27th December 2014: A stroll in the cold (Guadalajara, Spain)

Posted on 28 December 2014 by JBinnacle

I had a couple of friends over for that silly blursday period between Christmas and New Year’s and we decided to get to Guadalajara for a walk or two. Not that there is much to see, but it has a small zoological park. The Zoológico Municipal de Guadalajara had a rocky start, with small cages and sad animals, but it seems to be trying to do better. The main activity that goes on in the zoo is the recovery of birds of prey, and there are some education programs too.

We had lunch in an all-you-can-eat Asian restaurant that I enjoy because it is one of the few places where I can get myself some sushi.

Afterwards, we visited the Palacio de la Cotilla, Cotilla Palace – whose name ‘palace’ is more than overrated. It is a 17th century is a downtown manor in Guadalajara, Spain, formerly owned by the Marquis of Villamejor. One of the rooms, named the “Chinese Room”, Salón Chino de la Cotilla, is decorated with hand-painted rice paper, brought from Beijing, and several Japanese Edo-period paintings which were probably purchased in France from Dutch sailors or merchants.

Finally we took a stroll towards a silly spot in the middle of nowhere that has a Japanes-like bridge over… nothing, really, but it is a cute bridge, in the Parque de las Esculturas, Sculpture Park.

After that we just headed back home because it was dark and cold and pizza could be ordered (≧▽≦).

14th June 2014: Falconry & Birds of Prey Exhibition in Guadalajara (Spain)

Posted on 18 June 2014 by JBinnacle

Falconry is one of those things that I’m torn about – on the one hand I’m not really keen on animal labour and shows, but being close to those animals is an amazing experience. The town of Guadalajara was celebrating the 900th anniversary of the passing of the Medieval Hero Minaya’s passing, and falconry was common technique at the time.

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar was a Castilian knight and warlord who lived in the 11th-century Spain. He was called El Cid Campeador which roughly means the Master of the Battlefield. He was a glorified mercenary, and has made history books as one of the most important history heroes. He was exiled when he confronted the King about killing his predecessor. One of his generals, Álvar Fáñez Minaya, is credited with liberating the town of Guadalajara from the Moors. Just as El Cid represents courage and strength, Minaya represents loyalty.

Guadalajara really likes the figure of Minaya – he is in the local coat of arms and flag, there’s a school and a Moorish tower named after him. And as he was supposed to have been an excellent falconer, the exhibition was organised. I never caught the name of the owners of the animals, but there were some very impressive birds over there – Steppe eagle, Eurasian eagle-owl, Iberian imperial eagle, Turkish vulture, a hawk / falcon and… and that’s the end of my ornithology knowledge. All in all the animals were beautiful, although people not respecting their space made me a little bit sad.

1st June 2014: “La Mirada Interior” exhibition in Guadalajara (Spain)

Posted on 1 June 2014 by JBinnacle

This Japanese-culture exhibition was held in the Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara and I dropped by because seeing Japanese stuff in a Gothic palace was… well… weird. Here are some pictures:

15th June 2013: Maratón de los cuentos de Guadalajara (Spain)

Posted on 16 June 2013 by JBinnacle

The Maratón de los cuentos de Guadalajara, Storytelling Marathon of Guadalajara, is an annual event that has been taking place in the town since 1992. During a weekend, Friday to Sunday, in June, stories are told non-stop. For a couple of days the town becomes alive with the idea of telling stories, is decorated and so on.

I decided to attend the marathon and listen to a few stories. I walked down Main Street, which had been adorned with flags and hanging letters.

The marathon was carried out in the Palacio del Infantado, a Gothic palace that belonged to the Infantado Dukes. The most important feature, the façade, was completed in 1483. Both the Palace, the gardens, and the patio were also decorated for the event.