Winter Solstice

We are entering the season when we see some of our most spectacular sunsets from here at the house.  I have a big collection of great sunsets and also sunrises.  But here especially for the winter solstice are sunsets(at 5:28PM) from tonight and the previous 2 nights

21 Dec. 2011

 

20 Dec. 2011

19 Dec. 2011

Burma

The news was covering the visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Burma last week (the military junta calls it Myanmar).  It made us think of our 2 week tour of Burma in 1993.  After checking we found that our visit was at the same time of year (2-15 Dec. 1993).  We'd been trekking in Nepal and after a couple of days resting in Bangkok we found that Burma had just increased their maximum visa permit to 2 weeks and without requiring a package tour. We were off to Rangoon and began meeting the wonderful Burmese people.  Initially we hesitated about going to a country run by military dictators, but decided that the money we spent would benefit the people and not the junta.  Rangoon was the capital of Burma but in 2006 the military junta moved the capital, lock stock and barrel, to Naypyidaw,  a new city built in farm fields in the geographical center of Burma.  It now has a population of 1 million people.  The story goes that the junta was afraid that Rangoon, on the coast, might be invaded, so they moved the capital inland.

Schwedegon, a Pagoda complex in the heart of Rangoon, at 2500 years old is the oldest in Burma.  The golden stupa is 325ft. high and is believed to have been rebuilt between the 6th and 10th century.

Rangoon, Royal Barge, with dragon boat out practicing in the foreground. Lonely Planet told us that Aung San Suu kyi was under house arrest across the lake.  She won the 1990 elections, at which time the military junta took over and arrested her.  But the Internet says her house is on a different lake. Regardless she was released from house arrest last year and is planning to run for a seat in the new Burmese Senate. Hopefully good changes are coming in Burma.

From Rangoon we traveled north, first by train, and then by bus to Inle Lake.  The ubiquitus Toyota pickup above was our bus.  This picture was taken at a tea stop. Linda is in the blue on top.  When we reloaded I counted 41 on that truck including driver. 39 small Burmese and 2 larger Americans.  It must have had a beefed up suspension but it still bottomed out on every pothole.

Inle Lake

Dinner at our Inle Lake hotel

Foot paddling boatman

The overnight ferry we took from Mandalay to Bagan down the Irrawaddy River

The scene on deck on the ferry. 

Note the "thunderbox" on the port side stern.

Gawdapalin is one of the larger of over 2000 pagodas and temples at Bagan(Pagan). Bagan was at its height in the 11th and 12th century with 5000 pagodas.  The 1975 earthquake destroyed many of them.

We were absolutely blown away by this nearly deserted city of Pagodas.  This is a view of just a few of them. The site covers 16 square miles. When we visited there were only a few small lodges but now there are dozens of hotels.  We wandered about on dirt paths encountering a few tourists and the occasional farmer and his ox cart. At that time there were no motorized vehicles allowed in the complex due to the fear of vibrations and further damage.

Bagan is beside the Irawaddy River, the major river of Burma which flows 2170km from north to south of Burma. Much of the country is in its watershed. After Rudyard Kipling's poem, it is sometimes referred to as 'The Road to Mandalay'.

Kayaking on the Ebro River

Kayaking on the Ebro River

 2 years ago we got out our 2 kayaks, rented 2 for Bob and Dona (family visiting from Vermont), and kayaked down the Ebro from Miravet to Benifallet.  It is probably the most impressive stretch of this river, the 2nd longest in Spain.
Last Sunday we repeated the trip with a group of 12 friends joined by 50 others renting from the kayak company.

The scene at the Miravet ferry landing where we embarked on last Sunday's adventure

Beautiful Miravet, a town with Moorish origins which was on the Moorish-Christian frontlines until near the end of the 12th century.  From this view the Miravet castle just shows on the top.

Bob, Dona and Linda  2 years ago with Miravet castle in the background.  After the conquest of the Moors in 1193, the castle was rebuilt by the Knights Templar into a massive fortress/monastery.  It is the largest fortified complex in Catalonia and a fine example of Romanesque Religious and military architecture.  It has figured in quite a few battles over the years up to and including the Spanish Civil War(1936-39)

Over 50 kayaks spread out over the river enjoying the spectacular views

For you Vermonters, you see, we have our twin Champs!

Bob wielding a mean paddle

Linda enjoying the sights

Mark and Marian

Hans and Jane

After all that exercise, a great picnic by the river

We're back with new art!

For those of you who check in regularly, we're sorry for taking such a long blog break. Time sure flies, and we are having so much fun. We'll try to post more often to update what's been happening in the past six months, including house projects, vegetable garden sagas, new chapters in flower gardening, language encounters, fiestas, visitors, our big summer party, and new art for the El Perello market and the weekly art group. Whew! Better get going. . . .

These are some of Linda's recent paintings, mostly water color on canvas.  Lots of olive branch art which have been popular at the weekly market.

Las flores de Abril

The flowers really bust out all over in April so we have a lot to show.  Some of our Feb. or March flowers are shown again but in full bloom.  We had plenty of rain in March and some more here near the end of April.  All is green, green, green, not the usual here.

The Aloes are now in bloom.  Sometimes they grow 3-5 meters in height.

We showed the broom last month with precious few flowers.  Thought it was an off year, but now it is in its full glory.  In the background is one of our new garden plots.  With our Romanian friends, Pedro and Alin we are planting quite a large garden.

Cala lily behind our Gaudi style bench

This Red Valerian(Centranthus ruber) was here when we arrived.  Had to search a bit to find its name.

Cistus Monspiensis.  A pretty little white flower.

With the rain we have had, the olive orchard is full of wild flowers.  Here are Convolvulus Athaeoides.

Coronilla emerus.  This we showed last month but now they are in their full glory

This Ederas is in our garden one terrace down from the house.  A beautiful bush that was here when we arrived.

A beautiful geranium variety

These geraniums are out in a garden plot by the pool wall

Our many Irises are still going strong in various parts of the garden.  In back are flor de cuchillo

More Irises under an olive tree

We showed the flor de cuchillo last month.  We have 2 sizes and these larger ones are looking great right now.

These pots are on the wind sheltered steps to the upper deck.  they contain a lime and a lemon tree.  But last fall Linda started nasturtiums and snapdragons in the same pots

The Osteospermum always put on a great show in the spring.  Like the flor de cuchillo they close up entirely at night.

We planted this bird of paradise a year and a half ago.  Finally a bloom

These roses which started last month are now in full bloom.  They top the wall of the old corral.  This finca was called the Corral de Miguelillo.  The corral was to house sheep or goats and the farm was much large than the present 6.2 acres.  that's all for this month.

What's Blooming This Month-Marzo

The warmer weather has us outside planting,weeding, and tilling a second and much larger new huerto (veggie garden) so we had nearly forgotten to post the blooms for March.

This patch of geraniums have been in here for a couple of years and are still going strong.

These petunias (recognize the pot, Tom and Susan?) survive over the winter, and in a few weeks will be spilling over.

This ambitious climbing rose comes from a cutting our neighbor Martine brought from Switzerland and gave to the former owners. They wont last long but they'll completely cover the stone wall and make a carpet of petals.

Our first real crop of the season! Habas (fava beans) are very popular in Catalunya. Their creamy flavor make a great addition to soups, but young habas are delicious all on their own with a little parmesan.

Finally, our freesias are really blooming and spreading. 

Broom may be very ordinary but its yellow flowers are always welcome.

Thyme is normally lovely all over the campo at this time of year but right now it's really abundant probably due to the extra rains we've been having.

This shrub called Coronilla emerus sports lovely little "crowns" of yellow flowers for only a short time.

As ever, the Osteospermum blast into spring and keep going, and going, and going.

Hopefully, this winter blooming jasmine will fill out and cover a section of our new chain link doggie fence.

 

The rains must have inspired the oxalis this year because I was able to divide it for the first time.