Spain

The Seneca Bomb Shelter in Alicante

The city of Alicante has a very long and diverse history. Throughout the years there have been numerous battles and wars fought on the shores of Alicante. In 1936 there was a civil war and Alicante became a vital stronghold for the republican government.  The Seneca Air Raid Shelter was part of a network of approximately 100 underground bomb shelters located throughout the City of Alicante. They were built by the republican Authorities during the Spanish civil war (1936 to 1939).  Alicante was heavily bombed over 70 times during the civil war.

Map with locations of bomb shelters in Alicante during the civil war 1936-1939

These shelters were intended to protect the civilian population from air attacks by the German and Italian aircraft. Alicante was bombed more than 70 times between 1936 and 1939.

Image of one of the bombing runs over Alicante during the civil war of 1936-1939

The Plaza Seneca was renovated uncovering the entrances to the bomb shelter, which has now been opened up to the public. We went to check out the bomb shelter and learn about the network of shelters in Alicante.

Ray at the entrance of the Bomb Shelter R31 which is located in Seneca plaza

We began our tour in a small area with photos and documentation of the bomb shelters. Our guide spoke only Spanish and it was a challenge to understand some of the commentaries.

Our guide explaining the civil war and the creation of the Bomb shelters in Alicante

We had an opportunity to see some of the original documentation outlining the locations and designs of the various bomb shelters in Alicante.

We then saw a short video on the history of the creation of the shelters and the outcome of the civil war which ended with a dictatorship in Spain by Francisco Franco Bahamonde (4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975). He was a Spanish general who ruled over Spain as a dictator for 36 years from 1939 until his death in 1975.

After the video, we headed to see the bomb shelter. The door to the shelter provided access to a set of stairs which went down 21 feet underground. We headed down the stairs into the bomb shelter which has basically remained intact since its construction in 1936.

Stairway into the bomb shelter

At the base of the stairs, the shelter corridor turns to the left. The design of the shelter reduces the blast zone through separated small cubicle rooms throughout.

Model of the Seneca bomb shelter showing the layout of the divided rooms along the corridor.

The walls of the shelter were constructed with stone and the floor was a dirt floor.

Shelley in bomb shelter

There were different messages painted on the walls providing some instructions to people in the bomb shelter.

A message, “Keep silent for the duration of the alarm” painted in Spanish on the wall of the shelter.
“Respect the shelter is belongs to everyone” written in Spanish
“The center is the best of the shelter” In Spanish encouraging people to go to the center for safety.
“Give seats to children and the elderly” in Spanish on Bomb shelter wall

Along one end of the shelter, there was a small medical section for people who may be injured.

Medical station at the end of the corridor in bomb shelter

The main corridor of the bomb shelter was 51 meters long and adjacent to the corridor were 38 cubicles. Each cubicle was intended to protect the people from the bombings.

Ray walking along the corridor of the bomb shelter
51-meter long corridor of bomb shelter with 38 cubicles
Cubicle in bomb shelter

The entire bomb shelter was able to hold 1200 people. There were no washrooms and very limited space and seating. The intent was simple to protect people for the duration of the bombings. We walked along the corridor and imagined the horror children and parents would have endured waiting in the bomb shelter while their homes were being bombed.

It was an interesting day but somewhat sad thinking about how people had to live during those years.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

Spain

Ostrich Egg Breakfast

We went to the central market and decided that we would buy an Ostrich egg to try it. We went to an egg market stall called “Huevos Yolanda” that sold ostrich eggs. We asked for an egg and she explained that they are ordered and she would call when it arrived.  We ordered one which took three weeks before we received it. We picked it up at the market and was surprised at the size and weight of the ostrich egg.

Ostrich egg being sold to us from the central market

We walked home carrying the egg like a football, being careful not to drop it.

Ray bring in the ostrich egg into the apartment

The egg was bigger than we expected and weighed 2.6 kilograms. Apparently, one ostrich egg is equal to approximately 2 dozen chicken eggs.

Ostrich egg compared to an extra-large chicken egg

We invited some of our friends over to enjoy an ostrich egg brunch. The brunch began with Champaign and orange juice and the breaking of the ostrich egg. I gathered up my hammer and a screwdriver to gently crack the egg. Everyone gathered around the table for the event. It was quite the adventure cracking the egg.

We put the egg into a medium-size stainless steel bowl.

Stainless steel bowl for the Ostrich egg.

We whisked the egg in the bowl and then cooked scrambled egg.

Cooking up the egg required two large frying pans.

Ray cooking up one scrambled Ostrich egg

After cooking the ostrich egg everyone enjoyed brunch. The egg was similar to a chicken egg but was a bit creamier in texture and taste. The one egg was big enough to provide enough scrambled egg for eight people.

Liz, Barbara, and Denise eating Ostrich egg brunch
Mike, Filipe, Ray and Mike having Ostrich egg brunch

Although the experience was very enjoyable and fun, I am not sure I would buy an Ostrich egg every week. The cost of one Ostrich egg is  33 euros or $46.5 Canadian dollars.

“Adios y que tenga un grand dia”

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”

Life is too short to wait for adventure!