Tarragona

A few weeks ago we took a day trip to Tarragona – just over an hour down the Mediterranean coast by train.

Today Tarragona is a smallish city on the coast, but for the Romans it was the capital of Hispania Citerior, Nearer Spain. The Scipio brothers established their headquarters at Tarragona, or Tarraco as they called it, when they came about 218 BC to attack a nearby colony established by the Carthaginians. Within a decade Rome controlled most of the Iberian peninsula, and the city grew. In the first century AD Rome granted imperial status to Hispania Criterior.

The heart of old Tarraco was and is on a rocky outcropping by the sea, a sort of acropolis, surrounded by a wall (some of which predates the Romans). In the first century AD, Rome built an extensive complex of public buildings on this outcropping. Two large, adjoining public squares occupied most of the raised ground. The lower was a provincial forum with the administrative offices of the province and markets in the square surrounding an open area. The other, on higher ground, was dedicated to the “imperial cult” (according to a tourist brochure) with a Temple of Jupiter. Immediately below the provincial forum was a large Circus, and there was an amphitheater by the seashore. An aqueduct was built to bring brought water to the city. [A portion of the aqueduct remains about 3 miles outside the city, but we didn’t get out there.] Only traces of all this are left today, but those traces, and models of the layout, indicate how developed a Roman city this was.

Barcelona has its own Roman ruins -- remains of Roman walls and excavated building foundations. Compared to Tarraco, however, Roman Barcino was a minor town, little more than a fortified Roman camp, that was not established until considerably later, in the first century BC.

The train from Barcelona comes in along the sea, under the walls of the old city. We walked up the hill up to the old city, past part of the old city walls, and stopped first at the Archeological Museum. It has an impressive collection of Roman mosaics…
Statutes…












And everyday objects …













Nearby is the largest group of ruins in the city, including a building that was one of the lower corners of the provincial forum (and in the 12th century was converted into a castle).
The lower rooms of this building still show the barrel vaults of the provincial forum. Displayed in one of these is a carved sarcophagus (discovered nearby on the sea bottom in 1948).
From the top of this building you can see a curved section of Circus seating to the right (the tower at left is from the 14th century).
The complex also preserves a long barrel vault that ran underneath one side of the Circus.






Nearby, below the city walls by the sea, is what is left of the amphitheater (it was long used as a convenient quarry).

At the top of the old city is the cathedral, which was constructed, beginning in the 12th century, on the site of the Roman temple. We were not especially impressed with the cathedral itself, perhaps because it was undergoing extensive renovation and its best-known work of art, a 15th century altar painting, was partially obscured by a large diorama that had been installed as part of some celebration of Catalunya (other dioramas were installed in some of the vaults of the Roman ruins).

But we did enjoy the cathedral cloisters, which were very large with an interesting mix of styles: round Romanesque arches between columns collected in groups of three by pointed gothic arches set above panels with Moorish-influenced round opening and decorations.
And a very nice Romanesque doorway connecting the cloisters and cathedral.














At the end of the day we walked down to the modern waterfront, where there is a marina and the usual lineup of seafood restaurants. There also is a nice promenade with a series of interesting sculptures in shallow pools.






Our day in Tarragona also included a necessary element of touring in Spain. All museums, monuments and churches were closed from about 1.30 to 4.30. So we found ourselves a nice restaurant and enjoyed a long, relaxing lunch. Adjusting to local customs can be very pleasant.

New Mexico Christmas

A few images from our stateside trip to Albuquerque for Christmas.

The high desert of the Rio Grande River valley on the road from Albuquerque to El Paso...
…where we visited Pat’s college roommate, Cheryl, and her husband (and visited an El Paso overlook).
Back in Albuquerque, we drove west one cool day with Alan and Meredith to visit Acoma Pueblo on its rocky outcropping.
Alan and Meredith examining their pictures of Acoma after the visit.













Hiking the hills behind Tom and Ginnie’s house provided great views over Albuquerque and the desert beyond.

Visiting Albuquerque Old Town


And its red chiles















Some of the group playing games at Tom’s.
Alan and Meredith taking their turn cooking.
And then it was Christmas Day; Tim dressed for the occasion.
Evan, Rockne, and Nick waiting for more presents to be delivered.

Mallory and Katrina looking at Katrina's new laptop.






Final adjustments of the seasoning by the Christmas Day chefs -- Ginnie and Miles.

Waiting, almost patiently, for Christmas Dinner to be served.
And, to close, a typically reserved portrait of some of the group.

Christmas images

Outdoor Christmas markets in the square in front of the old cathedral and, here, in front of Sagrada Familia.
The Catalans have their own twist on Christmas traditions.

A Christmas centerpiece at home is the Christmas log -- tio de Nadal -- either alongside or instead of a Christmas tree. Large selections are available in all Christmas markets.
According to Catalan tradition, children dance around the Christmas log, commanding it to poo gifts. On Christmas Eve, when no gifts are left, it is thrown in the fire.

Many homes also have a nativity scene -- but with added, uniquely Catalan figures. Here some children choose their favorite.Perhaps this Catalan tradition is worth a closer look.


Of course, no family's Christmas decorations would be complete without some good, fresh moss -- a selection of varieties is offered for your pleasure.

Would you like that wrapped to go?






















Popular year-round, but especially at Christmas, is a nice leg of jamon (ham). A fine selection is available at a local shop specializing in this delicacy.
In the spirit of Barcelona Christmas, we have assembled our own modest Catalan Christmas tableau -- Bon Nadal!
Wednesday we are off to a family Christmas, DeCoster style, in Albuquerque, NM.

Thanksgiving on the road – Return (last of 4)

After another day sightseeing in the area of Port-Ste-Marie, we headed back to Barcelona. We decided we wouldn’t tempt fate by driving across the Pyrenees again, being still sans equipment.
Instead, we took a road along the French foothills of the Pyrenees, running from Foix to Perpignan (for any who care to keep track on a map).

This frontier region between France and (mostly) Aragon on the Spanish side has been the scene of much conflict between the Cathars and France in the 13th century and then France and Aragon somewhat later. Dotted through the landscape are castles, many perched on rocky outcroppings.
The French call these the Cathar castles. Catharism was a heretical religious movement prevalent in the Languedoc region of France in the 12th and 13th centuries: Albi, Beziers, and Carcassonne all figure in Cathar history. The Catholic Church first attempted conversions, but the Cathars, who thought Papal institutions were creations of Satan, were unpersuaded.

In 1208 a papal legate sent to the Count of Toulouse, who was sympathetic to the Cathars, was murdered. The Pope called for a crusade against the Cathars. The Albigensian (for Albi) Crusade, as it became known, also was a war of conquest. Crusading knights loyal to the French king were authorized by the Pope to seize the conquered land of nobles who were independent of France. Thus did France gain control of this region. [See the Wikipedia article for more details.]

Crusaders saw no reason to be gentle with heretics. This one began with an attack on Beziers; when Catholics who lived in Beziers refused to leave, the crusaders massacred Cathars and Catholics alike, up to 20,000 by some accounts. Before attacking, the commander of the Crusaders asked how to tell Cathars (whom it was fine to kill) from Catholics (on behalf they were suppose to fighting); the reported reply was – “Kill them all; God will recognize his own.” The region through which we drove contained the last holdouts, and massacres, of the Cathars.

The landscape was spectacular. Towns in valleys, the road running through narrow gorges, castles on hilltops, the Pyrenees in the distance.
The town of Quillen in its valley.
A gorge on the road leading out of Quillen.











The Chateau de Puilaurens above the town of Lapradelle.

Several kilometers later we left the main route for a narrow winding road to see two other castles in the Corbieres region (also a nice wine domaine).

The Chateau du Queribus (below) was one of the last sites attacked by the French – although the Cathars managed to slip away and avoid the usual fate.
A few kilometers further, in sight of the Chateau de Queribus, are the more extensive ruins of the spectacular Chateau de Peyrepertuse.
The French call these Cathar castles, but the facts are somewhat less romantic. There were fortifications occupied by Cathar holdouts at these sites, but the castles whose ruins one sees today replaced the fortifications occupied by the Cathar. The castles seen today were built a little later by the French to defend their new frontier against the kingdom of Aragon.

As we drove back from these last two chateaus to the main road, we were greeted by a spectacular view looking over the valley toward the Pyrenees.

Then it was on to Perpignan and down the coast to return to Barcelona.

Thanksgiving on the road – Port-Ste-Marie (3rd in a series of 4)

We were invited for Thanksgiving dinner Judy Logsdon Dubois, a Canton, MO, high school classmate of Pat's, and her husband Francois, whom she met in the Peace Corps.

Judy and Francois live in an old farmhouse named Tremisat set in fields and orchards on a bluff north of the Garonne River between Toulouse and Bordeaux with fine views over the valley.




Their four children are grown, but the house is hardly empty, with their 3 cats, 2 birds, and a dog, Kribi. I only got a picture of Kribi.









For Thanksgiving (which we celebrated on the following Sunday), they had invited their 3 daughters who live in Bordeaux, grandchildren, friends and neighbors (their son was too far away, in Brittany); altogether we were a cosy gathering of about 20.

Finding a Thanksgiving turkey is a challenge; the French think November is too early for turkey. Turkey should be for Christmas. But Judy has located a local who raises turkeys and is willing to slaughter one early for her each year. She and Pat drove to the outdoor market at a nearby town to pick it up. Unfortunately, my picture fails to show the head and feet, still attached.

Thanksgiving dinner had all the traditional elements, with a few nice French variations. Everyone pitched in. Pat and Judy prepared pumpkin pie (with filling Pat shipped from the US). In the absence of shortening for the crust they sacrificed and made do with good French beurre (butter).

Judy’s daughters, two of whom have cooking blogs, prepared pumpkin tarte (no canned filling here), mashed potatoes, corn bread, and wonderful cranberry-pear relish.









Francois helped as needed and brought some pomegranates in from the tree in the yard to show the children.






Soon dinner was being put on the table, with the guests waiting for the signal to begin.


Also waiting nearby was a hopeful Kribi.














Dinner served, we sat down to eat -- the children at their own table in the kitchen.










All in all, a fine family Thanksgiving dinner with old and good friends - an American tradition transplanted to and enriched by France.

We stayed on in Port-Ste-Marie, visiting and enjoyed some nearby villages, including Clermont Dessous, a nearby small town with a 13th century Romanesque church on a hilltop above the Gironne .