Some Thoughts on the Republican National Convention

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3u1Y0vhtYU

Mitt Romney's Acceptance Speech

Living in Spain the last year and a half has given me an interesting approach on American politics.  Here I’m not inundated by the media and its inevitable slant on the issues.   I don’t typically watch the news (it’s in Spanish after all).  Most of my information comes from three sources, the ridiculous crap that people post on Face book, my AOL homepage, and my periodic browsing of CNN.com.  With that in mind, I sat down this morning and watched the two keynote speeches at last night’s RNC. 

 

Before we get started on my impressions, I do have a few things I need to share.  While I don’t consider myself a diehard, I do usually lean towards the left.  I find that the values associated with Liberal thinkers appeal to me more than those of the more hardcore Conservatives.  That said, I would vote for a Republican candidate. Especially if I felt that they were the better candidate and that they would do what was in the best interest of all the people and not just their party supporters, lobbyists, and campaign contributors.  I don’t identify myself with the swing vote, but for the right candidate I could be swayed.

 

Another disclaimer that I need to make is that I voted for the president in 2008.  I fully believed in what he represented both historically and from a policy standpoint.  At the time of his election, President Obama had fresh ideas and a plan to put the country back on track.  Unfortunately, things haven’t gone as planned.  One could easily argue that the country and its people are no better off today than they were at the end of the Bush administration.  This is what I find most troubling.  Things were bad under President Bush, and now with a completely different party, executive, philosophy, etc…, things really haven’t changed for the better.  While you could argue one way or the other WHY this has happened, that’s not my intention in this blog.

So with these things in mind, I sat down and watched the speeches of Clint Eastwood and Mitt Romney.  The Eastwood speech was interesting…. He seemed to ramble and at times became incoherent.  I think in hindsight it will stick out more as a publicity stunt than anything with any real substance.  I was also a little bothered by the whole empty chair routine.  In all I found the whole thing pretty bizarre.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTucyyBRMHY&feature=relmfu

Clint Eastwood's Speech

 

In sharp contrast to the speech of Eastwood was that delivered by Mitt Romney.  For roughly the first 25-30 minutes of the speech, I actually found myself drawn in and impressed with Romney.  He has an interesting story, his father is self-made, he has Midwesterner roots, and a likable family.  I really thought this part of his speech was a positive step away from the wishy-washy career politician label that I had previously heard attached to him. To summarize, I found him likable.

 

Unfortunately, the speech wouldn’t maintain this feeling.  After an incredibly positive and balanced beginning, the type of beginning that “swing” voters are looking for, the second part of the speech took on a much darker tone.  It was during this second part that I felt Romney began to pander to the more radical wing of the party.

 

My question is this, why do the Republicans feel the need to cow tow to the radical fringe that call themselves the Tea Party?  How do they ever expect to attract a mainstream middle of the road voter while they tolerate the bigotry and ignorance of the Sarah Palins, Michele Bachmans, and Todd Akins of the world?  These people are dangerous and frankly, their views do not mesh with the 90% of the population.  I think the Republicans would be much more successful if they embraced a middle of the road conservatism and shunned these right-wing radical nutcases.  Do they really believe that “legitimate rape” doesn’t cause pregnancy (Todd Akin), that all wives should be submissive to their husbands (Michele Bachman), that abortions should be illegal even in the event of a rape (Sarah Palin), or even that gays should be denied the same rights that the rest of us are granted in a FREE country (Paul Ryan), a country that prides itself on the ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Did I miss the class in U.S. History where they said that this only applies if your pursuit of happiness is the same as theirs?

 

 

If you look at two of the more successful campaigns in the last thirty years, the Reagan Democrats and the Clinton Conservative delivered landslide victories for their candidates.  It would be really nice to see either the Republicans or the Democrats return to this strategy of unifying instead of dividing.  In the end, it’s going to take compromise and partnerships to pull us out of this mess, not name calling and divisiveness.

My First Bullfight

Las Ventas Bullring, Madrid



One of the most symbolic yet controversial aspects of Spanish culture is the Corrida de Toros (Bullfight).  When I moved to Madrid a year ago, I debated whether I wanted to attend one or not.  Even in Spain this honored tradition had become a point of contention, with several provinces actually banning the public killing of bulls. Madrid though is not like these other provinces.  This is the heart of Spain and the center of bullfighting.

Interior of Las Ventas Bullring

 Las Ventas, Madrid’s bull ring is the second largest in the world.  It seats 25,000 spectators and is filled pretty regularly on Sunday afternoons.  The fights are also shown on television locally.  Despite this obvious enthusiasm all around me, I still felt I needed something more before I could go.  What I found invaluable and what allowed me to understand the bullfight was a relatively unrecognized work of Ernest Hemmingway.

Hemmingway’s Death in the Afternoon, was published in 1932, and is as much a contemplation of courage and cowardice as it is about bullfighting.  According to Hemmingway, the bullfight is about the courage of both the bull and the matador.  Without both components, you cannot have a great fight.  To me this book made all the difference.  It helped me to understand what I was seeing, and it gave the spectacle a deeper meaning.  Bullfighting is not about torturing and killing a defenseless animal.  To believe this is to not fully understand the ritual and its lessons about bravery in the face of death, for both the bull and the man.

Before I get into more on the meaning of the bullfight, I think it’s helpful to understand the ritual and the different parts or thirds of the fight.  The fight begins with a parade of all those who will participate.  This includes the three matadors, two picadors on horseback, and three Bandilleros for each matador.  Each also has a sword page that passes the sword to the matador when it is time for the bull to be killed.  The bullfight itself usually last about two hours, and is not one single fight, but six fights with each matador killing two bulls.  The average fight lasts only twenty minutes for all three stages.

The parade of the matadors, picadors, and bandilleros.

The first stage of a bullfight involves the matador and the two picadors on horseback.  With the ring empty, a horn sounds and the bull comes charging into the ring.  When you picture this, remember that this is not any ordinary bull.  Spanish fighting bulls are bred specifically for their size, muscular build and above all, aggressiveness.  These animals are more childhood monsters then friendly cows. They range from a little over 1000 pounds, to over 1300 pounds and are between 4 1/2 and 6 years of age.  More impressive, their horns looked to be at least 18 inches long with a sharp point at the end. 

The moment the bull enters the ring, he is looking to gore and kill anything that moves.  This is without being provoked or weakened/injured in any way.   As he runs through the ring, he is distracted by the matador and other toreros (bullfighters) with capes.  This is incredibly important for the bullfighter as he begins to gauge the bull and its tendencies.  Does he favor one horn?  How easily does he charge?  Does he prefer to hook with one of his horns over the other?

Once the bull has been quickly assessed, the picadors are brought into the ring.  These men sit atop horses that are almost completely covered in a thick padding made resistant to punctures.  As the bull charges the horses, the picador uses a long spear to stab the muscle at the back of the bull’s neck.  This is not done to anger the bull or to torture him, it’s done to weaken the muscle.  Coincidentally, this is the same muscle that the bull uses to raise and lower his head.  If the bull is to be killed at the end of the fight humanely and quickly, this muscle must be weakened so that the bull drops his head and his horns.

The stage of the fight with the picadors is the one part of the bullfight that made me uncomfortable initially.  The reason for my uneasiness was not the stabbing of the bull, but a worry over the safety of the horses.  Although the horse’s eyes are completely covered and they are well padded, some horses are occasionally injured by the sheer power of the bulls.  I had no desire to see an injured horse, thus my uneasiness.  In regards to this, I’m not alone.  Many people over the years objected to the punishment the horses took, which is why they began using the protective padding in the 1930’s.  Prior to this period, it was not uncommon for more unprotected horses to be killed than bulls during a typical bullfight. 

After the picador is twice charged by the bull and twice uses the spear to weaken the bull, the horn sounds and the second phase of the bullfight begins.  The second of the three phases of the bullfight is for the Bandilleros.  The job of the bandillero is to place the bandera.  These are the pointed spears that stick in the bull’s neck.  The hang from the bull and remain in place until after the bull is killed.  The men that place these (bandilleros) move like gymnasts.  After getting the bull’s attention, he charges them.  They run simultaneously at the bull, turning off at the last minute as they jump and place the banderas.  This is not a job for the faint of heart, and one mistake could mean death for the bandillero.  There are usually a total of three bandilleros, which means six banderas are placed in the bull. 

The beginning of the final stage of the bullfight.

The final of the three phases of the bullfight, is the death of the bull.  This is the moment that you think of, when you think of a bullfight.  The matador is alone in the ring with the bull.  During the first part of this stage, the bull makes a series of passes at the matador.  His performance is based on the aggressiveness and willingness of the bull to charge, and the proximity of the matador to the bull.  There are also other tricks used by matadors, maneuvers in which they make multiple quick passes, turn their backs on the bull, or even reach out and touch the bull as he passes.  This point in the fight is the most beautiful, and where a great fight is made.  Cowardice on the part of either the bull or the matador during this stage ruins the fight.  This is also the most dangerous part of the fight, and where most of the gorings occur.  Unlike early on, where the bull charges mindlessly, the bull has learned from previous passes and is much more calculating.  He isn’t wasting energy any more.  Now each pass is a precise attempt to destroy the matador.

The end of the bullfight comes when the matador decides to kill the bull.  Before doing this, he walks to the side of the ring where he is handed a sword by his sword page.  Once he has the sword, he will carry out a few more passes before raising the sword above his head and pointing it down towards the bull.  Once the bull charges, the sword is placed between the shoulder blades.  If done properly, the sword severs the aorta or enters the heart.  The bull then staggers for a few moments before collapsing and dying.  If the matador is unsuccessful in killing the bull after two or three tries, the bull is put down quickly.  The whole fight lasts only twenty minutes.

As I said when I began this piece, I wasn’t sure before attending my first bullfight how I felt about it.  I questioned whether the bulls were being tortured, taunted, and killed without purpose.  After witnessing a fight firsthand, I have no problem with the corrida de toros.  Bullfights are not about the things above, they are about courage and honor for both the matadors and the bulls.  If it weren’t for the bullfights, Spanish fighting bulls as a breed would have become extinct long ago.  During the years they live prior to entering the ring, they live an existence that is comfortable, even luxurious, when compared with the standards that most animals live by.  I would argue that anyone who eats beef or wears leather has no right to complain about the corridas.  The animals that provide them with these products are treated in a far harsher manner than fighting bulls.  After all which is more humane, fattening pens, antibiotics, and death by electrocution, or a comfortable life and an honorable death in a bullring.

Whether you agree or not, and I’m sure some of you won’t, the corrida de toros is an interesting and often misunderstood part of Spanish culture.  It is beautiful and tragic, violent and honorable.  It’s a living relic of a bygone era, and one of the keys to understanding Spain and its people.

My ticket to the corrida de toros.          

Picturing Fes

Having already written a blog about my experiences in Fes, Morocco, the next logical step was to share a few of the photos I took of this amazing place.  While these photos will never do justice, they will at least give the reader an idea of life in this ancient city.  Below are my favorite photos with a brief explanation.  Enjoy!

On our second full day in Fes, we stopped for a mint tea mid morning.  The restaurant we stopped at was back a narrow alley with only a small sign out front.  While the interior of the restuarant was beautiful, the crown jewel was this view from the restuarant's terrace.  In the distance is the minaret of the Kairaouine Mosque and University.  The Mosque is the second largest in Africa, and the University calims to be the oldest in the world.  It was founded in 859 A.D.

The boys enjoying their mint tea.  Mint tea is the most popular drink in Morocco and is served nearly everywhere from street sellers to the finest restaurants.  The tea is made with a little bit of green tea, sugar, and a full sprig of fresh mint.  In many cases additional mint is added to the glass as a garnish.  It's sweet and delicious. 

The Bou Inania Medersa.  The Medersa, named after its founder Abou Inan Faris, was built between 1351 and 1356.  At its height, it functioned as a both a religious school and a mosque.  It is one of the few religious sites in Fes that is accessible to non-Muslims.

This is a typical street view in Fes taken early in the morning before the streets become crowded with vendors and stalls.  You can see why the entire old city is off limits to vehicles.  All transport within the Medina is done with horses, donkeys, and small carts.

Entrance to the Belghazi Museum that displays a variety of traditional Moroccan wares.  It is housed in a 17th century palace.  Notice the musicians in traditional dress to the right of the entrance.  They are more than happy to perform for you, for a tip.

Kelly and the boys in front of the Bab Bou Jeloud (The Blue Gate).  This gate is one of the main entrances to the Medina.

The Craftsmen of the Fes Medina

One of the best reasons to travel to Fes is to observe traditional artisans at work.  Perhaps no where in the word can you still see so many traditional craftsmen at work.  Even better, these wares are then for sale.  The work done by these men and women reminds us of a simpler time when everything was made this way.  What I enjoyed most was that these crafts are not put on or "demonstrated" the way we've become accustomed to seeing them done in western museums or craft shows.  This is the real deal.  If you see a man making buckets, it's because the people of the Medina need buckets to get water, not because they sell well in a gift shop.

This small stall is located of the Medina's main road, Talaa Kebira.  The entire workshop is the size of a small storage until.  The buckets are made using only hand tools, the artisans hands (and feet).

  

 

This photo shows another small workshop located off a main road in the Medina.  The artisan shown is making pillows using traditional embroidered fabric.

One of the more interesting crafts we saw in Fes was this form of hand stamping or engraving metal.  The patterns produced are beautifully intricate.  Some pieces take days to finish. 

The Pottery

In the hills above Fes, our guide took us to one of the many potteries.  The amazing workshops produce tiles, mosaics, and a variety of pottery pieces.  They are most famous for their Fes blue pottery.  To make Fes blue, a mineral found in the area is ground to produce the paint.  The pieces are then handpainted and fired.



In the pottery workshop, you are able to watch nearly all phases of production.  The man above is is the process of producing the lid for a tangine.

When the pottery is ready it is hand painted.  Notice that the paint isn't blue, it's purple.  During the firing process the paint turns to the bright blue that is typical of Fes.

Pictured are three men chipping tiles that will be used to create mosaics for tables.  Shown in front of them are some of the designs.   



 The Weavers

The Medina is home to many weavers who produce cloth, carpets, and scarves.  Weaving is done with a variety of different materials including wool and Moroccan silk.  Moroccan silk is made using the fibers from the Agave cactus.  The agave is best known as the source of Mexican tequila.  Because the Muslim faith prohibits alcohol, Moroccans use the fine fibers in the cactus to produce their version of silk.  These natural fibers are then died using a variety of natural dyes like indigo (blue), poppy (red), and saffron (yellow).

This man is using his loom to weave a typical Moroccan scarf. According to our guide, he has been working in this shop for 45 years.

Moroccan silk is on being used at this loom.  The silk is dyed with indigo to produce the beautiful color.

This photo shows Seffarine Square where traditional metal workers ply their trade.  They make large copper and metal pots used in cooking and for a variety of other chores.

This is one of my favorite photos of the entire trip.  It shows a group of men playing cards in one of the many carpet souks (markets) in the Medina.  This particular souk was in an old funduq.  Funduqs were the way stations for the caravans that once crossed Northern Africa.  Arab traders lodged in the rooms that overlooked a central courtyard where the camels and goods were kept.

This is a great example of one of the traditional spice shops you find in the Medina.  Spices are an incredibly important part of Moroccan cooking.  Hundreds of spices and dried herbs can be found in a shop like this.  Some of the most important locally are cinnamon, pepper, chilis, cumin, and saffron.

The Tanneries

Probably the most famous site in the old Medina are the Chouwara Tanneries.  In addition to being the most popular destination, they are also the smelliest.  Traditional hide tanning is done in two steps.  The first involves scrapping and softening the hides with pigeon droppings.  The second step is where the leather is dyed.  Natural herbs and flowers are used to create the colors that are added to animal urine in the stone vats.   As you apporach the area of the city where the tanneries are located you can tell you are getting close by the smell.





This photo shows a view of the tanneries from one of the leather merchant's balconies.  These stores employ men who prowl the streets offering to take you to the tanneries.  Many of these stores are accessed by a set of steep unmarked stairs that take you to the second level and balcony.  Most storeowners are generous enough to offer a mint spring that hepls to ward off the smell.  The men who "show" you the tanneries usually recieve tips or kickbacks from the shopowners for bringing in customers.

 

 

Another view of the tanneries from the leather shop balcony.  Notice the bright yellow leather dryng on the nearby roofs.  The yellow is dyed with saffron and is considered the most valuable.  Among the types of leather available are hides from sheep, goats, camels, and cows.



This final photo shows the boys with Emad.  Emad works at the Riad Al Atik where we stayed.  Like many of the Moroccan's we met he was genuine and friendly.  In the backrgound are the two French owners of the Riad.  They too were incredibly helpful and friendly.  They arranged our guide, transportation, and even took us to a nearby carpet shop. 

Four Days in Morocco

It’s hard to know where to begin with Fes.  It is at once the most interesting, friendly, dirty, foreign, and incredible city I’ve ever visited.  As a citizen of a western nation, I can’t imagine ever becoming fully comfortable there.  It’s not that it’s not a nice place.  It’s simply that Fes is an entirely different world. 

Perhaps nowhere in the world can you travel so few miles yet so many years.  Our trip began with a mid morning flight out of Madrid.  The flight to Tangier was only an hour.  In fact, only 8.1 miles (13km) separates Southern Spain and Morocco.  After landing in Tangier, we had lunch on the beach and took a train five hours to Fes. 

Before I get to Fes though, a word about Tangier.  To me, Tangier is Morocco light.  There is a beach and a Medina (old walled city), but neither are worth a visit unless you are traveling on to another city.  The beach is picturesque, but dirty, and the Medina is too commercial.  Sure the old city is still there, but you don’t get the impression that the goods being sold are made there.  You don’t see the workshops and the craftsmen.  Even the riads (guest houses) and restaurants have a put on feel.  It’s as if they are there so that visitors can experience Morocco in a way that they expect to experience Morocco, as opposed to the way Morocco really is.  

Leaving Tangier, our train took us 200 hundred miles (321 kilometers) over five hours to reach Fes.  Once at the train station, we took a cab to the wall of the Medina where we met a representative of our riad.  This was our first indication of the labyrinth of roads that wind through the Medina, most of which are so narrow that cars are not allowed within the city’s walls.   The old Medina is one of the largest pedestrian only zones in the world.  Because of this, first time visitors to the city must quickly get used to the calls of “balek” and “andak”.  To loosely translate, these both seem to mean get out of the way in Moroccan Arabic.  These calls are usually followed by either a man with a cart full of goods or a donkey loaded with anything from chickens to propane gas canisters.

After a five minute walk, we reached our riad.  It was located off of the main street of Talaa Kebira and down a narrow alleyway.  There is no way we would’ve found it on our own.  The Riad Al Atik is run by two delightful French women.  There are a total of six available guest rooms each with traditional Moroccan décor.  The colors are vibrant and the tiles amazing.  In addition to the accommodations, the owners also arranged our transport, booked our guide, and even took us to a rug shop to help us pick out a carpet.  They also provide an amazing breakfast with traditional Moroccan breads, cakes, jam, eggs, honey, olives, and fresh cheese.

The central courtyard of the Riad Al Atik.

           After breakfast we met our guide, Habib.  Having a guide at least one day in Fes is an absolute necessity.  As our guide told us, there are over 9000 streets and alleyways in the Fes Medina.  Over the course of the day, our guide took us to many of Fes’ most famous sites including the Bab Bou Jeloud Gate (blue gate), Bou Inania Medersa (Koranic school and mosque), Kairaoine Mosque (second largest mosque in Africa), Moulay Idriss Zawiya (tomb of Fes’ founder), and the Kairaoine Tanneries.  We also visited several workshops where we saw artisans weaving, making and painting pottery, tanning leather, engraving metal and woodworking.  This tour also included a trip to the Merenid tombs that rest above the city.  From here there were amazing views of the city.  In all we spent nearly eight hours with our guide. 

View of the Old Medina taken from the Merenid Tombs.

This is really the only way to see the city.  Before we left Spain, I spent quite a bit of time looking through tour books and researching online.  I doubt that I would’ve been able to find most of what I read about.  In Fes, every corner hides a workshop, a store, or a restaurant.  So many times we would find ourselves in a narrow staircase or alleyway that would lead to an unbelievable site.  Whether it’s a courtyard, a souk (market), or a balcony, we learned to expect the unexpected.  Because of this, a guide is essential.

Our guide Habib with Kelly and the boys.  He is explaining the importance of the many fountains spread throughout Fes.

In addition to the advantages in sightseeing, the guide is also helpful in getting a better price on goods.  This is the one aspect that is most frustrating about Fes.  There are no marked prices on anything.  All purchases have to be negotiated.  This is very difficult for an outsider.  The merchants in Fes are experts at the art of negotiation.  Not once did I leave a shop without feeling that I got fleeced.  The key is to decide what you are willing to pay for something and stick to it.  The one nice thing is that even if you can’t agree on a price, the friendliness of the people remains.  It’s an intense process, but for us it always ended in a handshake, a smile, and usually a gift for the boys.

This brings me to another point.  The people we met in Fez were as friendly as any place that I’ve ever visited.  They understand the value of tourism to their country and act accordingly.  Whether it was the guide or the shopkeepers, they were always happy to answer our questions and to show us their shops and goods.  They take pride in what they do, and that constantly comes through in their attitude and enthusiasm.  

View of the Chouwara Tanneries

Our second day in Fes we decided to spend on our own.  We visited a carpet shop to purchase a small rug, and an embroidery workshop.  Embroidery is one of the few trades, outside of cooking, that is done almost exclusively by women.  It is piece work that is taken on by married women in order to earn extra money.  The work is painstakingly slow.  One tablecloth can take days to weeks to complete.  The stitching is all done by hand so that the pattern on both sides is identical.  According to the shop owner we spoke to, women can work only an hour or two a day on embroidery work due to the strain it puts on the eyes.  The result though is beautiful.

Enjoying a mint tea and views of the Kairaouine Mosque.

We finished our second day by having dinner in a family home.  I hope to write more about this later, so I won’t say much now other than the hospitality was impeccable and the food delicious.

On our third morning in Fes we had breakfast and took a final walk before heading to the train station.  Although I don’t think I could ever feel completely comfortably there, I was able to relax a little and take everything in.  Whether it was the open market with live chickens, cow hearts, and goat heads, or the passing donkey carrying everything from herbs, vegetables, or baked goods, Fes is alive in a way that Western cities aren’t.  It was a place both hauntingly foreign and historically familiar.  It’s like looking into the past while living in the future.  It’s truly the most interesting place I’ve ever visited.

Bab Bou Jeloud

The Andalusian Horse

Recently our family took our first trip to the south of Spain.  Over the course of five days, we visited three beautiful historic towns.  We spent a day each in Granada and Cordoba, and three days in Seville.  Over the course of those five days, we were wowed with amazing sites like the Alhambra, the Mezquita, the Torre de Oro, the Giralda and the Seville Cathedral.  While these famous sites come to mind when you discuss tourism in Andalucia, one of the true highlights of our trip was something that falls a little more under the radar.  During the evening we spent in Cordoba, we were treated to a wonderful show featuring the Andalusian horse.

            The Andalusian horse or pure Spanish horse is an ancient breed that is native to the Iberian Peninsula in which Spain is located.  It has officially been documented as a breed since the 16^th century and was once an incredibly popular animal among European royalty.  It was also the animal that carried the conquistadores through the wilds of the new world. 

One of the horses at the Royal Stable

Known for their intelligence, sensitivity and docility, the horses have long thick manes and tails with a compact yet athletic build.  Originally prized as war horses, today the breed is used for equestrian shows, jumping, driving, and is commonly found in the movies.  Despite its treasured status, Andalusian horses saw their numbers dip dramatically in the 19^th century.  A series of wars, cross breeding, and deadly epidemic that spread through the population left only one small herd in existence.  From this group of horses housed at the monastery of Cartuja the breed has made a slow recovery over the last 150 years.  Today over 185,000 horses are registered as Andalusian horses.  Of this number 65,000, or 42%, still reside in the province that gives the horse its name.

Sign for the Royal Stables in Cordoba

Our experience with this beautiful animal began at the Royal stables in Cordoba.  The stables are located inside the old city.  Cordoba itself is a fascinating, well-preserved, gem of culture and history.  It is still surrounded for the most part by an ancient wall that protects the illusion of stepping back in time.  We entered the old city through the Puerta de Sevilla (Door of Seville).  From there we navigated the narrow streets until we came to a second gate.  Just inside the second gate and bordering upon the Cordoba Alcazar was the Royal Stable.

Interior of the Royal Stables

Once inside we took a quick tour of the grounds, snapped some photos of the horses themselves, and purchased our tickets for that evening’s show.  To anyone considering a trip to Cordoba, this is a must see.  The show began at 7pm, lasting for a little over an hour.  It featured not only these amazing animals showcasing their talents, but also another staple of Southern Spain, Flamenco.  After watching these animals and their trainers perform for a little over an hour it’s impossible to be in awe of the strength, intelligence, and agility of these animals.  It’s an experience I’ll never forget, and one of the best memories of an amazing trip.

Goya’s Dome – La Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida

La Ermita de San Antonio

One of the true joys of living in Europe is the opportunity to see some of the world’s greatest works of art in their original settings.  Whether it’s the Sistine Chapel, a Bernini sculpture, or an El Greco tucked away in a small Toledo chapel, these works are simply mesmerizing when seen as the artist originally intended.  Although Madrid has a cache of amazing artwork, most of it is displayed in a museum setting.  This is largely due to the fact that in comparison to other European cities, Madrid is still rather young.  One exception to this rule that I decided to seek out this past week is the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida.  This tiny hermitage is the home to Francisco Goya’s image of the Miracle of St. Anthony of Padua.

Francisco Goya is regarded by most historians as the last of the old Masters.  He was born in the small town of Fuendetodos, Spain in 1746.  Unlike many of the world’s greatest painters, Goya was largely unknown into his 30’s.  At that time he began to work with the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid where he produced cartoons that were woven into tapestries for famous sights like El Escorial and the Royal Palace of El Pardo.  His success with the Royal Tapestry factory and with a series of prints called “Los Caprichos” brought him the notoriety that led to his appointment as the first court painter in 1799. 

Goya’s work at the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida was commissioned and begun in 1798, after he became a court painter, but before he was named the first court painter.  The dome and frescoes he painted took the artist about six months to complete.  Goya’s work on the structure would have taken place just after the church was completed.  The Ermita was designed and built by Felipe Fontana from 1792 to 1798.  In those days the hermitage was located well outside of the city on the other side of the Manzanares River.  Today the church is located in a residential neighborhood, very near to the Principe Pio train station that is one of Madrid’s largest.

Goya's Dome depicting Saint Anthony's Miracle

The work that Goya was commissioned to do in the church was a representation of a miracle of St. Anthony of Padua.  The story behind Goya’s image is that St. Anthony’s father was accused of murder in the Saint’s home country of Portugal.  Miraculously, St. Anthony “flew” from Padua to Lisbon where he asked that the corpse of the murdered man be brought forward.  Once the man’s body was present, St. Anthony raised him from the dead so that he could give testimony that would absolve his father of the crime.  Immediately after clearing his father’s name, the dead man slunk back into his grave.  Goya’s dome is painted to reflect the moment when the murdered man came forward and gave his testimony.

Although Goya’s work on the dome of St. Anthony’s is a masterpiece, it is also fairly unconventional.  For starters, he relocated the miracle from 13^th century Lisbon, to contemporary Madrid.  Goya also painted the church in a manner that many would consider upside down.  Traditionally, an image like the Miracle of St. Anthony would be painted with the earth below and the angels above.  In Goya’s image, the trial takes place in the dome while the angels flutter about on the ceiling below.

Interior of Ermita de San Antonio showing the angels painted below the dome.

In addition to Goya’s masterpiece, the church is also now that final resting place of the great artist.  In 1928 Goya’s remains were buried under the altar of the church.  This of course was 100 years AFTER the artist’s death.  Goya was originally buried in Bordeaux, France, where he had been living at the time of his death in 1828.  In 1901, the Spanish government deemed it inappropriate that one of their greatest artists should be buried in foreign soil.  The body was exhumed and moved to Madrid.  Nothing is written of where his remains were kept between 1901 and 1928.  Also in 1928, an identical chapel was built right next door to Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida.  This allowed Goya’s final resting place and dome to be used exclusively as a museum. 

One interesting note is that when Goya was reburied in the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, his skull was missing.  It has never been found.

Photo showing the two identical chapels.  The one in the foreground contains Goya's final resting place.

Rome – My Three Favorites

 Now  that I’ve had nearly two weeks since our return from Rome, I’ve had some time to reflect on our trip and about how to chronicle this experience in my blog.  While this may seem on the surface pretty simple, Rome is one of those cities that offer endless possibilities, memories, and experiences.  During our eight days in the Italian Capital, we were able to see many of the big name attractions.  We visited Capitoline Hill, the Capitoline Museum, the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Del Fiore, Trastevere, and too many churches to count.  With this in mind, you can see why it has taken awhile to process the trip and decide exactly what it is that I planned to share.  What I’ve decided to do is pick the three site that moved me, talk about my experience there, and share a little of the history behind the site.

Galleria Borghese

            Little did I know when I booked the tickets to Galleria Borghese that the experience I would share with my oldest son, on our first day in Rome, would be one of my most memorable of the trip.  Walking about a half an hour from our apartment on Via Nazionale, we arrived to pick up our tickets at Galleria Borghese just before our scheduled tour time.  The villa and grounds in which the collection resides were named after Cardinal Scipione Borghese.  Borghese was the nephew of Pope Paul V and an avid art collector.  He was a patron of Bernini (one of Italy’s greatest sculptors) and an early admirer and patron of Caravaggio.

            Today the Galleria Borghese houses an extensive collection within its twenty rooms including works by Caravaggio, Bernini, Titian, Raphael, Rubens and Canova.  The two pieces that I found most interesting were a painting titled Madonna and Child with St. Anne by Caravaggio and Canova’s masterful sculpture, Venus Victrix.

Caravaggio's Madonna and Child with St. Anne

            The Caravaggio work is a standout piece, but also has quite a fascinating back story.  Using his position and that of his uncle as Pope, Cardinal Borghese commissioned Caravaggio to paint a work that would hang in St. Peter’s Basilica.  Although the commissioned work turned out to be quite impressive, the College of Cardinals turned down the painting due to its unconventional nature and earthly realism.  With nowhere else for it to go, Borghese conveniently found a place for the controversial work in his own private collection.  Some scholars today even go as far as to say that private ownership was Borghese’s intent all along.  Nothing like commissioning a masterpiece and having the Vatican pick up the tab.

            Among many other standout works in the museum is a sculpture by Italian artist, Canova.  Although commissioned by the Borghese family, the work was completed long after the death of the Villa’s founder.  The sculpture was produced between 1805-1808 and features Pauline Bonaparte, the wife of Camillo Borghese.  In addition to marrying into the Borghese family, Pauline was also related to another quite famous historical figure.  She was the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Canova's Masterpiece

            Both today and at the time, it remains a mystery as to whether Napoleon’s sister actually posed nude for the sculptor.  While art historians point out that the figure in the sculpture is a classic Roman form, Pauline Bonaparte was known to hint that the work was true to form.  When she was asked how she could possibly pose in such a state, she responded that the artist kept a small stove in the room so that she wouldn’t get too cold.  Whether her comments were made stir a little bit of controversy or purely in truth we will never know.

            The second of my favorite attractions in Rome is a fountain that has stolen the spotlight in many a Hollywood movie, all the while supporting and helping to feed Rome’s poor and homeless.  The Trevi Fountain is one of those sites that you couldn’t visit Rome without seeing.  Much like the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, or the Colosseum, the fountain has grown to become a symbol of the city.

Rome's Trevi Fountain

            Work began on the Trevi Fountain in 1732 after Rome born architect, Nicola Salvi, was awarded the commission.  Interestingly enough, Salvi’s plan was actually the first runner up in the contest to design the fountain commissioned by Pope Clement XII.  The winner of the contest was Florentine Alessandro Galilei.  Unfortunately for the Florentine architect, old prejudices against outsiders cost him his chance and his commission.  In all it would take thirty years to complete costing the fountain’s architect and Pope Clement XII the opportunity to see it in its final form.  Both men were long dead by 1762.

            While always a favorite of visitors to the city, the Trevi Fountain has gained increased notoriety as it has become the backdrop to many popular movies including Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and the 1953 classic American film, Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  

            Just a year after Roman Holiday, another picture was released titled Three Coins in the Fountain.  This film and its Academy Award winning song helped to truly cement the custom of throwing a coin into the fountain.  Legend holds that if you throw a coin into the fountain before leaving, then someday you will return to Rome.  Like most tourists, we threw our coins into the waters of Trevi.  Unlike most visitors to the city, we did so on all three occasions we found ourselves in the small square.

 One little side note about the money that ends up in the fountain.  It is believed that every day nearly 3,000 Euros ($4000) in change is tossed into the Trevi Fountain.  This money is collected and used to subsidize a supermarket for the poor where those less fortunate can go to receive free food and groceries.

The final of my three sites that I would like mention is the Sistine Chapel.  Although in size it pales in comparison to its nearby neighbor St Peter’s, the much smaller Capella Sistina is quite possibly the most famous church in the world.

Being inside the Sistine Chapel is like falling into a painting that comes to life all around you.  With the exception of the floor, nearly every square inch of the place has been painted. The most famous of these paintings are those done by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1541.  During two distinct stints in the chapel Michelangelo produced what many consider his greatest legacy for the art world.  Michelangelo’s first contribution to the Sistine chapel was from 1508-1512 as he spent four years painting the ceiling.  His work here depicts three major themes across nearly 12,000 square feet.  The themes portrayed by Michelangelo are God’s Creation of the World, God’s Relationship with Mankind, and Mankind’s Fall from God’s Grace.

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Following his work on the ceiling, Michelangelo grew disheartened with the church.  He felt that his worked only served to satisfy Pope Julius II’s need for grandeur, not to glorify God.  Despite this or perhaps because he was commissioned by a new Pope, Paul III, Michelangelo agreed to begin work again on the Chapel in 1535.  This time he would spend from 1537-1541 creating The Last Judgment on the altar wall of the chapel.  In this case, Michelangelo’s work tells the story of the second coming of Christ and the final judgment of mankind.  Even after completing the Last Judgment at age 67, Michelangelo remained active.  In 1547 he was named the head architect in the building of St. Peter’s Basilica.  It was in this capacity that he designed the cathedral’s dome which was completed in 1590, twenty-six years after his death.

The Last Judgment

One final interesting fact about the Sistine Chapel is that it is the site of the Papal Conclave, the process by which the new Pope is chosen.  During the Conclave a chimney is installed in the roof of the Chapel.  When a new Pope is chosen, white smoke emerges from the chimney.  When a vote is inconclusive, black smoke is released by the chimney.  Voting has taken place in the Sistine Chapel since 1455.

While all the experiences you’ve just read about made Rome an amazing place to visit, it wouldn’t have been the same if I didn’t have the opportunity to see all these sites and more with such great company.  As always my wife and the boys were my companions in this adventure, but in this instance we were also joined by my parents.  One of the hardest parts about moving to Europe has been time away from family.  I know it took a lot to pry my parents away from their comfort zone (and the United States), but in the end I think they really enjoyed the trip.  I know we enjoyed having them with us to share the holidays.     

My Parents with Benjamin and Douglas at the base of the Spanish Steps.