’s wooden cabins and houses blend effortlessly into their surroundings. Combining local building traditions with modern conveniences, her designs evoke Norway in all its rugged beauty and smart Scandinavian pragmatism. Just looking at these cabins is an invitation to sit down at the lovingly designed dining table for a hearty meal, or to curl up with a book on one of the inviting corner sofas while enjoying the panoramic view through large glass windows. These are houses that, while thoughtfully designed and beautifully crafted, were meant first and foremost to be lived in, and it is this accommodation of "high design" and livability that is partly responsible for their universal appeal. Taken from a book by Elisabeth Tostrup, a professor of architecture at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Norwegian Wood captures Wenche Selmer's work beautifully.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Presented by</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">AIA San Francisco</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Center for Architecture + Design</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sponsored by</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Specialty Finishes</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.techstrategy.com/archsf/images/NorwegianWood_web2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.techstrategy.com/archsf/images/NorwegianWood_web2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Photo: House in Skadalen, Oslo, 1967. Photograph by Frode Larsen. Architect: Wenche Selmer]<br /></span><span>There was an exhibition in Canada as well and here is the address to info exhibitions in Canada: http://www.aho.no/English/Activities/Gallery/wencheselmer_eng.htm)</span><br /><br />Photo above , which is also on the book cover, depicts Helleland’s kitchen! Allis says that Selmer’s buildings are very hard to come by in the market because she does not make anymore and the existing ones are owned by families and usually stay in the family. They were lucky to be able to find this one because the couple who owned it did not have any kids and needed to move to a place closer to the town.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0581.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0581.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0577.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0577.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0591.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0591.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4181.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4181.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>View of the Oslofjord from the house<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4140.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4140.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Haakon's new baby!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4148.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4148.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>From the deck on the first day when there was still some snow.<br /><br /></div>The houses in their neighborhood (Skadalen, a suburb of Oslo) reminded me of the American Northwest because they were almost exclusively wood and style was very similar to the older houses in NW. Most of these buildings looked very modest from outside like a barn or farmhouse but beautiful and good quality inside. The modern technology was amply used to heat the floors and driveways.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4149.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4149.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0567.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0567.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0564.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0564.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0570.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0570.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Montessori school across from the house<br /></div><br />On the 24th Haakon the great surgeon began his goose operation! As one of their Christmas traditions, Hellelands make a stuffed goose for the Christmas dinner. So we watched the master debone the bird and beautifully saw it back together after stuffing with a meat blend, truffles and goose liver. I had not realized how much fat a goose actually had. Also after eating it, I realized that its fat is extremely delicious and light. I understand why French can eat it and not get fat. The fat that removed from the belly was used to make dressing for potatoes and gravy – yum yum….<br /><br />In the mean time, Allis made a Christmas desert with rice, cream and almond pieces. As a Christmas tradition one whole almond is placed in the whole pot and the person who finds it wins a prize. You have to be careful not to bite on the almond because if you do, no prize!<br /><br />For Christmas Eve service (Julaften), we went to the 4 o’clock service at the Holmenkollen Chapel, about 5-minute drive from the house (but by walk the distance would have been shorter using the shortcuts through the mountain). The chapel was built completely from logs and located by the famous Holmenkollen ski jump. The building was mastery in carpentry. The ceiling looked like an upturned Viking boat. This version of the chapel was built in 1996. The original buildings was torched in 1992 by the Lords of Chaos, some sort of demonic, gothic, black metal inner circle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4154.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4154.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4160.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4160.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4157.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4157.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4161.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4161.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The chapel apparently held services every hour since the afternoon, including one that Royal family joined for they spend the Christmases at their log retreat in the neighborhood. The church belonged to the state Church of Norway, which is Evangelical Lutheran. This service was completely packed with many also standing up. Most ladies and children (and few men) were dressed in their traditional Norwegian outfits, Bunad.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4163.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4163.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Maren in her Bunad.<br />Tordis has a green one of these. They received their Bunads, made by their aunt, for their confirmation. Both costumes are hand-embroidered on silk fabric and accesorized by hand-made silver jewelry. Norwegians wear it to the special occasions.<br /></div></div><br />I was told that nowadays most Norwegians come to the church only for the Christmas services. I wonder how all this works: I believe in Norway churches’ income is provided by the government (and also in Spain) - so different than the US. How is it possible for a secular institution to provide budget for a religious institution. Do they do that for all the religious institutions? Maybe it is necessary for the governments to keep them open to provide the traditional services to their citizens. Apparently, Spanish government recently announced that government no longer would support the churches financially. But when churches don’t get financial support from the government and their members are all time low (apparently 10% in Norway, the least church going country in Europe), how do they remain in existence?<br /><br />During the 45-minute program, there was a brief reading from the bible and several carols and hymns, all in Norwegian but we understood the gist of it. The priest explained the reason why Jesus was born by using analogy. A little girl (an adopted Asian) tried to light her candle from the priest’s candle in the higher altar. No matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to reach. Finally, the priest came down and lit her candle. Haakon said the service was different than his times in Norway, which is a long time ago; these services apparently became fancier in decorations and the priest outfits.<br /><br />I noticed some people speaking English with American accent. I know many of my friends have Norwegian ancestors, who visit Norway. Many Norwegians also speak English very fluently but with a little stronger accent than the Danish, who nearly have no accent. Haakon barely has any accent at all – he is just natural in languages.<br /><br />As I said the chapel was located near a Norway landmark, Holmenkollen ski jump (still within the Oslo proper). This area was located near large woodlands (where we hiked up to a part of it) and has been a ski recreation area since 1892. The jump held the world’s second oldest ski jump competition. The course was renovated 18 times and today, the tower is 60 meters above ground and 417 m above sea level. Because it is one of the smallest hills in its class, the International Ski Federation declared it as unmet to the standards to award Oslo the 2011 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Since then, the hill's destiny has taken on another turn towards demolish and rebuild effort; as a result, they received the 2011 championship event to be held in Oslo. The new project is estimated to cost over 100 million Norwegian Kroner (about $19 million). The hill record belongs to Norwegian Tommy Ingebrigtsen with 136 m in 2006.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0552.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0552.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ski jump view from our hike trail<br /><br /></div>After the service, Haakon and I went to the airport to pick Haluk up. By the time Haluk arrived, all the frost was gone and the little snow on Helleland’s hillside had melted – the temperature went up to 6 degrees centigrade (42F). So much for the dreams of white Christmas! Al Gore who was in Oslo previously to accept his Nobel Peace Prize apparently did mention about the warm weather in Oslo. However by no means, I would call this weather warm – everywhere was frozen after all!<br /><br />After a few glitches, Haluk arrived in Oslo around 8 pm. His flight from Las Vegas was cancelled because the MaxAir went bankrupt. So they placed him with Virgin Atlantic (in a packed airplane crunched up in the back instead of business class that he purchased) and arrived in England just in time for his BA flight to Oslo. a Great feeling of being reunited again….<br /><br />Back home, the Christmas table was set and everyone was preparing a part of the dinner. We began the dinner around 9:30 pm and devoured everything in sight - the food was scrumptious. The stuffed goose was one of the best dishes I have ever had – it was amazingly exquisite with the musty flavor of truffles. After seeing all the fat it contained, I thought it would be extremely heavy, but it was surprisingly light. The fat dressing on the potatoes was also very delicious and light. I am so glad we had this chance to taste this yummy treat. After the meal, we had the rice pudding, which was also delicious, and Dilara found the whole almond. She was the lucky one who won the big marzipan prize. This is one meal I don’t think I can replicate so we will have to go back to the Helleland’s for another Christmas!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4145.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4145.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4151.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4151.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4171.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4171.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4172.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4172.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4174table.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4174table.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />After the dinner, we went to the basement and sang Christmas carols around the tree. Singing carols while circling around the tree in both directions is one of the several traditions of the Christmas in Norway. The trees are decorated with candlelights (in the olden days, it was real candles), Norwegian flag (in ours it included Danish as well) garlands and simple ornaments. Many houses had 7-candle candelabras on the windows, simple white lights on one or two trees outdoors and little containers of flame along the driveways or by the walkway entrances.<br /><br />After carol singing, we opened the gifts. The Norwegians open presents on the Christmas Eve instead of the Christmas morning. In Norway, the presents are brought by Julenisse instead of Santa Clause. Nisse is belived to be the original settlers of the land and they take care of the farms and animals (a belief system from pre-Christian tradition). There is not only one Julenisse but several in many shapes and sizes which look like gnomes. Julenisse are dressed in knee breeches, hand-knitted stockings, a Norwegian sweeter and a homespun jacket. The Norwegians leave rice porridge (the kind we ate for desert earlier) out on Christmas Eve to keep him happy so he continues to take good care of the land. If he is not pleased, he may play nasty tricks on people.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4168.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4169.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4169.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Julenisse decorations<br /><br /></div>The Christmas tradition in Norway is relatively new and tied to a pre-Christian Viking drinking festival Jul, when King Haakon I moved it to December 25th in the 10th century to celebrate the birth of Jesus! Before becoming Christians between 10th and 11th ADs, Norwegians believed in Norse mythology (the indigenous Sámi population followed a shamanistic religion). Even though celebration became all about Jesus, the name Jul was kept, so Merry Christmas in Norwegian is God Jul!<br /><br />For three days, we drank Christmas tea and ate goodies such as Christmas bread (Julekake), filled with raisins and candied fruit similar to panetoni but not as spongy, traditional cookies kvite kakermenn (flat sugar cookies), pepperkaker (ginger bread), lussekatter (St. Lucia buns). Norwegians bake and share these cookies with the neighbors and loved ones – now I understand where the cookie exchange tradition in North America stemmed from. In addition to the cheese, cut meats (no we did not try any lutefisk!) and Haakon's delicious home-made bread, mountain cloudberries (red huckleberry, red whortleberry) were the main staples of every meal. The Hellelands pick these berries every year during their visit to their cabin in the western Norway. They are apparently abundant on the mountains as bushes and easy to pick gallons and gallons each day. Haakon makes them into this uncooked preserve with sugar and freezes for the winter. These berries are similar to huckleberries in taste, except a bit more sour with thinner skin, and when it pops in your mouth, a sweet-and-sour flavor disperses. The kids devoured them by the bowl on a butter-spread bread. We hope to visit the Hellelands in a summer for a berry picking adventure.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0568.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0568.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Mt. Cloudberries in the winter! they were still juicy<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">On the Christmas Day after breakfast, we went out for a hike on the hillside behind the house. Even though the temperature was not below 0, the path was mainly frozen. We had to be very cautious for not to slip. Yunus and Dilara’s grand plan for building a snow castle and giant snowman was unfortunately converted into ice-skating on every frozen piece of land.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0549.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0549.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ice! Ice is everywhere...<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0589.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0589.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0585.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0585.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Walking on water!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0571.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0571.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And soccer of course, as every good European would! A sorry soccer field in the schoolyard with a ball frozen in time...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0563.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0563.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>House with the horse<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0548.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0548.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Finding the path with snow to avoid an artistic fall.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0575.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0575.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Returning to home<br /><br /></div>Along our path, we passed lots and lots birch trees and some fine examples of Norwegian wood houses, some with vegetation on the shingles.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0547.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0547.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The roof of the house in the back has some vegetation growing.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Houses towards the end of the residential section had beautiful view of Oslofjord and the Holmenkollen ski jump area. One of the last houses apparently belonged to one of the famous Norwegian archaeologists.<br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0551.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0551.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This one also had some vegetation growing on the roof top.<br /><br /></div>Most elderly Norwegians that Haakon mentioned seemed to have lived to passed age 90; I wonder if their acquaintances are aberrations or that is a norm in Norway – their life expectancy is not one of the top in the world.<br /><br />After the walk, we spent quite time at home. It normaly gets dark around 4 o’clock in Oslo. Throughout our stay, we only saw about 4-5 hours of daylight in a day – compare this to Spain, which was sunny and bright 7 am to 6 pm pretty much every day in December! I can imagine how it would get pretty tiresome to have the whole winter gloomy like this. No wonder so many Norwegians spend some time in Spain throughout the year according to the Guardian. The report says that Norwegian government finds it cost effective to send their citizens to Spanish Mediterranean cost for certain surgeries and spa treatments, including arthritis, weight loss and gait problems (I would assume S.A.D. most importantly), all paid by the Norwegian health care system.<br /><br />On the December 26th, we went to downtown Oslo. All the stores and museums were closed but streets were filled with people taking a stroll. Apparently, Norwegians also take every opportunity to avoid a workday. The public transportation was running (the kids took the train, which Allis takes everyday to work) and working people in general looked like belonging to non-Scandinavian ethic groups. Most corner stores seemed be owned by middle easterners (we shopped at one that belonged to a Turkish person, who came to Scandinavia 30 years ago).<br /><br />We first went to Allis’s office to pick up a computer part. The museum's administrative offices were located separately than the museum itself. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4184.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4184.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Hellelands moved to Norway due to Allis’s new position as the director of Norway’s National Museum for Art, Architecture and Design. This is a higher responsibility position than her previous one, which was the director of National Museum of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. After her appointment to this job, the majority of the newspapers in Norway welcomed her appointment and reported the Museum board’s decision as a positive move. However, I found an article that had a completely irrelevant take on the subject. The February 18, 2007 African Press article by Korir (http://africanpress.wordpress.com/2007/02/18/) states that marrying a Norwegian can earn an immigrant top job in Norway. Korir was obviously sore from some mistreatment, which ended up attacking a highly qualified person for the job. A more sensible comment by Ndlrangu to this article pointed to the fact that Allis’s credentials and work in Copenhagen was excellent and well qualified for the position. Obviously, some people will do anything to advance their agenda. Previous director, Sune Nordgren (Swedish!), apparently created a controversy when he tried to modernize the museum. We had seen partly demolished hands-on art building that he placed in the current parking lot space – it did look radical compared to its surroundings to say the least. Allis seems to have some brilliant ideas to transform the tired look of museum into a refreshed and refined enchantment. I am pretty sure within 5 years, National Museum of Norway will be a place everyone hangs out - she has that magic aura.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4193.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4193.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Allis's Museum - she has lots of work to do...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4189.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4189.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Back entrance to Allis's Museum<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4188.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4188.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Remnants of modern addition to the museum<br /><br /></div>Allis is an extremely hard working, driven and enthusiastic person with a passion for her field and excellent leadership qualities. Her job of transforming the Copenhagen Museum into its current form is exemplary. In spite of her well-earned success, she is an incredibly modest person and a wonderful mom and wife – not to mention a terrific cook! She possesses the magic blend of intelligence and humanity. When I visited her hometown Lemvig last summer, I realized why she is so down to earth and possesses an amazing sense of family. She grew up in a farmland on the western Denmark’s seashore, where almost the whole town knew each other like a big family. She told us about hearing the stories of seafaring people as she was growing up. We visited the town’s graveyard where Allis’s family laid; she knew almost everyone, who was buried there. Her upbringing and strong connection to her roots apparently gave her the ability to lead with confidence and diligence. At her birthday party last June, one of her staff described Allis as “bread yeast.” Such great and suitable analogy: little piece of her makes her surrounding grow and the end product is delicious! I have a great respect and admiration for her.<br /><br />After Allis’s office, we walked towards the Royal Palace and passed by some buildings with historical importance and some of the faculty buildings belonged to the University of Oslo .<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4185.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4185.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>National History Museum<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4192.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4192.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Rontgen Building<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4186.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4186.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4198.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4198.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> Oslo National Theatre<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4197.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4197.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4203.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4203.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Buildings of University of Oslo (road leads to the Royal Palace)<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4200.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4200.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">As we walked up the slight inclination leading to the Palace, we had to watch our steps for the sidewalks and the streets were all icy - no one is suing the city yet for this lack of maintenance! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4201.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4201.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Along this road I picked up some horse chestnuts to bring me some luck; Allis told me that it also keeps me away from getting arthritis! (I wonder why they still provide arthritis treatments in Spain with so much horse chestnuts laying around.)<br /><br /></div>The Norwegian Royal Palace and the Christmas tree in front of it looked very modest. The modesty is something I noticed with the most Scandinavian royal heritage. Maybe due to its rough surroundings and priority of surviving in adverse weather and land conditions, they had to be more pragmatic than fancy.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4211.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4211.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Royal Palace - every year on the Constitution Day (May 17th) the king and queen wave at the passing by parade from this balcony all day long.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4212.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4212.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Looking into the city from the Royal Palace entry<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4205.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4205.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4209.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4209.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Royal Guard (normally a Buckingham Palace scene!)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4208.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4208.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Guard change - don't try this at home! the whole patio is ice covered and walking in a good posture requires this type of training.<br />Apparently, military service in Norway is mandatory up to 19 months (although it ends up being 6 months, I don't know how this works) and pacifists may choose a non-military service for 12 months.<br /><br /></div>Similar to the UK, Norway is also constitutional monarchy. The Norwegian king has mostly symbolic function and keeps the country united. The kingdom was linked with Sweden and Denmark in its history. When Norway separated from Sweden in 1905, the prince Carl of Denmark took over the throne after a popular vote through national referendum and changed his name to Haakon VII. He moved to the Royal Palace with his wife Maud and his son Olav. I find these family intricacies of European royalty quite amusing; what country is related to which by marriage is hard to follow.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4217.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4217.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Norwegian King Haakon VII (1905-1957) - the second son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark. As the 7th child, our Haakon was named after this king.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4206.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4206.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Queen Maud - wife of King Haakon VII, mother of King Olav, and the daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of England. Haakon Helleland's artist aunt Ada Madsen (who is still alive) was the sculptor of this 1959 standing sculpture. She also sculpted the bronze one, erected 2005, in front of the Norwegian Embassy in London<br /><br /></div>Because of these ongoing relationships with Denmark, the Norwegian and Danish are very closely related languages; this Norwegian is called Bokmal. In 1800s Ivar Aasen created Nynorsk (New Norwegian, using old dialects!) based on Norwegian dialects. 10% of the population uses Nynorsk (New Norwegian) as written language. Apparently, there has been an effort to revive Nynorsk, where it is used in broadcasting and theaters.<br /><br />Norwegians are also very proud of their role in fighting Nazi Germany during the WWII. Being a neutral country during the WWI, it tried to be neutral during the WWII, too. However, the country was invaded by Germany in 1940 despite a long military resistance because the Germans were interested in Norway’s hydroelectric power plant Vemork (west of Oslo), which produced heavy water as by-product. Norwegians with the help of British and Americans sabotaged this facility many times to prevent Germans from making an atomic bomb. During the resistance, the German marine forces lost many ships. Nazi Germany occupied this country for 5 years. Upon the invasion, the King Haakon fled to London while sending his family to the US. From the exile, he ran a continuing resistance effort against German occupation in Norway. In the meantime, the Norwegian merchant navy (which was one of the largest in the world at the time) under the leadership of shipping company Nortraship helped with the war efforts including evacuation of Dunkirk and the Normandy landings.<br /><br />After the war, the royal family returned to Oslo and resumed their crown. After Haakon’s death, his son Olav succeeded the crown and in 1991, Harald V became the king of Norway. He married to a commoner and had two children. His son, the Crown Prince Haakon, married to a single mother, which initially stirred some controversy. The Princess Martha Louise apparently created some havoc after opening a private school called Astarte Education, where she teaches healing by talking with angels in a three-year program! So this is it for the royal gossip for me for now although the Norwegian press spends a lot time reporting these affairs.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">From the Palace, we walked to the seafront. A Christmas market was still waiting lifeless to be dismantled.<br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0697.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0697.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Julemarked - note the sky!<br /><br /></div>The Christmas decorations around the city were simple and scant. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0730.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0730.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The seafront, Aker Brygge, overlooking Oslofjord was developed with shopping centers and apartment dwellings, which reminded me of Yaletown in Vancouver. Even though called a fjord, apparently Oslofjord is not geologically a fjord. It is actually a bay (in the past it was called Viken, the bay in Norwegian). The Norwegian painter Edvard Munch had cottage in Asgardstrand on the fjord. No, we did not get to see his paintings because the museum was closed. Another time…<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0700.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0700.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>City Hall (Radhauset) (First among the 10 most important buildings of Norway in 2007); Christmas market was right to the picture<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0699.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0699.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Nobel Peace Hall - this is where all the Nobel Peace Prize (considered to be the most prestigious) winners receive their awards unlike all the other Nobel Prizes that are presented in Stockholm Sweden.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0701.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0701.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunset at 3 o'clock in downtown Oslo<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0712.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0712.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Akershus Fortress<br /><br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0707.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0707.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Taxi Boats<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0716.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0716.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Boats offering fjord tours<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0714.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0714.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Shops along Aker Brygge - Note the big Horn Steak House<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0717.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0717.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Some examples of sculptures scattered throughout Aker Brygge.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0713.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0713.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0735.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0735.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ready for Costa Blanca!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0731.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0731.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0722.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0722.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0720.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0720.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As we were completing our tour, an elderly lady slipped on the ice and fell right in front of Haakon. That day was her lucky and unlucky day. She was unlucky for breaking her wrist few days after removing a cast from the opposite arm. Lucky for her that Haakon was there to help. As the great doctor he is, he quickly examined and comforted her, and called an ambulance. In the mean time, Haluk and I tried to help her to call her husband’s cell phone, which she did not have a number for. We asked her if he ever called her from this phone so we could track and call back. It was amazing how quickly she could switch to English when she realized Haluk and I could not speak Norwegian. This most likely would not be possible with a Spanish elderly. Well, she could reach her husband, the ambulance came promptly and the lady was taken to the hospital. We all felt like good scouts that had done their good deed of the day.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4218.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4218.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ice skating in downtown<br /><br /></div>There are apparently only 4 medical schools in Norway and it is pretty competitive to get in. Giving up the hopes of going to medical school in USA, Tordis has investigated her options for medical schools in Europe. She found 3 English teaching medical schools in Poland, which only admits non-Polish foreigners. They offer a 6-year after high school and 4-year after two year college programs. In one of the schools, the majority of the medical students are seemingly Norwegian and some Americans, and Canadians who return to their countries once being trained. This economically makes great sense for these countries for they don’t have to invest into the most costly part of the medical education and once they pass their exams, their education is no different than developed countries (the students may also choose their elective rotations in major university hospitals in US, such as UCLA, UCSD, UCI) – smart move. In the mean time, these medical schools make money for one year’s tuition fee is about $15,000 – 7,000, which is still cheaper than USA. I am glad Tordis pursues a profession in the medical field. She is smart, compassionate and creative – and the medicine needs many of these kinds.<br /><br />For dinner Tordis made her scrumptious lasagna from scratch again. Dilara helped her with making the pasta leaves from fresh dough. This pasta is so light and fluffy that after eating it the first time 3 years ago, we cannot seem to enjoy the restaurant lasagna any more. The Hellelands seem to be blessed with the talent of cooking - all of them are just great cooks. They enjoy good food and making it - maybe their artistic gene has something to do with it. Every time we have this lasagna, we are inspired to make it ourselves at home, but we never managed, yet.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brief country info:</span><br /><br />Norway is located between 58 and 72 degrees north, the area is 148,746 sq miles and the population is 4.8 million (of which 70,000 are Sami people) (by UN 2005 density is 31 people/sq km – 213th out of 240 in the world; vastly empty land! US is 179th and Spain 111). The per capita GDP is $72,306, which is the second in the world after Luxembourg (by world economic outlook). Of course we know why they are so rich: oil! In 1960s large reserves of petroleum and natural gas were discovered and thereafter the Norwegian economy took off. Our British friend David worked at the digging of these petroleum reserves as an engineer in the 1970s.<br /><br />I hear that the Norwegians are very politically correct people. Just like us in US, their freedom of expression and religion are protected by constitution and the press is not censored; so even though they can say whatever they want, they must be self-censoring pretty well. Norway ranked 1st out of 168 countries in worldwide freedom press index according to Reporters Without Borders. In 2007, Norway was also ranked 2nd after Iceland in the UN Human Development Index (HDI), which includes life expectancy, education level and purchasing power parity (PPP) – a drop from 1st place in years 2001-2006. According to the same UN report, they also ranked number 1 in women empowerment index (GEM), which indicates whether women take active part in economic and political life of the country. However, it ranks 94th in gender-related development index (GDI) as percent of its HDI, which measures HDI adjusted for gender inequalities in achievement between women and men. Obviously Norwegian women have the opportunities in economic and political life but are not equally well off as men in terms of life expectancy, education level and GDP PPP - a word of cautions: this indicator only points to the disparity between men and women in a particular country, so a poorer developing country might rank better if the men are doing as badly as women! - so everything is relative isn't it?<br /><br />As a nation, Norwegians are very proud of being moral compass of the world. Apparently if they learn that a company profits from a wrong doing or mistreatment of human rights, the country pulls out its holdings from that company, which most likely guarantees the imposter's demise – that should teach the other tempted ones a lesson (not to have Norway invest in your company ;=)!<br /><br />Despite all the wealth, the Norwegians seem to live very modestly. We did not see any fancy cars around the city but maybe rich people were vacationing on the Mediterranean coast! The gas prices were outrages: 1.5 euros per liter (3 times more expensive than US). Due to this fact combined with their nationwide environmentalism, most Norwegians ride the public transportation (and no fancy Christmas lights). Obviously, Al Gore rode the train when he arrived in Oslo to accept his Nobel Prize in December – Allis said that it was quite the contrast to his visit to Copenhagen during his Vice Presidency - well, we all see the light sooner or later, right?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4190.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/IMG_4190.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0651.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0651.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Some fine examples of public transport - tram and train (the one that Allis takes)<br /></div><br />Finally, our journey ends on the December 27th. We again made fine memories and anchored our family ties. Morning sight of the drive to the airport was spectacular. The pastures and landscape reminded me of the driving along the roads of American northwest – I understand why many Norwegians choose to live there; Norwegians love their nature. This ride concluded our trip to Norway. Off back to Gandia, our temporary home for the last 3 months and so far remains to be another while…<br /><br /><br />Things we would like to do in Norway the next time around:<br />1. Visit Allis's Museum<br />2. Visit Vikingskiphuset<br />3. Bergen and Troldhaugen<br />4. Geirangerfjord<br />5. Northern Lights<br />6. North Pole<br />7. <span class="lightNavyblueFont"> Blaafarveværket<br />8. Mt. Cloudberry picking<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Norway/DSCF0720.jpg"><br /></a>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-68147685018071755762007-12-16T13:39:00.001-08:002008-01-15T20:16:55.631-08:00Feliz Navidad y Ano Nuevo!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4124.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4124.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(Placa Crist Rei)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Happy Holidays to all! </span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br />We wish you a very merry Christmas (Bon Nadal) and a happy New Year.<br />May 2008 bring harmony to the world</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"> and all the best to you and your loved ones</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">....<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dilara, Yunus, Ayse and Haluk</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br />Gandia, Spain</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br /></span></span><br /><br />CHRISTMAS (NADAL in Valenciano) IN GANDIA<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4126.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4126.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />All the Christmas songs, which we have loaded from the itunes, are making me nostalgic. For Christmas our family will reunite in Oslo, Norway at our extended family Helleland's - hehehe, you thought we would miss the white Christmas; not until the global warming melts the North Pole!! We will be back here to celebrate New Year's Eve in Spanish style - with cava and grapes.<br /><br />Here we are in Gandia witnessing a holiday season in a very different culture. Surprisingly though, so far other than the sights of some unusual sweets and of course the absence of our friends, I cannot say much is different than back home. The spirit is the same: Joy to the World!<br /><br />Apartments, houses and shops are all decorated with similar Christmas ornaments and lights as we have in US. Thanks to China and other far-east Asian countries, now the world enjoys a global Christmas celebration!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4077.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4077.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(the inflated Santa, in all sizes, climbing the chimney - balconies in Gandia - is the new in thing here this Christmas)<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4087.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4087.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(And of course, the fake poinsettias decorate the store entrances - and note the siesta hour Christmas shopping!!!)<br /></div><br />Buying frenzy is at its height; almost at a revolting degree - no escape from consumerism... Hardly anyone seems to know what Christmas really is; if the name were to be changed to something else, people would continue with the same business so why wait for this particular day? - maybe for the spirit of giving!<br /><br />As soon as October ended, the Christmas activities slowly began to build up. Around the Thanksgiving time, some of the stores were being decorated for Christmas and advertising the Christmas sales. While I was shopping for my Thanksgiving dinner ingredients, Carrefour was already playing the Christmas songs - en Ingles.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4107.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4107.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Carrefour<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4117.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4117.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>La Vital, our Shopping Mall and grand sponsor of our swim team<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">Within the last couple of weeks, the preparations have reached their climax: almost all the stores are decorated,<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4114.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4114.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Christmas tree in the La Vital<br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4084.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4084.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/window.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/window.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div></div><br />homes display Christmas lights, trees and inflated Santa figures,<br /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4118.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4118.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(Modest Christmas decorations at our apartment) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4119.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div>the main streets are decorated with fancy lights and the major plazas have Christmas lights and plants. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4037.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4040.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Carrer Major<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4035.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Placa Escola Ria<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4038.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also noticed occasional scenes of nativity in some restaurants and stores – obviously no one takes any offense, yet! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4082.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4082.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Interestingly, the Poinsettias are planted in the public flowerbeds; our turnabout has a display of them and looks beautiful. The climate must be just right for them to stay vibrantly red throughout.<br /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4088.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(Flowerbed in Plaza de Ayuntamiento)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4078.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4078.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(Flowerbed at the Plaza Escala Ria - poinsettias in harmony with palm trees!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4089.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4089.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Ayuntamiento)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4091.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4091.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Fountain at the Passeig de les Germanies)<br /><br /></div>Additionally, I am told that if we are lucky, we may observe a disappearing tradition “aguinaldo,” when the kids sing Christmas carols in the neighborhoods. I hope the kids in our apartment complex will do it...<br /><br />Here is the Spanish traditional sequence of events around the Christmas and New Year’s Day Holidays:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December 8th – Immaculada (Feast of the Immaculate Conception).</span> This is a public holiday that marks the commencement of the religious Christmas celebrations. All we noticed here was another day off from school and stores were closed. I heard that cities like Seville have a richer tradition around this day than other places.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December 21st - The celebration of Hogueras (bonfires).</span> This is the winter solstice (shortest day). Apparently, celebrations involve people jumping through fires to protect themselves against illness and only few cities (including Granada) celebrate this holiday with fire jumping.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December 22nd –</span> On this day, two important things happen: students begin their winter vacation and the winning numbers of the famous Spanish Christmas Lottery is announced.<br /><br />This last one must be the biggest event of the season for every day in the news, TV explains or announces something related to it. The people form lines at the front of ONCE kiosks (lottery stands) on the streets. Here is an excerpt from http://www.escuelai.com/spanish_magazine/christmas_spain.html explaining the history and importance of this lottery:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“This lottery, by far the biggest in Spain, is a tradition practiced by many people who long to win the grand prize, which would make them instantly rich. This tradition is deeply embedded in these holidays, dating back to 1763, when Carlos III initiated it. Since then, not one year has passed without it, and it now is the symbolic moment in which Spaniards begin to celebrate the Christmas holidays.”</span><br /><br />On the December 22nd, apparently everywhere in Spain people get glued on their TV screens or radios (maybe even on the internet nowadays) for several hours as the Christmas lottery numbers are announced. I remember a similar tradition in Turkey for the New Year’s Eve lottery, when we would stay up till midnight to check the numbers. However, the main reason to wait up was not the excitement of lottery tickets but the entertainment that was built around it. Everyone I know here buys these lottery tickets in the hope of winning El Gordo (the fat one); even the swim team has a person in charge of collecting the money and getting the tickets – I think this has something to do with buying large sums.<br /><br />This one is said to be the biggest and riches lottery in the world with a draw of 3 billion euros. This year’s el Gordo cash payout supposed to be 2.20 billion euros with 555 million for the first prize. Apparently, in addition to the three big prizes, there are thousands of smaller prizes. The total number of winning tickets is 13,334 and the odds of winning is 1 in 6 – so lots of people will win something.<br /><br />I recently received an e-mail informing me that I won the lottery! Without paying further attention to the content, I deleted the mail. When I was searching some info about this lottery, I came across warnings from Spanish and US governments about the scam built around Spanish lottery. Apparently, some con-artists were targeting unsuspecting victims around the world especially in countries on the American continent and in the south-west of Asia and the Pacific. The scam is as usual asking advance-fee to clear taxes and fees to allow you claim your prize - voila! easy come, easy go, ey?.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December 24th - Nochebuena (Goodnight in Spanish). </span>Apparently, two things traditionally happen on this evening: eating a huge meal and going to the Christmas mass. Although the latter one is in the midst of disappearing, the former continues to be followed feverishly. This is the most important family gathering of the year – like the Thanksgiving in USA. Earlier in the evening, people often meet with their friends (may mean around 8 and 9 pm!) for a few drinks then go back home for dinner with the family. Most bars and restaurants close in the evening.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The traditional Christmas dinner may start with prawn followed by roast lamb and closed off with a typically Christmas sweet called turrón,<br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4109.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(turron boxes at Carrefour)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">which is a nougat made of toasted almonds (TJ Maxx sells them, too) – my friend Susan collected a good number of packages of these when we were shopping at the Carrefour.<br /><br />The menu apparently varies according to the regions in Spain.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4097.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4097.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(My favorite deli store: Salazones San Nicolas, and very nice people; note the jamon Iberico hanging in the back)<br /><br /></div></div></div>The most common main courses in this region are fish, duck or turkey, but I also saw the displays of some suckling pigs at the Carrefour and I was completely sickened – they were totally intact! (good thing Dilara was not there). In addition to plentiful of Spanish wine consumption, Cava, the Catalan champagne, is supposedly the chosen drink for the Christmas toast. I have purchased one bottle to take to Norway for a Spanish tradition during our Christmas gathering.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Because the deserts are my favorite parts of holidays, I pay close attention to what the pastry shops offer. They have many variety of sweets appeared since the beginning of the celebrations but most of them are creamy or moussey, which is not appealing to my palate. One kind that I like is made from almonds, flour and sugar - well, maybe lard, too. It maybe called Polvorones (short bread) or Mantecados (crumble cakes). They come in many different favors in addition to traditional almond and anise. I only tried one and I am not sure which of these two it was. From the descriptions, I really can't tell the difference and if anyone knows, please feel free to comment and enlighten me.<br /><br />The most curious is the marzipans; they have every imaginable variety including some fruit flavored jelly filled ones that I had never seen before. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4111.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4110.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4110.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div>I am not sure if this sweet has always been a tradition here or it arrived with the Germans.<br /><br />Of course, the usual sight of panetoni boxes also appear on the shelves of the stores like Carrefour and deli shops (as in TJ Maxx's), but not as much of patisseries.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4099.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4099.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Tano, one of my favorite pastry shops, Window decorations above and sweets below<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4101.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4101.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4100.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div>After the meal, some people go to the midnight mass called “La Misa de Gallo” (Rooster Mass) for the rooster is said to be the first to announce the birth of Christ.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December 25th – Christmas Day.</span> Obviously opening presents on the Christmas Day is not customary here – although this may be changing as well. Children may get a small gift on Nochebuena or this morning, but the day for presents is the January 6th, Epiphany. This is why gift selling continues passed Christmas. Christmas Day is a national holiday; hence, the shops are closed. On the Christmas Day, the families commonly gather for a large meal at lunchtime.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">28th December - The day of Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocents).</span> Apparently an exclusively Spanish holiday, it is the equivalent of April Fools' Day, not in terms of context but in the sense how it is celebrated.<br /><br />This day commemorates the murder of children in Bethlehem and its vicinity by Herod in Judea in quest of eliminating Jesus. Herod was the king of Judea from 37 B.C until 4 A.D. According to the New Testament (Matthew Ch2. Massacre of the Innocents), upon hearing the birth of the new king of the Jews, Herod asks Magi, from the east, to find Jesus so he could worship him. After finding Jesus, Magi receives a warning from God in a dream about the Herod's intentions and he leaves his country without telling Herod about Jesus' whereabouts. At the same time, Joseph, in his dream, also receives a message from God to flee to Egypt. When Herod learns Magi's betrayal, he orders for all the male children age of two and below to be massacred. Jesus escapes the doom because Joseph keeps his family in Egypt until Herod's death.<br /><br />Despite this horrific background, the customs practiced on this day are very cheerful and fun. Apparently on this day, not only friends and acquaintances play pranks on each other, but even the national media and municipal governments' get involved! The media often includes an absurd story in their broadcasts and local governments stage deceitful practical jokes on their citizens. I believe we will be playing the gullibles since we won’t have a good command of Spanish to understand the Spanish jokes!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">December 31st – NocheVieja (New Year's Eve).</span> For the fun-loving Spaniards, this is a big party night as you can imagine. By midnight, people apparently fill the plazas around the town and on the stroke of midnight by the church bells, they eat 12 grapes (maybe along with consuming lots of cava), one on each stroke of the clock to bring good luck in the New Year – in Turkey we change into a brand new red underwear (don’t ask me why; at least eating grapes makes sense for they are healthy and connoted with wine, which makes you jolly and healthy!).<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4036.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4036.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>(Now I know the meaning of the grape themed street lights; note the number of grapes on the stalk!)<br /><br /></div>Apparently, friends and families stay together and celebrate until after sunrise.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4083.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4083.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And for that you need to dress up, vale! Display of fine party clothing at Mango above and Zara below.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4115.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4115.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">January 6th - Three King's Day. </span>The best-loved tradition among kids during Spanish Christmas is the Three Kings, the Spanish equivalent of Santa Claus. These Three Kings are obviously the ones who followed a star to meet the new King of Kings and offered him three presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newborn child in Belén (Bethelem).<br /><br />Instead of Santa, the boys and girls in Spain write their letters to the Three Kings or to their favorite King: Melchor, Gaspar or Baltasar telling how they had behaved during the year and asking for what they want.<br /><br />Because the Kings travel from the East by camel, it takes a long time to get to Spain; hence, they arrive later than Christmas Day! This may be designed to be more realistic or an excuse to continue the celebrations as long as they can... I think the second one is more plausible! On the January 5th, the Kings visit all the cities and villages where a parade is held, and they hear the kids' requests. Our swim team will go as a group again as they did for the October Fiesta. (I love these team building efforts; they go to the movies, excursions, hikes and other fun activities all together.)<br /><br />At night before going to bed, the kids put their shoes (as we hang stockings) in front of the door so that the Kings will know how many children live there. Just like we leave milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeers, the kids here put out something to eat and drink for the Kings, and water and grass for their camels.<br /><br />On the morning of the 6th, the kids find their presents inside and outside the shoes instead of under the Christmas tree. Just like back home, hardly any kid here gets coal although you can purchase big chunks at the candy stores! Of course, the Spanish parents are also less hungry and thirsty the next day of the Kings' arrival - I think we are getting the gist of this!!!<br /><br />For breakfast or lunch on the January 6th, the families traditionally have the desert Rosca de los Reyes, a large ring shaped cake (supposedly tastes similar to hot cross buns) and decorated with candied fruits with a surprise hidden inside. The person who finds the surprise is crowned as the king or queen of the house for the remainder of the day.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.idealspain.com/photographs/Culture/cake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.idealspain.com/photographs/Culture/cake.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I borrowed this picture from idealspain.com because these breads are not sold in the stores, yet.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">CHRISTMAS - IN VALENCIA<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4072.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Avenue Marques de Sotelo View from the Train Station<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4042.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Santa Corner at the Estacion del Norte<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4054.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4054.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>L'Hemisferic (Science Museum)<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4055.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4055.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Commercial Center<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4067.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4067.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A Christmas without Starbucks!!!! not if we can't help it...<br />Yes, finally we found it and loving it.... anything American will do!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4070.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4069.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Cafe de Navidad; Vale!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4068.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4068.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Who are those two American geeks?<br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4066.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4066.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4062.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4062.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Flowers at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4059.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/xmas/IMG_4059.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Christmas tree at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento<br />Notice the Palm trees in the back!<br /></div><br /><br />Well, we miss home and our friends, but we are also building great new memories so in the end it is all worth it. Filled with the joyous spirit of the season, we are ending 2007 happy, healthy and a bit more enlightened. I personally feel blessed for continuing to have marvelous fortunes such as great kids, wonderful husband, good health and all these incredible opportunities. Content with all I have, what more is there to ask for!<br /><br />Muchos de amor a todos!<br /><br />Ayse<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5724933810687179675.post-2989175019800713262007-12-03T05:06:00.001-08:002008-01-15T20:15:43.618-08:00Expedition through Spain - the Alhambra<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mix the glasses, fill them and let us have another drink. What has this place been created for if not to enjoy?</span><br />Ibn al-Katib, Nasrid poet and vizier<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3700.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3700.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />THE ALHAMBRA AND GENERALIFE</span><br /></div><br />The Alhambra (Calat-Al-Hama "The Red Castle" in Arabic for its reddish stone), a Moorish citadel and collection of palaces, is one of the most famous articles of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian historical legacy that makes Granada Spain’s one of the major cultural and tourist destinations - the book "1000 Places to See Before You Die" might have also contributed to this influx!. The 14th century palace of the Alhambra was home to the last Moorish rulers of Spain, who were finally driven from Spain by the 'Catholic Kings' Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492.<br /><br />After the fall of Cordoba in 1236, the center of Moorish power was transferred to Granada - bringing a massive influx of nobles, architects and money – and the burden of defeat! This influx of wealth and intellect led to the construction of an extraordinary new castle, the Alhambra, on the hill across the river valley.<br /><br />The continuing archeological studies indicate that the history of this hill as a settlement dates back to the 9th century Romans. During the Zirid dynasty in the early 11th century, the sultan’s Jewish prime minister, Samuel Nagrella built his palace and the Alcazaba fortress on the Sabika hill. Almoravids and Almohads, in 12th century, made some additions and adaptations to the Alcazaba. When the founder of Nasrid dynasty, Muhammed I Ibn Nasr (Al-Ahmar), decided to settle his reign on the Sabika hill, the Alhambra began its metamorphosis into as we know it today.<br /><br />Two main palaces that stand intact today for our delight were built by Yusuf I, who started the Comares Palace but could not see it finished and his son Muhammed V, who continued the work and also built the Lions Palace within the Alhambra.<br /><br />At the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleon’s troops invaded Granada, and when they were driven out by Spaniards, they destroyed some of Granada’s treasures and attempted to blow up the Alhambra – ironically influenced by the French anti-clerical ideals few decades later, Spanish government itself did the damage to the religious institutions.<br /><br />Evidently, the American writer Washington Irving’s 1832 novel “Tales of the Alhambra” revived the interest in this place. Traveling as a diplomat associated with the American embassy in Spain, Irving apparently stayed at the Nasrid Palace in 1829 during his expedition through Andalusia in search of material for his new book. Accompanied by the drips and splashes of the fountains and a mystical Arabic music in the background, a voice on our audio guide (pretending to be Irving's, which was very hard to follow) told us the mystical story of the Alhambra – mingling with gypsies in such palace for about 3 months would give one the magical perspective I presume.<br /><br />I later found out that Robert Irwin’s book “The Alhambra” by Harvard University Press (2005) was highly recommended for accurate (or less romanticized) account of the Alhambra’s history - I wish had read it prior to my visit. Irwin points out that almost nothing said about the Alhambra is based on fact and everyone who visits Granada projects their own vision of Andalusia onto it. I don't think this phenomenon is unique to the fantasies about this place – as I am reading it, Borja family of Gandia seems to fit into this mystic building by the bystander’s version.<br /><br />According to Irwin, Muhammad's chief Minister the vizier Ibn al-Katib was a key figure in the Alhambra’s evolution. Al-Katib also wrote political and philosophical treatises and many of the epic poems that adorn the Alhambra. Likening it to a text-laden building (in a sense a book to live in), Irwin asserts that the Alhambra was invented by intellectuals such as Ibn al-Katib as a building to think in - I totally agree with this assertion. Irwin believes the builders of these palaces were inspired by the Brethren of Purity, an intellectual brotherhood based in Basra around the 10th century, who celebrated the purity of certain numbers; four and seven, the perfect numbers, were of particular significance to them. He also adds that the well-noted brilliant proportions of the courtyards of the Alhambra are all based on rectangles generated by irrational numbers such as the square roots of two, three, five and seven (ref. Martin Bright Sunday January 18, 2004 The Observer).<br /><br />Because of this fantasy built around it, it is almost impossible to find consistent information about the Alhambra’s history (even the names of the rooms were confusing), so I used the book “Official Guide: The Alhambra and Generalife" extensively for this entry. I also found the website http://www.vivagranada.com/alhambra/ with great pictures and side stories associated with the Alhambra.<br /><br />Well, now it is my turn pretending to understand the legend of this wonder.<br /><br />As you may expect, there is so much in the Alhambra and every corner of it is amazingly fascinating, especially for someone like me whose never seen a Moorish wonderland before. Synthesizing my observations and readings made this entry extremely long. For those of you who don’t want to read through a lengthy account of my visit, I am writing my general impressions in the following paragraphs before I begin a detailed corner by corner walk - so you may skim through the pictures.<br /><br />Unfortunately, our pictures don't reflect the true beauty of the artwork (the book "All Granada and Alhambra" has really incredibly magnificent photos). Also we don't have pictures of every important section because we took so many pictures of the first couple of areas and then stopped when we realized that there was so much to see and we were already overwhelmed by the repetitive theme of stucco walls, arched porticos, mocarabes and latticed woodwork. Because our intentions were to visit a world wonder "before we died!," we soaked up as much as we could. A proper depiction would have required several times of visit, which we did not have any intentions of doing so - just a flavor of it was grand for me to last lifelong.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Feelings about the Alhambra</span><br /><br />Just like the giant redwoods of the Northern California and Grand Canyon of Arizona, the words are not sufficient to express my impressions of the Alhambra. While redwoods and canyons are the nature's creations, the Alhambra was created by mortal beings, and what inspires an artistic genius to create such beauty is beyond my feeble imagination. Many books and poems are written to explain (or create!) the mystery of this UNESCO World Heritage site; evidently, my vocabulary lacks the wealth to give proper adornment that it deserves.<br /><br />My main take home impressions of the Alhambra were its modesty, profuse harmony with the surrounding nature, symmetry and continuity throughout various times of completions, and artistic and scientific ingenuity.<br /><br />Its humble building materials that survived the insult from passing times and human activities, unpretentious entrances (in comparison to the grandeur ones of western palaces) and minimally noticeable difference between the sultan's quarters and other areas used by commoners gave me the impression of modesty where the beauty was created by artistic work of carpentry, masonry, gardening and literature.<br /><br />As I walked through the entries, rooms, gardens and hallways, I was seized by a pleasant tranquil feeling. The omnipresence of water in every corner made the ambiance serene. The buildings were not overpowering me with their excessive ornamentations, colossal structures and gilded knick-knacks - even though plenty examples of these were present. The harmony was incredibly transcendent. Even though much have been obviously modified from its original form, I could still imagine that the buildings and gardens were designed to blend with the nature. The Christian rulers, who inhabited these palaces, must also have had some respect for the artistic value of these buildings because they obviously left much of the walls intact regardless of their religious content praising Allah.<br /><br />The unity, symmetry and smoothness in design made me think that these palaces were built to relax and enjoy life. I constantly pondered how scientifically advanced they must be to construct these incredible proportions and engineering marvels such as channeling the water weaving in and out of the surface to the top of Sabika Hill and spouting water synchronized with the hours of the day. It is amazing how these elaborate mechanisms were architectured during the times when Europe was still holding medieval prosecutions, and even much before when it was prosecuting its Galileo!<br /><br />Observing its unpretentious beauty, I thought about the circumstances when this place was built: a defeated Arab dynasty contained to a small region trying to maintain its presence in Spain. In addition to its internal turmoils, the allegiance to a Christian king probably did not leave much prospect to flourish. Even though transfer of power from Cordoba brought fresh blood into the city, its wealth was not abundant; the absence of expensive materials in these palaces might be due to this fact. It is also possible that Qur'an teachings of modesty and equity for all human beings might have affected these Muslim traditions. The adorned writings on the walls reminded me of the book of Qur'an - exultation of Allah. Combining the religious and financial limitations and the necessity to express the kingdom’s still existing realm, it must be even more crucial for this collection of palaces to be artistically beautiful. In my opinion, this artistic ingenuity is what makes this place a wonder.<br /><br />I paused for a moment when Dilara asked what I had seen in those old buildings and gardens other than some walls, trees and etc. What did I see? I realized that all my amazement was built upon my experiences and knowledge. All the fairy tales of my arabesque upbringing suddenly came alive. This palace might have been where the Tales of Thousand and One Night had happened! I could not help but ponder about the life of people who walked these paths centuries before me. And of course, there is also the fascination with anything oriental.<br /><br />In his memoirs on the Alhambra (Bibliotheque Dumas L’oeuvre d’Alexandre Dumas en ligne Granada, October 27, 1846. Chapitre XIX Chapter XIX), Alexandre Dumas also makes a reference to “the tales of thousand and one night.” As he was visiting through the palaces of the Alhambra, he says that he had the feeling of a sultan appearing in a dark alley any time like in dreams of Thousand and One Night. He also writes that these petrified memories of a vanished world will be in Spain forever like Pompeii of Herculaneum in Italy. Also noting the destruction had already taken place, he adds that just like their genius creators, these masterpieces were mortal and would join their masters one day, and the time of its turning into dust was near "the miracle of human creation is solidified by the dream of magical wand."<br /><br />Additionally as I get older, I am beginning to connect more spiritually with the wonders of nature and human creation. I realize that I don't have the luxury of time to revisit these places and build vivid memories the next time around, so my perceptions end up being the romanticized version of worldly matters - just as Irwin claims.<br /><br />A verse from Ibn al-Katib carved in a niche in the Hall of the Ambassadors perfectly suits my mood:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">'If someone comes to me with a thirst, my fountain will give him pure, clear sweet water.'</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Journey into the Alhambra Begins…<br /></span><br />We entered the Alhambra through the Entrance Pavilion in the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Plaza de la Alhambra.</span> After presenting my ticket, I expected to enter into a magical world as I had seen in the movies and pictures. Walking several yards from the entrance, all I saw were trees and ruins – however, I must add the walkway paved with polished stones set in a twining design and lined with trimmed cypress hedges was pretty impressive. On the left was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Puerta de los Siete Suelos</span> (the Gate of the Seven Floors).<br /><br />There is also an entrance to the Alhambra from the Plaza Nueva in Albaicin called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Puerta de las Granadas</span> (the Gate of Pomegranates), which was built by the Christians in the 16th century as a shortcut from the city to the Alhambra. We did not walk this path during our visit.<br /><br />We passed the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Medina</span>, the city of the Alhambra, via “<span style="font-weight: bold;">Secano Archeological Walk</span>”, where the shops and common life were located when the place was alive, and awed and wowed at the ruins below the walkway level and watch towers and the ruinous <span style="font-weight: bold;">Palacio de Abencerrajes</span> in a distance.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3647.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3647.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3645.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3645.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One thing you immediately notice at this walkway and its surrounding was the lack of statues, which decorate most of other European palaces. Moors might not have sculpted images of living beings because of the Islamic restraint on producing any inanimate work of life to prevent idolatry.<br /><br />Unsuspecting of the coming, we even adored a small garden that was no better looking than ours back home. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3643.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3643.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3644.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3644.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I had flashbacks of the images that I had seen about the Alhambra, and nothing, so far, came close to my anticipation. We had much better gardens and vegetation in Gandia than this garden of ornamental palm, orange and olive trees and roseless bushes – although strong aroma of acacia and citrus blend was seeping into the air from somewhere in the distance. We began entertaining ourselves with sunbathing kittens that got more attention from the tourists like us than the surrounding ruins.<br /><br />We went through another checkpoint to enter the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Calle Real</span> and to our right was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Parador Nacional de San Francisco,</span> previously the Convent of San Francisco. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3646.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3646.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>During Nasrid rule, this site was a part of one of the palaces. After the take over, Queen Isabella turned it into a church for her favorite St. Francis. Isabella and Ferdinand were buried here until the Royal Chapel in town was completed. The structure standing today was built in the 18th century with leaving the Catholic Monarchs’ Isabel and Ferdinand’s temporary burial site intact in an alcove. In the 19th century, the building was used as a public housing and donkey stable by the anti-clerics until it was saved to become a retirement home for artists. Today, it is a state-run 3-star hotel.<br /><br />Turning left towards the main attractions, we came nose to nose with a building with a sign read “Hotel America!” <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3648.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3648.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Across from the hotel, a number of stores were selling souvenirs. At one of those shops, two men were making marquetry items. This is where we learned that good quality marquetry (taracea in Spanish) product should be made of quality wood pieces, not plastic inlays, which this shop also carried and sold for one-half the price of the better quality ones. By the way, we later realized that it was better to buy these products here than in Granada because these lesser quality items were the same price as the good ones in this shop.<br /><br />Now we started walking on a street with more historical buildings across from these shops. We just passed <span style="font-weight: bold;">Angel Barrios Museum</span> dedicated to this Spanish musician, who lived in the same building and was frequented by his contemporaries like de Falla, Lorca and Sargent. This building was adjacent to the Mosque Bath (del Polinario) and parts of it were destroyed during the French invasion and the civil war.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Continuing along the road, we entered the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra</span> right behind the Charles V Palace. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3650.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3650.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It was built on the site of the Grand Mosque of the Alhambra (another great mosque!) between 1581 and 1618. Although it was not impressive neither in size or content, the statues of saints Ursula and Susana and a crucifixion all by Spanish sculptor Alonso de Mena were quite remarkable. One of the crucifixions was quite interesting for it depicted the nails going through the Christ’s wrists instead of palms, which is how I had seen depicted in most paintings and sculptures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0211.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0211.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0212.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0212.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0209.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0209.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Straight ahead, we saw an impressive building – the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Charles V Palace</span>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3649.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3649.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>An example of Spanish renaissance, this colosseum looking palace was built to symbolize the triumph of Christian kingdom over centuries of Islam rule in Spain. The work for the palace started in 1526 and was still not complete until the Charles V’s death, when his son Louis took over the reign. Because the construction was mostly paid by the taxes collected from Moriscos, their rebellion in 1568 ended the work. At that point, only structural walls, the courtyard, the chapel and the façades (which had some beautiful examples of reliefs). The completion of the palace still continues since Leopoldo Torres Balbas (a Spanish architect and archeologist) took over the project in 1923.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0060.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0061.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Interestingly, Alexander Dumas in his essay wrote <span style="font-style: italic;">“a palace built by Charles V is perhaps an utter abominable blasphemy; he had chosen this site, where Moors had to build their own, and needed to destroy half of the Alhambra, which had brought misery. At least his palace was never completed, thank God! (Dieu merci!) And never will.” </span>Well, maybe not in the sense that Charles V had intended at least…<br /><br />Two main façades were the Emperor’s on the west side (main entrance) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3651.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3651.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>and the Empress’ on the south side. The Emperor’s wall displayed the figures of some military and war scenes in a Dorian style while the Empress’ wall depicted mythological scenes with symbols of fertility in Ionian style.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0178.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0178.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0179.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The palace consisted of a circular courtyard surrounded with a stone vaulted corridor and an octagonal chapel. The gallery around the courtyard contained the Alhambra Museum, Introductory Exhibition and the Provincial Fine Arts Museum. The Chapel housed the exhibition room. These museums contained some artifacts from the Alhambra’s and Granada history.<br /><br />Moving along the Calle Real, we passed <span style="font-weight: bold;">the Justice Gate</span> (the Gate of the Esplanade) on the left across from the southern entrance (Empress’) to the Charles V Palace. This gate was decorated with the Islamic symbols such as 5 fingers for the five fundamental obligations of Islam as well as Christian symbols of Virgin and Child.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0208.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0208.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />When we reached the plaza in front of the Charles V Palace, we took our time to use the bathrooms at the kitty corner from the palace, across from the entrance to the Nasrid Palaces and next to the Alcazaba’s <span style="font-weight: bold;">Puerta del Vino</span> (Wine Gate).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3652.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3652.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0176.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0176.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Alcazaba of today is the oldest of the standing buildings in the Alhambra and was built by Al-Ahmar in the 13th century. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0177.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0177.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The largest tower of the fortress is called Torre de la Vela for its great bell hanging above – placed by the Catholic monarchs after Granada’s conquest. The Wine Gate was used as the main access to the Medina through the Plaza de los Aljibes. This latticed gateway evidently inspired many French and British impressionist painters. It is suggested that one of these paintings inspired French composer Claude Debussy to write La Puerta del Vino (source: http://www.vivagranada.com/alhambra/gates.htm).<br /><br />Before entering the palace, we stopped to get our audio guides. Noticing the time on our tickets, the attendant lady panicked and ushered us out of the palace and to the right to enter the Nasrid Palaces while we grabbed our guides in the neck of a time.<br /><br />After passing the checkpoint at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Plaza de los Aljibes</span>, we entered the Alcazar Real beginning of a journey into Moorish world.<br /><br />The Nasrid Palaces included the Mexuar, the Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions, the Lindaraja area, El Partal, the Tower Walk.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">El Mexuar</span><br /></div><br />This area was where the council of ministers (Sura) held their meetings and the people waited prior to the sultan’s address. During the construction of the Carlos V Palace, el Mexuar housed many generations of architects. Then in 16th century a baroque chapel was installed and subsequently removed. We could still see the added high altar and religious frescos and tiles on the walls inserted in the middle of Arabic writings - most likely praising Allah. Straight ahead was a section, the Oratory, which was closed to the public. In the audio guide we were told that among all other sections of the palaces, this place was the most altered from its original form. The walls and the columns were latticed with writings and dado, which was made of glazed tiles forming geometric shapes and apparently placed in the 16th century to decorate the chapel. The room had a beautiful view of the Albaicin.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3655.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3655.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3660.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3660.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3658.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3658.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0195.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3656.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3656.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3661.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3661.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3657.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3657.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0196rotated.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0196rotated.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0198.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0198.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Entering El Mexuar immediately made me transform into a magical world. My first impression was how in the world these writings and symbols were made on to these walls and ceilings! Once I passed this bewilderment, I also noticed that none of these materials used were expensive alabasters, gold or jewels as I had seen in many palaces and cathedrals. Making these breathtaking masterpieces from plasters and wood seemed incredibly clever.<br /><br />Leaving the hall, we entered a patio, the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Patio del Cuarto Dorado </span>(Guilded Room), between Mexuar and the Comares Palace. This was the area where the sultan accepted his subjects. With a low fountain in the middle, this patio displayed the impressive stuccos with golden colored walls and latticed wooden ceiling. Across from the Cuarto Dorado was the façade of Comares Palace entrance.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Comares Palace</span><br /></div><br />One of the many circulating definitions of “Comares” is that it is a derivative of Arabic word “al-qamar” (as in Kamer!) which means “moon.” It was called by this name because the Sultans’ astrologists used the tower here to observe the night sky. Leaving the Patio del Cuarto Dorado, we entered into the private lives of the Moorish rulers. The façade again was another magnificent work of art. There were two doors; one on the right was for service and domestic apartments and the left one for the royalty. Interestingly, these two doors looked exactly alike and entered the building on the same level unlike the service entry of most European palaces, which is placed away from the one for dignitaries. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0183.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0183.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3662.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3662.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3688.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3688.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3663.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3663.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0193.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0193.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In between the doors was a poem by Ibn Zamrak, carved on the wall and verses separated by the seashells.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">«I am a crown on the front of my door:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">in me is the West envious of the East. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Al-Gani billah* orders me to quickly </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">give way to the victory, as soon as it calls. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I am always waiting to see the visage</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">of the king, dawn appearing from the horizon. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">¡May God make his works as beautiful </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">as are his mettle and his figure»</span><br /></div><br />(*) Al-Gani billah: The victor by God: Nickname used by Mohamed V after the victory in Algeciras in 1369. (http://www.alhambra.org/eng/index.asp?secc=/alhambra/alhambra_poems)<br /><br />The walls of the Alhambra were full of calligraphic decorations, cursive and kufic (a form of calligraphic Arabic writing) writings with sentences such as "Only God is victor." Most of the poems were composed by three poets, Ibn al-Yayyab, Ibn al-Jatib and Ibn Zamrak, who were secretaries of the royal chancellery and prime ministers. Among them, Ibn Zamrak is considered to be the most brilliant of the poets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0186.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0186.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Court of the Myrtles</span>: It was named after the fragrant myrtle bushes bordering the pool in the middle of the patio. The four sets of living quarters on the longer sites of this court were suggested to be for the sultan’s four legitimate wives as allowed by the Qua’ran. The doors of the housing dwellings opened into this patio. Apparently decorations on the houses reflected the social status of the occupants. The reflection of the surrounding structures on the pool gave the patio a spacious feeling. This was where we see the famously circulating picture of the palace reflection on the pool.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3669.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3669.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3667.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3667.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3674.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3674.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3680.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3680.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0189.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0189.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3671.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3671.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />One feature stroke me the most here was the symmetry. Even though my audio guide mentioned the symmetry as an overpowering feature of Nasrid Palaces, this was the first place I noticed it so evidently. Seven arched porticos with characteristic placement of one higher arched in the center and others symmetrically distributed on the both sides and embellished with typical fret-work plaster paneling (sebka) stood on the both narrower sides of the patio. The entry halls behind these columns had beautifully decorated wooden ceilings. At the both sides of these galleries, slightly raised above ground level, were alcoves called alhamies.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3666.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3666.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A curious container! Like a taca (niches made into the wall, always in twos on both sides of the arches of gates of entrance to the chambers, and used to keep containers with water)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3681.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3681.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div>From the door on the left, we entered the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sala de la Barca</span>, the anteroom to the Comares Hall. In the 16th century, this room was regilded and called “the Golden Room.” In 1890, it was completely destroyed by a fire. What we saw was the recreation of the original based on drawings, photographs and surviving fragments. The wooden vaulted ceiling was decorated with ornamental geometric designs of knots and wheel decorations including stars – similar to the marquetry designs at the shop. The delicate ornamentation on the walls included the verse:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am like the dias of a bride</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">endowed with beauty and perfection look at the jar and you will understand</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">the real truth of my words.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Contemplate my diadem and see how </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">it appears to be a new moon’s crown. But Ben Nasr is the sun in this sky</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">because of his dazzling splendor and beauty. May his status remain pre-eminent, </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">safe and secure at the time of setting sun’; I am the momentary prayer</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">whose qibla is an easily walked path. The jar here you may believe</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">to be a man standing, fulfilling his duty to pray. Notwithstanding, each time he finishes</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">he ought, perforce, to reiterate them. Having regard for my master Ben Nasr,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Allah ennobled his person, as being of the line of the lord of Jazray [the worthy] Sad ben Ubada. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(trans by D. Cabanelas and A Fernandez)</span><br /></div><br />Alongside the Sala de Barca, we passed a bathroom, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Palace Lavatory</span>, with running water and earthy colored tapestry design dado on the walls. From the Sala de Barca a passageway led to two sets of staircases, one to the upper rooms of the Comares Tower and the other to a small <span style="font-weight: bold;">Oratory</span>. Upper rooms, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dependencies</span>, were ordinary looking spaces with not much embellishment. These rooms were said to be winter quarters.<br /><br />After Dependecies, we arrived at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Comares Hall</span>, the biggest room in the Comares Tower. This hall was also called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ambassadors Hall</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Throne Room</span>, where the sultan accepted official people. There were 9 alcoves on the wall. Eight of these alhamies were decorated equally in pairs. The middle one, reserved for the sultan, right across from the entrance was decorated more richly than others - here again the legendary symmetry.<br /><br />The walls of this hall were decorated with epigraphic poems and writings. Not knowing Arabic, we could not tell what these inscriptions said. According to my official guide, they depicted these three themes: Eternity is an attribute of Allah; delight in good, for surely it is Allah who assists; and to Allah alone belongs grandeur, glory, eternity and power.<br /><br />The wooden ceiling was a magnificent example of taracea. Made up of different sized boards and nailed together and to the vault, it formed into a pyramidal stepping series apparently signifying the seven heavens of the cosmos through which, according to Islam, the soul traveled until reaching at the peak, the eight level (represented by the small cupola of mocarabes (stalactites) here) wherein resided Allah. We were told that the scripture along the four sides of the ceiling starting from the north side was Sura (verse) 67, al-Mulk (Sovereignty) from the Qur’an:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Blessed be He in whose hands is the sovereignty and He has power over everything. He who created death and life so as to test you as to whoever of you is fairer in action. He is the All-Mighty, the All-forgiving. He who has created seven stratified heavens. You do not see any discrepancy in the creation of the Compassionate. So fix your gaze, do you see any flaws? Then, fix your gaze again and again, and your gaze will recoil back to you discomforted and weary. We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We turned them into missiles launched against the devils; and We have prepared for them the punishment of the fire. (trans. by Majid Fakhry)</span><br /></div><br />Walking in a labyrinth pattern, we weaved in and out of clusters of gardens, rooms and staircases. Ornamental wall plasters, tiling and woodwork seemed endless. The water was omnipresent in every corner of the gardens and buildings. Going through similar looking buildings with overpowering Moorish art made me already disoriented. At this point, I could not tell where I was, what palace started what ended. The audio guide was not helping much orienting me for I already phased out of it being bored of listening to the tranquil voice telling me the romantic stories of the rooms. I think they need to revise the guide with more historical perspective than mystical embellishments and definitely more vibrant diction than this one.<br /><br />Initially two separate palaces, The Comares Palace (built by Yusuf I) and the Palace of the Lions (built by Yusuf I’s son Mohammed V) were connected through a room in the Court of the Myrtles and Sala de los Mocarabes into the Court of the Lions - people lived in these two separate palaces probably used the front entrances as a normal neighbor would. Originally non-existing, this link was installed after the Christian conquest.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Palace of the Lions</span><br /></div><br />The original name ‘the Palace of Muhammed V” apparently was changed to “the Palace of the Lions” by the Christians for its fountain with lion sculptures in the patio.<br /><br />Through a passage in the Sala de los Mocarabes, we moved to the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Courtyard of the Lions</span>, which included the famous Lion Fountain and the pavilions around it. The patio was designed in a cruciform of 4 equal parts separated by water channels with fountain in the middle. According to Christian and Islamic beliefs, this cruciform evidently symbolizes Paradise.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3686-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3686-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3684.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3684.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3685.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3685.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />We could not approach the fountain for it was being restored at the present; however, we were able to view one of the restored lions at the Charles V Museum. It is thought that this fountain might have been inspired by the fountain called "the Sea of Bronze,” described in the Bible being at the Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. Instead of lions, Solomon’s fountain was supported by 12 bulls representing 12 tribes of Israel. Demonstrating an engineering ingenuity, this marble fountain evidently included a hydraulic system that filled and emptied synchronized with 12 hours of the day. Lacking the knowledge to understand it, the mechanism was also destroyed after the conquest. Around the rim of the fountain, apparently there was another poem by Ibn Zamrak:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">«May The One who granted the imam Mohammed<br />with the beautiful ideas to decorate his mansions be blessed.<br />For, ¿are there not in this garden wonders<br />that God has made incomparable in their beauty,<br />and a sculpture of pearls with a transparently light,<br />the borders of which are trimmed with seed pearl?<br />Melted silver flows through the pearls,<br />to which it resembles in its pure dawn beauty.<br />Apparently, water and marble seem to be one,<br />without letting us know which of them is flowing.<br />¿Don't you see how the water spills on the basin,<br />but its spouts hide it immediately?<br />It is a lover whose eyelids are brimming over with tears,<br />tears that it hides from fear of a betrayer.<br />¿Isn't it, in fact, like a white cloud<br />that pours its water channels on the lions<br />and seems the hand of the caliph, who, in the morning,<br />grants the war lions with his favours?<br />Those who gaze at the lions in a threatening attitude,<br />(knows that) only respect (to the Emir) holds his anger.<br />¡Oh descendant of the Ansares, and not through an indirect line,<br />heritage of nobility, who despises the fatuous:<br />May the peace of God be with you and may your life be long and unscathed<br />multiplying your feasts and tormenting your enemies!»<br /></div><br />Four separate halls opened to this courtyard: the Sala de Mocarabes, the Sala de Reyes, Sala de los Abecerrajes and the Hall of the Two Sisters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Sala de Mocarabes</span> was next to the main entrance of the palace and thought to be used as a reception room. Its name was derived from the mocarabes covered its ceiling but were destroyed by the gun powder explosion in 1590. Mocarabes are the encrustations with which the Moors coated archways and ceilings. The process of making these was explained as pre-moulding copolas in plaster and fitting together to create the effect of stalactites in an alcove.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sala de los Abencerrajes:</span> The name was given to this room by the Christians of the 16th century. According to the legend, this was the site of a bloody confrontation between court fractions, which led to the death of leading members of the Abencerrajes – a North African tribe. The room had a fountain in the center and alcoves on both sides. Two passageways behind the door led to the Patio del Harem. The most striking element of <span>Sala de los Abencerrajes</span> was the ceiling. The copolas of mocarabes formed an eight-pointed star, which was stunningly beautiful.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3683.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3683.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3690.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3690.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sala de los Reyes: </span>This corridor of open rooms sat across from the Sala de los Mocarabes on the other side of the courtyard. Its suggested function was a place for receptions and relaxing. Five alcoves opened into the hall by arches with mocarabes like a curtain. The Christians called it “the Hall of the Kings” because of the ten people fresco on the vaults of the central alcove of the three (again with a the middle one more distinctive than the other two on the either side of it) depicting Nasrid Sultans’ reign. Because of the Islamic restrictions on making pictures of live-beings, the artists of these paintings were thought to be Avignon or Northern Italian origin. These wooden ceilings in the central three alcoves looked like upturned boats.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sala de dos Hermanas:</span> Across from the Sala de Abencerrajes, this was the largest of the halls in the court of the lions. The room was possibly used as the reception room for the throne room, which was in an alcove beyond this room. The cupola mocarabes are considered being the most stunning of its kind in this place. Starting from the center star total number of stalactites adds up to 5,000! Only for this room… the artisans of these wonders must have had their jobs secured for a lifetime.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3687.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3687.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />On both side of the room again situated alcoves with a space for tarima (bed) and wooden ceilings. Previously, it was thought that the name referred to the large twin slabs of marbles on either side of the small fountain in the middle with water running from the fountain and dividing the room in half. However, a recent interpretation of the poem found on the wall of this room suggested that this duality referred to a line from the Qua’ran:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">«I am a garden adorned by beauty:<br />my being will know whether you look at my beauty.<br />Oh, Mohammed, my king, I try to equal<br />the noblest thing that has ever existed or will ever exist.<br />Sublime work of art, fate wants me to outshine every other moment in history.<br />How much delight for the eyes!<br />The noble one renews his desires here.<br />The Pleiads serve as his amulet;<br />the breeze defends it with its magic.<br />A gleaming vault shines in a unique way,<br />with apparent and hidden beauties.<br />The hand of a devoted to Gemini;<br />and the Moon comes to converse with her.<br />The stars wish to rest there,<br />and not turn around the celestial wheel,<br />and they wish to await submissively in both courtyards,<br />and serve tenaciously like slaves:<br />Isn't it marvellous that the stars miss it<br />and go beyond the marked limit,<br />in order to readily serve my master,<br />for those who serve the Glorious one reach the glory.<br />The portico is so beautiful that the palace<br />competes in beauty with the sky.<br />You dressed it with such an exquisite lamé,<br />that the loom of the Yemen is forgotten.<br />¡How many arches are high on its summit,<br />on the columns that are adorned by the light,<br />like spheres that turn<br />above the glowing pillar of the dawn!<br />The columns are so beautiful in every way,<br />that their success flies from mouth to ear:<br />the marble throws its clear light, which invades<br />the black corner that blackens the shadow;<br />its highlights iridesce, and one would say that<br />they are, in spite of their size, pearls.<br />We have never seen such a blooming garden,<br />with a sweeter harvest and more scent.<br />With permission from the judge of beauty<br />it pays double the tax in the most exquisite palace,<br />with brighter and wide areas.<br />Never two coins,<br />because if, at dawn, on the hands are left<br />drachmas of light from the zephyr, which would suffice,<br />gold doubles of sun, which embellish it,<br />are later thrown in the bushes, among the trunks.<br />(The kinship links him to victory:<br />Only the King cedes this lineage.)<br /></div><br />Can you imagine being isolated from the worries of mundane daily life, sitting in these rooms, intoxicated by strong aroma of the gardens and lullaby of the fountains, gazing at the sun and moon playing light tricks created by these mocarabes? Who wouldn’t become a poet?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sala de los Ajimeces: </span>Through the door across from the Court of the Lions entry to the Sala de Dos Hermanas, we entered into this room leading to the Mirrador de Lindaraja with the view of the garden below. The room was given the name Ajimeces for overhanging wooden balconies that closed off the twin window on wall.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mirrador de Lindaraja:</span> This small square space, which completed the middle axis of the Sala de Dos Hermanas, was a lookout, which had a view of Albaicin and the countryside until the rooms around were added to accommodate Charles V. This was the area apparently where Charles V liked to eat his supper. The name derives from “Eyes of Aixa’s House (ayn dar Aisa, from where my name Ayse, comes in Arabic).” Aixa apparently became associated with Queen of Grenada in Spanish tradition from Aisha of Muhammed Ibn al-Ahmar called Aisha al-Hurra (honest) also the name of Boabdil, the last Sultan of Nasrid lived here. At the arch of the entry to this room was a poem apparently read:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Each art has enriched me with its special beauty and has endowed me with its magnificence and perfections.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The one who sees me may judge according to my beauty of the wife that walks to this glass and seeks for his favours.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">When the one who looks at me carefully observes my beauty, the look of his eyes is deceived by an appearance.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">For when he looks at my marvellous background, he believes that the full moon has established her residence</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">here and has therefore abandoned her own mansions to find mine.I am not alone, for from here I contemplate an astonishing garden.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">No eyes have ever seen anything similar to him.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">This is the glass palace;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">nevertheless, some have judged it as a tempestuous and shaken ocean, when they have seen it.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">This was all built by the Imam Ibn Nasr*;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">may God be the guardian of the other kings of his nobility.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">His ascendants in the antiquity reached a greater nobility</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">for they gave shelter to the Prophet and his family.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">*Note: the Imam Ibn Nasr is Mohammed the V.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3691.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3691.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3694.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3694.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3692.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3692.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The walls were again covered with lattice of plaster artwork and arch of mocarabes framed surrounding area like beautiful pictures. The false wooden ceiling with stained glass pieces covered the upper part giving it a romantic atmosphere.<br /><br />Evidently, much of this wonderland was demolished by deliberately or passing of time. At this point, it is hard to tell how much of we awe was restored to its original or how much of it we were living the fantacies’ of some restoration artists. Either way, what I had so far seen was magical and thoroughly enjoyable.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">The Lindaraja Area<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Emperor’s Chambers: </span>This part of the palaces was arranged to host Carlos during his visit to oversee the progress of building of his palace; however, he never really came to stay here. The rooms in this area looked pretty banal unfitting to the rest of the palace. Plainly built wooden ceilings and a fireplace were the only notable articles in this section.<br /><br />In the antechamber to the royal bedrooms, a sign signifying the Washington Irving’s stay in 1829 was hanging above the door to these bedrooms, which were open to the public access by only special arrangements; hence, we did not visit.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0035.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Gallery, Patio de la Reja and Peinador de la Reina:</span> From the antechamber of the Emperor’s Chambers, we walked through an open corridor with the views of Albaicin and the Sacromonte. This walkway led to the Peinador de la Reina (Queen’s Dressing Room). The walls of this room, designed in Italian style, had murals painted representing Charles V’s Tunis expedition and mythological motifs as on the Empress façade. This addition of the Christian period seemed to be the most blending with the Nasrid Palaces.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0039.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0039.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Albaicin and Sacromonte on the hill<br /><br /></div>We walked down the stairs to enter the Patio de la Reja between the Emperor’s Chambers and the Comares Tower. Meaning wrought iron in Spanish, the walkway was named Reja for the iron rail runs along the balcony.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bano de Comares:</span> Through a path between the Patio de la Reja and the Patio de Lindaraja, we entered the lower part of the Banos that we saw by the Court of the Myrtles. This bath looked very similar to the ones that I used to go with my grandmother in Turkey. The star shaped openings on the ceiling let the warm air in as well as the light making pleasant designs on the ground.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Patio de Lindaraja:</span> From the Patio de la Reja, we moved into this baroque garden, which was also altered from its original form into this more Western look. This was the serene garden that the Mirrador de Lindaraja enjoyed watching below. In the middle of the garden was a two-layered fountain, which had a poem written for it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">«I am a water orb that appears before the creatures limpid and transparent</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">a great Ocean, the shores of which are select pieces of work made of special marble</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">and the waters of which, shaped like pearls, flow on an enormous sheet of ice that has been delicately carved.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">In occasions I am overflowed with water, but I, from time to time,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">part with the transparent veil that covers me.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Then I and that part of the water that comes from the borders of the fountain,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">appear like a piece of ice, part of which melts and the rest does not.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">But, when rivers flow, we are only comparable to star-studded sky.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">I am also a mother-of-pearl and the pearls are the drops,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">similar to the jewellery of the right hand that an artisan placed</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">on Ibn Nasr's crown, who, for me, was generous with the treasures of his fortune.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">May he live with double happiness, he, who up to the date has been the thoughtful man of the lineage of Galib,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">of the children of prosperity, of the fortunate ones,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">stars shining goodness, delicate noble mansion.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Of the children of the tribe of the Jazray, of those who proclaimed the truth and protected the Prophet.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">He has been the new Sa'd who, with his banns, has dispelled all the darkness and turned it into light</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">and he has given prosperity to his vassals by creating a stable peace in the surrounding areas.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">He placed the throne as a guarantee of security for the religion and the believers.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">And he has granted me the highest degree of beauty, so that my shape causes the admiration of the sages.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">For never have any eyes seen a greater thing than myself, neither in the East nor in the West</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">and in no time has any king, neither abroad nor in Arabia,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">achieved anything similar to me.»</span> </div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0040.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">El Partal</span><br /></div><br />Meaning porch in Arabic, Al-Partal, sitting above the banks of Darro River, was suggested to be the original layout for the Nasrid Palaces. Much of the buildings, which were once Sultan Yusuf III’s residence, were in ruins. I actually enjoyed this area because it was not mingled as much as the previous two that we just visited. Already overwhelmed by the repetitive examples of Moorish art in great details, open air and plain view felt refreshing.<br /><br />The palace here, El Palacio del Portico, had a similar layout to the Comares Palace and dated back to Yusuf I. The few remaining parts of the palace were the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre de Damas</span> (tower of the ladies), a portico, a small oratory and several houses. The portico with ornate arches followed the previous examples of symmetrical pattern. In front of this portico was simple ground level pond with hedges around it. A poem on the wall apparently read:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This piece of art has come to decorate the Alhambra;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">which is the home of the peaceful and of the warriors;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Calahorra that contains a palace.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">¡Say that it is at the same time a fortress and a mansion for joy!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">It is a palace in which magnificence is shared</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">among its ceiling, its floor and its four walls;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">on the stuccowork and on the glazed tiles there are wonders,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">but the carved wooden ceilings are even more extraordinary;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">these were all united and their union gave birth to the most perfect</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">construction in the place where the highest mansion already stood;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">they seem poetic images, paronomasias and transpositions,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">the decorative branches and inlays.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Yusuf's visage appears before us as a sign</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">that is where all the perfections have met.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">It is from the glorious tribe of Jazray, whose works in favour of the religion</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">are like dawn, when its light appears in the horizon.»<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3695.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3695.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0204.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0204.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0203.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0203.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0041.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The tower had usual dado of colored tiling and wide panels of stucco. The richly colored dome of the ceiling is apparently displayed in the Museum for Islamic Art in Berlin. Interestingly up until 1891, these rooms in the museum were the private property of a German, Arthur Gwinner, a German banker. (He owned Riess & Itzinger Bank which involved in financing the Baghdad Railway, AEG and Siemens; later, he became the managing director of Deutche Bank and influenced the German foreign policy in the late 1890s and early 1900s. He might have acquired the articles during his work for Mitteldeutche Creditbank in Spain in 1880s.)<br /><br />A small oratory stood nearby the pond and alongside the portico. This tiny rectangular building would barely fit four persons to pray when they kneeled on the floor. Across from the portico, the ruins of a row of small morisco houses and gardens lined along the walk towards the Towers Walk. The higher part of the garden from the pond was the palace cemetery called Rauda. It was surrounded by the garden, exterior walls of the Palace of the Lions and the Church of Santa Maria. A square tower with horseshoe openings on its three-sides served as the communicating door to the interior of the Palace of the Lions.<br /><br />The gardens of El Palacio del Portico continued passing an ivy pergola and famous irrigation lines weaving in and out of the surface. Walking through these gardens, we arrived at the Patio del los Nenufares (water lilies) with a pond in the middle. This was the area where we could continue to the Generalife along the Towers Walk or go back to Calle Real into the area between the Charles V Palace and the Church of Santa Maria.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />The Towers Walk</span><br /></div><br />This walk was named for the four towers lined alongside of it. We could not visit any of these towers because they also required special arrangement. Entering from <span style="font-weight: bold;">El Palacio del Portico</span> gardens, the first tower we passed was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre de los Picos</span> (spikes), was named after the projecting corbels. The next tower was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre del Cadi</span> (judge).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Torre de Cautiva</span> (Tower of the Captive) was the third tower along the walk. The interior of this tower apparently is one of the most remarkable places in the Alhambra.<br />The Torro de la Captiva was connected to the Medina crossing over a trench called Foso or <span style="font-weight: bold;">Calle de Ronda </span>(passage of the rounds), a part of palace defense. This trench went through a tunnel under the next tower the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre de las Infantas</span>. Intertwining in and out the various parts of the city for not to disturb daily life, the length of this Foso is said to extend 1.2 km. (1258 yards) around palaces.<br /><br />The last of the tower on this walk was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torro de la Infantas</span> (princesses), which sat behind Parador de San Francisco. Similar in decoration to the Torre de Captiva, this tower apparently dated back to reign of Muhammed VII while the tower of the captive belonged to the times of Yusuf I. Evidently, this tower was the scene of a famous legend (which Washington Irving retold in his book “the Tales of the Alhambra”) of the three princesses Zaida, Zorayda and Zorahaida.<br /><br />The Tower Walk ended with a tower called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre del Cabo de la Carrera</span>, built by Catholic Monarchs, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre del Agua</span>, both partly blown up by the French. From here we could continue to the Generalife or go back to the ruins of the Medina on the right.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Generalife</span><br /></div><br />This group of several large gardens and living quarters overlooking the palaces and villages below was suggested as being the summer palaces of the Sultans. Why they would need a summer palace right up the hill, not that far from their regular residents is a bit curious – maybe it was safer to stay within the walls of the palaces, and because of it, they did not know what was happening in the lives people they reigned! This reminded me of the Buddha’s story: as being sheltered from the realities of the common life, he did not know about suffering.<br /><br />The Generalife included a royal farm, Palacio del Generalife (a hunting lodge and country retreat), the amphitheatre, several gardens including the new ones added by Christians and a water channel.<br /><br />The most commonly accepted meaning of Generalife is Jardines del Alarife (garden of the architect). The use of the estate also has an interesting history. After the conquest, its use was granted to a military governor and passed down to Granada-Venegas family in 1631 and after a series of court battles, finally came to the hands of the state in 1921.<br /><br />On his aforementioned memoir, this is what Dumas says about the Generalife “These gardens, arranged in terraces, are real greenhouses where flowers grow tropical most demanding. I could not resist, I picked one, I wrapped in a paper, and this paper, I put in the address of someone you know, I have written in pencil, as if it were the flower which speak.”<br /><br />We entered the Generalife through the avenue of cypresses planted to commemorate the visit of Isabel II in 1862. Passing along the water channel and the nursery garden, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0052.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>we reached the new gardens added by the Christians. The style of these gardens varied fundamentally from the Patios enclosed by the Salas of the Nasrid Palaces. These gardens looked more like the European ones with well-groomed cypress hedges in sections and long fountains with waterspouts reaching air before falling into the pond instead of a single fountain with subdued trickling water. Mingled within the new gardens was an amphitheatre built in 1952, especially to accommodate the International Festival of Music and Dance of Granada in the summer every year.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0042.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0228.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0228.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3696.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3696.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0219.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0219.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Regardless of who designed this final form, these gardens were incredibly serene and comforting with open views of the palaces and the city below and harmony of landscape. Again water was omnipresent in every way and direction. The sound of the running water from the channels under the gardens joined the splashes of the fountains above. Irrigation for these gardens was apparently channeled from the Darro River below.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0053.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0053.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />From the new gardens, we reached the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Palacio del Generalife</span>. The first patio here was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Patio del Descabalgamiento</span> (dismounting). This was the area where the Sultans returned from their excursions with their horses. The entrance to the palace was through another patio, which led to the residential quarters through a narrow staircase.<br /><br />The name of the main courtyard here was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Patio de la Acequia</span> (Courtyard of the Water Channel) referring to water being routed via a main artery of hydraulic system through upper Alhambra before supplying the palaces below – another application of clever engineering. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0220.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0220.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The channel looked like a long, rustic, ground-leveled horse stall. Twelve waterspout on each side were apparently added in the 19th century. This patio was originally enclosed with walls, <span style="font-weight: bold;">El Mirador and Sala Regia</span> (Royal Hall) as the patios of the lower palaces. The walls overlooking the orchards were lowered and arched openings were installed by the Christians. The soffits above these arches had symbols of Catholic Monarchs.<br /><br />The room El Mirador had the view of the lower Alhambra and the city. A poem found on the arches to one of the tacas in this area read:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">«Taca on the door of the happiest hall</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">to serve His Highness in the mirador.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">¡My God, how beautiful it is when hold</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">by the right hand of the incomparable king!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">When glasses of water appear on it,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">they are like maidens above.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Rejoice at Ismail, thanks to whom</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">God has honoured you and made you happy.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">¡May the Islam subsist thanks to him</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">so strongly, that it will be the defence of the throne!»</span><br /></div><br />Before entering the Sala Regia, we came across another gallery of arches with alcoves at each end. Center one of five arches was much wider than the other two on both sides. It seemed to be designed to frame the triple arches behind it – again the middle being higher than the other ones on the either side. The interior was similar to the salas we had seen before with an addition of upper floor in the 15th century.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0225.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0225.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3697.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/IMG_3697.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0235.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0235.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />From the Sala Regia, we visited a tower called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Torre de Ismail</span>, which apparently was added to the Regia to commemorate the victory of Nasrids over Castillians in the battle of the Vega. Through one of the alcoves in the Sala Regia, we climbed to the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Patio del Cipres de la Sultana</span> (of the sultana’s cypress). The cypress tree (leaning forward and held from falling by a support) here was supposed to be the site of various love scene; hence, the name. In the center stood a pool with a smaller fountain in the middle, which was added in the 19th century. The garden had a serene and tranquil atmosphere. From here we could go back to the Patio de la Acequia or upper gardens.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0231.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0231.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0230.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0230.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0227.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0227.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0229.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0229.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Through a long staircase called the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Staircase of the Lions</span>, so called for two ceramic lion figures crowning the entry, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0232.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0232.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0233.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0233.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>we headed towards the upper gardens. Passing by the magnolia, acacia, small oak and elm trees, sequoias, ground covering and climbing vegetation including morning glories, ivy and ever-ubiquitous bougainvillea in colors of purple, white and magenta, our olfactory cells were bombarded with sensory overload.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0237.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0237.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0213.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0213.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0216.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0216.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0214.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0214.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0224.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0224.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Through the umbrella of laurel trees, we walked up the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Water Stairway</span>. This was a staircase broken into three landings with round basins in the middle of each one. Pretty rustic looking water ruts ran in the top of the walls on both side of the stairway. These channels apparently carried a continuous flow of water from the Acequia Real at the Patio de la Acequia.<br /><br />This stairway led to the highest part of the Generalife where the one time administrator of estate of Generalife built a small lookout in neo-gothic style. This area contained some sculptures that were more like European, which looked too ordinary and did not fit the ambiance.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0234.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee303/atezcan/Alhambra/Photo-0234.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />We continued to the end of our visit through a very peaceful walkway called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Oleander Walk</span> for the Oleander trees making a bridge over the road. Soaking up the fresh sweet scent of harmonious mixture of flora for the one last time, we concluded our journey of a lifetime – for me anyways….<br /><br />Onward to Cordoba and back to Gandia...Ayse Tezcanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03514291953426076855noreply@blogger.com0