Portrait of a Spanish Artist
Portrait of a Spanish Artist avatar

Posted on 11/29/2011 by Ana_Ruiz

My father, Manuel Ruiz, was born in Madrid in 1920. When he was a young boy of 10 years old, he would often take delight in visiting the Prado Museum not only to admire the works of the greats such as El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo, Goya, and Sorolla, but would later spend hours at home reproducing their works.
His younger sister Maria, who accompanied him, often recounts how crowds would gather at the Prado to watch her brother sketch their works of art. My father often told me, as he fondly remembered, how he rushed home after his museum visits with great anticipation and spent hours mixing the colors and playing with lights until he would produce the exact same shade or hue as his idols.
When he was 12, he displayed his collection of 24 paintings at a public exhibition in Madrid that earned him Honorable Mention. Of that collection, here is the actual reproduction of the painting by Velázquez known as The Surrender of Breda, aka The Lances, that he painted in 1932. This artwork is part of a private collection in Spain.

The Lances

The Lances

As a result of his first public exhibition, he became one of the youngest artists ever to gain a scholarship entrance into the prestigious Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Madrid, (Madrid Academy of Fine Arts) where he was awarded a diploma at the age of 14. A few years later, when he and his family relocated to Seville, he continued his passion and enrolled at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Sevilla.
Manuel was awarded a travelling bursary to study art in Italy for a year during his late teens, however he was called to perform compulsory military duty for the Spanish Civil War. As a result, he lost this precious time and opportunity. During those days in the military, his fellow soldiers nicknamed him ‘pinceles’ (paintbrush) for his artistic talent and for his slimness.

Curiously, my father married the daughter of a muse who frequently posed for Joaquín Sorolla García. García was the son of the famous Valencian painter, Joaquin Sorolla known as the “Master of Light.” Sorolla’s works are displayed at his home in Madrid that has been converted to the Museo Sorolla; the only museum in the city entirely devoted one artist.

Asturias

Asturias

It was in the mid 40′s when my grandmother Isabel Marin Serrano posed for García who inherited his father’s talent. My mother recalls playing for hours as a child at the very house while her mother modeled for the younger Sorolla. In 2009, I visited the museum and the curator was kind enough to show me these sketches of my grandmother that were meticulously stored in vaults of the basement. These artworks are displayed online in the catalog of the Sorolla museum.

Through the decades, Manuel took delight in painting dramatic scenes of Spain; from the hanging houses of Cuenca to the Moorish walls of Avila; from the Alcázar of Jaén to the majestic Alhambra in Granada.

In 1961, Manuel came to Canada with his family and established his home. Here, he shifted from oils to watercolors and from Moorish and Spanish Mediterranean scenes to experimenting with contrasting Canadian autumn and winter scenes.

Toledo

Toledo

Manuel continued to exhibit his paintings at art galleries and shows throughout the country, winning awards, and opening his own art school in the 80′s. Just prior to retiring during the late 80′s, the boy who copied the Prado greats was honored in Canadian art publications as the “best watercolorist in Canada during the 1970′s and 1980′s.”

Today, the granddaughter of my aunt Maria carries the artistic torch in the family as she has become an artist in her own right. Visit her website and you will also see my aunt’s oil portrait dressed as a bullfighter from an actual photo taken by my father long ago.
Echoing Sorolla’s title of “Master of Light”, Manuel Ruiz was known as a “Master of Color.” Sadly he passed away on New Years Day in 2010. He will forever be greatly missed by his family and friends and continues to bring us joy each day through his art. Please visit his web page

Posted in Art, Culture, History | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

El Camino…
El Camino… avatar

Posted on 11/18/2011 by Lottie
Lottie on the Camino de Santiago

Lottie on the Camino de Santiago

It was with queasy apprehension that I settled down for my first night in Pamplona. After a short walk around the city, I had returned to the church where I was to sleep half an hour before the curfew, hoping that the glass of red wine I had speedily glugged in the neighbouring taberna would swoon me into a dreamless sleep. However, whether it was the nervous contemplation of what lay ahead of me or the muffled stomps of 170 other pilgrims preparing for bed in the hollow belly of a church, I remained awake as the bell chimes marked the march of night until the church began to breathe with soft snores.

I awoke in a drowsy stupor to darkness, quiet footsteps and whispers. Many of the bunks around me were already vacant, the crumpled paper sheets all that was left of their occupants. I scrambled up with needless hurry and was soon standing outside somewhat listlessly on a narrow street that hugged the church. Shrouded in soft pre-dawn darkness it showed no sign of the hushed commotion within the church. I had just started to dawdle apprehensively down the street when the luminous glare of a head torch appeared in the shadowy, wooden entrance of the church. The two Spaniards that emerged set march authoritatively up street. I waited for them to pass me and fell into step just behind, following the tip-tap of their walking poles. Striding across plazas, crossing main junctions and winding expertly through narrow back streets with inexplicable navigation, they had soon led me to the city perimeter. It wasn’t until I had trailed them for a good hour, when sitting in a cafeteria perched on the side of a roundabout, that I realised that the route had been clearly marked by distinctive shell-shaped signs.

And so it began. Half an hour later as the sun was rising, sleepy confusion cleared by a coffee and an explanation of the route markers, I set off alone. It was the Way of Saint James, or El Camino de Santiago, and Day 1 of a four week journey. An ancient Christian pilgrimage that has existed for over 1000 years, the route I took led me across four different provinces of Spain and through four big cities, finally arriving at Finisterre, the westernmost point of Spain that was considered in the Roman world to be “the end of the earth”. And what a way it was to see Spain. I weaved in between the uniformed lines of sloping vineyards, paced across endless acres of parched, yellow cornfields and passed huge assemblies of sunflowers, their heads all slightly bowed and turned obediently East. I walked through airfields, stone quarries and the monstrous industrial estates that encircled the cities, spent nights cushioned in the tranquil bubble of a one-road village and was swept up in the bubbling energy of big-city tapas bars. Eventually emerging from the mountainous valleys of Galicia onto a deserted stretch of beach – a long, sandy idyll backed by rugged cliffs that looked out across the expansive Atlantic – it was all too easy to believe I was indeed teetering on the edge of the world.

800km and 28 days – not nearly enough words.

Posted in Travelogue | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Our adventure in Northern Morocco with Kids
Our adventure in Northern Morocco with Kids avatar

Posted on 11/16/2011 by Jen
Family travel in Morocco

Family travel in Morocco

This last spring break, my husband and I finally decided to fulfill a trip to Morocco that had been pondering for a long time.  Both of us had been before separately when we were younger and talking groups around in the case of Carlos, but have always been longing to return with our family. The inexpensive flights from Madrid via Ryan air were too good to pass up.  We knew with our 5 and 8 year old, we had to plan well a destination  in Morocco that was family friendly and would hold all of the essentials required for kids, ie beach, good food, safe, interesting things to see, etc.  We chose Asilah based on a recommendation from friends in Madrid who had been there with their families.  Located just an hour´s drive from Tangier on the coast, it is supposedly one of the preferred places where all of the Moroccan families from the North go while on holidays. Flight was easy, airport nice, and after a little bartering to a reasonable  price, we caught a cab from Tangier´s bus station.  You can take the bus but we determined a private cab driver might be better, cleaner and safer. I think this bartering was conducted in English, Spanish and some French.  They sometimes respond to all three.  Let me also say that our family vacation would never have been the success that it was without the help of our new friend Steve, who is the only Brit living in Asilah and consequently who rented his charming house to us that was in a great location within walking distance to everything.  His house is technically two bedrooms but upstairs, you could sleep more at least two people.  It was very comfortable and quite modern with a beautiful terrace to sit out and enjoy sunbathing during the day or the cool night air in the evening. You could have your meals out there as well.  When we arrived, we dropped off our luggage, and followed Steve on a wonderful orientation around town.   He gave us the grand tour of very small Asilah but introducing us to all the basics, grocery store, local market, good restaurants and Medina. Upon arrival to his rental home, there were children from the neighbourhood surrounding us to try and have a peak at the ¨new kids on the block.¨ One little girl even came to knock on the door to ask my daughter to play.  We felt comfortable right away.  You can find a link to his house for photos on Homelidays.  He is really good about answering all of your questions.

Now, if it is luxury and 5 star you are looking for, Asilah is not the place.  Perhaps, most of Morocco is not your place.  Poverty and moderate resources are obvious and sometimes disturbing.  The country is still lacking in the infrastructure to make tourism easy.  That is not to say this country is not worth visiting.  It is more than worth it, and if you can look past some of the inconveniences and tense moments of confusion with the language barriers, you will see a lovely people that will go out of their way to please you if you give them a chance.  You won´t have an overwhelming greeting with open arms at first, but once they get to know you, they will be your best friend.   If you are looking for rich culture, history, warm and generous people, beautiful Moroccan architecture, Asilah has a lot to offer.  Some people opt to stay in the Medina, the oldest part of town and probably the most beautiful and quaint.  With children, less realistic as you want to have quick access to markets and other stores.  The Medina had wonderful shops with handmade artisanal goods that made us wish we could carry more that just our hand luggage back. There were many women doing Henna (an old traditions that is a temporary tatoo design usually on the hands, fingers and arms)  and we decided to allow my daughter do one which she loved.  Food, don´t get me started.  Yes, I am a little biased to the Moroccan cuisine but I highly recommend you study it beforehand as you are not going to find all of the conveniences back home.  Having said that, there is an abundance of restaurants to choose from.  Just make sure to choose one that has a normal bathroom.

Following our stay in Asilah, we then took a bus to Tetuan. Wonderful place, but I will save that for another article.  Overall, it was a great experience.  The children had incredible exposure to sights, smells, sounds and challenges that they have never experienced in any other part of Europe.  (Try eating in a country market with the freshly butchered goat sitting right next to you)  They recognized the vast differences and made comments throughout the trip.  There were things they loved and there were things they didn´t like so much.  One thing is certain, they learned a lot and they can now say a few words in Arabic and the friends that we made will always be a magical memory for us as a family.  If you are interested, we can provide you with more information and recommendations.  Overall, I would highly recommend Asilah as a great place for family travel in Northern Morocco.

Posted in Accomodation, Culture, Food, Handycrafts, Transportation, Travel Tips, Travel with Kids, Travelogue | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Top 10 things to do in Madrid for Christmas with kids
Top 10 things to do in Madrid for Christmas with kids avatar

Posted on 11/14/2011 by Jen
Christmas tree in Puerta del Sol

Christmas tree in Puerta del Sol

We are getting quite a few people inquiring about Christmas in Madrid, so I thought I would take a moment to write about some good information and tips that will prove to be helpful. Christmas in Madrid is lovely. The city goes all out to decorate and make visitors feel a festive welcome with the beautiful lights and Christmas trees set up all over town. I am an American living in Madrid and have actually spent 8 of my 10 Christmas´s in Madrid, accompanied by my 9 year old son and 6 year old daughter. What can I recommend? Here is my top 10 list of things to not miss during Christmas. Two important points before I begin. Remember that the kids in Spain have about 3 weeks for Christmas break. There are many things organized for kids and you will even find activities that are excellent and free. Inquire at the tourist office where they speak English. Spaniards too, are racking their brain for ideas of how to entertain the little ones or bigger ones outside the house. Having said that, I will also remind readers that the early bird gets the worm. If there are tickets for any kind of event, they will sell out quickly, so visit as many sites as you can provided by the office of tourism in Madrid.

1. Make it a point to inquire at the tourist office to get the list of the Belenes or Nativity Scenes around town. This is something special that the Spaniards take very seriously, some who even make a living off this unique art form and dedicate the entire year to this one month of presenting scenes of the Creche. Collect unique pieces for your own Nativity back home or go to admire the mastery of this beautiful tradition in the Christmas market in Plaza Mayor. It does not stop there. Find out all the amazing places that the city presents the Belen whether in the City Hall or the smaller shopping centers, Churches, or public plazas. You can see why 20 years ago and still to this day, some Spaniards opt out for the Christmas tree, because when the lights go out and the candles are lit for the Nativity, there is nothing quite like it!

2. Speaking of Plaza Mayor, this gorgeous plaza is not to be missed at Christmas time. You decide the time, preferably during the week during business hours when most Spaniards are working and there are less people to wrestle with to see the Nativity displays. No, you don´t have to buy anything, just enjoy people watching. What are the crazy colored wigs for and their significance? If you asked a Spaniard, they wouldn´t really know what to tell you. I suppose a moment for the more serious ones and the teenagers and kids to get a little crazy. I recommend using your money much more wisely on a cup of chocolate at the nearby San Gines.

3. As San Gines Chocolateria is only a 6 minute walk away from Plaza Mayor (Cross Calle Mayor), and the chocolate and churros are made on the spot, therefore hot and ready to warm you on a chilly Christmas day, this is probably in the top 5 of my top 10. This is a real favourite of the tourist and the Spaniards, so prepare for crowds and sometimes a wait but it is worth it and you may even return for a second round as this is not just hot chocolate, this is dense, dark melted chocolate that will win you a prize if you can finish the entire cup by yourself. Believe it or not, my 9 year old can. By the way, people always ask, what are the rules? There are no rules when it comes to this divine little cup of heaven with a crispy donut to dip inside! Just dig in and hopefully if you get caught double dippin´, you won´t get stuck with the bill! They serve coffee, tea and water and some other treats but little else. You will see why. By the way, to clear confusion, this is a prepay place. When entering, you must pay first for what you want, you take your ticket to your table and the waiter will collect the ticket and serve. Here is how you ask, ¨ una taza de chocolate, por favor.¨ Also know that they serve the churros in what is called Raciones. Una racion is about 5 or 6 churros. If you are two for example, an appropriate amount is one cup and two rations. Enjoy!

4. This recommendation is a brief one as it is totally dependent on what is offered every year and season and also depends on the level of tolerance of your kids to sit through a concert. In my opinion, it is a must to inquire at the tourist office about concerts that are going on around town. They can be conducted outside or inside, often times in Churches. Sometimes, there are music concerts specifically for kids with a duration that they can endure. Inquire with the Caixa Forum as well. They have great productions at this time. Tickets sold in advance.

5. A visit to Retiro Park on Sunday. This is a day for families and the best part in the mornings before lunch, you find many street entertainers, whether musicians or puppeteers, who are featuring a 20 minute show just for kids. Ok…..it is in Spanish, but it is a lot of fun to join in on the animation of the crowd. Your kids will really feel a part of the scene. There are cafes where you can sit down and have a coffee or you can walk for forever in this lovely city park.

6. Christmas evening bus. Again, this is a service that is only offered at Christmas time and you will have to inquire at the Tourist office in Plaza Mayor about operating hours (approx. 6pm to 10pm) and where the bus departs from. I have heard very good things about this service and the beauty is that you will be able to enjoy the city views at night lit up by all of the Christmas lights. Beware of long lines.

7. Calle Serrano is our Fifth Avenue for Shopping. If you take the bus #45 or #27 north of Paseo del Prado, get out at Plaza Colon, Serrano is one street behind. You can also walk from the Retiro to the beginning of Serrano. Lovely to window shop and see all the Christmas decorations. Who knows, you might find something that will suit your last minute Christmas shopping needs. Stop in Café Mallorca for something fast and delicious to snack on.

8. Flamenco show in Villa Rosa. This is a newer venue that is located right in Plaza Santa Ana. It is the bar to the right of the big beautiful while Me hotel with all of the fancy tiles. The show begins around 8:30pm and the entrance to watch the show is €10 per person. The beauty is you can have a drink, coke or even tapas while you are enjoying the show. While not the most Christmasy of ideas, it is a bit of culture and very much a part of the Spanish tradition and the kids should be exposed at least once. It is informal and you can leave after the break if you have had your fill.

9. Christmas Mass. I understand that not all visitors are religious but I have a lot of people who ask and since Spain is a very Catholic country, I thought I might mention ideas around going to a mass at Christmas time. In this city, you have your choice of beautiful churches, from a Cathedral to something more modest, dating from the 16th century to something more modern, there is no shortage of churches in this city. If Christmas Eve mass is what you are looking for, you will be sure to find it. Likely on Christmas Eve, there will be several so try to find a church in advance and then inquire to find out mass times, likely on the hour. Christmas day is the same, there will be many masses so inquire about the hour. Know also that there is en English speaking church in Madrid that is part of the Catholic Archdiocese called Our Lady of Mercy. It is farther out so you would have to probably take a couple metros but the mass is conducted in English, is a very warm setting and they usually have a Christmas pageant for the children. If you want more info, contact me at jen@letango.com.

10. Visit to Casa Mira located on Carrera de San Jeronimo. This is a hidden jewel know well by the Spaniards holding some of the most important delicacies of the Christmas holidays. Homemade Turron (our equivalent to fudge) is abundant as well as candied fruits and chocolates. Try a little bit of everything. No Spanish household goes without these treats this time of year. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Don´t be shocked by the price per kilo. As I said, this is the best that Madrid has to offer!
You can get turron online if you are craving Spain food specialties back home.

11. Ok ok, it was top 10 but I forgot one important one! Cortylandia (Corte Ingles Department Store) in Puerta del Sol. About every hour, there is a Christmas presentation for kids that lasts about 15 minutes on the entire face of the wall of the huge department store. It gets crowded, so watch out for the pick pockets. Go to Corte Ingles and ask at information or go to the back entrance where you can enter off of Calle Arenal. By the way, you won´t see too much of Papa Noel here. Our presents come from the three Kings who magically appear on the 5th of January, the eve of Los Reyes. It would be good to study the history and explain it to your kids. Feliz Navidad!

Posted in Food, Lifestyle, Shopping, Travel Tips | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Casa de Granada
Casa de Granada avatar

Posted on 11/01/2011 by Alasdair

When surfacing from the Metro at Tirso de Molina, ten minutes walk South from Madrid’s centre at Sol, your impressions of the area might be slightly mixed. The greenery throughout the square, the blending of a modern plaza with the antiquated buildings, casting long shadows and callbacks to times of greater elegance.

Yet the place is dirty, vagrants lounge in the shade afforded by the surrounding trees and an air of foreboding permeates the wide benches and cobbled pavements. If only, one thinks, I could look down on this from a position up high.

On the north side of the square, on Calle Doctor Cortezo, the heavy door of number 17 holds the key to your desires. A discreet sign, ‘Casa de Granada’, bids those savvy few inside to the eighth floor, where a tight terrace and mediocre service provide one of central Madrid’s most relaxing spots.

Walk out of the elevator and through the dining area to the terrace, there’s no point sitting anywhere else.

From the top of the building, the large awning shades patrons from the harsh sunlight, while views to the south, towards Getafe, stretch far beyond the city limits.

The staff are surly, but you aren’t here for the service. Cold drinks and peace are all that is required on the eighth floor, and Casa de Granada offers both for as long as you are willing to sit around. A real oasis from the city below, just be careful who you introduce to this place, it’s a pretty well kept secret, and if you plan on returning, you’ll want to keep it that way.

Casa de Granada (913 69 35 96) is situated on the eighth floor of Calle Doctor Cortezo, 17, which leads onto Plaza Tirso de Molina.

Posted in Food, Travelogue | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Spend a Week in Ronda
How to Spend a Week in Ronda avatar

Posted on 11/01/2011 by Cheryl

My informant said that it could not be done without dying from sheer boredom. However, I wanted a quiet vacation in the middle of the semester during which I could practice my Spanish. My friend, Carlos, said Ronda would be perfect; as usual, he was right.

I did everything right, in terms of the planning. I rented an incredible one-bedroom flat at the southeast end of El Mercadillo through Tripadvisor.com. I had downloaded instructions to walk to the flat from Mapquest.com. Carlos reserved my train tickets at the station (warning—Renfe will not accept international credit cards; the website only returns a generic error message), and I headed out Sunday afternoon from Madrid. I arrived at 6 p.m. and quickly found out that (1.) my directions were useless and (2.) many of the street signs were missing. After some searching, I located my flat. It is a funny story, now, but I was so tired that when I reached what should have been Number 9 (my flat) only to find a gated, chained, and locked door with a “se vende” sign, I was sure that either the bank had taken the building or the owner had ripped me off. After asking for some help from some neighbors, it just turned out to be a function of the unique address system in rural Spain. Number 9 was 3 doors down across from Number 14. Note to self. Do not just stop at the presumed address but search the entire block before panicking.

After a good night’s sleep, I settled into what turned into the routine for the week. I would get up around 8:30 a.m., amble over to Bar-Alba on Calle Espinel that had very friendly and chatty servers who would bring me my “desayuno de los campeones” (pan tostada con aceite y tomate and café con leche). I had purchased the tourist ticket described on the Turismo de Ronda website, and visited one site every morning before the tour buses arrived. For example, one morning I took my time and walked down (and then back up) El Tajo, which enabled me to leisurely take in the Moorish baths, the Moorish Bridge and get better photographs than hanging over Puente Nuevo (and some exercise). I would then stop for lunch around 2:00 p.m., head back to the flat for a siesta and my Spanish homework then head out again once the buses had left around 5:00 p.m. In this fashion, I took in many of the city’s attractions. I especially enjoyed the architecture of the Palace of Mondragon which now serves as the city’s museum. Do be careful about entering some rooms—the dioramas with the early hominids squatting over their fires can startle you if you are not expecting it. I also found that the location of my flat was such that I could take some treacherous steps down for a shortcut to La Ciudad—which I frequently did.

The city is gorgeous, there are a large number of restaurants to try (Calle los Remedios is a good start as long as you stay away from the restaurants clustered around the Plaza). Do pick up a map from the friendly staff at the TI close to the bullring. The only caveat I have about the map is that the streets of the Peñas neighborhood are not labeled and I understand that there is a flamenco club located there. I am labeling the streets to my paper map using Mapquest (and a prayer) so that I can visit it on my next trip. I did get my flamenco—of sorts. One morning at 4:00 a.m. to the sound of men coming home from the bars singing flamenco drifted through my open bedroom window. They weren’t bad, either.

Posted in Travel Tips, Travelogue | Tagged | 1 Comment