My taxi driver spoke no English .... so , I practiced my Spanish and he was so kind and we had fun talking to each other ..... He took me to the centro square where I could begin my day. It was early so it allowed me to see SMeA come awake- people walking to work, stores opening, dog walkers with dogs of all sorts and sizes. Men on their way to work stopped at the corner to get their shoes shined ; and every store owner was out washing down the cobblestones . All the church bells seemed to be ringing a different time and tune- melodious and comforting - a call to early prayers perhaps .
The streets are generally quiet at this hour, but I was to discover that the streets in the UNESCO world heritage site are really mostly quiet. The cobblestone streets are extremely narrow and so many park away from the old part of town and many streets are open only to walkers.
The ambiance is immediately captivating- so old and so beautiful. So many stories from the past come to life in the 15th and 16th century carved wooden doors, the cobblestone streets; the grace of the historic churches and their sheer size and number of them that kind of knocks you off your feet . The architecture is really stunning in so many ways. But the everydayness of the people coming and going as people have been doing here for hundreds of years provides a kind of rhythm that you fall into very quickly.
There are parks too, and spaces around the churches with lots of places to sit and read and people watch or to catch up with friends. Lots of the workers of the day stop for lunch and a coffee on the beautiful wrought-iron benches that are everywhere in the town.
The colours are warm and the light bounces off the buildings, bringing architecture and art and nature to commune together .
Walking takes a great deal of practice here- the cobblestones are bumpy and slope up and down in unexpected ways, they fall away at the curbs, and there are cobble-like troughs in the streets to take any rain water away... stepping off a curb could be a disaster if you are not looking and there are unexpected holes where the cobblestones have suddenly given away and have yet to be repaired- so one must look where one is walking and stop if one is to gaze up or around to take a picture. I would suggest that walking anywhere after having a few drinks somewhere might be detrimental to your physical well-being .... its a good thing taxis are everywhere.
I took some 150 pictures over the day so I can only share a few at this moment.... but I hope it will give you just a small flavour of this captivating place ....just as it provided me with creative inspiration in my studio today [ more on that in the next post]....
The streets are generally quiet at this hour, but I was to discover that the streets in the UNESCO world heritage site are really mostly quiet. The cobblestone streets are extremely narrow and so many park away from the old part of town and many streets are open only to walkers.
The ambiance is immediately captivating- so old and so beautiful. So many stories from the past come to life in the 15th and 16th century carved wooden doors, the cobblestone streets; the grace of the historic churches and their sheer size and number of them that kind of knocks you off your feet . The architecture is really stunning in so many ways. But the everydayness of the people coming and going as people have been doing here for hundreds of years provides a kind of rhythm that you fall into very quickly.
There are parks too, and spaces around the churches with lots of places to sit and read and people watch or to catch up with friends. Lots of the workers of the day stop for lunch and a coffee on the beautiful wrought-iron benches that are everywhere in the town.
The colours are warm and the light bounces off the buildings, bringing architecture and art and nature to commune together .
Walking takes a great deal of practice here- the cobblestones are bumpy and slope up and down in unexpected ways, they fall away at the curbs, and there are cobble-like troughs in the streets to take any rain water away... stepping off a curb could be a disaster if you are not looking and there are unexpected holes where the cobblestones have suddenly given away and have yet to be repaired- so one must look where one is walking and stop if one is to gaze up or around to take a picture. I would suggest that walking anywhere after having a few drinks somewhere might be detrimental to your physical well-being .... its a good thing taxis are everywhere.
I took some 150 pictures over the day so I can only share a few at this moment.... but I hope it will give you just a small flavour of this captivating place ....just as it provided me with creative inspiration in my studio today [ more on that in the next post]....
Masks at entrance to store
A flower shop
Wood carved statue of Christ
Its hard to explain the intrigue and humour and beauty in the carved wooden doors everywhere
Another door carving
tangerine beauty
Town workers taking down the Christmas decorations. They agreed to model for my picture. And if you think they look cold, they are.... there was frost on the windows this morning. By noon it will be HOT....
where art meets religion
some folks get around on quads
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