The Port of Almería
Most days, in this part of Spain, the sun shines and so I can appreciate how the city of Almería got its name – it was the Arabs that called it al-Mariyah, meaning ‘Mirror of the Sea’.
It is a working port with both fishing vessels and pleasure boats large and small.Tourist cruises stop here and there are ferries to North Africa – to the Spanish enclave of Melilla and to Algeria and Morocco.
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Canary Islands
by Robert Bovington
The Islas Canarias are not part of mainland Spain or even Europe. They are located just off the coast of Africa – the nearest countries are Morocco and Western Sahara. There are seven islands and all are volcanic but that is where their similarity ends – all of these semi-tropical paradises are quite different from one another.
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| Las Cañadas del Teide National Park |
La Palma is lush and green and is perfect walking country.
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| La Zarza, La Palma |
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| Gran Canaria dunes |
Lanzarote is startling! The island has over 300 volcanoes and the locals raise all manner of fruit and vegetables that grow profusely due to the abundance of volcanic ash. A visit to the ‘Montañas de Fuego’ – ‘Mountains of Fire’ is a must in order to witness the bizarre landscape of lava flows and red mountains. The island is a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
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| Playa de Papagayo, Lanzarote |
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| a golden sandy beach in Fuerteventura |
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| La Gomera |
El Hierro is the most westerly and the smallest of the islands. It is mountainous and steep cliffs surround the island except at Valverde, the capital, where wooded slopes meet the sea.
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| Echedo, El Hierro. |
The islands are split into two provinces. Tenerife, El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera belong to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which is also the administrative capital. The eastern province of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria comprises Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
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| Panoramic view of the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Parque de María Luisa in Seville
by Robert Bovington
This lovely romantic garden was donated to the city by the Infanta Maria Luisa Fernand at the end of the nineteenth century. The famous landscape gardener, Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier, added further enhancements.
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Parque de María Luisa in Seville – Monument dedicated to Bécquer © Robert Bovington |
In 1929, the park became the centre of the Ibero American Exhibition. Adjacent to the park is the beautiful Plaza de España which was used to showcase Spain’s industry and technology exhibits.
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Seville – Plaza de España © Robert Bovington |
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Elche
The Moors formally laid out the ‘Palmeral of Elche’ in the 10th century. They installed elaborate irrigation systems and these are still functioning today as are the agricultural practices developed by these enterprising people. Elche is a World Heritage site because the palm forest is so impressive and important.
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| Basilica de Santa María |
Elche has a number of historic monuments and one in particular is worth a visit – the ‘Basilica of Santa María’, a spectacular building with a bell tower and an imposing blue dome. The present Basilica is the fourth religious building occupying the same site. It was the site of a Muslim mosque when Jaime I, King of Aragón, conquered the town in 1265. The present building was started in 1672 and finished in 1783. A visit to the bell tower is worth the effort. From the top, panoramic views of the city can be enjoyed – in particular, the groves of palm trees. On the different landings of the tower information is displayed about the building of the Basilica, its architectural styles and its importance in regards to Elche’s other claim to fame – the ‘Misteri’ or ‘Festa d’Elx’ – a medieval sacred play. This ‘Passion play’ is acted out in the Basilica every year on the 14th and 15th of August. It is listed as ‘World Heritage’ making Elche one of the few places in the World to have two ‘UNESCO World Heritage’ awards.
The ‘Huerto del Cura’ – the Priests Garden. It is known as ‘The Jewel of the Palm Park’ and rightly so – it is a calm relaxing place – a delightful garden of palm trees, tropical plants and cacti. It even has a pond with ducks!
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| Imperial Palm |
The tree got its name following the visit of the Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1894. The spectacular tree clearly impressed her. She commented to the proprietor “…the date palm has the power and strength of an empire”. The Empress was just one of many prominent visitors to the ‘Palmeral’ of Elche.
I like the cacti garden – La Rocalla has many types of cactus ranging from small spherical specimens to tall pipe-shaped ones that almost matched the palm trees for height.
I would recommend anyone who visits the Costa Blanca to pay a visit to Elche and to the ‘Huerto del Cura’ in particular. Magic!
Pampaneira in the Alpujarras of Granada
by Robert Bovington
Pampaneira is an extremely photogenic location with narrow streets, a fine Gothic church with a wooden roof in Mudéjar style, and several cafes and shops, which though ‘touristy’ are nevertheless delightful. The view from the road leading down into the town is breathtaking with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada forming an attractive backdrop.
 Pampaneira © Robert Bovington |
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Badajoz
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| Badajoz – La Giraldilla |
Badajoz lies on a low range of hills crowned by a ruined Moorish castle and overlooks the Guadiana river.
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| Alcaza de Badajoz |
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| Badajoz – Plaza Alta |
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| Badajoz – Puerta Palmas |
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Las Murallas de Ávila
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| Ávila © Robert Bovington |
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| Ávila © Robert Bovington |
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Alicante
The train and the castle still exist. The castle – el Castillo de Santa Barbara – is perched 350 feet above the city and can be reached by driving up the winding road to the summit or, as I did, by using the lift.
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| Vista del puerto y el Castillo de Santa Bárbara Skyline of the city of Alicante, seen from the harbour. Author: Carlos Quesada Granja |
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
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“Photographs of Spain”
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Sevilla – Parque de María Luisa
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| Monumento a Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer en el Parque de María Luisa |
© Robert Bovington
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“Photographs of Spain”
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Sevilla – Fábrica Real de Tabacos
The Fábrica Real de Tabacos was the original tobacco factory – the one immortalised in the opera Carmen. Nowadays, it is part of Sevilla University. When the original factory was built in 1725 it was the second-largest building in Spain after El Escorial! It is an imposing Baroque and Rococo building.
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Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
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“Photographs of Spain”
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Almería Cathedral
The cathedral was built in the sixteenth century and was designed as a place of prayer and of refuge. This was because the shores of Almería were continually under attack from Turks and Berbers.
Almería Cathedral main entrance – photo: Robert Bovington
This east facing façade of the ‘Cathedral’ has a relief of the Portocarro sun, the symbol of the city.
Sol de Portocarrero
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
“Photographs of Spain”
http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
“postcards from Spain”
http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
“you couldn’t make it up!”
http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
“a grumpy old man in Spain”
http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
“bits and bobs”
http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
“Spanish Expressions”
http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
“Spanish Art”
http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
“Books About Spain”
Calar Alto Observatory
The province of Almería is the sunniest driest place in Spain. It also has the cleanest atmosphere in Europe and hardly any cloud making it an ideal location for installing an observatory.
Calar Alto, at an altitude of 2,168 metres (7,113 feet), is the highest mountain in Almería and was, therefore chosen as the location for an astronomical observatory. Called, appropriately enough, the Calar Alto Observatory, it is owned and operated jointly by Max-Planck institute for astronomy and the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucía.
It was officially opened in July 1975 with the commissioning of its 1.2 metre telescope. The site has developed due to the strong ties between the German and Spanish owners and 4 more telescopes have been installed – the largest being 3.5 metres.
The Calar Alto mountaintop is situated in the Sierra de los Filabres, north of the town of Gérgal. It is a pleasant place to walk on a summer’s day, as the temperature is several degrees cooler than down on the coast.
Robert Bovington
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“Photographs of Spain”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Diverse Almería – Baños de Sierra Alhamilla
more blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“Photographs of Spain”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Diverse Almería – El Cabo de Gata
On the south-western edge of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park is the small village actually called El Cabo de Gata. It is a pleasant little seaside resort beside a beach of white sand. The whitewashed buildings, that line its promenade, are mainly holiday apartments, interspersed with the occasional bar.
The village still supports a small fishing fleet and the fishermen’s boats, nets and lobster pots pepper the beaches at the southeastern end.
Nearby is the Salinas de Acosta area of the natural park. Between spring and autumn, thousands of migrating birds stop here on their journeys between Europe and Africa. Apart from flamingos, there are storks, avocets, eagles and many other types. Only a few remain in the winter when the Salinas are drained after the autumn salt harvest.
blogs by Robert Bovington…
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“Photographs of Spain”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Diverse Almería – Santuario de Tices
The ‘Santuario de Tices’ is a lovely church set amidst an oasis of peace and tranquillity. It is absolutely delightful walking around the Plaza de Alberto Gomez Matarin. The only sounds are of birds singing and bees humming. There is a formal garden in front of the church. A statue of Jesus stands amidst rose bushes, purple geraniums, chamomile and other flowers. The church itself is white, peach and lemon built in neoclassical style. Enchanting!
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| Ermita de Tices photo by Paco Vivas
Robert Bovington
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Casarabonela
Casarabonela is on the easternmost edge of the area officially classified as the White Towns of Andalusia. It is situated in the Sierra de las Nieves and is yet another attractive pueblo blanco that has preserved its Arabic heritage with its narrow streets and whitewashed houses festooned with flowers. Like many of the villages some of the alleyways are rather steep – on my last visit I left my aged relative sitting on a bench in the main plaza while my wife and I explored the charming alleyways.
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An attractive church – the Iglesia de Santiago Apóstle is located in the main plaza. It has some interesting crypts and a museum of silver and religious artifacts.
Who says Spain is all sun and sangria!
snapshot of my ‘Who says Spain is all sun and sangria!’ pinboard on Pinterest
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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La Rioja
snapshot of my ‘La Rioja’ pinboard on Pinterest
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Andalucía – Huelva province
snapshot of my ‘Andalucía – Huelva province’ pinboard on Pinterest
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Fiesta!
snapshot of my ‘Fiesta!’ pinboard on Pinterest
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Andalucía – Córdoba province
snapshot of my ‘Andalucía – Córdoba province’ pinboard on Pinterest
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Ceuta, Melilla & Gibraltar
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Asturias in pictures
snapshot of my ‘Asturias’ pinboard on Pinterest…
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Valenciana
snapshot of my ‘Valenciana’ pinboard on Pinterest…
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“Spanish Impressions”
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“postcards from Spain”
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“you couldn’t make it up!”
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“a grumpy old man in Spain”
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“bits and bobs”
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“Spanish Expressions”
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“Spanish Art”
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“Books About Spain”
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Photographs of Spain 