Monasterio de Piedra: Majestic Waterfalls by Nuevalos and the Monastry of the Rocks

The big surprise that awaits you as you travel from Madrid to Zaragoza is the grand concentration of amazing waterfalls near Nuevalos within Aragon region in a place where a 12th century monastry known as Monasterio de Piedra or Monastry of the Rocks was built. The Monastry was founded by the Cisterian monks in 1194 in a location that is most peaceful and conducive for the contemplative lonesome life even by today´s standards.

The Piedra river which flows nearly, cascades at various points into extremely wide stadium sized cauldron of limestone canyons in splendid splashes of incandescent waterfalls. Some cascade in huge volumes down steep 100 feet drops while others cascade the surface of terraced rock outcrops along the mountain-sized Canyons. The contrast between the rugged canyons and the extremely lushy greenery of various plants and foliages gives it a paradisic and serene quality.

Over the years, caves and tunnels have been borne through some of the rocks and the managers of the park have gingerly created walkways for visitors to get up close within breathing distance of waterfalls that are over 70 feet above the ground whitewater levels. It gets more eery as you wander around the cavernous structure while hearing the rivulets and streams of water travel down the surface of the rocks that embowels you.

As you drive into the surface lot that houses the ancient monastry buildings that has now been converted to hotel rooms for staying guests, restraurants, gift shops and cafes, you get guided down a path by foot, that starts descending down a quarter mile to the flat bottoms of the hills, which spreads out into a behive of aquatic culture. It contains several whitewater rivers surging by while others are steady clear springs flowing gentlying down what seems like a circuitious route, while further down, some of the water are cordonned into fish farms and other aquatic animal nusery. From the base, any direction you look up, would shines mirrors of waterfalls streaming down the mountains and gently caressing your face with vapors of the freshly sented waters of this peaceful world away from all worlds.

The extremely natural beauty of the environment was definitely the attraction that brought the monks to the site. The monastry construction was said to have been done in three architectural stages which are clearly observable. There was the Gothic stage in the 13th century, the Renaissance Gothic stage in the 16th Centruy and the Classical-Baroque stage in the 18th Centruy.

While the reisdence of the monks now serves as a hotel, for visitors to the park complex, the cloister of the monastry especially the chapter house seemed like the worker-beehive of the monastic live. It is a complex built in the 12th century that has areas with centuries old equipment for wine making, bakery, which was the first location chocolate was made in Spain and the old world, sheds for horse carriages, prayer chapels, and even burial chambers in a basement structure in the main church-hall. It was remarkable that some bottles of wine made when the monastry was still in active use are preserved and displayed for visitors like me to view centuries later. Even the food they had on their menu list where also on display.

Monasterio de Piedra was indeed a complete city all by itself. It was run superbably even with hours it took to nearby towns by horse drawn carriages posted by the stable area. It did not seem that they lacked anything and indeed led a truly monastic and contented life totally surrounded by nature and peace. It was a great diversion on the way to Zaragoza the capital city of Aragon Region and today´s 5th largest city in Spain.

October 12, 2010: National Day In Spain

October 12 that is celebrated in the US as Columbus Day, with its sometimes controversial connontaions is also celebrated in Spain for the same purposes but with a different mindset. The day is celebrated as Fiesta Nacional or National Day in commemoration of Columbus arrival in the Americas.

Spain has marked the day with different emphasis over the year, since 1957, it has been celebrated as Dia de la Hispanidad, day of the hispania, which emphaized their connection to the entire hispanic world spanning Asia, Africa and the Americas. Pre-1957, along with other hispanic communities around the world the day was celebrated as ¨Dia de la Raza¨.

October 12 and the Constitution Day celbrated on December 6 are the two national day celebrations in Spain. The celebration was marked with aerial military manouvres, parades led by the military corp, diplomatic observers and general merriment. But the mood this year seemed a bit sombre perhaps because of the tight economic situation the country is going through at this time. The pubic even had occasional bursts of disapprovals against officials in venting their frustration on the economic situation.

I took the relaxed atmosphere to tour and take in sites of Madrid starting with the Royal gardens called Los Jardenes del Buen Retiro, then important buidlings and boulevards like the Spanish central bank, Banco de España, the Puerta de Alcalá, the various neighborhoods af Sol, Chueca, Gran via, Atocha and the rest of the central parts of Madrid.

The pictures below were taken at different locations.

Carranque: A Step Back in Time and Grandeur

Unlike yesterday in Madrid that was wet and soggy with a steady drizzle all day long, today October 10, 2010 was a pleasant sunny autumn day. It turned out warm and yet comfortably breezy for a a good tour out in the countryside. My point of interest for the day following breakfast, was to visit a roman compound that existed in the fourth century near the modern existing town called Carranque. Carranque is smack 45 kilometers equidistant south of Madrid or north of Toledo but officially les in the province of Toledo in Castilla La Mancha region.

According to the program guide of what is now being restored as an Archaeological Park of Carranque was discovered in 1983 accidentally when a mosaic was uncovered. Samuel Lopez Iglesias made the discovery while he was plowing the fields close to the Guadarrama river. And as typical of Spain archeologists descended on the area with series of excavations resulting in one of the most important monuimental groups of Roman monuments unearthed in modern Spain.

Touring the first building referenced as the ¨Basilica¨, which seemed to have been built for a civilian rather than military purpose, but at some point it became used for ritualistic and burial purposes. There were several tombs intricately laid out in various corners within the building. There were also several displays of crucifixes, baptisimal fonts and sarcophagi that were recovered from the grounds . You could see some of the burial vaults in the pictures behind me.

The official history also confirms that ´throughout history, the building was reused by the vrious settlers of the region, as Visigoth remians (sarcophagi) and Moorish remains (an inscription on one of the columns) has also been found. The marble columns which are still displayed in prone position on the side of the building are in remarkable shape and were hewn from one big piece of marble said to have been brought from near east, possbily the present day Turkish region. This hypothesis was based on the decorative markings on the columns depicting features of that part of the world, including mythological scenes etc.

Though the building is flattened to its foundations with features that are at floor level showing elaborate detail, there was one section that still stands and towers what I would consider above 15 feet. Remarkably the brick and plaster work looks well chisseled and almost modern.

The living quarters known as the Villa of Materno is a showcase of the splendor that depicted the status and importance of the owner of such magnificent edifice in that and indeed any era. It is believed that the edifice may have belonged to Maternus Cinigius, the uncle of Emperor Theodosius 1 of Rome. Virtually every floor of the 20 room edifice was paved with mosaic designs that remarkably survived till this day in their original vibrant colors and intricate patterns. As can be observed while touring the interior of the building, the huge mansion is arranged on a square plan with a big courtyard through which you could access the various rooms and recesses of the mansion. They also had a heating system that was constructed with an oven-like furnace at a corner that piped in warm air under the slightly elevated bed and living room portions of the mansion.

 

The program book confirms that the most outstanding mosaics are those found in the main bedrooms of the villa, which are scenes depicting heroes and gods. Various sections of the mansion had depictions of what the people at the time thought appropriate for that section, be it the bedoroom, dinning room, rest area etc. Whoever commissioned that mansion was even by today´s standard extremely rich and very important personality.

Perhaps excavations will continue to tell more stories about the actual workers or villages that serviced this great edifice that is litterally a few feet away from the Guadarama river that I walked across into the splendid compound.

The Eagle Landed Safely in Madrid, Spain

Back again to Spain for my annual vacation. Here is a short note to let you know that I had a smooth flight and landed safely in Madrid at 9am, (3am in the US).

I started off in Madison around noon October 6, 2010, flew up to Minneapolis, then from Minneapolis to Atlanta, and took off from Atlanta straight to Madrid at 7pm, arriving Madrid at 9am October 7, 2010 (which is actually Atlanta´s 3am). It was a great flight though the food sucked.

As usual, no hassles at the airport, it took me less than  10 minutes to get my luggage, clear customs and passport control and got out into town. My Wisconsin Maple Syrup I brought with me did not burst in my luggage. (Yes, it seems like pancakes and syrup are so foreign to Spaniards, some of my friends asked that I bring them some. You can´t even find them in any store as its not part of the regular breakfast diet)

Resting up a bit before combing through Madrid and Toledo later today. Over the weekend I should be heading up to Zaragoza in the Aragon Region, them Valencia, Alicante, Murcia etc. Valencia and Alicante are in the Valencia region, rough equivalent of US state and Murcia is also in Murcia region, all these are on the east coast of Spain facing the sea. Some refer to it as the Spanish Riviera. I will send updates whgen I visit various monuments there.

Hasta manana!

Fighting Bob: The Flame Still Burns Bright In Wisconsin

September 11 now has a special historical significance in our nation given the events perpetrated by extremist Muslim fundamentalist that thought the best way to make their point was to fly airplanes into the symbol of America’s economic and political power. Life has not been the same for everyone since that cowardly and dastardly act.

Thom Hartman addressing the crowd

However, this September 11, 2010…while honoring those who lost their lives and saluting their families for soldering on, Wisconsinites also took time to gather to address societal issues and advance progressive direction for the benefit of all.

Fighting Bob fest is a feature of southern Wisconsin, precisely in the Sauk County Fairgrounds in Baraboo, about 45 miles north of Madison. The political festival carries on the tradition of Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, who was a very liberal Wisconsin Governor and also a US Senator. The fest is a rally for progressive ideas on issues facing Wisconsin and the nation. This year’s event and attendance was surely a sharp rebuke to the Tea Party movement that we have grown tired of hearing about their lies and racist tactics. US Representative Gwen Moore, aptly demonstrated that the Tea being served by these folks was just as lethal as the Kool-Aid served at the Jonestown.

According to the organizers, ‘Freedom and justice are defended through education, and the exchange of ideas, promotes solidarity among progressives. To this end, Fighting Bob Fest strives to provide citizens with a forum for democratic participation where frustrations with current policies can be constructively molded into calls to action”; a sentiment I endorse intoto.

Progressives paying attention

It was a leisurely drive up to Baraboo, as it was always fun driving up and through the Baraboo Hills that often looked insurmountable on approach from a distance. Arriving the fairgrounds about noon, the huge stadium-sized crowd showed right away that a lot more people attended this year than the previous years that I have always attended. Nothing could be as exciting as beholding a sea of progressives talk shopping, discussing issues at break-out sessions, gathering petition signatures, drawing attention to various causes while also reviewing and questioning various candidates running for political offices for the up coming primaries on September 14.


I spent my first hour staffing my Amnesty International local group’s table collecting signatures on petitions for various human rights defenders and prisoner of conscious individuals that have been locked away from the freedom most of us have to go about our business without fear or deprivation.

Wisconsin Progressives listening intently

 

 

On ending my shift, I went over the larger open field area to enjoy the progressive choir of the Raging Grannies, which satirize various political events or lack thereof in biting songs that are at once entertaining as well as doling out hardnosed progressive political messages. They are an all-women social justice activist group who dress up in clothers that mock stereotypes of older women and use their songs to protest or draw attendtion to various causes.

Their very well received performance was followed by various key speakers and lined up for the afternoon. With Thom Hartmann, a well known national radio personality heard 3 hours every day on Mic 92.1 around southern Wisconsin. There were such well known speakers as Jim Hightower, Congressman Dave Obey, Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore, Reverend David Couper, Reverend Jesse Jackson who also received a lifetime achievement award, among many other speakers.


The enthusiasm of the progressive forces that gathered at the Fighting Bob Fest gives a lie to the media panic about America turning away from the changes that are occurring for the benefit of all in these troubling times.

It was indeed a great afternoon well spent.

Glory Bound in Janesville

It was a perfect summer evening in Southern Wisconsin. The sky was crispy blue with streaks of incandescent rays of the soft evening sunlight. The temperature moderated well in my nicely air-conditioned car as I cruised Highway 14 towards Janesville.

Jerry Oscarson and Deb Grenzow could not have chosen a better evening for the Dinner and Concert they hosted among adoring fans, friends and lovers of contemporary inspirational music.

They appropriately described the experience folks will take away from the concert as inspirational, Christian, upbeat, touching, heart warming, uplifting, easy listening and encouraging, and indeed no one left unfulfilled as they lived up to the billing all through the evening.

 

Jerry and Deb were quite a pair whose musical collaboration is infused with Christian charity, love, respect for each other and abiding faith in the power of the divine spirit, have been making inspirational music for several years both within their church community at First Christian church in Janesville and around different venues in southern Wisconsin. They have also cut a great album titled 'Glory Bound' that is out there for purchase if you want that uplifting feeling smoothing out your worries and calming your frayed nerves or self-doubt.

The venue of the concert was the VFW hall perched atop a hill by the Rock River, with an unmistakable presence in the neighborhood given the majestic air force plane mounted in the front yards.

Chuck Philyaw their accompanying keyboardist must have grown up as a musical wiz kid as he learnt playing the keyboard and piano with no musical training and yet could pick up any key or note and accompany any musical rendition as a pro that he definitely was that night.

Living up to the theme of the evening, Bob Maciulis, the compeer for the evening wove aspects of his own life story as he guided the audience through the program. His story demonstrated the love, Christian charity and hope that Jerry and Deb sang about. Bob was not just the master of ceremony but also pulled his family human resources together including his daughters, nieces and close friends to help cater and serve the dinner for the evening.

The audience packed the hall to its maximum capacity, men, women, young adults and some members of First Christian Church. I did attend with a bunch of karaoke and country western dancing friends from Madison.

While the main event was at one end of the hall, the Dessert Extravaganza was laid out in an island separating the two large halls. Was that heavenly? The desserts basically pulled you in right after dinner and begged that you heap your plates so high. You would think it was the first meal of the evening as everyone had plateful of assorted colored yummy mounds of the tasty treat. Jerry had earlier warned everyone who was on diet to suspend it for the evening.

The dessert was not the only treat for the audience. Gary stepped in there after to hand out door prizes through an instant lottery. The infectiously hilarious Gary did not disappoint, as he ran commentaries on the gift items and had good suggestions on how the lucky winners could use them. Oh, he was also the brain behind the ‘killer’ dessert extravaganza.

It was indeed a great night of charity and fundraiser and everyone that attended felt it was very well worth it. We were indeed glory bound in Janesville.

Cows Come Calling: We are Cheeseheads for a reason!

The Wisconsin state capital received a herd of cows with open arms on its capital terrace in Madison in an annual tradition billed Cows on the Course. It is a signature event that showcases Wisconsin heritage as one of the largest dairy producers in the United States and indeed the state that grosses most from a local product. The Cows on the Concourse is an integral event in the usually busy Saturday morning that features the farmers market that encircles the ornate and imposing State capital building. It is a very family oriented event and also a way for the Dairy industry to bring their craft and profession to the consumers of their product. As the children petted the animals and participate in the various games lined up by the organizers in what is a very festive atmosphere, the adults learn a lot about the inner works of the dairy industry, dairy production and what type of cows are bread for what kind of milk or cheese. Some of us got a chance to learn the differences among Holstein, Guernsey, Jersey, Shorthorn milking cow and so on. I definitely would not have known that the Holsteins give the most milk and command a huge percentage of the milk market, while Guernsey are beloved for the protein content of their milk. The Moo experts were extremely informative and definitely knew their craft. Though I am not sure I want to wake up at 6 in the morning to milk cows. I guess that’s why I did not go into Dairy farming. Besides the cow show, there were lots of dairy related events, vendors and food that kept the crowd pleased. Adding organized sound to the event was an incredibly good band that played a mix of jazz, rock and country tunes to the delight of everyone. The organizers summarized the event as follows: “Cows on the Concourse is a Madison tradition celebrating Wisconsin's dairy industry, which contributes over $26 billion to our state's economy. Wisconsin's dairy farmers have a strong heritage of quality, pride and craftsmanship in all that they do. Wisconsin has always been "America's Dairyland," so what better way to celebrate that tradition than to visit Cows on the Concourse and meet some of our hard working dairy producers with their cows? “