Tag Archives: photography

CBBH Photo Challenge: Looking forward, looking back.

Posted on by under Axarquía, CBBH Photo Challenge, Photo challenges, Photographs I love

White rabbits!  Conejos blancos!  Yes, it’s that time of the month again ….. soon comes round, doesn’t it?

I got lots of comments about my snow photographs in the CBBH Photo Challenge for April: FULL CIRCLE – but there was the grand total of one entry, apart from mine.  Thanks Le Drake Noir  – even though something did get lost in translation!

What was it you didn’t like, I wonder?  Did the challenge involve taking too many photos – or couldn’t you find the right place to spin around?

Well …. I had fun, anyway – in fact, I enjoyed it so much, I have a similar challenge for this month, except that this time only two photos are involved.

This month’s CBBH Photo Challenge is LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK.  All you have to do is take a photograph and then turn round and take another of what is behind you.  

Not too difficult, is it?

Costa de a Luz, Spain - towards the sea

This is the gorgeous natural beach area of Playa de Los Lances, near to the town of Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz. At exactly 36 degrees latitude, this is the southernmost point of the European continent, situated even further south than both of the African capital cities of Tunis and Algiers.

If you look carefully at the first photo, you can see the mountains of Africa on the horizon – while the photo below shows the much closer Spanish mountains.

I love these kind of walkways – especially with the shadows of the rails forming such a distinct pattern.

Costa de la Luz, Spain - towards the mountains

So, now it’s YOUR turn.

Don’t forget that the CBBH Photo Challenge is a little different from some other challenges, in two ways. First, it’s only once a month – giving you lots of time to consider your entry before the end of the calendar month. Second, and most important, this is a BLOG HOP (after all, it is the CBBH – Conejo Blanco Blog Hop, conejo blanco means white rabbit in Spanish), so DON’T FORGET that in your post you need to add links to two blogs that you have visited and commented on during the past month.

That way, when we visit each other, we can HOP OVER to your links, connect with others and share a little blog love around!

Conejo Blanco BLOG HOP Photo Challenge

My Featured Blog Links for this month:

 *** Have you ever thought about walking the Camino de Santiago?   Maggie, the Trepidatious Traveller,  only lives a hop, skip and a jump from me in La Axarquía, and yesterday she flew to Lisbon in Portugal to begin the Camino Portuguese.   Last year, Maggie walked the 950 kms of Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port to Finisterre with her daughter over five week period,  so at least she knows what she’s letting herself in for.   You can follow Maggie’s daily posts (she sets off from Lisbon on May 2nd) or donate to the two charities she is raising money for (Cudeca, which is the Spanish cancer charity or Action for Animals).  Buen camino Maggie!

***  Writer, Patricia Sands, says that everyone has a story and her’s involves Antibes in the south of France.  Through her blog you can join The Bridge Club – Patricia’s acclaimed debut novel, or simply become immersed in her love of writing and escape to her beloved France.  If you love writing, you’ll find lots of information about writing  here, as well as having the chance of winning prizes that are regularly offered.

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Please HOP over and say HELLO to both of my featured links, and tell them Marianne sent you!

So that´s the CBBH Photo Challenge for May, everyone.

Remember, all you have to do is post your entry by the end of the month, tag your entry ‘CBBH Photo Challenge’, link back to this blog and, most importantly, don´t forget to add links to any two blogs that you´ve commented on during the past month, so that we can all HOP OVER and have a look.

Make sure you FOLLOW THIS BLOG so you don´t miss next month’s exciting challenge!

For more information on how the CBBH Photo Challenge works click here.

I hope everyone taking part enjoys the exposure the CBBH Photo Challenge offers to featured blogs and, who knows, you may end up finding a new favourite!

I´m looking forward to seeing your interpretations.

[CBBH logo Image credit: (cc) Mostly Dans]

 

Almanzor: a famous son of Torrox pueblo

Posted on by under Axarquía, Places


Meet Muhammed bin Abi Amir, better known by his honorific title of al-Mansur  (“the Victorious“).

Almanzor in Torrox, Spain

Almanzor (as he is known in Spain) was the military and political leader of al-Andalus, a medieval Muslim state, occupying, at the pinnacle of its power, most of what are today Spain, Portugal, Andorra and part of southern France.

Born near Algeciras in southern Spain in the year 938 to an Arab family of Yemeni descent, Almanzor spent his early years at the family home in the village of Torrox (then known as Turrux), before moving to Córdoba to study law.

His political career began with humble origins, though eventually Almanzor went on to become the leader of the Caliphate of Córdoba, devoted to destroying the Christian kingdoms of Spain by carrying out 56 raids between 978 and the time of his death in 1002.

Almanzor is commemorated as a famous (some might say infamous) son of Torrox village, in the main square, Plaza de la Constitution.

Almanzor in Torrox village, Spain

You can read more about Almanzor here and here.

Who are the famous (or infamous) sons and daughters from your local village?  

 

Semana Santa: Not only in Seville and Málaga

Posted on by under Fiestas and Festivals

Good Friday procession, Competa, Spain

One of the biggest festivals of the year in Spain is upon us – Semana Santa (Holy Week).  

Andalucía is well known for the many huge processions taking place each day (and throughout the night), particularly in the cities of Seville and Málaga.

But in even the smallest of white villages throughout La Axarquía, evidence of devotion and penitence can be seen, as religious effigies are squeezed through the often steep, narrow streets.

The images are very powerful as the life-sized religious figures set onto ornate tronos (floats or thrones) sway in time to the slow thud of the drums marking their beat.

The colourfully-robed, hooded penitents of the various Brotherhoods make their way through the streets accompanied by the solemn wail of the trumpets of the local municipal band.

Semana Santa is a festival to be perceived through all the senses. 

You can almost taste the overpowering aroma of incense and flowers filling the air as the processions pass by.   No matter the time of day or night, villagers will congregate on street corners, steps, or hang over their balconies to see and sometimes applaud or cry out to their favourite tronos, often reaching out to touch the display as it mesmerisingly sways past them.

Make no mistake, you don’t need to be a religious person to be deeply moved or feel the passion of Semana Santa.

After all – THIS IS SPAIN!

 

EDITED TO ADD:  After I posted the video yesterday of the Semana Santa processions in Malaga, I was reminded by Gilly, Cristina and Gemma‘s comments to tell you about the hoods that are worn (some conical and some not).   It IS important to know the origin.  Thanks ladies 🙂

A common feature of Semana Santa is the Nazareno or penitential robe for some of the participants in the processions.

This garment consists in a tunic, a hood with conical tip (known as a capirote) used to conceal the face of the wearer, and sometimes a cloak.  The exact colours and forms of these robes depend on the particular procession.

The robes were widely used in medieval times for penitents, who could demonstrate their penance while still masking their identity.

Sadly, even though these robes and hoods have been used for hundreds of years in this way, they were “hi-jacked” by the Klu Klux Klan in the late 1860s – for which they are more “well-known” outside of Spain.  

More’s the pity.