Here is the interior patio of the house where the famous Spanish writer Cervantes lived as a child. I think it was actually his grandparents' house.
Me and my man Don Quijote.
A pretty plaza with olive trees.
It was really cold!
Alcala is famous for it's population of white storks. They make these huge nests atop the many churches and historic buildings. If you click on this picture to enlarge it you can see a couple nests and one stork is perched in it's nest on the bell tower to the left.
Do you see the tall, columnar-shaped evergreen trees? They are a type of Cypress that are very common over here. I love their shape and look. They are like tall, friendly beings. They are seen in cemeteries and in the countryside next to houses and in parks. I've heard people say that in the past if a cypress was planted next to a house it was a sign that visitors were welcome.
It seems the common name, ¨cypress¨ came from a greek myth. I found this on the internet:
The Mediterranean Cypress tree is similar to the "Cedar of Lebanon" in that there are references to it that reach as far back as the Greek mythologies. Cyparissus is a mythical figure who was a friend of the Greek god Apollo. According to the myth Cyparissus was transformed by Apollo into a Cypress tree so that he could forever mourn the death of a dear stag that he had slain.
The Mediterranean Cypress has been cultivated as an ornamental tree for thousands of years. It was the Romans who began to spread the cultivation of this tree throughout the Roman empire. It was prized for its columnar shape (although this tree species is not always straight and thin). It is also the source of strong durable wood that was used by the Phoenicians and Cretans used the wood for building ships.
That's your natural history for today!
you are both so cute and that place looks like a dream, I want to paint it!. Hugs!
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