Just an afternoon walk

It's been a quiet day. One of those days when time seems to stand still. I had a big stack of papers that I needed to start grading, but since I'm the master of procrastination I decided to go for a walk instead. Along the way I found this gate.

Doesn't it just beckon you to come on in?

I resisted.

Instead I went back home and sat down with the stack of papers. Still not finished...

Have a wonderful week dear blogfriends!

Baelo Claudia and Garum

In my post yesterday I brought you to my favorite beach in Bolonia. I promised I would share a little bit of the interesting history of this little town. Today Bolonia is a small isolated fishing village on the Spanish Atlantic Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) about 20 km north from the surfers paradise of Tarifa. But this little unimportant village is also the site of one of the most important Roman archaeologiacal excavations in Andalucia .

The beautiful museum catches your eyes the moment you drive into this secluded village.

Baelo Claudia was settled by the Romans some 2000 years ago and was a trade link between Spain and North Africa. It was probably most famous for producing the fish-based paste, garum, a popular relish used as a garnish in meals by the Roman inhabitants.

The garum was prepared from fish gut, layered in salt and cured in the sun for one to three months, where the mixture fermented and liquified in the dry warmth. (Mmm... yummy!) The actual production of garum created such unpleasant smells as to become relegated to the outskirts of cities so that the neighbors would not be offended by the odour.

The best garum fetched prices similar to the essences used in perfumes. It was the "caviar" of the Roman Empire. After the liquid garum was ladled off of the top of the mixture, the remains of the fish gut, called allec, was used by the poorest classes to flavour their porridge. The garum from Baelo Claudia was shipped to Roma and enjoyed by the privileged classes. It addition to being used as a relish, it was also used to treat dog bites, dysentery, ulcers, constipation and chronic diarrhea. If smeared on the face it was used to remove unwanted hair and freckles!

Walking on history... awesome. If only these stones could speak!

The city was eventually successful enough to be granted the title of municipium by Emperor Claudius.

The life of the inhabitants reached its greatest splendor during the 1st century BC and the 2nd century AD. In the middle of the 2nd century, however, the town suffered a series of earthquakes and a great tidal wave which wiped out a large part of the town. In addition to such natural disasters, by the 3rd century, the town was beset by hordes of pirates, both Celtic and Barbary. By the 6th century, the town had been abandoned.

What a location! I wonder how life was like here 2000 years ago? And how did it smell?

As we walked around the archeological site of Baelo Claudia we noticed the most representative elements of the typical Roman city. There is a circular protective wall, the main gate, administrative buildings, the public archive, the forum, the judicial building, a temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis, as well as temples to Juno, Jupiter, and Minerva. In addition, there are remnants of stores, a market, baths, and a theater.

Inside the museum you can see different artifacts, but even more impressive is walking around the path that circles the town. Even the children enjoyed this tour. Of course we promised them the beach when we were done!

This place is well worth a visit. And if it's during the summer months - bring swimwear!

Check here for opening hours.

A pink day at the beach

It's Saturday again! Where did this week go? Next week we are going back to Norway and I don't want to go. I love being here in Spain!

Today we went to a beach that's just a hidden gem. It's off the beaten track for most tourists and there are mainly Spanish people here. The "town" (just a few houses) is called Bolonia and 2000 years ago this tiny little town used to be a wealthy Roman settlement. I think I will do a post tomorrow about the history of this place. So if you're into history, please come back Sunday too.

Well, since it is Pink Saturday over at Beverly's blog I'll try to make my beach story PINK...

Driving all the way down past Gibraltar you'll come to the southernmost point of continental Europe: the town of Tarifa. The lighthouse marks where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean meet. The winds are always strong and it is one of the most popular places to windsurf and kite in all of Europe.

This is Tarifa. And the mountains you see in the back there is actually the Rif Mountains in North Africa! It's only 13 km (8miles) across the strait of Gibraltar.

I'm ALWAYS amazed by this view.

We're driving just a little bit further.

A new sign? Oh, no... more people are going to find our "hidden gem"!

This is the beach of Bolonia... Beautiful isn't it?

So here I am... enjoying a day at the beach... looking for something that is PINK!

Okay, my girl is always pink! Today is no exception.

But my son usually will not wear anything pink. He had to chose this one because it was the last one in the store...

There's a beach vendor.

My toes are pink!

Now, I know these aren't pink. But how can I NOT show you that there are BULLS on the BEACH!

There are always windsurfers here. They look pretty cool!

But not as HOT as this guy with the Hello Kitty Board!

(No nasty comments... he's mine!)

For some odd reason I always end up with a few of these a couple of feet away from my towel! (And since I have quite a few American readers I have censured....)

My beach bag is PINK!

It getting late and my daughter decides that she will entertain the people at the beach bar with her version of a very LOUD Mamma Mia - with moves. This is after I have dragged her out of a puddle of water at the beach where she was swimming with her bikinbottoms on her HEAD!

Time to go home!

So we leave Bolonia and head on home enjoying the PINK sunset!

Having to take one last look at the view of Africa!

The lights you see in the background is from the Moroccan town of Tangier.

I hope you enjoyed a day at the beach with us!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Many of you might have seen Nannis post at NannisVerden. She has written beautifully about the day we spent together yesterday here at Hvitsten. She is such a great writer and I feel blessed to count her as one of my best friends.

My yellow collage.

(The kissing couple is actually my friend Nanni and her Nanniman...*giggle*)

Even when it is raining this garden is wonderful. Nanni is taking pictures and I'm jumping over rocks with my beloved Calous.

After spending the whole day together we went to see an evening performance of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream at the Havlyst garden at Ramme Gaard. (If you want to know more about this garden you can see my previous post, The Secret Garden.)

It was a magical evening!

Accompanied by the sound of fountains, exotic birds chirping, wind ruffling the leaves and with a glass of Dom Perignon in my hand, I was exported to an enchanted forest where fairies played and mortals despaired. The setting couldn't have been more perfect and I laughed at the mischievous acts of Puck and the silliness of the amateur actors playing Pyramus and Thisbe.

It was one of those nights that you know that you'll remember for a long time. As we walked through the garden on our way home it was 11.30 at night and still fairly light. It had stopped raining and the sweet smell of flowers lingered in the air

.... oh, those Norwegian summer nights are marvelous.....

I took these pictures on my way out. It was 11.30 at night.

The Royal Shakespeare Company plays at Ramme gard until the 27th of June. There are still tickets available. If you have a chance, get your tickets right now. You won't regret it!

If you're ever in Berlin...

Well, if you are an ice-cream lover like myself, there is only ONE place to go.

At the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden (a big shopping mall) there is an ice-cream place on the second floor that will not disappoint you.

By the looks of it, you'll think it isn't much. It looks like any other mall café. But the ice-cream... oh, lala.... it's to die for.

My husband and I ate until we could eat no more. And believe me; they tasted as good as they looked.

The secret garden

Behind a wooden fence, just a mile up the road from Hvitsten, you'll find one of the most beautiful places on earth. You can walk by on the gravelroad without ever knowing that paradise is just behind that tall fence. But if you ever set your foot inside, you'll have the experience of a lifetime. Petter Olsen inherited Ramme gård (farm) from his parents in 1966. It has been his life's work to establish an amazing fairytale garden in this unlikely place. The garden is called "Havlyst" (which means something like Ocean Delight). A couple of times a year it is open to the public and today was such a day. I took some pictures just so that I could share the experience with you.

From the 18th to the 27th of June there will be performances in the amfitheatre by the British Shakespear Company. The guest star is Kåre Conradi. They will perform A Midsummer Nights Dream and Much Ado About Nothing. The garden will be open so that you can enjoy a beautiful evening in this wonderful ambiance. If you want an incredible experience get your tickets right now! Read more at http://www.rammegaard.no/

Jeg har plassert min blogg i Hvitsten på norske bloggkart!