North, South, East, West
A Glance at Spanish Agriculture
At approximately 195,000 square miles, Spain is roughly the size of Texas, but its variability – from climate to topography to culture – resembles that of a land much grander. With the Pyrenees in the north, the Sierra Nevadas in the south, and its centralized capital on a plateau, Spain is the most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland. As a peninsula, Spain is enriched with vast coastline, and its Mediterranean beaches are popularly warm destinations for tourists all year long. It is the country touted for ethnic guitar, passionate Flamenco, athleticism on the soccer field, and valor in the bullring. And, just as the climate, topography, and culture range from one degree to another, so does the agriculture of the country. Therefore, I took the opportunity in January to visit other important agricultural regions during my last few weeks in Spain.
Galícia
After the long Christmas holiday, I traveled to the region of Galícia, north of Portugal. I was told by the folks at IRTA that Galícia is a “different world” compared to the rest of Spain, and indeed, it was. Topographically separated by hills on the eastern and southern borders and coast to the west and north, Galícia is geographically isolated and, like Catalonia, has a distinctive culture and language (Gallego). The region resembles upstate New York, with its rolling hills, green vegetation, and flowing rivers but still maintains the antiquities of Spain with its stone houses and churches. It also resembles upstate New York in the types of crops that can be grown there, with apples, grapes, and chestnuts predominating.
In Lugo – a town in the center of Galícia – there is a campus of the University of Santiago de Compostela. This is the campus that houses the university’s horticulture faculty. One of the members is Dr. Santiago Pereira, who visited Cornell in the summer of 2005, and whom I met at that time. Santiago and others in his laboratory group hosted me during my stay in Lugo. My first day there, Santiago and I visited the center of viticulture and enology near Ourense, south of Lugo. At the station, there are laboratories for wine chemical and sensory analyses and research fields where trials on cropping density, rootstocks, pruning, and training are conducted. A germplasm repository for Galícian wine grape cultivars is also maintained.
The next day, I worked with Santiago’s lab technicians doing work with which I have very little experience: DNA amplification. Perhaps that is why I found the work particularly valuable. Aside from the actual laboratory processes, I learned about the importance of the work in relation to applied agriculture. The DNA amplification we performed was on chestnut varieties, distinguishing their allelic patterns. What is important about this work is not the differences but instead the similarities. Many of the Galícian chestnut cultivars, when grown in different sites and environments, appear different enough that growers give them new varietal names. It has been found through DNA amplification, however, that, in fact, not as many varieties exist as are named. Thus, as efforts are made to sustain genetic resources in the field and forest, this work will lay the foundation of what resources actually exist. It was challenging to learn about this relatively new line of agricultural research, as my molecular knowledge and vocabulary is not strong in English much less Spanish, but it was also incredibly interesting, as the work melds the interests of both basic and applied scientists.
I was back in the field the next day with the technicians but also spent a great deal of time in the car, as we traversed the countryside of Galícia to view other experimental plots. We first went southwest near Pontevedra to tour the regional cider apple variety trial. The plot is small and is managed by a local farmer, given its distance from the university. There are 38 Galícian varieties and a separate section for French varieties. All are planted on the vigorous MM.106 rootstock in effort to overcome soil fungi (mainly Phytophthora) in the often saturated soil. Our next stop was supposed to be a chestnut variety trial, but given its tucked-away location in a forest and some dirt road detours, we never actually found it, so we pushed on to our final stop of the day – the fruit germplasm repository. The repository, near La Coruña, has around 400 apple varieties, 250 pear varieties, 54 cherry varieties, and 31 peach varieties found in Galícia. The planting allows for field observation of desirable traits, and though 400 apple varieties are planted, for example, only about 10% are considered desirable for eating. Nonetheless, their genetic resources are prudently maintained, as they might prove invaluable in future selection and/or breeding. Also, with these fruits, like with chestnut, there are many cases where different names have been assigned to the same genotype, so DNA amplification is an important component of the research done on these crops. Again, it was an interesting facet of research for me to learn about and I appreciated the exposure. When we returned that afternoon, I looked at a map to see where we had been that day, given we probably passed more time in the car than in the field, and I also gained an appreciation for the patience everyone must have in traveling to these distant research sites.
On my last day in Lugo, Santiago showed me around the campus and more specifically the teaching facilities they have available. There is a small plot on campus with a greenhouse and a few rows of apple trees used for teaching and demonstration. There is also a four hectare plot on the outskirts of town used by the entire agriculture faculty, and thus is a patchwork of fruit trees, vegetables, cereals, and forest trees. This plot, however, is rented; thus, it is difficult to do any sort of long-term research there because its availability in the future is uncertain. It, too, is mostly used for teaching purposes.
Andalucía
From the northern reaches of Galícia, I traveled south to pass the following week in Andalucía. Andalucía is the home of Spanish culture perhaps most recognized by foreigners, having long stretches of coastline, Flamenco dancing, and an Arabic flair in its architecture and customs. Nonetheless, in Córdoba, not even the general tourist can deny the importance of agriculture to this region, as olive trees abound on every surrounding hillside. Córdoba is a hub for the olive industry, with the University of Córdoba having a strong agriculture department and CIFA – the Centro de Investigación y Formación Agronomia – being its neighbor and cooperator. CIFA is much like IRTA in Catalonia, being a public institution that does research and extension and is funded by the regional government. Olive research is the emphasis at both the university and the research station, and even though my work at IRTA exposed me well to this industry, I was interested in learning about the differences between the two regions. I found that just as apple culture differs between New York and Washington, for example, so also is true of olive between Catalonia and Andalucía.
My time in Córdoba was spent much like my time in Lugo – getting a sampling of the different research being conducted. The first day, I met with Dr. Carmen del Río, a CIFA researcher who works in propagation, variety, and rootstock studies, while maintaining the World Olive Germplasm Repository (WOGR). Her work in propagation investigates the effects of using shoots, root suckers, and micropropagation on tree characteristics and ultimately fruit quality. Her variety trials are used in comparison with ten other sites planted throughout Spain and trials in Portugal, Italy and Greece. As Arbequina is the popular variety in Catalonia, the stronger-flavored Picual is the choice type in Andalucía. The trials compare Picual’s growth and fruiting competence to the other varieties. Picual is also the variety used in the rootstock study of 36 rootstock varieties. Unlike apple, where a given rootstock performs generally the same among scion varieties (in terms of dwarfing capabilities, precocity, etc.), olive has a strong scion/rootstock interaction. Thus, a given rootstock may dwarf one variety but make another more vigorous, and this is the reason why Carmen is investigating Picual and Núria Arbequina, using the same rootstocks. The WOGR was initiated in 1970 and is continually being updated with 408 varieties currently, 262 having Spanish origin. But that number is perhaps only a fraction of the genetic resources available, as Carmen believes that likely 1500-2000 cultivars exist worldwide.
The next day, I visited the University of Córdoba campus at Rabanales, where I met with professors and toured laboratory facilities. Specifically, I met Dr. Isabel Trujillo who, like Santiago Pereira in Lugo, is doing DNA amplification to identify allelic characteristics to understand whether there is overlap among olive varieties. I also met with Dr. Antonio Trapero in plant pathology. I told him about my Master’s research on apple replant disease, and coincidentally, he did a post doctorate in Washington state studying the same disorder. I questioned whether replant problems have been encountered in olive, and he replied that it is a question yet to be answered. As olives live to be over 100 years, replanting is not a common practice, and new plantings are generally put into virgin soil. So, there is no concrete evidence of a replant problem, but his instinct tells him that there would be a problem if growers were to begin renovating fields.
I spent Wednesday helping graduate students in their trials. We traveled to the university’s Cabra research station, about one hour southeast of Córdoba. The scenery on the way to Cabra was a sea of olives, with waves flowing over the hillsides. It was true olive country. Various research projects are being conducted at the Cabra station, but these graduate students in particular are working on nutrient (nitrogen and potassium) and salinity studies. Our job for the day was measuring last season’s shoot growth in order to estimate next season’s yield, as olives produce on one-year-old wood. The studies are important both economically – as a means of helping growers reduce fertilizer costs – and environmentally – as a means of mitigating soil salinization and nutrient leaching to groundwater.
Dr. Raul de la Rosa of CIFA informed me of the olive breeding program the following day. The priorities of the program are to find varieties that are 1.) small in stature, making mechanical, over-the-tree harvesting and high-density planting feasible and 2.) resistant to pathogens like Spilocaea oleagina (commonly known as “repilo” and considered the apple scab of olive) and Verticillium dahlia (the most important soil fungus affecting olive). Raul has found that the size of Spanish variety Arbosana to be relatively small compared to the Catalonian-favored Arbequina and the Andalucían-favored Picual. It is high-yielding and precocious, producing well at a density of 2000 trees per hectare. The problem with Arbosana, however, is that the quality of its oil is not as high as that from Arbequina and Picual. In terms of disease-resistant varieties, it is a continuous work in progress.
I learned more about the infamous Verticillium dahlia on my final day in Córdoba. I spent the day back on the university campus with Dr. Javier Lopez of the plant pathology department. Javier’s research objectives fall into two general categories: host resistance and integrated management as means of controlling Verticillium. Because it has over 300 hosts but also has been found to survive for 14 years in the soil without a host, Verticillium is a tenacious pest. It became a severe problem as growers expanded olive cultivation into former vegetable ground. Javier has found that the Frantoio, Empeltre, and Koroneiki varieties express resistance to Verticillium, so he is working with breeders to find desirable crosses from these with Picual. His integrated control studies include soil sterilization under plastic, organic soil amendments, and when necessary, fungicide application through drip irrigation lines.
Reus
I spent my final days in Spain back in Reus, helping measure tree growth – like canopy volume and trunk diameter – and it reminded me of my Master’s field work in apples.
Concluding Remarks
Now that I have finished one segment of my trip, I will reflect on a couple matters to which I was particularly observant. The first involves the resources available for agricultural research. In Lugo, I found the lack of field facilities unfortunate, and Santiago finds the situation justifiably frustrating. He was thoroughly impressed by the Cornell orchard facilities that he saw last summer and said that, though Spain is not one of the poorest countries in the European Union, its lack of investment in agricultural research gives it a reputation comparable to the poorest. Without interest and investment in maintaining a strong research reputation, jobs are also scarce, and for this reason, Núria hopes to come to the United States for a post-doctorate position once she finishes her Ph.D. This monetary climate made me realize that though agriculture and education often experience budgetary troubles in the United States, by comparison, we are very lucky.
As sustainability was a theme in my Dreer Fellowship application, it was another matter to which I paid particular attention. As I defined sustainability both in terms of the environment and economics, I will delineate those here as well, beginning with the environment. Certainly there are examples where growers and researchers are emphasizing and advancing land stewardship. Erosion is a constant concern, and I observed various practices – from irrigation strategies to groundcover management – to try to mitigate its frequency. Also, fumigants and pesticides are not commonly used due to consumer concern. In terms of economics, growers are willing to invest in equipment that will reduce labor needs, and researchers are eager to find varieties that will reward growers with high quality fruit. Despite all of these practices, however, I did not observe anything innovative. The sustainable methods being employed were spawned by American research. Perhaps with time sustainability will become more of a focus in Spanish agriculture.
Finally, I could not be more satisfied with the time I passed in Spain. Certainly there were challenging times, especially in terms of language and culture, but these helped me to grow as an individual as well as a scientist. I made lasting friends at IRTA, and my sampling of Spanish agriculture this last month opened my eyes to the diversity of the nation. North, south, east, west – my travels were enough to confuse a compass, and now I will begin another adventure as I embark on my next destination: Chile.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Concluding Thoughts on Spain
I passed my last two days back at IRTA, assisting with work and saying my goodbyes. I also returned to the gym and residence hall one last time to say goodbye to the people I’d met there. And though I’d grown discouraged and perhaps even disgruntled with the Spanish postal system, I was thrilled to find that nearly a month after the Christmas holiday and two months since its sending, the box my mom sent to me for Christmas was, in fact, not lost but waiting for me there at the residence hall before my final departure.
Given my very early flight out of Barcelona on Wednesday morning, I actually traveled to the airport Tuesday night to await my 7:30 am departure. It was not the most desirable of things to do, but it was basically my only option considering the public transportation schedule. I took the bus from Reus, and perhaps my wait at the bus station was more unsettling than my overnight at the airport, as in fact, there were others passing the night along with me. The flights were, thankfully, uneventful, and the food on the planes surprisingly decent. For a short while, the comedy radio channel played a segment of “You Might Be a Redneck…” and I had to stifle my laugh, as it finally struck me that, yes, I was returning back to my home country. (And I know there are others of you reading this that would have appreciated the drawled wit, too.)
I finally arrived in Ithaca at 5:45 pm EST after about 30 hours of waiting and traveling. I will spend 5 days in what feels like a frozen tundra before I head south to a welcomed Chilean summer – the next of my Dreer fellowship adventures.
And now for some concluding thoughts about my three-month stance in Spain… Though there were slow moments, tiring moments, and challenging moments, in retrospect, I had a wonderful, memorable, and invaluable experience. Perhaps I even grew a little sentimental as my time drew to a close. Certainly there were issues that baffled me – like why some public women’s toilets had no toilet seats, and others that frustrated me – like how a box painted on the floor of the Madrid airport was enough to designate smoking from non-smoking sections. There were issues that challenged me – like living in a place where I didn’t speak the preferred language, and issues that I couldn’t understand – like the passionate and even spiteful regionalism within a country. There were barriers I tried to climb – like being a woman athlete in a community where that was not the norm, and others I tried to chisel away – like the general assumption that all Americans walk the same line of being a war-loving, consumption-driven, environmentally-unconscious society fueled by the constant intake of fast food. And, of course, there were cultural adaptations that I had to make – like eating dinner at a time previously passed my bedtime and consuming far more pork than my raising of 4-H hogs had previously repulsed me from doing. And though, on first glance, this list may appear negative, in the end, the issues had a positive influence on me because they made me realize some things about myself – my insecurities, flexibilities, and strengths.
Last but certainly not least, I cannot deny the power of relations. I made not just invaluable contacts in Spain but also cherished friends, especially Núria and Davíd, with whom I believe I will stay in contact well into the future. And isn’t that what life is all about anyway – about making relations that, indeed, change our outlook on life, making us better professionals, better citizens, and most importantly better neighbors in this very small, small world?
Given my very early flight out of Barcelona on Wednesday morning, I actually traveled to the airport Tuesday night to await my 7:30 am departure. It was not the most desirable of things to do, but it was basically my only option considering the public transportation schedule. I took the bus from Reus, and perhaps my wait at the bus station was more unsettling than my overnight at the airport, as in fact, there were others passing the night along with me. The flights were, thankfully, uneventful, and the food on the planes surprisingly decent. For a short while, the comedy radio channel played a segment of “You Might Be a Redneck…” and I had to stifle my laugh, as it finally struck me that, yes, I was returning back to my home country. (And I know there are others of you reading this that would have appreciated the drawled wit, too.)
I finally arrived in Ithaca at 5:45 pm EST after about 30 hours of waiting and traveling. I will spend 5 days in what feels like a frozen tundra before I head south to a welcomed Chilean summer – the next of my Dreer fellowship adventures.
And now for some concluding thoughts about my three-month stance in Spain… Though there were slow moments, tiring moments, and challenging moments, in retrospect, I had a wonderful, memorable, and invaluable experience. Perhaps I even grew a little sentimental as my time drew to a close. Certainly there were issues that baffled me – like why some public women’s toilets had no toilet seats, and others that frustrated me – like how a box painted on the floor of the Madrid airport was enough to designate smoking from non-smoking sections. There were issues that challenged me – like living in a place where I didn’t speak the preferred language, and issues that I couldn’t understand – like the passionate and even spiteful regionalism within a country. There were barriers I tried to climb – like being a woman athlete in a community where that was not the norm, and others I tried to chisel away – like the general assumption that all Americans walk the same line of being a war-loving, consumption-driven, environmentally-unconscious society fueled by the constant intake of fast food. And, of course, there were cultural adaptations that I had to make – like eating dinner at a time previously passed my bedtime and consuming far more pork than my raising of 4-H hogs had previously repulsed me from doing. And though, on first glance, this list may appear negative, in the end, the issues had a positive influence on me because they made me realize some things about myself – my insecurities, flexibilities, and strengths.
Last but certainly not least, I cannot deny the power of relations. I made not just invaluable contacts in Spain but also cherished friends, especially Núria and Davíd, with whom I believe I will stay in contact well into the future. And isn’t that what life is all about anyway – about making relations that, indeed, change our outlook on life, making us better professionals, better citizens, and most importantly better neighbors in this very small, small world?
My Last Weekend
I arrived back in Catalonia by train early Saturday morning. The ride left much to be desired in terms of comfort and quiet, but I must have slept well enough not to realize that nine hours had passed. Núria and Davíd picked me up from the train station, I went for a run, and then, we met Núria’s parents for lunch in the village of Cabra del Camp, northeast of Reus. Her family owns a house in the small, mountain village of less than 500 people, where everyone knows everyone else’s name. Though it was much colder in Cabra than in Reus, the weather there in the summer is quite pleasant they told me – much more so than in Barcelona, so her family passes much of their summer in the tranquil village. After what was a typically late and long lunch, Núria, Davíd, and I toured two more small Catalonian villages, in that, my last weekend. First, we visited the monastery of Santa Cruz, which was built in the 12th century. Today, no one lives at the monastery, but there is a museum and tours. Later we strolled through the village of Valls before returning to Reus.
Sunday was another excellent day. We woke early, made an hour drive to the mountains of Montserrat, and hiked the trails leading to the monastery at the top. Though it was a chilly morning, we warmed up easily during our assent, despite the fact that the clouds thickened with the altitude. The monastery, unlike the one in Santa Cruz, does have inhabitants, and in fact, many people from Barcelona visit on Sundays for mass and to hear the alter boys’ choir. (The majority, however, drive rather than hike as we did.) The church was beautiful, as was the mass, as were the voices of the alter boys in harmony, resonating in the high ceilings.
The patron saint of the monastery is the Virgin of Montserrat – a black virgin because that is how she appeared when sighted in those mountains. A small statue of her is placed behind the sanctuary, and people line up to walk behind and touch her. There is also another small chapel built into the side of the mountain dedicated to her. People leave behind items in hope that they will receive luck or help with that which the item represents. The trail between the monastery and the chapel has statues positioned in stations to represent events from the Nativity to the Resurrection to the Coronation of the Virgin. The statues were beautiful and large and thus could be seen from distant cliffs. Though made of stone against the stone of the mountains, the stations were powerful and passionate depictions.
We hiked back down the mountains in about half the time that it took to climb. Since it was still just mid-afternoon, we decided to pass some time in the coastal town of Sitges. Sitges is quite the tourist destination, especially in the summer, but even on a Sunday afternoon in winter. We strolled the path along the beach, beholding the crashing waves against the rocks that protect the church. Palm trees line the path, and though it was cloudy for us, I can imagine that they provide desired shade in the summer. At one end of the path is the tourist district, but in the other direction, it is residential. Núria joked that one day she would buy one of the massive though attractive houses, and I told her I’d certainly come back and visit if she did.
To view pictures, click on the My Last Weekend folder at my Shutterfly website.
Sunday was another excellent day. We woke early, made an hour drive to the mountains of Montserrat, and hiked the trails leading to the monastery at the top. Though it was a chilly morning, we warmed up easily during our assent, despite the fact that the clouds thickened with the altitude. The monastery, unlike the one in Santa Cruz, does have inhabitants, and in fact, many people from Barcelona visit on Sundays for mass and to hear the alter boys’ choir. (The majority, however, drive rather than hike as we did.) The church was beautiful, as was the mass, as were the voices of the alter boys in harmony, resonating in the high ceilings.
The patron saint of the monastery is the Virgin of Montserrat – a black virgin because that is how she appeared when sighted in those mountains. A small statue of her is placed behind the sanctuary, and people line up to walk behind and touch her. There is also another small chapel built into the side of the mountain dedicated to her. People leave behind items in hope that they will receive luck or help with that which the item represents. The trail between the monastery and the chapel has statues positioned in stations to represent events from the Nativity to the Resurrection to the Coronation of the Virgin. The statues were beautiful and large and thus could be seen from distant cliffs. Though made of stone against the stone of the mountains, the stations were powerful and passionate depictions.
We hiked back down the mountains in about half the time that it took to climb. Since it was still just mid-afternoon, we decided to pass some time in the coastal town of Sitges. Sitges is quite the tourist destination, especially in the summer, but even on a Sunday afternoon in winter. We strolled the path along the beach, beholding the crashing waves against the rocks that protect the church. Palm trees line the path, and though it was cloudy for us, I can imagine that they provide desired shade in the summer. At one end of the path is the tourist district, but in the other direction, it is residential. Núria joked that one day she would buy one of the massive though attractive houses, and I told her I’d certainly come back and visit if she did.
To view pictures, click on the My Last Weekend folder at my Shutterfly website.
Andalucía
I arrived in Córdoba from Madrid after 10:00pm and wandered the narrow, winding streets of the old Jewish quarters in the rain in search of the youth hostel where I had a reservation. I was the last in the room to go to sleep and the first to wake up, as I was meeting a professor the next morning. I passed the days learning about the olive research in the south but had most afternoons to myself. I was able to run everyday, having found a park with a 2000 meter running circuit and some paths along the River Guadalquivir, the Arabic name for Grand River. I found the purple irises along these paths a curiosity, given the winter date, but enjoyed their flourishing color nonetheless. I had lunch with professor Luis Rallo and his wife Caramela one afternoon, and afterward, Caramela took me site-seeing. She pointed out details in the city like only a native could do, like how the cobblestone sidewalks are a puzzle of stones gathered from the river. We visited the old Jewish Synagogue and Casa Andalusi, which is a traditional Córdoban home with beautiful inner patios. Then, we toured the Fortress of the Christian Kings, which was built by the Romans and passed through the hands of the Visigoths and Arabs before it became the royal residence of the Spanish monarchy in the 13th century. With four towers marking the corners of the 4100 square meter grounds, the Castle is anything but dreary, as most of the area is a cultivated garden. Even in the winter it was pretty, with fountains running and oranges pendant on the trees. I can only imagine how gorgeous it must be in the spring when the roses are in bloom.
I also befriended some people closer to my own age during my stay. My roommates in the hostel changed almost daily. For a couple nights, there was another American girl. She was young and chatty but nice, and when a group of drunk Spanish teenage boys barged into our room one night after I’d already gone to sleep, she handled it well and nothing bad came of it. I made sure the door was locked every night after that. There was also a French girl, and one afternoon, she and I walked to the charming, hidden Plaza de Corredera. We chatted as she took a coffee and smoked a couple cigarettes. I traveled to Cabra one day with a group of grad students and helped with their data collection. The drive there was stunning, with the hillsides blanked with the evergreen olive foliage. They were a fun group, so the work felt like anything but work. I also went to a tapas dinner with a couple other grads to experience the night culture. I enjoyed their company, but the 10:00pm feeding hour was something difficult for me to handle. Spanish culture is certainly more social at hours later than my farm upbringing made me accustomed.
To see pictures, go to my Shutterfly website, and click on the Córdoba Again folder.
I also befriended some people closer to my own age during my stay. My roommates in the hostel changed almost daily. For a couple nights, there was another American girl. She was young and chatty but nice, and when a group of drunk Spanish teenage boys barged into our room one night after I’d already gone to sleep, she handled it well and nothing bad came of it. I made sure the door was locked every night after that. There was also a French girl, and one afternoon, she and I walked to the charming, hidden Plaza de Corredera. We chatted as she took a coffee and smoked a couple cigarettes. I traveled to Cabra one day with a group of grad students and helped with their data collection. The drive there was stunning, with the hillsides blanked with the evergreen olive foliage. They were a fun group, so the work felt like anything but work. I also went to a tapas dinner with a couple other grads to experience the night culture. I enjoyed their company, but the 10:00pm feeding hour was something difficult for me to handle. Spanish culture is certainly more social at hours later than my farm upbringing made me accustomed.
To see pictures, go to my Shutterfly website, and click on the Córdoba Again folder.
City Hopping
After spending the work week in Lugo, I hopped through a couple cities before arriving in my next horticultural destination. Because my flight left Santiago de Compostela early Sunday morning, I spent all day there on Saturday site-seeing. Santiago de Compostela, like Lugo, also has a breath-taking, Baroque cathedral, though even grander in scale. The cathedral, named after St. James (Sant Iago) because his remains are said to have been discovered there and are now in the crypt below the alter, is the final destination of pilgrims who, even to the present day, walk the more than 500 kilometers from the Pyrenees. After touring the cathedral, I strolled through the city market, admired the fresh produce, and now having long realized the Spaniards’ love for pork, was not astounded by the giant pig heads hanging from he ceiling of the meat market. I went for a run around the university and a park that overlooked the city, with rhododendrons and camilias in blossom. Though the morning had been dreadfully foggy, by the early afternoon, it had burned off to reveal a beautiful, blue sky and a gorgeous view of the cathedral. Considering that Galícia is infamously rainy, I revelled in my good luck with such fine weather. That evening, I went to a visiting exhibition of Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo - wife of Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. I was introduced to Kahlo’s art a couple years ago by my friend Brenda. The exhibition was excellent, and I liken Kahlo’s art to that of famed Spaniard Dalí: unusual, graphic, thought-provoking, and perhaps even outrageous. Although, Kahlo’s paintings are much more personal and passionate, as they are her life put on canvas.
My early flight out of Santiago de Compostela on Sunday morning returned me to Madrid for the day. I went to mass that morning at the Church of San Jose and then passed the day in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which with the Prado and Museum of Queen Sofia completes the triangle of Madrid’s art pride. The museum’s collection is the composition of a wealthy art-collecting family, whose name the museum bears. The art spans eight centuries, from Gothic to Modern, and has an array of Impressionistic and Post-Impressionistic work by greats like Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas: some of my personal favorites. There are also salons dedicated to American landscapes and American artists like Windslow Homer and Georgia O´Keefe. Then, after the museum and a bit of wandering, I made my way down to the Atocha train station. Atocha was the location of the terrorist bombing a couple years ago, but it is actually pretty nice inside now, as far as train stations go, having a tropical forest in the main waiting area. I sat there a while to pass the time, watching people. A boy fell into the pond where there were turtles swimming, but he was recovered. An old man of 84 years sat next to me, and we started chatting. He wanted to know my story, so I told him some of it. He asked my age but didn’t believe it when I told him, and then he told me his. I told him I didn’t believe him either just to be nice. Before he left, he told me to be careful of, in a whisper, “ladrones” (thieves). I thanked him for his advice, and he left. After that, I was noticing some suspicious-looking characters wandering about, and after making eye contact with a couple, they didn’t frequent my side of the waiting area anymore. Eventually, my platform number was posted on the board, and I made my way to the train that would take me to Córdoba for the next week. There, Joan had contacts that agreed to show me the olive research of Andalucía.
Pictures of Santiago de Compostela are in the Galícia folder and Madrid photos from this day are together with those from my previous stay in the Madrid folder at my Shutterfly website.
My early flight out of Santiago de Compostela on Sunday morning returned me to Madrid for the day. I went to mass that morning at the Church of San Jose and then passed the day in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which with the Prado and Museum of Queen Sofia completes the triangle of Madrid’s art pride. The museum’s collection is the composition of a wealthy art-collecting family, whose name the museum bears. The art spans eight centuries, from Gothic to Modern, and has an array of Impressionistic and Post-Impressionistic work by greats like Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas: some of my personal favorites. There are also salons dedicated to American landscapes and American artists like Windslow Homer and Georgia O´Keefe. Then, after the museum and a bit of wandering, I made my way down to the Atocha train station. Atocha was the location of the terrorist bombing a couple years ago, but it is actually pretty nice inside now, as far as train stations go, having a tropical forest in the main waiting area. I sat there a while to pass the time, watching people. A boy fell into the pond where there were turtles swimming, but he was recovered. An old man of 84 years sat next to me, and we started chatting. He wanted to know my story, so I told him some of it. He asked my age but didn’t believe it when I told him, and then he told me his. I told him I didn’t believe him either just to be nice. Before he left, he told me to be careful of, in a whisper, “ladrones” (thieves). I thanked him for his advice, and he left. After that, I was noticing some suspicious-looking characters wandering about, and after making eye contact with a couple, they didn’t frequent my side of the waiting area anymore. Eventually, my platform number was posted on the board, and I made my way to the train that would take me to Córdoba for the next week. There, Joan had contacts that agreed to show me the olive research of Andalucía.
Pictures of Santiago de Compostela are in the Galícia folder and Madrid photos from this day are together with those from my previous stay in the Madrid folder at my Shutterfly website.
Galícia
Though my Christmas holidays ended in Madrid, my travels did not stop there. The next two weeks, I continued my horticultural studies with a tour of apple, grape, and chestnut cultivation in the north and more olive culture in the south. Though my work at IRTA had been fantastic, I wanted a broader perspective of Spanish agriculture. So, my friend and I parted ways in Madrid, and I hopped a plane to Santiago de Compostela in the region of Galícia. I had a crazy premonition as I glanced out the window of my taxiing aircraft at luggage sitting on the asphalt far from a gate. And yes, it came to pass that when I arrived in Santiago de Compostela, my luggage did not arrive with me. Because I was then heading to Lugo, a town about an hour east by car, there were various hassles in retrieving my bag, but I finally got it a couple days later, and after that, the trip was smooth sailing.
Lugo is essentially a university town now, but like many other Spanish towns, it was founded by the Romans centuries ago and has a rich history. The old part of the city is still surrounded by a stone wall, and inside dwell a stunning Baroque cathedral, charming shops, and savory restaurants that serve fine Galician cheeses and wine. (I even tried octopus at one; at least I think that’s what it was.) Galícia is, in fact, rural, agricultural, isolated geographically from the rest of Spain, and the Gallegos have a regional pride (and language), like the Catalonians. It is also completely different from the other regions of Spain I had visited, having green vegetation, rolling hills, and relatively sparse population, all of which reminded me of upstate New York. Running alongside the Rato River, I experienced the natural resources of the town, and traveling to various grape and apple research sites, I saw even more. One of these trips also lent itself to some site-seeing, as being in proximity, we took the opportunity to tour the gardens of the Palacio de Oca. Oca is a village probably too small for most maps, but the palace is a gem of a destination. The gardens were breath-taking, even in the winter, and I justified our visit during “work hours” with the fact that the estate also had vineyards and apple orchards on the premises.
Pictures of Lugo and surrounding areas can be viewed at my Shutterfly website in the Galícia folder.
Lugo is essentially a university town now, but like many other Spanish towns, it was founded by the Romans centuries ago and has a rich history. The old part of the city is still surrounded by a stone wall, and inside dwell a stunning Baroque cathedral, charming shops, and savory restaurants that serve fine Galician cheeses and wine. (I even tried octopus at one; at least I think that’s what it was.) Galícia is, in fact, rural, agricultural, isolated geographically from the rest of Spain, and the Gallegos have a regional pride (and language), like the Catalonians. It is also completely different from the other regions of Spain I had visited, having green vegetation, rolling hills, and relatively sparse population, all of which reminded me of upstate New York. Running alongside the Rato River, I experienced the natural resources of the town, and traveling to various grape and apple research sites, I saw even more. One of these trips also lent itself to some site-seeing, as being in proximity, we took the opportunity to tour the gardens of the Palacio de Oca. Oca is a village probably too small for most maps, but the palace is a gem of a destination. The gardens were breath-taking, even in the winter, and I justified our visit during “work hours” with the fact that the estate also had vineyards and apple orchards on the premises.
Pictures of Lugo and surrounding areas can be viewed at my Shutterfly website in the Galícia folder.
A Long Holiday
Unlike in the United States where the Christmas season essentially ends on Christmas day or perhaps spans to the New Year, in the Spanish culture, Christmas is a two week affair, ending on Three Kings Day (Epiphany): the 6th of January. Thus, when I returned to Spain from England, I still had almost another week of vacation remaining! I passed the time with a friend from Cornell who came to visit - my first and only visitor here in Spain! I was very excited to play tour guide and packed the six days with activities in Barcelona - which, of course, I had already visited - and Madrid - which I had not yet seen. In Barcelona, we toured Park Güell, another fantastical work by Gaudí. What was once a 15 hectare estate on the northern edge of the city was donated back to Barcelona and transformed by Gaudí for the public’s enjoyment. Here, as with other Gaudí designs, a natural theme prevails, with benches formed like waves, pathways resembling rock caves, and terrestrial creatures made from a rainbow mosaic of tiles. Park Güell is a natural theme park for the young and old to enjoy. After Park Güell, we toured la Sagrada Familia because even though I had seen it, as a proper tour guide, I couldn’t go without showing it to my friend. Later, we went running along the eastern beaches of the city, where the 1992 Olympic Village had been located.
It rained the next day, so we were lucky to have planned to spend it inside the Picasso Museum. The museum was interesting, and I learned a lot about Picasso - like that he had four wives in his lifetime - but I was not particularly fond of the art. Well, I retract that. I was, in fact, very fond of his early works: his landscapes resembling those of Post-Impressionism, a genre which I enjoy very much. The more abstract his work became, however, the harder it was for me to interpret and perhaps appreciate. After the museum, we had a traditional Spanish lunch, walked through Barrio Gotíc, and by then, it was time to watch the Three Kings celebration. We walked to the port and watched the kings sail in on an old-fashioned sailboat. Adorned in brightly-colored attire, the children gazed in awe of these characters who elicit the same joy as does Santa Claus and shouted their addresses so the kings would know where to deliver their presents that night. Following their arrival by ship, there was a three hour parade, as the kings were transported throughout the city on floats adorned with lights, decorations, and people in costume throwing candy to the crowd. We met up with Núria during the parade, and it was fun to experience the tradition with her.
Our last day in Barcelona, we spent our time touring the 1992 Olympic venues and running around on Montjüic mountain before catching an overnight train to Madrid.
Many people - Spanish, American, and other - have told me that they prefer Barcelona to Madrid, but despite their opinions, I figured I could not leave Spain without seeing it’s capital city. We arrived in Madrid first thing in the morning, dropped our stuff at a hostel, and set out to tour the city. We saw the neoclassical/neo-Gothic Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Almudena, which having only just opened in 1993 is much unlike the other cathedrals I had previously seen in Spain. I thought it was beautiful, nonetheless, with a rainbow of stained glass and tile in the ceiling, giving it a lighter, airy feel which is lacking in its Gothic counterparts. Next to the cathedral is the Palacio Real, also of neoclassical style. Built in the 1700’s and having 2800 rooms, the palace was once the home of the monarchy but is now only used for state business and gatherings. The former living chambers, however, are open for public tour, and we were awed by the rich, and often gaudy adornment. Though I would never feel comfortable living in such extravagence, it was a fascinating place to behold with its throwns and tapestries and ornamentation. From the palace, we self-guided ourselves through the 17th century Plaza Mayor and the Puerto del Sol - the point from which every destination in Spain is measured. We spent the afternoon in the museum of Queen Sofia - a modern art museum considered a “must-see.” The museum boasts works by famous Spaniards like Tápies, Miró, and Dalí, but likely the main reason tourists flock to the museum is to see Picasso’s Guernica - the artist’s interpretation of the raid of the northern city during the Spanish Civil War. Despite my feelings about Picasso’s work after touring his museum in Barcelona, I could not help but be impressed by this massive black, grey, and white painting. Abstract though it may be, strife and terror exudes from the piece. One can only imagine what must have been hell on earth in fairly recent history. After a run through the Parque del Retiro that afternoon, we treated ourselves to a delicious tapas dinner, perhaps the best sangria I’ve ever had, and churros con chocolate for dessert.
The next day, after a morning run, we passed the day in the Prado museum. The Prado is considered one of the preeminent art museums in the world, hosting the collections of the Spanish monarchs, which number over 2000 pieces. My guidebook says that it is impossible to view the entire collection in one day, but we managed to do so, covering famed Spaniards like El Greco, Velásquez, and Goya; Dutch greats like Rubens and Rembrandt; ancient Greek sculpture; and the Rennaissance master Rapheal. After the museum, we walked through the Parque del Retiro to take pictures (since we didn´t do that during our run the day before), down Gran Via - the theater district of Madrid, to the Plaza de España - where we saw the statues of Spanish author Cervantes with his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and finally to Estadio Vicente Calderón, where we experienced another aspect of Spanish culture: fútbol. We were able to buy tickets to the Atletico (Madrid) versus Valéncia soccer game the day before, and it turned out to be a highlight of the trip! As we appraoched the stadium, pedestrian traffic - clad in red and white Atletico paraphenalia - increased to the point that roads around the stadium were closed and enthusiastic crowds packed the neighborhood. Inside the stadium, we couldn´t have asked for much better seats, as we were situated righton the 50 meter line. The teams held each other off, ending the game in a tie, but the chanting and heckling crowds throughout made for an exciting match. It was fun to experience the sport culture of Spain, as soccer is what it´s all about.
And so ended my Christmas holidays....
To see pictures, go to my Shutterfly website, and click on the Three Kings Holiday and Madrid folders.
It rained the next day, so we were lucky to have planned to spend it inside the Picasso Museum. The museum was interesting, and I learned a lot about Picasso - like that he had four wives in his lifetime - but I was not particularly fond of the art. Well, I retract that. I was, in fact, very fond of his early works: his landscapes resembling those of Post-Impressionism, a genre which I enjoy very much. The more abstract his work became, however, the harder it was for me to interpret and perhaps appreciate. After the museum, we had a traditional Spanish lunch, walked through Barrio Gotíc, and by then, it was time to watch the Three Kings celebration. We walked to the port and watched the kings sail in on an old-fashioned sailboat. Adorned in brightly-colored attire, the children gazed in awe of these characters who elicit the same joy as does Santa Claus and shouted their addresses so the kings would know where to deliver their presents that night. Following their arrival by ship, there was a three hour parade, as the kings were transported throughout the city on floats adorned with lights, decorations, and people in costume throwing candy to the crowd. We met up with Núria during the parade, and it was fun to experience the tradition with her.
Our last day in Barcelona, we spent our time touring the 1992 Olympic venues and running around on Montjüic mountain before catching an overnight train to Madrid.
Many people - Spanish, American, and other - have told me that they prefer Barcelona to Madrid, but despite their opinions, I figured I could not leave Spain without seeing it’s capital city. We arrived in Madrid first thing in the morning, dropped our stuff at a hostel, and set out to tour the city. We saw the neoclassical/neo-Gothic Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Almudena, which having only just opened in 1993 is much unlike the other cathedrals I had previously seen in Spain. I thought it was beautiful, nonetheless, with a rainbow of stained glass and tile in the ceiling, giving it a lighter, airy feel which is lacking in its Gothic counterparts. Next to the cathedral is the Palacio Real, also of neoclassical style. Built in the 1700’s and having 2800 rooms, the palace was once the home of the monarchy but is now only used for state business and gatherings. The former living chambers, however, are open for public tour, and we were awed by the rich, and often gaudy adornment. Though I would never feel comfortable living in such extravagence, it was a fascinating place to behold with its throwns and tapestries and ornamentation. From the palace, we self-guided ourselves through the 17th century Plaza Mayor and the Puerto del Sol - the point from which every destination in Spain is measured. We spent the afternoon in the museum of Queen Sofia - a modern art museum considered a “must-see.” The museum boasts works by famous Spaniards like Tápies, Miró, and Dalí, but likely the main reason tourists flock to the museum is to see Picasso’s Guernica - the artist’s interpretation of the raid of the northern city during the Spanish Civil War. Despite my feelings about Picasso’s work after touring his museum in Barcelona, I could not help but be impressed by this massive black, grey, and white painting. Abstract though it may be, strife and terror exudes from the piece. One can only imagine what must have been hell on earth in fairly recent history. After a run through the Parque del Retiro that afternoon, we treated ourselves to a delicious tapas dinner, perhaps the best sangria I’ve ever had, and churros con chocolate for dessert.
The next day, after a morning run, we passed the day in the Prado museum. The Prado is considered one of the preeminent art museums in the world, hosting the collections of the Spanish monarchs, which number over 2000 pieces. My guidebook says that it is impossible to view the entire collection in one day, but we managed to do so, covering famed Spaniards like El Greco, Velásquez, and Goya; Dutch greats like Rubens and Rembrandt; ancient Greek sculpture; and the Rennaissance master Rapheal. After the museum, we walked through the Parque del Retiro to take pictures (since we didn´t do that during our run the day before), down Gran Via - the theater district of Madrid, to the Plaza de España - where we saw the statues of Spanish author Cervantes with his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and finally to Estadio Vicente Calderón, where we experienced another aspect of Spanish culture: fútbol. We were able to buy tickets to the Atletico (Madrid) versus Valéncia soccer game the day before, and it turned out to be a highlight of the trip! As we appraoched the stadium, pedestrian traffic - clad in red and white Atletico paraphenalia - increased to the point that roads around the stadium were closed and enthusiastic crowds packed the neighborhood. Inside the stadium, we couldn´t have asked for much better seats, as we were situated righton the 50 meter line. The teams held each other off, ending the game in a tie, but the chanting and heckling crowds throughout made for an exciting match. It was fun to experience the sport culture of Spain, as soccer is what it´s all about.
And so ended my Christmas holidays....
To see pictures, go to my Shutterfly website, and click on the Three Kings Holiday and Madrid folders.
Happy New Year
After the busy harvest in December and a somewhat challenging Christmas, I rewarded myself for the New Year with some English-speaking company. Having found a cheap flight to England, I spent five days with a friend whom I’ve known since middle school and who is now living there. Due to my poor knowledge of British geography, I falsely (though accidentally) told some family and friends that I would be spending the time in London. It turns out, we were two hours north of London in a town called Kenilworth. Though Kenilworth lacks the attractions of a big city like London, I was actually perfectly content avoiding the hub-bub and enjoyed the English countryside instead. The weather was amazing, contrary to the norm: chilly, of course, but for the most part dry, and even sunny on occasion. We took advantage of this by strolling through the parks in Leamington, touring the 12th century ruins of the Kenilworth Castle, climbing the tower of St. Mary’s Church for a bird’s eye view of Warwick, perusing the house and gardens of Shakespeare’s birth in Stratford-upon-Avon, and meandering in awe what remains of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Coventry after being bombed in World War II. New Year’s Eve we spent inside with great food and a lively round of poker. And not to dismiss the great company, but what I also enjoyed very much about my trip was some fantastic running! Knowing only the gym and city streets the two months prior, I revelled in the network of trails that traverse the English countryside. I learned that farmers/landowners are required by the government to maintain trails through their property for the public good. As an agriculturist, I thought about how I would not be too keen about people tromping through my fields, but as a runner those five days, I appreciated the freedom. So, all-around, my trip to England was a great start to a new year.
To see pictures, go to the England folder at my Shutterfly website.
To see pictures, go to the England folder at my Shutterfly website.
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