The Art of Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain

As months go by since my return from Spain, I've been recounting my wanderings around El Puerto de Santa Maria, named after The Santa Maria which Columbus set sale upon from this quaint port city. One not-so-bustling day I meandered down Calle Virgen de los Milagros to Palacios which led to the tranquil Plaza Espana. There I visited the Museo Arqueológico Municipal for free! In addition to their archaeological display which included an impressive mammoth tusk and sacrificial human remains, I had the pleasure of seeing beautiful pastels and engravings by Ricardo Serny, modernist paintings by Eulogio Varela and Enrique Ochoa, romantic paintings by Fransisco Lamayer, and a collection of erotic medals by Manolo Prieto. In my wanderlust I quietly and curiously took the  elegant stairway to the second floor unnoticed and overlooked the square. I ambled up to the art studios on the third floor and got a full sense of the building. Upon my descent the maid informed me that these were private quarters. "Lo Siento,"  I replied with a smile. People are so relaxed in Spain. Had I intruded on a private area in a stateside museum, I most likely would have at least been detained by security. Yet, before I knew it siesta had creeped up on the day again. I snapped photos of some wonderful works of Spanish art as well as the second and third floor areas of the museum to share with you!

Student Art

An Afternoon in Cadiz

It is a scenic drive from El Puerto de Santa Maria to Cadiz flanked by vibrant unending rows of golden sunflowers. Possibly the oldest city in Europe, Cadiz was originally inhabited by Phoenicians then traded hands between the Romans, Byzantium, Visigoths, and the Moors until the 13th century when they were conquered by King Alfonso X. It is home to an extraordinarily stunning coastline from which Columbus set sail on several voyages. It was my first weekend in Spain and I wasn't staying indoors. Unfortunately, after spending virtually 2 days in the air, flying across four time zones and racing through airports with tight connections, my body wasn't as cooperative with the agenda I had laid out for Cadiz.
The busy yet placid Plaza de la Catedral was beautiful. I took a seat at Bar Terraza, where I soaked in a marvelous view and attempted to avoid fainting. Yet the waiters were incredibly rude despite my attempts in espanol. I was served a plate of patatas dowsed in olive oil with canned tuna atop it, yuck! Amongst the array of amazing seafood available in southern Spain I am puzzled by their affinity for canned tuna. As my senses gradually recovered I passed by the Puertas de Tierra. Constructed in the 16th century, it was formerly the only land entrance to historic Cadiz.

...sort of like a modern Venus of  Willendorf

I strolled further down the Avenida Andalucia and wandered into a zapateria where I discovered my European shoe size, 36. I bookended my tour with a sassy new pair of zapatos. This picturesque city definitely beckons a return trip! It is certainly not complete without a visit to The Museo de Cadiz notable for its collection of paintings by Murillo, Rubens, and Zurbaran as well as many archaeological artifacts. Adios, for now...