Leaving beloveds to go to beloveds

Today Luis will drive us to Barcarotta.  Here are some of the photos I have been trying to post:

Josafina, Aña, Luis and Dad

Josofina, Aña, Kathleen, Dad

Aña showing the ancient cannon balls used in wars between Portugal and España.  Luis welded them to the door.  

Dad and Luis in the Studio office

The top plaque is of the monument Luis made in memory of my Mother and sits outside the city jardin in Barcarotta

Here is one of the many tiles found along the outside walls on the narrow streets in the old portion of Badajoz.  This tile depicts an older Badajoz

This statue is in honor and memoriy of the España´s greatest Flamenco singers and his guitar player.  Most of us in America think of the dancers, but the singers sing the history of the revoluation and of the hardships of the average man.  Before the revolution, average people could not own land, and these songs.

St. Augustine´s Cathedrahl

The statute of St. Augustine above the church entrance

Spain is known as the ¨orange¨policitically, and many of the plaza´s are lined with the beautiful orange trees.  They are sour orange, and are very beautiful, but inedible.

This is the main gate from the river that seperates Portugal from España.  The two countries still fight over the borders.  THe old city was completely walled and they are restoring the old wall and city.  When they closed these gates in the 14th century, the city was pretty well protected and impentrable.  

 These next 3 photos are the seal of the city.  If the city was taken, the attackers would then have the seals and could show that they had taken the city.  Now they are in cases in the sidewalk on the España side of the river.  España does still hold about another 5 km west of the bridge.

 Here is part of the old city wall and castle that is being excavated and restored

More of the excavation being done by the University´s Archeological Department.  It is a huge project that costs a lot of money, but they are progressing nicely

 More of the old wall

 These next two photos are of the gardens they are restoring around the original castle

A view from the castle looking into the old city

Looking up into the city from the road by the river, showing the old wall restored and looking up into the city 

Josafino is at work, we are packed and have had breakfast.  Soon it will be time to drive to Barcarotta.  I will be staying in Teresa´s family home.  It is not lived in except by one son, so there is a lot of rooms, maybe 26 not being used.  This casá has room around all four walls of the courtyard and the eastern wall is two stories and is called the summer house where the family would sleep during the hot season.  There are lot of things planned for us, and as excited as I am to go see my beloved Paco y Terresa, y their sons, my heart is breaking leaving this peaceful, beautiful and loving home of Luis and Josafino.  It will be especially wonderful to see my Pablo, my pocito hermano, and hopefully his lovely wife.  In Barcarotta they have 2 cathedrahls, the new one, that is more then 400 years old and then the old one, and I have no idea how old it is. 

It is time to go.  I will post again when I can.  Love to you all from glorious España.