The Capela Dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) in Evora, Portugal was built in the 16th century alongside the church of St Francis by a Franciscan Monk . The bones are those of approximately 5000 monks collected from the cemeteries around Evora and brought to this chapel. He wanted to prod his fellow Brothers to reflect on the fact that life is transitory. Over the entrance is the famous warning “We the bones that are here await yours”. A chilling thought?
The Cadiz Museum on Plaza de Mina is well worth a visit. It is a veritable treasure trove of Roman and Cartheginium objects, Phoenician Sarchophogi and art – and I enjoyed all of that. But what I really enjoyed was a display of old string puppets, several with original backcloths. Displayed in dimly lit glass cases they left few options for photographing. I used my Nikon D700 set at 800 ISO and itted with a Nikon 50mm lens with the exposure set at 1/80 sec at 1.4mm. The shallow depth of field achieved has given them a surreal quality I am very happy with.
Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ, is a Catholic celebration held in May or June every year. A “moveable” feast, the exact date is determined by when Easter falls in that year.
On a beautiful early Summer day we drove to the whitewashed mountain village of Zahara de la Sierra. a compact little place of originaly Moorish houses sitting beneath the old Nasrid’s castle on the hill above. After Holy mass in the 18c village church, the Sacred Host, secured in a silver monstrance and carried by the parish priest, is processed through the streets proceeded by young girls in their white communion dresses scattering rose petals on the grass covered streets.
The annual Feria and Fiesta in Marbella starts on a serious note with the Romeria de San Bernabe. It’s not the greatest show on earth but typical of many such events held throughout Spain.
In the heat of the Costa del Sol, just a few kilometers back from the holiday beaches Marlene and Steven Byrd are working tirelessly to save an endangoured species – The Giant Donkeys of Andalucia. Despite listing them as a “breed in danger of extinction” both the national goverment of Spain and the local government, the Junta de Andalucia, refuse to help both financially and in any practical way. Read about their heroic struggle against the odds and see photographs of these beautiful animals.
© 2012 Tony Smith’s Festival and Travel Photography
