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Spain

Vikings in Alicante

We went to the amazing Museo Arqueologico de Alicante to explore the Viking exhibition. The museum is excellent and has won the European Museum of the Year award in 2004.

Museo Arqueologico De Alicante

We began our visit by entering into a small theater where we watched a video on the history of the Vikings.

Theater area in the museum

The video, which was in Spanish, explained the long history of the Vikings.

We were amazed at how large an impact the Vikings had on the world. The Vikings at their peak in the 8th and 9th centuries either controlled or were located in half the world. They traveled as far as Newfoundland Canada and had a strong influence on various regions of the world.

The Viking exhibit was separated into three different areas, the first was the Viking ships, warriors, and merchants. We were amazed at the various designs of ships built by the Vikings. They were excellent ship builders and created unique ships based on the usage. The long narrow ships associated with the Vikings were warships and could travel fast and required limited water. This allowed them to travel up rivers to conduct raids on villages near the shores.

They also had a unique control with a side rudder which was located on the right side and provided excellent maneuverability.

Side rudder used to control the ship
Actual side rudder of Viking Ship dated 8th century

The right side rudder was called “Steor” meaning rudder or steering paddle, and the word “bord” referred to the ship’s side. The term “starboard” originated from the combination of these words meaning the right side of the ship.

The museum demonstrated the size of the largest Viking ship discovered in the world. The museum had a line showing the length of the ship.

Description of the length of the longest Viking ship

To demonstrate the length of the ship, I took a photo of Shelley at the far end of the ship.

Shelley at the far end of the Ship length 37.2 meters long

We continued through the museum looking and reading about the history of the Vikings. There were some interesting facts that we discovered. The Vikings used silver as a means of currency and would cut coins needed to achieve a certain weight.

Viking silver pieces with cut coins.

They made everyday items out of bones and there were bonesmiths which were very common in Viking communities.

Bone tools made by Vikings, including combs, door handles etc.

The Viking King “Harald Bluetooth” who reigned between 958 and 970 was famous for uniting Viking tribes in parts of Denmark and Norway into one nation and converting the Danes to Christianity. That is where the name “Bluetooth” is derived from in technology.

King Bluetooth converted the Vikings towards Christianity and embedded Christianity into their symbols and culture.

The Aby Crucifix with image of king on cross with eyes open

The Aby crucifix is the oldest crucifix in  Denmark and comes from Aby Church. The crucifix is dated from 1050 -1100 and made of gilded copper on a base of wood.

(Copy) JELLING Stone with Christian symbols intertwined

The Jelling Stone was created in 965 by King Bluetooth. A copy of the stone was produced for the museum exhibit. The jelling stone has three sides, one side has images of Danes, the other side has a mystical beast and the third side has an image of crucified Christ.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Viking exhibit, it was very interesting and informative.

Spain

A day in Muro de Alcoy

Muro is a quaint little town of 9000 people in the foothills of Sierra Mariola mountain.  We took a small tour group to Muro to explore the unique little town.  Our first stop in Muro was at a local family company called “Pericana de Muro”. The family business which is dedicated to the enhancement and elaboration of “home canning” has been established for generations. We were greeted by the owner and his brother and provided multiple samples to try.

Group at the Pericana with Owner Miguel

The owner “Miguel” is pictured in the original image of the business when he was a small child.

Family business logo and the photo of the original family Miguel is the small child in the photo.

Miguel treated us to a very warm and enjoyable experience at the Pericana. We sampled many different canned products with only locally grown organic produce. The different samples were extremely tasty. Miguel also made sure everyone was treated to a sampling of local wine. There is a tradition of sharing wine using a neat wine decanter with a large spout. Miguel demonstrated how the decanter worked.

Miguel demonstrating the use of the wine decanter.

Some of the people enjoyed the wine using the decanter while others drank the wine in a glass.

One of the people in our tour group enjoying the wine using the decanter method.

We sampled about six different types of canned items.

Some of the samples at the Pericana business

We tried all the samples, using bread and enjoyed them immensely. There were different products such as tomato jam, cod, and peppers even aromatic herbs with virgin oil and tomatoes. All of the products were locally grown and without any preservatives.  Miguel was very proud of the products and was a very gracious host to the group.

Miguel and Ray at the Pericana.

After tasting the different products Miguel insisted that he take us for a tour of his hometown of Muro.  We headed out for a walk of the downtown area of Muro.

Muro was celebrating their annual medieval festival and the entire downtown area was converted to a medieval theme.

Main Plaza area of Muro, Spain

We walked through the narrow streets looking at the various merchandise on display.

Vendors at Medieval Festival in Muro

We walked along the streets and we came across a group of people playing music.

Musicians warming up in preparation for the parade

They were part of the parade which was going to start shortly. We were greeted by a counselor who was part of the group leading the parade. We were invited to participate and walk with her in the lead of the parade. We walked with her to the main square as part of the head of the parade. It was considered an honor to be in the lead of the parade.

After the parade, we headed to a very old Bodega in town, called “Celler La Muntanya”. We toured part of the Bodega and went into the original cellar of the Bodega.

Stairway down to the original Bodega La Muntanya Cellar in Muro
Cellar of the Bodega La Muntanya
Cellar hallway to different area in cellar

It was very interesting walking through the Cellar of a Bodega which was established for centuries. We then headed back to the courtyard of the Bodega for a rest before heading out to see the remainder of the town.

Liz, Shelley, and Barbara taking a break in the courtyard of the Bodega.

We then continued our walk into the center of town. There were numerous displays and shops along the way. One which we stopped at was very unique. The shop contained some great antiques and the owners were celebrating the festival and providing free drinks and snacks.

Antique store in Moro, Spain

Some of the interesting antiques included a Roman scale, old phone,  tools and other old household items.

Scale from the Roman times
Antique phone
Old guy with an old mirror
Filipe and the owner of the antique store

The owner was very friendly and welcomed us into the back of the store to show us his favorite antique. In the back of the store, he had an antique street music box which played music when you crank the handle.

Antique Street Music box

He gave us a demonstration of the music box which played a traditional Spanish tune.

We had a great time with lots of laughs at the store. He treated us like a family guest which was very humbling. We then headed to the main square and checked out the Medieval festival.

Ray looking at the pastries in the Market
Fresh dates being sold at the market

The entire town of Muro seemed to be very pleased to have us visiting their town. In fact, the local television station came and did an interview. I was trying to stay out of the media spotlight but they asked me and after only one year in Spain, I was on television again.

Ray being interviewed by the local Spanish television crew.

Muro is a very beautiful town and we enjoyed our visit immensely.  It felt like we had a nice visit with close friends.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

The Christian/Moors Museo in Alcoy

The town of Alcoy or (Alcoi) is known for their annual Christian and Moor Fiesta. It is one of the oldest festivals of this kind in Spain. The fiesta original began (it is believed) the year after the battle in 1277.  It has been internationally known and declared of International tourist Interest, since 1980.  The three-day event consists of parades, music, and reenactments of the battles between the Christians and the Moors. They wear elaborate costumes, ride horses and use replicated weapons and fireworks as part of the reenactment. The Alcoy festival commemorates the battle between the Christians and Moors which was fought in 1276.

We went to the Christian/Moors museum in Alcoy, it is situated in a modern three-story building. We went to the third floor and began our visit eventually going down to the first level. Our first stop was in a small theater to view a movie of the event. Below are a few images from the video depicting the activities of the Fiesta.

Images from the reenactment of the Christians and Moors Battle

We watched the video which had parts of the amazing reenactment of the battle and some history of the event. There were also mannequins in costumes situated in the theater.

Ray in front of the costumed mannequins in theater

We then walked through the museum admiring the exhibits and the ornate costumes. On the second floor, we came to a large room with costumes that were used in the fiesta over the years. There were costumes for the children of the fiesta.

Costumes used in the Alcoy Christian and Moors Festival

The displays were very impressive and each mannequin had an information plaque depicting the year it was used in the fiesta.

Some of the older costumes used in the fiesta
1921 costume used in fiesta

There were also adult costumes on display from different years of the fiesta. There were rows and rows of very impressive and ornate costumes. We took our time and walked the rows of displays. Below are a few images of the costumes. There are even a few cameo appearances in some of the photos.

Adult costumes on display of the fiesta in Alcoy.
Costumes on display  from the Alcoy fiesta

The costumes were extremely ornate and very impressive.

We then went to the next level of the museum where we saw some of the exhibits on the making of the costumes. There is a very detailed and complex process for the creation of the costumes. Every year the “Boatos” which loosely translates to mean “the pageantry designers” create new designs for the important roles in the fiesta. They conceptualize the sketch, choose the materials and colors and coordinate all the artisans that take part in its creation. Then the new costumes is created for the fiesta.

Design images for the costumes of the fiesta
Some of the materials and jewelry used in the making of the costumes

There was also a meeting room which is used for the organization. The room is also decorated with costumes and images from the festival.

Meeting room for the organization of the fiesta.

The museum also had on display artifacts and old books of the history of the Christian and Moor fiesta. The first recorded photograph of the fiesta is dated back to 1876.

Historical photographs of the Alcoy fiesta

There were historical books, art and other documentation depicting the long history of the fiesta.

Painting in the Christian/Moor museum in Alcoy
Poster of a previous Fiesta

The visit to the Alcoy museum was very interesting. We enjoyed walking through the museum admiring the costumes and reading about the history of the fiesta. It is amazing to see how they maintain the history of a battle between the Christians and the Moors that occurred in 1276.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

A day in Elche

The city of Elche is approximately 30 kilometers away and it is a short 45 minutes train ride from Alicante. We headed there to check out the city of approximately 225,000 population. Elche was settled by the Greeks around 600 BC and later occupied by Carthaginians and Romans. Today the city is known for its many shoe factories and the orchard of over 200,000 palm trees.  The Palmeral of Elche was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.

We arrived on a sunny day and enjoyed walking through the beautiful Palmeral park.

Palmeral Park in Elche

There were the numerous trails that led us into different areas of the park. We explored the park trails for a few hours finding some beautiful views and scenes along the way. We came across a water feature which led to an Islamic style architecture building.

A section of Palmeral Park in Elche
Round dome Islamic style architecture building.

We walked along an area of the park which had a small fountain area surrounded by ceramic tile features and park benches. We stopped to admire the area and watched as some pigeons enjoyed a bath in the fountain.

Ceramic tiled fountain in Palmeral park in Elche
Birds enjoying a bath in the fountain in Palmeral Park

We came across a path that was parallel to a small creek called “Vinalopó”. The creek flows through the city of Elche separating the city into two parts and there are trails that follow along the creek. We decided to leave the park and walk the creek path.

The paths along the Vinalopó creek which flows through the city splitting it into two parts.

What was interesting walking along the path was the colourful designs painted along the creek overflow area. There were numerous themes and paintings. It appears that community groups were given a section of the basin to pain a theme related to Elche or Spain.

We enjoyed stopping and looking at all the different paintings, some of which were very creative. Don Quixote with the Quote “A las familias manchegas que vivan in Elche” Which translates To all the manchegan families who live in Elche

“Don Quixote painted on creek basin in Elche
Some of the paintings along the basin of the Vinalopó creek.
Paintings on the basin of the Vinalopó creek.

We walked approximately 3 kilometers along the path and then headed into the main section of Elche.

There was a bridge known as the “Virgin Bridge” which had a monument on both edges of the central part of the bridge.

Monument on bridge in Elche
Monument on bridge in Elche

We walked through the old quarter of Elche looking at the architecture and other sites. We stopped at city hall where they had their Christmas decorations still on display outside.

Ray outside of city hall in Elche
The copy of the stone bust of the “Lady of Elche” in plaza

We walked throughout the city and enjoyed the day before heading back by train to Alicante.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

The Three Kings Parade

On January 5th,  we went to see the three Kings parade called “Los Reyes Magos”  or Cabalatas. This is a major Christian festival in Spain and a highlight for the children. In Alicante, the Three Kings arrive by boat and are greeted by hundreds of Children on the shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea.

Parents and children waiting for the arrival of the Three Kings

It was a beautiful day and we went to the Volvo museum at 4:30 p.m.  This gave us the perfect vantage point to watch the arrival of the three Kings. We could see the three Kings coming to dock on a Guardia Civil boat.

Police boat docking with the Three Kings

There were hundreds of children and parents of all ages there waiting to greet them.

The Three Kings getting the waiting children.

Once the three Kings came ashore they walked through the crowd giving small gifts and talking to the children. It was amazing to see how many children were there trying to get a chance to speak to the three Kings.

One of the three Kings going through the crowd of children

The three Kings walked slowly through the crowd and it took them almost an entire hour to get out of the marina area. They then went by vehicle escorted by the police to the Plaza de Toros. There the three kings did activities with the children before the start of the Grand Cabalgata at 7 p.m.

We walked along the parade route weaving through the heavy crowds of people until we came to the start of the parade.

Crowds of people along the parade route
crowds waiting for the three Kings

There were tens of thousands of people along both sides of the road waiting for a chance to see the three Kings. As the parade moved along there were candy, chocolate bars, gifts and other treats thrown out to the crowd. Children were calling and waving in the hopes of catching some candy or a gift. There was a frenzy of activity with the children grabbing and jumping for candy.

One of the three Kings float and candy being thrown to the crowd

We stopped and watched the parade go by. It took almost three hours for the parade to finish. We were often hit by flying candy and we even caught a few candy for ourselves.

The parade was well-organized and there were lots of police security throughout the parade route. Main routes were secured with tow trucks and police cars blocking the way.

Police controlled intersections of the parade route
Police controlling crowd access to the parade route

There were police throughout the parade and some walking in the parade. Although there were large crowds, we felt very safe knowing the security was in place.

Medical response units on standby along parade route

The newspaper reported that there were over 100,000 people at the parade. We have never experienced a Grand Cabalgata, it was an exciting, and fun event. The emotions of the children and the atmosphere of the crowds made it a very memorable event.

We put a video below of some of the parade and hope you enjoy a snapshot of the Grand Cabalgata.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”