Sketches of Spain Part 2

Last post included watercolors from several places in Spain, but didn't include other destinations or other media, so this one includes images from farther along in Spain as well as a few from Tangier, where we touched briefly.

After Cartagena we visited Almeria, a beautiful small town on the southern coast of Spain. As we entered the port, just after dawn, I happened to peek out of our porthole and saw the harbor light on the point. I snapped a couple of reference photos with my smartphone, and used those plus memory to make this 3.5x5 sketch. I did a larger postcard with a different viewpoint as well because I liked it so much.

Cool light at the bottom of Mojacar

From Almeria we too a day trip into the Tabernas Desert (the only true desert in Europe, according to our guide) and visited a medieval village called Mojacar. The trip was fairly long, but along the way were a number of small villages and as a fillip you could see from a distance several movie sets that have been used over the decades for all sorts of films, from Lawrence of Arabia to Sergio Leone's "spaghetti westerns."

Bright sun at the top of the town

Mojacar is a truly ancient place, built on a defensible spot overlooking the desert floor. Occupied since the Bronze Age and modified by all of the succeeding civilizations (Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, and more), Mojacar simply feels ancient. It's streets are barely navigable by cars because of their narrow, steep, cobbled nature. The town actually has an elevator. Dazzling white buildings and houses are everywhere, their light reaching into the shadows. The photo came out a bit more blue than the shadows there, but it's close. We spent some time just wandering, loving the views and the town, sitting in the high town square and sipping wonderful coffee.

If you travel anywhere in southern Spain, Morocco is an easy side trip, only a handful of miles across the Strait of Gibraltar. For another day trip we visited Tangier and the old city or Kasbah. From our few hours there it became obvious why American expats and others chose to live in such a hospitable climate and city. Like every other place we visited, this is a very old place. Like so many too, it has been occupied by many, subjugated or otherwise. It was once an "international city" in the early 20th century, which supposedly made it a haven for spies and foreigners. In any event, it retains a flavor of France and Spain as well as many who speak those languages. Cats are everywhere because of an admonishment in Islam to feed them but allow them to roam. I caught sight of one of them on a doorstep at a turning of the way and turned it into a 4x6 watercolor.

Like Mojacar in Spain, the Kasbah is a warren of twisting narrow lanes, often dimly illuminated even in daytime. There are parts that are homes of expats or have been gentrified into expensive bed and breakfast accommodations. Nonetheless, the exotic flavor is distinct and tangy. There are tiny shops, less than 10x10 with half doors opening to the street selling small items; community ovens that bake for others who have no ovens; tiny food or drink stands, all mixed into a community looming above the very narrow passageway. Some of the larger, outer streets can allow a single car to pass, but most are foot traffic only. We met a snake charmer, complete with cobra, along the way. Our guide gave him a few coins to show us his snakes. Earlier, our guide (who spoke perfect colloquial English) bought a warm loaf of pita to share. Like the whole city, he was delightful.

From Tangier we went to Lisbon, but sketches from there will have to wait for next time.


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Previously
Sketches of Spain