The palace today was, wonderful. To say the least. Every single ceiling space in the entire place was covered with frescos, all telling magnificent stories. It was absolutely breathtaking at moments…moments. When I say moments, I mean that I think air conditioning doesn’t exist in Spain. It literally was over one hundred degrees today, without humidity.
So while El Viso de Santa Cruz was breathtaking in every way possible, it was hot. In every way possible.
Also, their was an entire ceiling dedicated to the story of a God that fell in love with a girl on the Earth. He impregnated her with twins, and she gave birth beside the river that he impregnated her on…and on the ceiling there was a picture painted of this woman giving birth to twins.
When I say this, I mean that it showed this poor, poor woman on the ground. With her skirts up. And some sort of odd, scary looking creature making an appearance out of her vagina.
What’s interesting to me is that the Spaniards didn’t paint this palace, the Italians did. In fact, the Italians designed the entire place, killed their backs painting every beautiful ceiling, and then left without telling anyone who did all the painting. Those painters deserve credit for killing their backs. Except for the birthing painter. He did a terrible job of making this god alien twin combination look like babies.
The whole point of El Viso de Santa Cruz is that it was created as a naval building for the Spanish Armada. The bastard child of the King of Spain (which King, I am unsure of) showed unusual talent in the navy and being the bastard child, was allowed to run the Spanish Armada, just wasn't given the title he deserved.
He was cremated and buried in El Viso de Santa Cruz, and that is where the picture of the rosary comes in. Keeler thought it was beautiful and begged me to take a picture of it, and the picture turned out to be one of the most satisfying of the day. Bravo, Keeler.
We then traveled over to Las Virtudes, which is a square bullring. I must be extremely naïve, because I had no idea that when they run the bull through their red satin scarf/blanket/whateverthehellyouwanttocallit thing, they have a sword hiding behind it! They’re killing the bulls! They repeatedly taunt the bulls and stab them in their hump every time they run through their red satin sheet. I’m extremely curious about this, as well as a bit appalled.
BUT
I’m pretty sure that multiple people have been secretly appalled by me and my desire to shoot animals with guns. And since I’m completely at peace with my own repeated massacres, I assume that that means I need to be at peace with the Spaniards personal massacres.
I would like to witness this, in order to better make up my mind.
What made Las Virtudes absolutely fabulous was the chapel that was connected off of the side of the bullring.
First off, why is there a chapel connected to some sort of traditional animal slaughter house?
Second off, why doesn't America have such beautiful chapels as this?
P.S-In the picture of the frescos (ceiling paintings), the bottom right painting is the birthing painting I have so fondly discussed.
J'taime, Mi Amore. J'taime
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