
<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812216996_97d4734fc1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812216996_bae22b5191_t.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

On Tuesday of this past week, we went to a free concert on Laredo's beach. The main act was El Arrebato. The name of the band means [ecstasy or rapture](http://dictionary.reverso.net/spanish-english/arrebato). Indeed.

The opening act was a band called [Mario San Miguel](http://mariosanmiguel.com/). The lead singer was quite entertaining, making jokes, etc. They did this elaborate setup for the first song, with the backs of the guitarist, bassist, and singer to the audience, with each turning around with style, but then the audience informed them that the sound wasn't on for the vocalist and guitar, so they had to do it all over again. They told us, "Okay, please forget what you just saw. We're going to do it right this time!" While they seemed a little amateur like this, they were very friendly and lovable. I've already attempted to find some of their music online, but with no luck so far.

The main act, headed by a character named Javier Labandón, is absolutely amazing. They might be my Spanish favorite band, with the possible exception of the [Gipsy Kings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gipsy_Kings) (who a friend, Nystrom, offered to go see with me one time in the US, and I didn't go because I had never heard of them). This is the third time I have seen El Arrebato in concert. The first time was in Extremadura, when I had never heard of them. And the second time was near home in Cantabria two years ago, [which I blogged](/2006/07/26/arrebato/). The lead singer is absolutely amazing. As they say here, _llena el escenario_ (he fills the stage). Being an entertaining singer without an instrument is hard work, but this guy has so much charisma, it's unbelievable. For this concert, we knew to arrive a little early and place ourselves within a few meters of the barrier in front of the stage. We waited a good 45 minutes before the first act, through 90 minutes of the first act, and then another 45 minutes until El Arrebato appeared. The lead singer is notoriously late for his performances, and I doubt he would have arrived any earlier if he hadn't had a previous act, so it was nice to be entertained for 90 of the minutes we would have to wait. Seriously, he's that tardy.

It was fun to watch all the people with mobile phones and point-and-shoot cameras attempt to take photos of the people on stage and fail miserably. That's when I pulled out my expensive Canon 40D and took some crystal-clear photos. Non-DSLR chumps...

If you lose interest with these photos, scroll down to the video at the end.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812196464_dd582d4112_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mario San Miguel in Laredo">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812196464_5170af6899.jpg" alt="Mario San Miguel in Laredo"/>
</a>

Mario San Miguel. The bald guy was a keyboardist that only sang on this one song. The scruffy hippy guy was the main singer and character of the band.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811352213_817c9684e8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mario San Miguel in Laredo">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811352213_213bcf3192.jpg" alt="Mario San Miguel in Laredo"/>
</a>

Some people just look out of place without a joint in their hands.

Just to be a troublemaker, for the last few songs, he put on a Santander (the local professional football team) jersey, because there's a game coming up against Seville, the city El Arrebato is from.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811400599_69de3f350b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811400599_24f641f689.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

The banner on the side of the stage. It says, "_Hoy todo me va a salir bien_." (Today everything's going to turn out alright for me.) That's one aspect of the singer's personality: everything is happiness. Even his sad "lost love" songs end with a "but I'm going to recover and be alright" note. He's almost always smiling, which is a large aspect of charisma, it turns out.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812199578_5efa00058b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812199578_50f6310700.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Introducing.....Javier Labandón, the lead singer of El Arrebato.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811357903_9040f71e59_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811357903_59b4d57b73.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

In his soliloquies, he often referred to the town he was in as Lared**u**, but I've since been informed that that could just be an Andalusian accent thing, rather than a "_you didn't learn the name of the town you were performing in!_" thing.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812205510_338349c324_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812205510_6b4d33f7ff.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812206978_fdbb9e4739_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812206978_7516e60e05.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811362445_eb2ea6120f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Kid watching Arrebato">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811362445_aa88e83fc1.jpg" alt="Kid watching Arrebato"/>
</a>

An avid fan.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812214486_d79f45fb40_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812214486_a38c5d229c.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

The full band on stage. They left Javier a pretty wide area to run around in.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812216996_97d4734fc1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812216996_bae22b5191.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

He spent a lot of time Jesusing.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812222710_8d6e51dc37_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812222710_f9d7aa1025.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

They had a pretty impressive light show.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811384429_b146e47e8d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811384429_5f5f14c0c9.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

There were people as far as I could see. The people pressed up against the beach walkway barrier were there as long as we were. It was as close as you could get without stepping in the sand.

When the concert was over, I was standing several inches shorter, having dug foot-sized holes that Tiger Woods would have been proud of where I had been the whole time in the sand.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811387261_f4cefc6670_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811387261_875cdf89d8.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Every one of the musicians in the band is of the highest caliber. This is the lead guitarist showing off some mad tapping skills.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811389503_36b5c9bffc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811389503_c4226685ee.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811394553_983160b100_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811394553_4afd1504a3.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Every concert, they do a little campfire flamenco section where all the musicians form a semicircle to sing acoustic flamenco style. It's superb.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811397429_bc13903f0d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811397429_3b30bffa99.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Check out the fingernails on this guy. He never plays guitar in concert, but he's definitely got flamenco guitar nails, so he must play.

I apologize for so many photos of this guy, but he's so mesmerizing that every few minutes you're sure that he's doing something worth capturing.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811405625_1013514d36_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811405625_6cf18c0b13.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Twirling around the towel he had been drying his face with.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812255284_ab830780a6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812255284_617182114b.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

When he finally threw it to the crowd, he left behind a huge cloud of sweat droplets that I happened to capture in this photograph.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812257950_b0ea430b43_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812257950_e93a95f795.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

This guy in brown is a cousin of the lead singer. My sister-in-law, Belén, thought he was pretty cute.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812260934_ed1f5ba774_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812260934_b85db34f9a.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Okay, so he's kind of a cutie.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812262800_5a796df17d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2812262800_8a030b8330.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

A little spin before the final bow.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811418831_9a7889aa2c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811418831_1dc469702e.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

The bow.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811419211_6cb57f9e1d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811419211_d0c52a6392.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

An encore? How odd! That almost never happens at any concert!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811422259_5fc9b61587_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-30-el-arrebato-in-laredo/2811422259_28cb76f16b.jpg" alt="Arrebato in Laredo, Spain"/>
</a>

Gracias, Javier.

Below is a six-minute video of various songs during the concert. Even for those of you that don't understand Spanish, you should still watch to check out just how much stage charisma this fellow has. He even fills the stage when he's sitting on a stool! Incredible! The music was a little too loud for my microphone, and there was even some noticeable [clipping](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipping_(audio)) with my naked ears. Too loud! I never remember to take ear plugs to these things.

 The above video is also available on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRVS544qxZA), [Yahoo](http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3387507/9474612), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1675077//), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1853403642777140743), [Revver](http://revver.com/video/1135505/el-arrebato-in-laredo-spain/), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6kic4), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/1208795), [Veoh](http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15782833SMaG6NcE), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/El_Arrebato_in_Laredo_Spain/) and [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/28/).

This concert was almost exactly on the anniversary of [the death of Antonio Puerta](/2007/08/29/spanish-current-events/), a young soccer player for Seville. El Arrebato is the singer of the official theme song for the Seville soccer team, so, when someone held up a Puerta jersey, he had to sing the official hymn. I dedicate this video to my expat blog sister, [Sarita](http://lavidadesarita.blogspot.com/), who recently separated from her husband.

The above video is also available on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QizaSLNN7Gk), [Yahoo](http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3392178/9485684), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1678017//), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8351543475491551729), [Revver](http://revver.com/video/1137105/el-arrebato-himno-del-sevilla/), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6kr9v), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/1210961), [Veoh](http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15788501AzsNFCFy), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/El_Arrebato__Himno_del_Sevilla/) and [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/29/).


El Arrebato in Laredo


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2807550995_f0c0b323c4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Anticrepuscular Rays">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2807550995_f4c199fb6c_t.jpg" alt="Anticrepuscular Rays"/>
</a>

Ever since learning about their existence, I have been looking to spot some [anticrepuscular rays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticrepuscular_rays). Every sunset and sunrise I've seen in the last few years, I have looked to the opposite horizon, but not until this month have I witnessed the phenomenon first hand.

Anticrepuscular rays are visible sun rays that converge on the anti-solar point in the sky, the point exactly opposite the sun on the horizon. The fact that [crepuscular rays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular_rays) appear to diverge and [anticrepuscular rays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticrepuscular_rays) appear to converge are merely tricks of [perspective](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_(graphical)) due to viewing them pass through our spherical atmosphere. It's a natural optical illusion. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2807550995_f0c0b323c4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anticrepuscular Rays">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2807550995_f4c199fb6c.jpg" alt="Anticrepuscular Rays"/>
</a>

Anticrepuscular rays, with foreground grass.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2807562779_95938f2d9a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anticrepuscular Rays">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2807562779_7556d3694a.jpg" alt="Anticrepuscular Rays"/>
</a>

Without foreground grass. The full moon is proof that these are anticrepuscular rays and not crepuscular rays, because if the sun had just gone down in this direction, the moon could not be full. The sun _must_ be behind the camera.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2808408626_68d68ef99e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Anticrepuscular Rays Panorama">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-29-anticrepuscular-rays/2808408626_61da3fb156.jpg" alt="Anticrepuscular Rays Panorama"/>
</a>

Anticrepuscular panorama. [View a little larger](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/2808408626/sizes/l/).

Seeing anticrepuscular rays during our trip to Extremadura was a real delight. Remember this post next time you see a beautiful sunset and look to the opposite horizon. You might just get lucky.


Anticrepuscular Rays


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804980133_b1949a283f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="My Walking Stick">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804980133_70f1f806cd_t.jpg" alt="My Walking Stick"/>
</a>

To finally wrap up my coverage of this year's trip to Extremadura, I'm including some photos from an evening walk we took on the last day. There's a rural park that we walk to sometimes.

Warning: This post contains broken glass, lambs, and wood carving.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804938635_edbc7bdaf7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chapel">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804938635_53dd20607f.jpg" alt="Chapel"/>
</a>

Of course the park has a chapel.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804944173_9bdc6e7142_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Kids Playing Tennis">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804944173_be20f876c9.jpg" alt="Kids Playing Tennis"/>
</a>

Some kids were playing tennis (with trick-shots, too!) on the road when we arrived. That's Marga, Marce, and Grandpa Ramón entering the gate back there.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804947995_f2c0060310_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chapel Steeple">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804947995_9ac5a10385.jpg" alt="Chapel Steeple"/>
</a>

Church steeple.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805803522_5f3e91444d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Windy Road">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805803522_a9aa9545f7.jpg" alt="Windy Road"/>
</a>

I love this windy road shot. I took it several years ago and a similar photograph was on the front of the town festival brochure.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804960207_0724122df5_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Family Leaves Me Behind">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804960207_298772d399.jpg" alt="Family Leaves Me Behind"/>
</a>

Family walking down the road. Hey guys! Wait up!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805814628_596376e4f7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lambs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805814628_ae426ae776.jpg" alt="Lambs"/>
</a>

I poked my camera into a little hole looking into a building with lamb noises.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805818002_23a449aed1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Frightened Lambs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805818002_7b8f2c1b5a.jpg" alt="Frightened Lambs"/>
</a>

The flash freaked them out a little bit.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805821842_a33b20b80b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Full Moon Rising">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805821842_af68b26a53.jpg" alt="Full Moon Rising"/>
</a>

The full moon rising over a rural Spanish landscape.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805825284_cc88106527_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Full Moon Over Farm House">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805825284_e19bcef670.jpg" alt="Full Moon Over Farm House"/>
</a>

Full moon over a farm house.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804983995_524f9ea26d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Moon Over Glass Shard Wall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804983995_8e25e8af7e.jpg" alt="Moon Over Glass Shard Wall"/>
</a>

Rural Spain uses broken glass for added wall security.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804980133_b1949a283f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="My Walking Stick">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2804980133_70f1f806cd.jpg" alt="My Walking Stick"/>
</a>

I did my very first wood carving with a pocket knife on this walk. This is my walking stick that I found on one of our [morning walks](/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/). This is currently my iPhone wallpaper.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805828860_21ff73a092_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Higuera de la Serena Sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-extremadura-evening-walk/2805828860_235af9aa75.jpg" alt="Higuera de la Serena Sunset"/>
</a>

The setting sun leaves the town of Higuera de la Serena, just as we would the following morning. Until next year, Extremadura!


Extremadura Evening Walk


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805734642_82554c9d14_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Higos Chumbos (Prickly Pears) pealed and ready to eat">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805734642_1c16d73e88_t.jpg" alt="Higos Chumbos (Prickly Pears) pealed and ready to eat"/>
</a>

2008 was my sixth year going to Extremadura in August. One tradition that happens every year down there is picking _higos chumbos_ ([prickly pears](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prickly_pear)). I used to think they were called _higos chu**ng**os_, which would mean "terrible figs" (_chumbo_ [doesn't mean anything](http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/chumbo) outside of American Spanish colloquialisms). According to Wikipedia, this particular species, [_Opuntia ficus-indica_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica), is native to Mexico and was introduced to Europe and the rest of the world by humans.

Officially, the cactus plants we harvest them from are on someone else's land, but the owners don't seem to do any prickly pear picking themselves. But we add a shifty-eyed clandestine atmosphere to our harvesting expeditions to make them more exciting. e.g. "Here comes someone walking their dog! Hide the metal tongs in the bucket and pretend like we're just out for a stroll!" Fun. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805713260_effffdacae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Roadside Cactus">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805713260_31d409ed20.jpg" alt="Roadside Cactus"/>
</a>

The cactus is right on the side of the road.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2804870211_1574a79d9c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cactus">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2804870211_088dd373ec.jpg" alt="Cactus"/>
</a>

Setting sun lights cactus.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2804875839_2492042d84_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Higos Chumbos">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2804875839_c13d666889.jpg" alt="Higos Chumbos"/>
</a>

These in the foreground are still green (both meanings, and maybe envious too). The yellow ones in the background are ripe for picking.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805730260_9f6977aaec_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Stealing Cactus Fruit">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805730260_c19279dba3.jpg" alt="Stealing Cactus Fruit"/>
</a>

Juan reaches in carefully with the long metal barbecue tongs.

On the way back home, we dump them into a grassy field and use a tree branch to roll them around in the grass, thus removing almost all of the needle-like spines.

There's a little poem for remembering how to peel them:

> Dios te guarde higo chumbo... te corto corona y culo, te hago una raja en la panza... y te mando al otro mundo.

In English, that's:

> God save you, prickly pear... I cut your crown and your butt, I slice you in your belly... and I send you to another world.

If there's one thing I've learned in Spain, it's that there's an awful lot of wisdom passed between generations via rhyming lyrics.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805734642_82554c9d14_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Higos Chumbos (Prickly Pears) pealed and ready to eat">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-28-higos-chumbos-prickly-sweetness/2805734642_1c16d73e88.jpg" alt="Higos Chumbos (Prickly Pears) pealed and ready to eat"/>
</a>

This is what they look like peeled and ready to eat. They are extremely sweet and wonderful, but they are full of peppercorn-sized seeds that must be swallowed whole, which takes some getting used to.

There is something great, metaphorically, about a fruit that is so harsh and defensive and hurtful on the outside, but so wonderfully sweet, tender and delightful on the inside.


Higos Chumbos: Prickly Sweetness


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802776873_6773097108_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Attic Crap">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802776873_d5af953eb2_t.jpg" alt="Attic Crap"/>
</a>

Several days of my summer vacation in Extremadura were spent tackling the huge mess that was my wife's grandfather's attic: a lifetime of "this could be useful later!" items and the dust they have collected over the years. I learned the trick of splashing some water on the floor before sweeping to avoid being suffocated by airborne particulates. Very handy.

We ended up throwing away almost everything in the attic. The first two days, we just moved it all to one side of the attic, and then we finally moved it down outside to be discarded the next morning.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803612826_518503eb7b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sweeping the Attic">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803612826_52942da95a.jpg" alt="Sweeping the Attic"/>
</a>

This is quite possibly the worst angle and posture I could be photographed in. One thing about summer in Extremadura is that it's too bloody hot to be embarrassed about your body's imperfections. I considered performing some Photosuction liposhopping before posting, but what the heck.

The word for attic in Spanish is _doblado_, which means "doubled". I asked Marga, "Why is it called a _doblado_? Is it because it's the second layer on the house?""No," she said, "it's because when you're up there, you have to be doubled over all the time." Duh.

Juan and I installed the light you see in this picture, a process involving running a cord up the stairwell, installing a switch on the wall, and screwing the light fixture to the cement wall. The thing about installing a light is that, well, it's dark. Several times we remarked that it'd be nice if there was a light up there so we could see what we were doing.

These aren't the brooms we used to do the entire attic job; we had just uncovered these and posed with them. And the majority of the attic actually allows one to stand up straight. Those are wine jugs in the foreground. They survived the purge, but [I doubt they'll ever be used again](/2008/08/25/buying-oil-and-wine/#comment-2903). Also notice the tree-trunk timbers. Nice.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802776873_6773097108_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Attic Crap">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802776873_d5af953eb2.jpg" alt="Attic Crap"/>
</a>

All the crap filling the corral (the open area between two parts of the house). That pool is about 27 years old. Marga has spent several thousand hours in that thing.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802787071_a2488aa119_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Old Stove">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802787071_28d0a8831d.jpg" alt="Old Stove"/>
</a>

The old stove. The base was hollow so an orange butane tank could be inserted. I remember when Marga first came to visit me in the States, I was bragging to her about having a _gas stove_! If she'd spoken colloquial English at that time, her response would have been, "Dude! That's _all we have_ in Spain!!!" Of course, now, all the new stoves in Spain are switching away from gas to easy-to-clean ceramic.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802797811_58566610f1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Old Oven">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802797811_ce862c34db.jpg" alt="Old Oven"/>
</a>

Old oven. You gotta wonder how someone could apply the "it might come in handy again some day" reasoning to something like this.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803659128_2b09a3c4f0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Attic Crap">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803659128_93fc384352.jpg" alt="Attic Crap"/>
</a>

The problem with having this stuff here was that people kept _looking_ at it out of boredom and finding things that they might want to keep. Argh!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803673622_e874a3347a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Chimney">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803673622_ddbb1bd012.jpg" alt="Chimney"/>
</a>

The chimney.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803683564_efc8cb1580_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marce in her mothers dress">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803683564_c91901b9d9.jpg" alt="Marce in her mothers dress"/>
</a>

Apparently Marce's mother was one of those Spanish women that always wore a brown or black dress. Some elderly señoras like that still exist. Marce found one of her mother's old dresses and couldn't resist trying it on. But only for a second so that her father didn't see her (because he might have been saddened by the reminder of his late wife).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802847175_4827881b5b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="I rubbed.  No genie.">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802847175_9e466809ee.jpg" alt="I rubbed.  No genie."/>
</a>

I rubbed. No genie. :-(

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802862187_71ef1ee23b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Floral Trunk">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2802862187_2ca387377c.jpg" alt="Floral Trunk"/>
</a>

This is an old cooler. What a disgusting floral pattern. Way to make a cooler lamer.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803733570_cd4d1d128d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marga and Marce moving junk">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803733570_4462c5bf2f.jpg" alt="Marga and Marce moving junk"/>
</a>

Marga and Marce moving junk.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803761882_63e7600a40_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Attic Junk - Corral Pan">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-27-the-great-purge-of-2008/2803761882_4dd1e03112.jpg" alt="Attic Junk - Corral Pan"/>
</a>

A stitched wide-angle panorama of the junk in the corral.

The next morning, we all got up at 6:30 to be ready for when the guy with the trailer was going to come at 7:00. I had the incredibly brilliant idea to set up my camera to capture a timelapse video of us moving all the junk out of the house. Even more clever still, was my idea to set the camera for exposures of one second, to capture the blur of the movers. At 6:50, I started the camera snapping photographs, perfectly aligned to capture all the items to be removed and look down the hallway all the way to the front door.

We waited. And waited. And waited. At 8:00 we walked across the street to ask for the phone number of the guy coming with the trailer (he's a relative of theirs or something). We called him and his wife answered and told us that he was in bed, fast asleep. When he finally got there at 8:30, there was way too much daylight for one-second exposures, and the timelapse video was ruined. Dammit dammit dammit. In retrospect, I should have set it on "no flash auto", which would have taken longer exposures when it was dark and shorter when it was light. Now I know.[See in HD on Vimeo](http://www.vimeo.com/1551056). Or on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxleG_XludY), [Metacafe](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1645526//), [Google](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6163248675933266587), [DailyMotion](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6hrbu), [Blip.tv](http://www.blip.tv/file/1188107), [Stupid Videos](http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/Corral_Waiting/), [Viddler](http://www.viddler.com/explore/rasman1978/videos/27/) or [5min](http://www.5min.com/Video/Corral-Waiting-34873583).


The Great Purge of 2008


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799653026_f50362459c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Farm Work (Crop)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799653026_3a750d76ef_t.jpg" alt="Farm Work (Crop)"/>
</a>

During my recent trip to Extremadura, I took walks in the evening right around the 9:30ish sunset almost every day. For most of these walks, my eyes were glued to the absolutely stunning skies. Coming from the north of Spain, visiting relatively flat, relatively treeless, relatively small housing in Extremadura reminds me of the first time I was in the Nevada desert: _So much sky!_

We traveled on the new moon and stayed 14 days until the full moon, so I got to watch as the moon appeared every night, first in the west with the setting sun as a little sliver, and later full in the east, competing with the setting sun for glory like a boxer in the opposite corner of the ring.

Without further ado, let's go for a walk under Extremadura skies. Vote for your favorite in the comments.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796754378_94477608e6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset Wheat">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796754378_3d3a202da9.jpg" alt="Sunset Wheat"/>
</a>

1) Sunset wheat.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2795916875_9c0278b492_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset Through Tree">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2795916875_bbd30cd260.jpg" alt="Sunset Through Tree"/>
</a>

2) Sunset through a tree.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796765318_e1a2e912e0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset Fire Tree">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796765318_2cb5a5d8a4.jpg" alt="Sunset Fire Tree"/>
</a>

3) Tree of fire!!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796771226_2bfa49757a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset over pig pen">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796771226_80716dfa89.jpg" alt="Sunset over pig pen"/>
</a>

4) Sunset over a pig pen. Can you see the pig?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2795929609_5e46ab5877_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Adios, Señor Sol!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2795929609_0191dc2f2a.jpg" alt="Adios, Señor Sol!"/>
</a>

5) Adios, Señor Sol! This is what a sunset looks like in a cloudless sky. I watched the sun touch the horizon and disappear behind it while seated at table with beer and family. Nice.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796785116_b1934018ac_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Moon Sliver Over Sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796785116_d2e4d18be0.jpg" alt="Moon Sliver Over Sunset"/>
</a>

6) Moon sliver wide. I was disappointed that it took me so long to notice it. But it was fun to play the "Cool! Look at the moon!", "Where?" game with people.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796776718_657b097c9f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Moon Sliver">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796776718_2796367df4.jpg" alt="Moon Sliver"/>
</a>

7) Moon sliver cropped.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796785760_fbd593bf34_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796785760_7ab2fbf25c.jpg" alt="Sunset"/>
</a>

8) Another cloudless sunset.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796788066_2ce362aacc_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Handheld Setting Moon Attempt">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796788066_c6b9058334.jpg" alt="Handheld Setting Moon Attempt"/>
</a>

9) A beautiful failure. This was a handheld attempt at photographing the moon sliver. Because there was so little light, the camera had to hold the shutter open for a full 2.5 seconds, and no one can hold a camera perfectly still for that long. So I had to search for something to steady the camera on.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796792014_4dd5ef3cda_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Moonset with fencepost tripod">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2796792014_edb81daf07.jpg" alt="Moonset with fencepost tripod"/>
</a>

10) Fencepost tripod.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2797071301_976cb4f4db_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Moonset with fencepost tripod (Crop)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2797071301_025212ae60.jpg" alt="Moonset with fencepost tripod (Crop)"/>
</a>

11) Fencepost tripod, cropped.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2795946425_6fdb02c6f4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset through trees">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2795946425_1a21c9b35f.jpg" alt="Sunset through trees"/>
</a>

12) Sunset through the trees, with electrical pole.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798793465_7bb7817d5e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Layered Sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798793465_af61d1ccc8.jpg" alt="Layered Sunset"/>
</a>

13) Layered Sunset. This photo and the next one were the only two I took one day when I carried my tripod just outside the town to catch some sunset action.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798796237_ce15e9554e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="HDR-ish sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798796237_434cec5fe9.jpg" alt="HDR-ish sunset"/>
</a>

14) Attempted HDR. I was really undereducated when I went out to attempt my first [High Dynamic Range](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging) photograph. I wasn't aware that it requires at least 5 or 6 different shots. I took two. Photoshop's HDR tool failed miserably, but when I tried the Photomerge tool (what I use for stitching panoramas), it figured out to split the two shots right at the horizon, successfully capturing the textured sky and rocky grass landscape below. Nice.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799651582_a83c28c4da_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Evening sky">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799651582_9eaf1d952a.jpg" alt="Evening sky"/>
</a>

15) Nice clouds with horizontal lighting.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798803383_4e9c6c9267_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Farm Work">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798803383_749ff452ea.jpg" alt="Farm Work"/>
</a>

16) Farm work at sunset.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799653026_f50362459c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Farm Work (Crop)">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799653026_3a750d76ef.jpg" alt="Farm Work (Crop)"/>
</a>

17) Farm work sunset, cropped. This might be my favorite.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798805943_3f1e251a2b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dad helps sons with kite">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798805943_0fbeb59312.jpg" alt="Dad helps sons with kite"/>
</a>

18) Dad helps sons with kite. They had been flying this kite, which would have made an awesome shot, but they were finishing and packing up the kite when I got to them. Darn.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799658364_b48a721e01_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Juan and Belén">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799658364_577169f170.jpg" alt="Juan and Belén"/>
</a>

19) Juan and Belén walking out to find Marga and me on our walk.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799661522_14b02ba7fa_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tree at Sunset">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799661522_1a96584ea6.jpg" alt="Tree at Sunset"/>
</a>

20) I love the circular shape of this tree.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799665408_cdda8840b9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Wispy Clouds and Moon">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799665408_80db794137.jpg" alt="Wispy Clouds and Moon"/>
</a>

21) Red cirrus. Just when I thought the photogenic sunset was over for the evening, I glanced up and these cirrus clouds were glowing red.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799669340_0384b3da26_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Moon in Red Shroud">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799669340_63ed31f784.jpg" alt="Moon in Red Shroud"/>
</a>

22) Red shroud. A close-up of the moon from the previous photograph, in case you didn't notice it.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799669658_9589dd3446_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Pantano">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799669658_5766071712.jpg" alt="Pantano"/>
</a>

23) Pond at dusk.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799669896_6fb089995e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Brush Strokes">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2799669896_f338d494be.jpg" alt="Brush Strokes"/>
</a>

24) Red brush strokes. iPhone held steady on the roof of a car.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798822239_6d6ae4c91e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunset Over Farm">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-26-extremadura-skies/2798822239_7dcdb471e0.jpg" alt="Sunset Over Farm"/>
</a>

25) The same farm from above on the last day. Lovely.

There are two more photographs of sunset skies, but they are too special and deserve [their own post](/2008/08/29/anticrepuscular-rays/). Don't forget to vote for your favorite.


Extremadura Skies


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2795997238_e1fac2bc5a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="La Unidad">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2795997238_9cecd57f1f_t.jpg" alt="La Unidad"/>
</a>

Whenever we go south to Extremadura, we always bring back liters upon liters of extra virgin olive oil and wine. I don't actually have any photos of the place where I bought the wine I brought back, but I do have a good anecdote.

We traveled to the nearby town of [Esparragosa de la Serena](http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esparragosa_de_la_Serena_(Badajoz)). The name is related to asparagus plants. Apparently the place we've bought wine in the past is no longer there, so we had to just park in the middle of the town and ask someone. At twelve noon, it was already pretty hot and the streets of the small town were deserted. Finally we found a gentleman sitting in his doorway. We asked him, "Excuse me, we're looking to buy some wine. Can you direct us to someone that has wine to sell?" The man said, "No." We continued to ask him, "No really, surely you know someone around here. We really want to buy some wine." After a minute or two of this, the man stood up and said, "Hold on, I'll bring out some of the stuff that I'm selling this year." What? The same man that gave us a cold no had some wine he was wanting to convert to money! The wine he brought out was pretty nasty. It was cloudy and tasted very watery. But just one sip went to your head. Definitely not what we wanted. When we turned that wine down, the man went back into his house and brought out another glass. The second wine was much better, but he said it wasn't for sale. When we polished that glass off, between Grandpa, Juan, and myself, he brought out _yet another_ better not-for-sale wine. By this time, several neighbors had come out of their houses and there were a dozen people watching us sip this man's wine. It wasn't clear to us why he would serve us not-for-sale wine. I suspect he was a little embarrassed about the quality of his vintage this year and wanted to raise our opinion of his wine-making, strangers though we may be. With all the onlookers, we were able to get some recommendations about where else in town we could buy wine. No doubt they sent us to a cousin or something. We thanked the man and said adios to his neighbors and set off for this other house.

We found the stop sign and counted three houses down from it, but realized that we didn't know which side of the road our destination was on. So we picked one and knocked. A nice old woman came to the door and informed us that the man we were looking for was across the street. "But wait!" she said, "Don't you want to try what we have here?" She led us to a room with a huge thousand-liter tank of wine and served us a glass. It was better than the first place, but still pretty mediocre. We thanked her and went across the street, now pretty tipsy.

This new guy led us into his home, into his sitting room where his wife was watching television. He fetched a glass from the kitchen and led us to his garage, where he had several large tanks of wine. This wine was much better and we decided to buy. We were going to just decide on that day and then come another day with our big glass wine jugs, but this guy already had lots of 5-liter plastic bottles filled and waiting to sell. Plastic is really a lot easier because you don't have to store the container all year long after it's been emptied. So we bought some wine. Each 5-liter bottle cost 6€. That's 0.90€ ([$1.33](http://www.google.com/search?q=0.9+eur+in+usd)) per 75 cl bottle. It ain't no Rioja, but it's a pretty good price-value ratio.

Juan took a particularly long time to go get the car (we had walked a couple blocks) to load up with the purchased wine. He later mentioned that he had gone to buy a 5L bottle from the nice old lady for her trouble. Nice.

So the moral of this story is, no need to go to bars when you can just go door-to-door in Esparragosa de la Serena getting free sampler wine in every house.

The pictures below are from a trip to an olive oil factory and a large winery we visited looking for sweeter wine for Grandpa and Marce.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2795997238_e1fac2bc5a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="La Unidad">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2795997238_9cecd57f1f.jpg" alt="La Unidad"/>
</a>

Looks pretty posh for olive oil.

We bought oil in plastic jugs, too. This was just on display in the lobby.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2796001424_c8e9c51168_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Winery">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2796001424_55be6cf1e2.jpg" alt="Winery"/>
</a>

When we arrived to this little winery, this part was open and unmanned. So I started taking photographs, hoping that I would be treated as a tourist and not accused of corporate espionage.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2795157523_a21c2f4716_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="15,000 liters">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2795157523_1137c0b31a.jpg" alt="15,000 liters"/>
</a>

15,000 liters. That's one heck of a good party.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2796008308_5370ab880e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Corker">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-25-buying-oil-and-wine/2796008308_40174188bb.jpg" alt="Corker"/>
</a>

A corking machine with reflection of car and wife.


Buying Oil and Wine


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-22-extremadura-star-trails/2785921487_5a85a08515_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Star Trails First Attempt">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-22-extremadura-star-trails/2785921487_6acce574cc_t.jpg" alt="Star Trails First Attempt"/>
</a>

During the first few days of my summer vacation, I spent [some sleepless nights](/2008/08/04/eaten-alive/). To take my mind off my troubles, I spent quite a bit of time outside in the _corral_ (an open area behind the house) gazing up at the cloudless night sky.

The following photo is a one-hour exposure looking towards [Polaris](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris) about which the [celestial sphere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_sphere) appears to rotate. I still don't know what made the colored dots that can be seen on the full-sized version. It must be dust or debris on either the lens or CCD sensor (like "film" to you old folks). Or maybe some other kind of signal noise. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-22-extremadura-star-trails/2785921487_5a85a08515_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Star Trails First Attempt">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-22-extremadura-star-trails/2785921487_6acce574cc.jpg" alt="Star Trails First Attempt"/>
</a>

Not bad, huh? In theory each star trail is a perfect 1/24th of an arc.

In a strange coincidence, the antenna pictured was torn down and a new one erected the morning after this photo was taken. Below you can see the new antenna.

You really should [watch it in HD on Vimeo](http://www.vimeo.com/1551082), bandwidth permitting. The flickering light is full-bladdered household members turning on and off the bathroom light.


Extremadura Star Trails


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783782404_6a6b1e954d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="In back of truck">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783782404_3cfebc7232_t.jpg" alt="In back of truck"/>
</a>

When we go to Extremadura, we stay mainly in my mother-in-law's hometown of Higuera de la Serena (Fig Tree of the Serene). But we also always visit my father-in-law's hometown of Zahí­nos. Higuera de la Serena is a very small town, but most of the people we see there have moved away to the Basque Country and are visiting on vacation like we are. So, despite the size of the town, Higuera de la Serena feels more urban because of the people there. But Zahí­nos is still full of the rural people that have always lived there, so Zahí­nos _really_ feels like a small town. Marga's uncle, íngel, after suffering three heart attacks, no longer works, accepting a social security check and spending his days renovating his house and working on his farm. And, because it's small town Spain, the thought of íngel's wife or two daughters ever having a job has never occurred to anyone. So things are _reeeally_ laid back, since the family members we visit there are all on permanent vacation. The most interesting thing we ever do there is go to íngel's farm. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782922889_872aaa1b93_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Grapes to the horizon">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782922889_b9b9dc2b5d.jpg" alt="Grapes to the horizon"/>
</a>

During the two-hour drive from Higuera de la Serena to Zahí­nos, we pass right through a vineyard that stretches from horizon to horizon.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783777008_230be33707_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Piggies">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783777008_e7568a69f1.jpg" alt="Piggies"/>
</a>

The pigs rush to the gate because they know what's coming.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782924293_a18a5d6d5e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Feeding Pigs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782924293_ac0213942d.jpg" alt="Feeding Pigs"/>
</a>

íngel dumps watermelon rinds to the pigs. He claims that this is pretty much all they eat.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783778460_38caa27095_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Pigs eating watermelon rinds">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783778460_95ee5c3f64.jpg" alt="Pigs eating watermelon rinds"/>
</a>

Oink oink. Snuffle snuffle. Pigs eat very...vigorously.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783779172_8988e4d70d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Pigs eating watermelon rinds">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783779172_755cebbba3.jpg" alt="Pigs eating watermelon rinds"/>
</a>

So would these be _pork rinds_? I crack myself up.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783780272_bedeaff0c1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gobble gobble!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783780272_28ed8c978e.jpg" alt="Gobble gobble!"/>
</a>

He's got turkeys too.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783781398_eeed8c669c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Turkeys">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783781398_f8eb1b5e05.jpg" alt="Turkeys"/>
</a>

Gobble gobble.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783781994_f97201835c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Swell Well">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783781994_7223b42771.jpg" alt="Swell Well"/>
</a>

A circular well with a rectangular wall.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783782404_6a6b1e954d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="In back of truck">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783782404_3cfebc7232.jpg" alt="In back of truck"/>
</a>

The way we go to íngel's farm is in his backseatless truck. This year it was my turn to be in the back.

We were there for the annual town festival in Zahí­nos. The only real event we saw was the Ribbon Race. The event consists of riding a horse at full gallop under a bar upon which ribbons tied to metal rings hang. The competitors have to stick a pencil-sized stick through the metal ring, capturing a ribbon as they gallop by. Needless to say, this is _very_ difficult. There are quite a few residents of Zahí­nos with some excellent equestrian skills. It was very fun to watch. I tried for some action shots right by the ribbons, but I ended up with 15 photos of the ribbons and the sky. Not a single horse. Let's just say the iPhone isn't for photographing fast things.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782929467_a5c08a8552_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Ribbon Race">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782929467_e9891d40af.jpg" alt="Ribbon Race"/>
</a>

"Whoa!!" They use that word in Spanish, too. Although I guess it would be spelled _guo_. You can see the ribbons there on the left.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783783050_711057c21b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Ribbon Race">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783783050_c470b97b6f.jpg" alt="Ribbon Race"/>
</a>

He looks like he's in a hurry to go write something.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782930307_b1e8914fe9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Horse parked at saloon">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2782930307_f528bcc5e7.jpg" alt="Horse parked at saloon"/>
</a>

Afterwards we went for some drinks. There were several "parked" horses at the bar saloon.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783783866_a0e92b5db8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Frog Legs">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-21-zahinos-2008/2783783866_fef8099a64.jpg" alt="Frog Legs"/>
</a>

Fried frog legs. Pretty good food. I don't eat much amphibian.


Zahí­nos 2008


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780080873_e9f67a16c0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Walking Trail">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780080873_3c43114f45_t.jpg" alt="Walking Trail"/>
</a>

My father-in-law, when on vacation in Extremadura, gets up at 8:00 every morning to go on long walks around the countryside. Marga and I went with him on short walks a couple times in 2006, but we went out at night a lot that year and you don't really feel like walking 10 km at 8:00 when you've gone to bed at 5:00. In 2007, Marga went with him almost every day. This year, Marga wasn't feeling very well, so we didn't go out much and I was free to go walking with Juan almost every morning. As Juan says, "If you don't go walking in the morning, all we do here is drink, eat, and sleep. You gotta do _something_ to burn some calories!"

In Extremadura in August, the early morning is really the only time that exercise is possible because it just gets too hot. This year was much cooler than most years. Several times when we set out at 8:00, it was pretty chilly. But we always ended up sweating and spending the second half of the walk with our shirts off in the warming morning sun.

All the photos in this post were taken with my iPhone.<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780073351_856aed2522_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lichen Rocks">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780073351_6eb74769af.jpg" alt="Lichen Rocks"/>
</a>

This rock formation jutting out of the fairly flat ground had some cool lichen formations on it. At the ground below the rock, there were lots of plastic flower bouquets. Normally one bouquet would mean that someone died there, so when I saw a dozen, my first thought was "Dear god, what happened here!?" But I didn't think much about it. Juan said that he brought his wife there once and she had the same thought I did, but he let her simmer in intrigue for a week before explaining that a lot of people brought the ashes of their dead relatives to this place, and that's why they also brought flowers. I can maybe, kind of understand bringing flowers to a gravestone to make it prettier, but to an ash dump site? Weird. Nothing makes people more superstitious than the death of a loved one.

One of Juan's favorite pastimes during these walks is spotting hares, rabbits, and quail. He can't read the screen on his mobile, but he can spot leporids on the horizon like an eagle. I am the opposite, of course, so I saw very few hopping blurry blobs. Every 10 minutes or so, he'd say, "Look! A rabbit! See it? Nevermind, it ran behind a tree." Normally the critters were out of sight before I even knew what direction to look in. The few I did see were hopping across the trail 200 meters in front of us. The only one I saw closer than 200 meters was about 100 meters away in a field. As we approached, Juan whispered and pointed to it. When he did, you could see the hare's black ears flatten across its back, almost completely hiding it below the level of the grass. Juan whispered, "Pretend like you didn't see it. We're going to walk another 100 meters and I'm gonna jump over the fence and go get it." Riiiight. You're going to leap over a barbed wire fence and go kill the metaphorical definition of "fast" with a stick. But darned if he didn't squeeze through the fence and go Elmer Fudding on aftew de wascawy wittle buggew. Of course, by the time he got to where it had been, the hare was long, long gone.

These cultural differences still amaze me. Juan grew up poor in an environment where no opportunity to have a good meal should be ignored. Rabbit is a very common meat in Spain, and hare is a delicacy. Once, when I was driving one night in Extremadura, a rabbit made a bad decision and left its life on my bumper. Juan was in the car and said, "Stop the car! Let's go back and get it! We'll have a feast tonight!" I, of course, thought he was joking and kept on driving. Only later did I realize he was serious. When a rabbit runs in front of his car, he swerves _towards_ the rabbit.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780931400_be28ca8b6a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Hare Hunting Juan">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780931400_f97ec3bfc4.jpg" alt="Hare Hunting Juan"/>
</a>

Fudding around in the grass with a big stick.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780932094_b472c3429d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Hare Hunting Juan">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780932094_1b8cdfcd61.jpg" alt="Hare Hunting Juan"/>
</a>

Does this make him my _fudder_\-in-law?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780933318_9435450540_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Hare Hunting Juan">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780933318_b3bea0d4d1.jpg" alt="Hare Hunting Juan"/>
</a>

In case you didn't believe me about the fence. I stayed on the sane side the whole time.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780935814_65ce85608f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Old Cork Bee Hives">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780935814_044d105411.jpg" alt="Old Cork Bee Hives"/>
</a>

He took me up to a clearing where some people used to keep bees and explained that these boxes made of cork were how the bees were kept.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780080873_e9f67a16c0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Walking Trail">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780080873_3c43114f45.jpg" alt="Walking Trail"/>
</a>

Some of the paths were wooded...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780942614_816d1be97a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gold-lined path">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780942614_a5e66ee373.jpg" alt="Gold-lined path"/>
</a>

But a lot of them were open like this. I liked the gold lining this dirt road had.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780083479_6d5087a6bb_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Olive Grove">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780083479_26d57a83dd.jpg" alt="Olive Grove"/>
</a>

An olive grove on a hill.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780938978_4dc9aa2c25_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Old Cortijo">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780938978_29545c8721.jpg" alt="Old Cortijo"/>
</a>

This is the corner of an old [cortijo](http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortijo). Cortijos are large structures where the owner of a large piece of land lived, but also with housing for the farm workers. Sort of like a mix between a castle and a plantation. Juan really likes this place and kept saying how great it must have been in its time, saying things like, "Look! The road at the front entrance even had cobblestones!" and "Look! Even the workers' one-room houses had tiles on the floor! Almost no one had tiled floors back then." "And tiles on the roof, too! Nobody had those either!" I was taking all this in and thinking medieval serfdom, with the lord and his serfs. So I asked, how long has this place been abandoned. Juan replied, "I'd say about 50 years."

Unbelievable. More on this in another post.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780945980_d734e67de6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dry creek bed">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780945980_f2f02aea62.jpg" alt="Dry creek bed"/>
</a>

Some of the days we went on new discovery missions, picking paths Juan had never been on just to see where they went. He's like a human GPS (and I had my iPhone 3G), so there was never any danger of getting lost. Several times they turned out to be dead ends and we had to backtrack, but almost always we'd end up on another path that he knew about. One day on a discovery expedition we came across this long, thin grove of trees that were all much taller than the normal holly oak, olive, and fig trees. When we got closer, we saw that they followed a little creek bed that was dry in the summer. Weird.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780947068_b017149ee2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Solar Panels">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780947068_040e0d263a.jpg" alt="Solar Panels"/>
</a>

Just this year, solar panels are popping up all across the Spanish countryside. We saw quite a few in Extremadura (look at the sky and you'll see why) and even some in the cloudier Basque country on the trip home.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780948124_6ba5bf7fc9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Huge solar panel">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780948124_de2866b75b.jpg" alt="Huge solar panel"/>
</a>

Pretty huge. Check out the car parked in the shade. They seemed to have rotation systems built in so they can "sunflower", but they didn't seem to actually work. Some were pointed away, some straight up, etc.

Juan is excited about showing off the Extremadura lifestyle to my parents when they visit us in August next year. He's all the time talking about "Paul would like this. Paul would like that." The walking stick I was given for the first few walks was way too short, so I found another one on one of the treks. Grandpa trimmed and sanded it a bit for me and it worked very well. So it was determined that Paul and Betsy (my parents) needed walking sticks for next year. On the last day, Juan said, "No walking sticks today. Only a hatchet." About 1.5 km from home we ventured off trail into someone's almond grove and Juan started hacking. The first one we got was the best, with a nice form around the handle. He explained that it's important to cut the wood when it's green and then let it dry out for a year to stiffen and get lighter. We ended up coming home with five potential walking sticks from almond, holly oak, and olive trees.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780094875_97e792d9df_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cutting a walking stick">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780094875_ccb0d6a37c.jpg" alt="Cutting a walking stick"/>
</a>

Chopping at the base of the branch.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780098631_0b5bdf246a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Trimming branches">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780098631_b7cb30ce0b.jpg" alt="Trimming branches"/>
</a>

Trimming little branches of the main branch.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780100475_a9ddc8e2de_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Strange Rock Phenomenon">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780100475_55f0f78b1c.jpg" alt="Strange Rock Phenomenon"/>
</a>

A very, very large percentage of the land that we walked through is full of small rocks. In some places there are about 10 baseball-sized rocks in every square meter. With my limited knowledge of geology, I cannot fathom how this could come to be so. Any ideas?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780959850_5743d0c204_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Fuzzy Fungal Infection">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780959850_bba109ba4b.jpg" alt="Fuzzy Fungal Infection"/>
</a>

This fuzzy fungal infection interested me.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780961058_560ca77f18_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Far from town">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-20-morning-walks-with-juan/2780961058_f141be613f.jpg" alt="Far from town"/>
</a>

On the last day, carrying a hatchet and extra sticks, we went the farthest away from town. We climbed up the nearest mountain ridge enough to see over the other side to get a full 360Âº view. By "mountain ridge", I mean similar to what you see on the horizon in this photo. This is looking back at Higuera de la Serena, the town we stay in. You can barely see it in the middle of the picture. [Here's the full version](http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikrasmussen/2780961058/sizes/o/).

I leave you with a little bit of wisdom Juan gave me about walking up hills.

> He who climbs like an old man arrives at the top like a child.

I suppose the reverse is true as well.


Morning Walks With Juan


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771811683_deb288b2ed_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Wheat Wall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771811683_8db8cb8bc3_t.jpg" alt="Wheat Wall"/>
</a>

Here it is! The second part of the random photo bin from this year's trip to the south of Spain. The first part can be seen [here](/2008/08/18/extremadura-2008-part-1/). The second week we were in town was the annual festival, _El Ramo_, that is responsible for more than doubling the town's population. Many organized events took place. We even saw a sign advertising a "Nocturnal Photography Marathon". I had brought my tripod and expensive camera and could definitely win that, but there was no date on the poster. We asked when it was and the woman at the town hall reception, who seemed rather clueless, looked through her papers for a bit and told us it was on Saturday, and that I had to sign up at 7 PM and then turn in photos by 12 PM the next day. I was pretty excited. So on Saturday at 7 PM, I went down to the town hall and found a bunch of children in line to sign up for a _running_ "marathon" around the perimeter town. When I asked about the photography "marathon", I was told, rather condescendingly, that, "No, that was two weeks ago. This is a real _running_ marathon today." Pretty disappointing. At least it happened before we got there, so it's not like I missed the opportunity to participate.  One of the events, that were mostly for children, was a mop throwing competition. I had already seen a [broom throwing competition in Colindres](/2006/06/26/small-town-festival/), so I was interested to see how this one would be carried out.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771709079_b3bd477096_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mop Throwing">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771709079_81efeeb867.jpg" alt="Mop Throwing"/>
</a>

See the mop?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771711763_347f365798_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mop Throwing">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771711763_8bfbbda05e.jpg" alt="Mop Throwing"/>
</a>

Sports photographers always get the best facial expressions. At least one future girlfriend in the background.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771726305_bf271c7229_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mop Throwing">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771726305_4cb449d2b9.jpg" alt="Mop Throwing"/>
</a>

It was interesting to watch the social dynamics I remember from athletic competitions as a child. The strong athletic kids took everything very seriously and the fat weak boys _and all the girls_ didn't even try and laughed mockingly at the idiocy of the competition while secretly envying the athletic kids.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772587004_86db9d3b1f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Waiter Race">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772587004_0795bf07fa.jpg" alt="Waiter Race"/>
</a>

There was also a Waiter Race what involved walking a path without spilling any water. The judging was pretty imprecise on quantity of water spilled.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771765281_eec678d2b1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Waiter Race">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771765281_ed821c7905.jpg" alt="Waiter Race"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772624042_e575aa89b9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Waiter Race">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772624042_0bd85f6bdd.jpg" alt="Waiter Race"/>
</a>

Oops! Love that wrestling shirt. That'll be embarrassing to find in the closet 10 years from now.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772597798_603f07a0b9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Town festivities at town hall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772597798_2a9be1e750.jpg" alt="Town festivities at town hall"/>
</a>

Old men playing cards outside the town hall and parents and children participating in competitions on the right.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771798091_4a3fb8eced_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Town Square and Grandpa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771798091_8701dae79c.jpg" alt="Town Square and Grandpa"/>
</a>

The same shot of the town hall, but from across the square. Grandpa heading towards me.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771787485_0ffc21cb72_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Stork nest on town church">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771787485_9c8b1ce374.jpg" alt="Stork nest on town church"/>
</a>

Huge stork nest on the church steeple. Always makes the "But where do stork babies come from?" question pop humorously into my head.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771811683_deb288b2ed_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Wheat Wall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771811683_8db8cb8bc3.jpg" alt="Wheat Wall"/>
</a>

Wheat wall. I love this photograph.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772669542_1b1fb1f611_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Wheat">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772669542_9490cc282c.jpg" alt="Wheat"/>
</a>

Wheaty!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772671734_8e0b403ccb_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Beer and peanuts">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772671734_5168744291.jpg" alt="Beer and peanuts"/>
</a>

Lots of time was spent sitting casually at metal tables sipping beer and snacking on peanuts. Good times...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771825797_7b06d5834e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Inappropriate Bag Design">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771825797_8a5bca9b66.jpg" alt="Inappropriate Bag Design"/>
</a>

I thought this horrible potato chip bag design was worthy of a photograph.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771827089_38ac150162_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Green-eyed zombie kitties">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771827089_f9fa57a32a.jpg" alt="Green-eyed zombie kitties"/>
</a>

This Friskies can caught my eye, too. My intuition tells me that there are no cats with green eyes. Can someone confirm this? I know that something is wrong about this image, and I'm pretty sure it's the eyes. I suspect the eyes were photoshopped to imply health, as in vegetables are healthy and green. Weird.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772676188_38d6ee5298_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cool bar door">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772676188_f3c63c65cb.jpg" alt="Cool bar door"/>
</a>

This bar door is awesome. It's [Cruzcampo branding](http://images.google.com/images?q=cruzcampo), but still cool.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771830821_a74e24ce3e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Playing cards with old men">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771830821_f045c08d5e.jpg" alt="Playing cards with old men"/>
</a>

I spent quite a few afternoons playing cards with Grandpa, Juan, and this gentleman, Agustí­n. I like to think that I'm fairly good at trump-based card play, but using the foreign Spanish deck often throws me off and makes me make stupid plays, often resulting in my father-in-law saying something like, "Why would you play the horse when you can play the three which is worth ten points?" Right, right.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772680994_e490074795_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Veggie Market">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772680994_0cfea4a8ca.jpg" alt="Veggie Market"/>
</a>

Juan at the town market on Wednesdays.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771834925_ed08cddb87_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cool Cast Iron">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771834925_b8ef124233.jpg" alt="Cool Cast Iron"/>
</a>

Cool cast iron bars from inside a bar.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772683820_516804d17a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cloudy Day in Extremadura">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772683820_9d3a6f1898.jpg" alt="Cloudy Day in Extremadura"/>
</a>

This was about as cloudy as it ever got. Not bad, huh?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771838659_d328e6be26_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Paella">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771838659_d96f0976d4.jpg" alt="Paella"/>
</a>

A paella we made one day.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772687822_decfecba4b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cherry Tomatoes">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772687822_c66d68f23a.jpg" alt="Cherry Tomatoes"/>
</a>

A little cherry tomato plant. They were a lot smaller than they look.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772688916_90564711f2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marce, Marga, and Belén">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2772688916_5b446db488.jpg" alt="Marce, Marga, and Belén"/>
</a>

Out for morning drinks with Marce, Marga, and Belén.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771842359_e011acb8b8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marce, Marga, and Antonia">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-19-extremadura-2008-part-2/2771842359_43dfcd73c5.jpg" alt="Marce, Marga, and Antonia"/>
</a>

Marce, Marga, and Antonia.

That's it for the uncategorized photos. More stories to come.


Extremadura 2008 - Part 2


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772513356_19be04c131_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Forward MARCH!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772513356_74b1f36d56_t.jpg" alt="Forward MARCH!"/>
</a>

I'm back!!!! We got home yesterday after an 8-hour car trip with only one stop for a 5.20€ combo meal at Burger King. That's $7.63 at the current exchange rage. Both fries and drink were small (or "medium" as the fast food places call small these days). Oh, right! _That's_ why we don't ever eat fast food in Spain! At least you could substitute beer for your soda in the combo meal. Europe scores a point.

Upon arriving home exhausted, you can imagine our delight to find that the main circuit breaker for our house had flipped off and all the food in the fridge and freezer was spoiled. We had done a pretty good job of leaving them empty, but still. So we got to clean out the fridge and freezer when we arrived. Fun! Our circuit breaker has been flipping lately for no reason at all. Normally I'm at home and can fix it before my UPS gets out two beeps, but it's a pretty bad problem for long trips.

I have divided my photos into some organized themed sets, but there is a big pile of miscellaneous that will have to be given in a couple miscellaneous posts. So here we go with the random photos from Extremadura 2008! <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772358378_834de2b8db_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Mirror witch and Arabic sign">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772358378_54cbc00234.jpg" alt="Mirror witch and Arabic sign"/>
</a>

iPhone photography is hard enough, but it's even harder when driving on the motorway. I was trying to capture this rest area sign in Arabic (for the migrant workers that drive through Spain to the rest of Europe from Africa every year), but I ended up just capturing our rearview matchstick witch.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772360874_d6d6a6ef1c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Split Piglet">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772360874_691fdf9f23.jpg" alt="Split Piglet"/>
</a>

This split piglet was at a restaurant we stopped at on the way down to Extremadura. We didn't order the split piglet.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772370930_143c16d535_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunflower">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772370930_4de3fd10d1.jpg" alt="Sunflower"/>
</a>

Sunflower at sunset.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771541173_bf6680f157_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lynched Albino Ape">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771541173_5d105bd743.jpg" alt="Lynched Albino Ape"/>
</a>

This farm near the Grandpa's house had a stuffed white gorilla hanged from a tree with some sort of disembowelment injuries as well. WTF?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771553171_4f9e517517_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Lynched Albino Ape">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771553171_eb2a743019.jpg" alt="Lynched Albino Ape"/>
</a>

Another shot of the ape. That's a well to the right.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771556501_533eeeebe1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sunflower">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771556501_b6e0d1665c.jpg" alt="Sunflower"/>
</a>

The same sunflower from above.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771571753_573dc87236_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Red Door">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771571753_e1b3fba452.jpg" alt="Red Door"/>
</a>

A lovely red door on Grandpa's street.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771582309_c6e63e1b27_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Blood for dinner">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771582309_cbd93cc5d0.jpg" alt="Blood for dinner"/>
</a>

We had some blood for dinner. I'm not sure what animal it's from, but it was congealed in these chunks and was prepared with tomatoes.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772544122_fce06abf53_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Blood and Tomatoes">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772544122_2f92c8b8c9.jpg" alt="Blood and Tomatoes"/>
</a>

Blood and tomatoes on plate. The blood was pretty tasteless and hardly noticeable. Still, the turning into a bat and flying around for a while was fun.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772491068_eb9823414c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tree grows through stone wall">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772491068_131c0b5020.jpg" alt="Tree grows through stone wall"/>
</a>

This tree is pretty awesome. I'm curious as to the age of the tree versus the age of the wall it's growing through.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771648545_4e464b1685_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Puppy">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771648545_9b65081165.jpg" alt="Puppy"/>
</a>

An adorable little puppy that wouldn't stay still long enough for a decent photograph.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771661805_a155e9847e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Family Walk">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771661805_f617146c9e.jpg" alt="Family Walk"/>
</a>

We went on many evening walks. This is Juan, Marga, Marce, and Grandpa walking on the road away from town. That's the entire town of Higuera de la Serena in the setting sun back there.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772513356_19be04c131_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Forward MARCH!">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772513356_74b1f36d56.jpg" alt="Forward MARCH!"/>
</a>

I thought this wind vane was pretty cool.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771599941_20a8d8b920_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tico Sunning">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771599941_0887f3e535.jpg" alt="Tico Sunning"/>
</a>

Tiko likes to lie in the sun, despite the heavy fur coat he wears. I just recently learned that Tiko's name is spelled with a 'k'. Pretty ridiculous to spell your name with a 'k' when it would be perfectly normal and better understood to spell it with a 'c', don't you think?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771612843_774f3cd567_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marga and Tico">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771612843_7303233e3f.jpg" alt="Marga and Tico"/>
</a>

Marga and Tiko sitting in the front door of Grandpa's house.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771624085_5a98d71326_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tico Profile">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771624085_43b0aa51a2.jpg" alt="Tico Profile"/>
</a>

Tiko turned 15-years-old on the day I took this photograph. He's almost completely deaf, hobbles around with clearly arthritic legs, and doesn't see very well anymore. But he's a sweetie.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771687267_e45e860083_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Marga and Tico by Pantano">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2771687267_876d64ee4d.jpg" alt="Marga and Tico by Pantano"/>
</a>

Marga and Tiko down by the town reservoir.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772521398_f3b29015e0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Miss Piggy">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-18-extremadura-2008-part-1/2772521398_b1295e64c5.jpg" alt="Miss Piggy"/>
</a>

Miss Piggy. Our evening walks take us by several pig pens.

That's it for now! More later, so stay tuned...


Extremadura 2008 - Part 1


Here goes my first post by iPhone. I'm lying in bed and it's too hot to sleep and I need something to take my mind off my skin. Last night, the first night here, I had trouble sleeping because my feet were itching. I got up at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. But there's little to do. What there is to do is stargaze. At 3:00, I finally got out my camera and tripod and entertained myself for a bit. From 3:00 to 4:00, I took a one hour exposure looking towards Polaris, which resulted in my coolest star trails shot so far. It has some noise in the form of red dots that must be lens dust or something. Speaking of red dots... Throughout the first full day here, my bug bites from the night before developed into bright red dots all over my legs, shoulders and torso. When I got up from the daily siesta, my in-laws took one look at my and rushed me off to the doctor. The GP on call on Sunday afternoon was a genius. He said, "What you need to do is avoid letting them bite you." We asked how we should do that. In his infinite wisdom, Dr. Einstein said, "Well, you're not from around here, are you? I'd recommend going back where you came from." Brilliant. He asked how long we were staying. "15 days," we said. He asked how long we'd been here so far. "One day," we said. He laughed. Helpful.

He gave me a prescription (GPs never let you leave without one.) for some anti-itch pills. We also bought some bug repellent in the pharmacy. Back in the village, word had spread of my "state", and everybody and their sister had a household remedy, each supported by exactly one data point of anecdotal evidence. As I type this, my entire left side is covered in a calcium and olive oil (extra virgin!) mix. Marga noted my skepticism and suggested leaving my right side as a control. Not exactly a double blind clinical trial, but better than nothing. Two hours in, and oily side is much more irritating. Not helping my iPhone screen either, I might add.

I won't be sharing any pictures on Flickr any time soon, I'm afraid. It seems that someone has gained access to my Yahoo account and changed my password. So now I have to try to prove my identity to Yahoo tech support. The main problem being that I've had the account for ten years, lived in four different countries, and am sure I updated my account profile a few times, but don't remember when or where. And they are demanding that I tell them the postal code and country on the account. What a bloody nightmare!

That's it for now. Plenty of daily pics over on [erikrasmussen.tumblr.com](http://erikrasmussen.tumblr.com)!


Eaten Alive


[![Open When Here](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2008-08-01-heading-south/2543398998_1568e755f8_t.jpg)](http://flickr.com/photos/jagosaurus/2543398998/ "Open When Here")It's that time of the year again. Time to head south to Extremadura to frysweat bask in the un-air-conditioned summer heat for two weeks. This year, I hope to take advantage of the very minimal light pollution and cloud cover in the rural area where we will be staying and take some nighttime sky photographs with my new camera, tripod, and shutter timer. Not to mention the annual [Persieds Meteor Shower](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids) that keeps us agape at the night sky every year.  What will you, my loyal readers, do while I am gone? Well, I've thought of you.

First of all, you can read accounts of previous years in Extremadura:[Extremadura - 2006](/2006/08/21/extremadura-2006/)[Extremadura 2007 (1 of 3) - Higuera Bullfight](/2007/08/14/higuera-bullfight/)[Extremadura 2007 (2 of 3) - Baby in Zahí­nos](/2007/08/15/baby-in-zahinos/)[Extremadura 2007 (3 of 3) - Champagne Barbeque](/2007/08/15/extremadura-2007-3-of-3-champagne-barbeque/)

Also, I plan on posting at least one photo and tweet per day to Twitter. I would recommend following this action on my Tumblr page, [erikrasmussen.tumblr.com](http://erikrasmussen.tumblr.com/) ([RSS](http://erikrasmussen.tumblr.com/rss)), where you may leave comments if you wish.

And, as if all this wasn't enough, I have added a special "Stuff I find interesting" box to my sidebar (you might need to scroll down to see it), where I will be posting links to news articles and blog entries I've found interesting lately.

See you in a fortnight!


14 posts from August, 2008