Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Vultures, Picasso and San Salvador

To see the vultures at Mas de Bunyol have their breakfast we were met by José Ramón just outside Valderrobres at 9:00 am and taken a short drive and a short walk through the forest to the observatory.


The idea is that the approach is at the back of the observatory so as not to scare the vultures - however they are flying overhead and keeping a watchful eye on everything on the ground.


They wait patiently knowing where José Ramón is going to appear from...


...then suddenly he appears pushing a wheelbarrow full of dead rabbits and the vultures flock around,...


...some even jump onto the wheelbarrow, as he tips their breakfast out near the observatory...


...for everyone to get a good view of this amazing spectacle.


And José Ramón does this another 4 times until at last the vultures seem satisfied.


This is certainly hard work although it is only for 15 minutes!


Fortunately the vultures only eat dead meat and he is perfectly safe.







After having their breakfast the vultures wander up...


...to the top of a nearby rocky clump...


...which is their preferred point for take off as they can just launch themselves and with a couple of flaps of their wings become airborne. 

To see my short video of the Vulture's Breakfast, click here.


We then wander back through the forest to the car and drive...



...to Horta de Sant Joan to El Centre Picasso D'Orta. Picasso spent some time here during his youth, 1897-98, and returned in 1909 to develop his Cubism style of painting.


No photographs are allowed of Picasso's work although the painting above is sold as a poster which I bought for 3€. It is Picasso's view of Horta de Sant Joan and I love it.


Inside the museum are other artifacts used by the village.


From the museum it was a pleasant walk through...


...small, winding, steep streets...



...to the centre of the village...


...with the Ayuntament, town hall,...


...and the rather grand Església de Sant Joan Baptista, The Church of St John the Baptist. 



Note the Catalan spelling rather than Castellano as Horta de Sant Joan is in Catalunya.


The church was built between the 14th and 16th centuries in the Gothic style...


...although the windows are 20th century. 



Out the back of the church, nestling near the foot of the Muntanya de Santa Bàrbara is El Convent de Sant Salvador which we are going to visit after lunch which we have booked at... 


...the superb Hotel Restaurant Miralles.


We were brought to this restaurant the day we discovered our house in Torre del Compte...


...and have been back many times since. The food never disappoints.


After lunch a visit to the Convent de Sant Salvador, also called El convent de la Mare de Déu dels Àngels, St Mary of the Angels,...

 

...founded in 1543 although the buildings range from the 12th to the 17th centuries.


The village is clearly visible on top of the hill...


...as is the back of the church we visited before lunch.


The Franciscan convent took the name of Saint Salvador after he stayed there between 1547 and 1549...


...shortly after which the convent increased in size due to his work and miracles




Many of the original buildings are now ruins.





Although the sky had now clouded over this had been a wonderful day out.

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