October 29

Andalusia

Ronda

Ronda is 25 miles east of Grazalema.  With a population of 35,000, it is the largest city in the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.

[Ronda was first settled by the early Celts, who called it Arunda in the sixth century BC. Later Phoenician settlers established themselves nearby to found locally as Ronda la Vieja, Arunda, or Old Ronda.  The current Ronda is of Roman origins and received the title of city at the time of Julius Caesar.  Ronda is situated in a mountainous area about 750 m (2,460 ft) above mean sea level.  The Guadalevín River runs through the city, dividing it in two and carving out the steep, 100-plus-meter-deep El Tajo canyon above which the city perches. The Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) is endemic to the mountains surrounding Ronda  (Wikipedia).]

[American artists Ernest Hemongway and Orson Welles spent many summers in Ronda as part-time residents of Ronda’s old-town quarter called La Ciudad.  Both wrote about Ronda’s beauty and famous bullfighting traditions.  Their collective accounts have contributed to Ronda’s popularity over time (Wikipedia).  This (and above) is the Church of La Merced on Plaza de Socorro . . . ]

[As the sign says . . . ]

[Named for a German botanist who studied the plant life of the Iberian peninsula . . . ]

[Pedro Romero Martínez (November 19, 1754 – February 10, 1839) was a legendary bullfighter from the Romero family in Ronda.  Hemingway, in his novel The Sun Also Rises, portrays a young, “beautiful” and very artful bullfighter whom he names Pedro Romero, presumably after Pedro Romero Martinez (Wikipedia).]

[And in profile . . . ]

[Every year in Ronda several of the town’s ladies are chosen to be the Dames Goyescas, and represent the ladies seen in some of Francisco de Goya’s paintings of bullfighting and pageantry from the late 18th century.  A perfect role for the Super . . . ]

[Since the inception of the Corrida Goyesca in Ronda’s September fair in 1954, the ladies of Ronda have been the official representatives of the city, and welcoming committee for visiting dignitaries.  The role is exceptionally demanding, not only from the responsibility of the role, but also from the demanding schedule of training, and gown fittings before the build up to the week’s festivities.  So exceptionally popular have been the Dames Goyesca, that in 2009, a bronze statue of a Goyesca lady was inaugurated in Alameda park, directly across from the statue of Pedro Romero, Ronda’s most famous bullfighter  (www.rondatoday.com).]

[Antonio Jiménez Ordóñez Araujo was born in Ronda, on February 16, 1932.  His father was Cayetano Ordonez, called Niño de la Palma, the prototype for the character of Pedro Romero, the matador in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises (Wikipedia). OK, let him fight it out with Pedro Romero?]

[He was one of the top bullfighters of his time.  As a matador, Ordóñez faced over 3,000 bulls.  He retired in 1968, having fought over 60 bullfights in that year alone, but came back until finally retiring in 1988.   He died in 1998 (Wikipedia).]

[We’re now outside the Ronda bullring.  The Plaza de Toros (bullring) occupies a very special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting and also of the Real Maestranza De Caballería De Ronda. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as champion bullfighter (www.rondatoday.com).]

[Many tourist guides will tell you the Ronda bullring is the oldest and largest in Spain, in fact the story is confusing.  Our little bullring only has seating for 5,000 spectators, hardly the largest in the world, but the rueda, which is the large round circle of sand, is the largest in the world at 66m, making it 6m larger than Spain’s biggest bullring, the Plaza Toros Las Ventas in Madrid.  The bullring in Sevilla is considered older having commenced construction in 1761, and was completed in 1785, compared to Ronda’s commencement in 1779 and completion in 1784, though purists agree Ronda’s bullring should be entitled to the crown since it was first to stage a corrida.  However, in May of 1784 during the first inaugural corrida to be held in Ronda’s Plaza de Toros, part of the stand collapsed forcing its closure until repairs could be made (www.rondatoday.com).]

[Identified merely as a bronze bull statue in Plaza de Toros . . . ]

[I think it deserves a story?]

[He was famous for something . . . ]

[As was he?]

[And a famous local guy.  Blas Infante Pérez de Vargas (Casares, Spain; 5 July 1885 – Seville, Spain; 11 August 1936) was an Andalucista politician, Georgist, writer, historian and musicologist, known as the father of Andalusian nationalism. Infante was a Georgist idealist who initiated an assembly at Ronda in 1913 (Wikipedia).]

[Now a walk through Alameda del Tajo Park to . . . ]

[These amazing overlooks . . . ]

[Ronda enjoys a spectacular location in between two of Andalusia’s most stunning natural parks. To the east is the Sierra de las Nieves, the highest peaks of which are snow-capped during winter, and to the west is the Sierra de Grazalema, the rugged mountains of which are visible from Ronda’s ‘Alameda del Tajo’ park (theculturetrip.com).]

[In retrospect, I would have enjoyed spending more than a half day here . . . ]

[First sighting of New Bridge (Puente Nuevo) which spans the 120 metre-deep (394 feet) El Tajo gorge and offers a truly vertiginous experience (theculturetrip.com) . . . ]

[The Guadalevín River flows all the way through the city, separating it into two and creating dramatic landscapes. During the Reconquest of Spain by the Catholic monarchs, the city of Ronda was the last to fall because of the cliffs.  The city is located on a mountainous area of an enormous outcropped rock approximately 750 meters above sea level (www.tourismontheedge.com)].

[We’re taking these photos from “new town,” and that’s “old town” on the other (north) side of the gorge . . . ]

[Construction on the bridge began in 1759 and was completed in 1793 . . . ]

[A prison and torture chamber under the bridge . . . because where else would you put such?]

[We’re making our move to cross the bridge to old town . . . ]

[As previously noted, the metropolis of Pueblos Blancos . . . ]

[The Super leads us out onto the bridge . . . ]

[Too bad there weren’t any good views around here?]

[Just spectacular . . . ]

[The Super, Bill, and Anne crossed the road to see what was on the other side . . . ]

[And this is what they saw . . . ]

[And a big gorge . . . ]

[Lamp post, though I have reason to suspect that wasn’t the object of the photo . . . ]

[Multi-tiered fine dining back in new town . . . ]

[And along the right flank of old town . . . ]

[We’re now totally on the other side . . . ]

[And Bill is recording it for posterity . . . ]

[I like this place . . . ]

[Viajeros Románticos (Romantic Travelers) were not traveling lovers as the translation suggests. They were travelers in the 18th and 19th centuries who wanted to discover the unspoiled areas of Europe and would take lengthy grand tours that would influence their many pieces of literature and art  (www.thewanderblogger).]

[Here’s that Hemingway guy again . . . ]

[This was taken somewhere in this vicinity . . . ]

[A little park with an overlook . . . ]

[And here’s what it overlooks . . . ]

[Don Juan Bosco (also known as St John Bosco), was an Italian Roman Catholic priest, educator and writer of the 19th century, who put into practice the convictions of his religion, dedicating his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth and employing teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method known as the Salesian Preventive System (www.omair-khan.com).]

[Casa de San Juan Bosco:  It is a modernist palace built at the beginning of the 20th century. It is located at the Tajo’s edge, at the heart of the historical city quarter of Ronda. It belonged to the Granada family, which gave it as last will to the Salesian Priest Order as nursing home of old and ill priests (www.andalucia.org).]

[Fortress and Church of the Holy Spirit . . . ]

[The spire is Church of Santa Maria la Mayor . . . ]

[Pedro Pérez-Clotet was a Spanish writer belonging to the Generation of ’27, although he also occasionally appears on the payroll of theGeneration of ’36 (Wikipedia) . . . ]

[Further sights, if not sounds, of “old town” . . .

[The Church of Santa Maria la Mayor (well, it’s sign and plaza) . . . ]

[And here’s the church . . . ]

[Now that’s a door!]

[Heading back down the main street of old town toward the bridge . . . ]

[Why yes, the place is a tourist attraction . . . ]

[We’re back in new town, and as you can see, at Plaza del Toros . . . ]

[Our guide advised a good vantage point for this view was at a bar at the top of the hotel across the street – so that’s where we went . . . ]

[And about where that white car is is where we’ll meet up for the trip back to Seville . . . ]

[But for now, we’ll just enjoy the view . . . ]

[And the wine . . . ]

[Salud!!]

[Let’s take the city street scenic route back to the bus . . . ]

[Evening festivities are beginning . . . ]

[Wish we could have stayed for dinner . . . ]

[Not Harry S Truman . . . ]

[Again:  Blas Infante Pérez de Vargas (5 July 1885 – 11 August 1936) was an Andalucista politican, writer, historian and musicologist, known as the father of Andalusian nationalism (‘Padre de la Patria Andaluza’).  Infante was a Georgist idealist who initiated an assembly at Ronda in 1913.  This assembly adopted a charter based on the autonomist Constitución Federal de Antequera written in 1883 during the First Spanish Republic.  It also embraced the current flag and emblem as “national symbols,” designed by Infante himself based on various historic Andalusian standards.  During the Second Spanish Republic, the Andalucismo was represented by the Junta Liberalista, a federalist political party led by Infante.  Infante was among numerous political figures who were summarily executed by  Franco’s forces when they took over Seville at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.  As both a regional autonomist and a kind of libertarian socialist, he twice “merited” inclusion on their liquidation list (Wikipedia).]

[Now on the bus back to Seville, trying our best to get good sunset shots . . . ]

[Yes, Virginia, in Seville there is . . . ]

[a barber!  In the morning, we would be off to Cordoba.]

I never travel without my diary.  One should always have something sensational to read in the train.  ~  Oscar Wilde

Up Next:  Cordoba

March 27

You’ve all probably read the recent New York Times story about Fergus Falls by now.  Here’s a similar story about Alexandria in a similarly robust publication from November 10, 1963 . . . .

[And Dad tells you all about it here . . . ]

[And of course four years later the family packed up and moved to Washington, D.C. – something about being able to pay college tuition for four chidren . . . ]

[A bogus string of fish as noted in his column . . . ]

[The one and only time the family ever strolled on that “lane” (driveway?) . . . ]

[This is before the weeping willow (long since gone) was planted on the right front of the water hazard . . . ]

[Wow, more than a million dollars!!  And what is now the Marion Building . . . ]

[Who remembers any or all of these guys?]

[As noted in Dad’s column, this photo didn’t make the final cut.  Kathy went on to become co-proprietor of Skads Travel in St. Louis Park, where in that capacity she oversees the worldwide adventures of the Super and me.  I went on to become . . . the Cub Reporter.]

In keeping with the completely personal aspects of this column, in doing “deep” research I ran across this Cub Reporter short bio from a few years ago, a questionaire either from Ladies HomeJournal or Cosmo, I would assume:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?     “Peeping” Tom 

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?    Every time George W. Bush opens his mouth 

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?     What’s “handwriting”? 

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?     Bebe Neuwirth (Oh, I thought it said lunch “meet”)

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?     Puh-leeze!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?     Is that a trick question?

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?     My life’s blood . . .

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS      . . . and 3 wisdom teeth.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?     I only jump to conclusions. 

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?      Eggos 

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?      I can’t bend over to tie them in the first place.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?      I have been known to lift a fork to mouth many times in succession.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?      Cold and frozen

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT  PEOPLE?       Whether they have hair. 

15. RED OR PINK?       My goal in life is to have a pink Vespa, with full black leathers.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?      See answer to No. 11.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST ?     Paul Lynde 

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?       With luck, it will get lost in cyber space. 

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?        I type naked.

20.  WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?        Chocolate chip cookies – a dietary staple!

21.  WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO NOW?        I live on Lake Darling, in Alexandria – so it’s always . . . the wind!

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?      I would prefer to be a Magic Marker.

23.  FAVORITE SMELLS?       See answer to No. 20.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?       I’m still waiting for a call. 

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?       😉

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?      Eating contests

27. HAIR COLOR?      OK, who put that one in here?

28. EYE COLOR?       Blood shot (the Wine & Ale last night)

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?      See answer to preceding question. 

30. FAVORITE FOODS?       Redundant

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?       Jack Nicholson – so, either one.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?       I don’t know – I was too scared!

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?       See answer to No. 19.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?       Fall (OK, I’m a smartass.) 

35. HUGS OR KISSES?        Nibbles 

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?       Again, redundant 

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?       The CIA!  

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?      See answer to No. 17

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?         “(Not that You Asked)”  

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?       Whatever it was, I just washed it off (eee-yew!) 

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?        [Deleted – this is a family oriented publication.] 

42. FAVORITE SOUND?      Terry and Al sang “Harvest Moon” again for us last night at the Wine & Ale.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?       Beatles (is that a straight answer?)

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?       As yet, undiscovered. 

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?       The hospital has long since been razed! 

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?      Oh, you guys . . . 

48. WHAT TIME IS IT NOW?        Time for a nap.

The smell of dead fish and seaweed when we crossed the bridge between Lakes Darling and Carlos was how I knew I was home . . . [This is a paraphrase from a story written by Nancy Piga for our local newspaper several years ago (well, long enough ago I can’t locate it quickly).  Nancy’s family lived in Nebraska but came up to their lake home on Lake Carlos in Alexandria every summer.]

Up Next:  I assume back to Spain

October 29

Andalusia

On this day we ventured out of Seville for a one-day field trip to the White Villages of Andalusia.  A most unique and exciting adventure . . .

[Prepped and ready to go!]

[The opening shots of our bus ride to Grazalema, a village of some 2,200 occupants some 80 miles SE of Seville . . . ]

[The White Towns of Andalusia, or Pueblos Blancos, are a series of towns and large villages in the northern part of the provinces of Cadiz and Malaga, mostly within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.  All of the villages are characterised by whitewashed walls and red or brown tiled roofs.  The reasons for the white color has been postulated to be a chemical result of the limestone used (Wikipedia)].

[Appear to be members of the ovine family . . . ]

[Spain is undoubtedly the world leader when it comes to olive production. This country dedicates 2.4 million hectares of land to this valuable crop. Italy and Greece are the other two world heavy weights with over 1.4 million hectares and more than 700,000 respectively. As a note of interest the trees in Italy and Greece have a slightly higher yield than those in Spain.  In terms of annual production, Spain cranks out over six tons. Italy takes second place with over three tons and Greece is third with over two tons. The other players in the top ten include (in descending order) Turkey, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Portugal. But olives are also cultivated in Lebanon, California in the United States and parts of Argentina and New Zealand, Australia and Chile, for example (www.andalucia.com).]

Grazalema

[Our first sighting of our first destination . . . ]

[Andalusia is an autonomous community in southern Spain.  It is the most populous, and the second largest autonomous community in the country.  The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a “historical nationality”.  The territory is divided into eight provinces, and its capital is the city of Seville.  Andalusia is the only European region with both Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines. The small British overseas territory of Gibraltatar shares a three-quarter-mile land border with the Andalusian province of Cadiz at the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.  The main mountain ranges of Andalusia are the Sierra Morena and the Baetic System (Wikipedia).]

[Embalse de Zahara-El Gastor (i.e., the reservoir), Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park . . . ]

[Grazalema, from the reservoir and natural park area below . . . ]

[Ditto . . . ]

[The reservoir as we begin the climb up to Grazalema . . . ]

[What tourists do from inside the bus . . . ]

[Welcome to Grazalema – we have deplaned our bus . . . ]

[Crystal clear but brisk weather.  This may be a lemon tree, or not . . . ]

[As the Super leads me down the street . . . Grazalema is a village located in the northeastern part of the province of Cadiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Situated in the foothills of the Sierra del Pinar mountain range (Sierra de Grazalema National Park), Grazalema had, as of 2009, a population of 2,205 (Wikipedia).]

[A beautifully quaint village with spectacular views . . . ]

[Traditionally, the economy of the village was generated by small-scale agriculture, sheep herding, cork harvesting, and handicrafts, like hand-weaving lambswool cloth and furniture-making.  These activities are now quite limited and under-resourced.  Due to the location of Grazalema in the middle of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and the fact that the town is one of the ‘pueblos blancos,’ the so-called White Towns of Andalusia, tourism now plays a major role in sustaining the village and its people. The mountainous area around Grazalema is popular with climbers and hikers, and local people make money by providing accommodations and hospitality to visitors (Wikipedia)].

[Moorish castle, Torre del Homenaje (Tower of Tribute) . . . ]

[Anne and Bill partake of some Andalusian scenery . . . ]

[This place would have issues under the ADA . . . ]

[And here are five shots by the Super from this first overlook . . . ]

[(Believed to be the last remaining member of his species . . . )]

[We’ve climbed a bit for this view but did not go all the way to the top – time and physical abilities issues were involved . . . ]

[I’m lovin’ it in Grazalema . . . ]

[And yes, cars do use these streets . . . ]

[Town center with the requisite church, San Juan de Letran . . . ]

[Then we walked further up hill for a few shots . . . ]

[Then back down to town center . . . ]

[And then, where we would lunch later . . . ]

[And views from our continuing walkabout . . . ]

[And a designated scenic overlook . . . ]

[The following five shots are by the Super from her above vantage . . . ]

[And back to mine from the same vantage . . . ]

[All overlooking Sierra del Grazalema Natural Park . . . ]

[Where the overlook photos were taken . . . ]

[Then we gathered for a walk through town to the olive oil factory (this and following two photos taken by the Super) . . . ]

[Head ’em up, move ’em out . . . ]

[And this, ladies and gentlemen, is vegetation . . . ]

[Lemons or oranges?]

[And we’re there.  It’s an olive oil factory, Molina El Vinculo founded by D. Gaspar Penalver in 1755 (11th generation)  . . . ]

[It’s a pot, for olive oil (aceite de oliva)  . . . ]

[It’s a flag . . . ]

[Out tour leader in the blue jacket is about to lead us inside . . . ]

[El Vinculo (“the link”) . . .

[The view of the nature park and the olive trees below for this establishment . . . ]

[Where olives are dumped or unloaded . . . ]

[The system of conveyors for moving the little round green things around . . . ]

[NO PARKING!]

[This is where the ‘stuff’ goes . . . ]

[This is where the people go . . . ]

[Appears to be two old olive presses – likely still used . . . ]

[The showroom – I love olives and olive oil.  Their’s was good but a little too spendy for us to make a purchase to bring home . . . ]

[Famous visitors through the years.  Can you spot Orson Welles?  Papa Hemingway?]

[The Super took the three following internal photos . . . ]

[And back to the bus . . . ]

[Then some out the window shots heading back into town . . . ]

[You may have heard bull fighting was once big in Spain (still?) . . . ]

[Well, that’s no toro . . . ]

[Scouting for a place of fine dining in town center . . . ]

[It was time for almuerzo . . . ]

[Almuerzo!  Can’t remember what we had, but it hit the spot (Bill and I always partook of the local beer) . . . ]

[By the Super in the restaurant . . . ]

[The town square, always a hub of activity . . . ]

[Hola, toro!]

[This is in English.  In a small Spanish town.  Hmmmm . . . ]

[The clock is also in English.  I can tell it’s 2:21 . . . ]

[The beginning of our adios to Grazalema . . . ]

[It’s a sign!]

[Quite a setting . . . ]

[It looks arid, but this is the rainiest part of Spain.  The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain . . . ]

[Vaya con Dios, la palomas . . . ]

[Trending out of town, the stripping of bark from cork oaks . . . ]

[Andalusian landscapes . . . ]

[In sight, our destination for Part 2.  The metropolis of the White Villages . . . ]

[To Ronda . . . ]

[Wrapping up our report on Grazalema, this photo by the Super from the olive oil factory (I believe it went viral on Facebook) . . . ]

Never trust anything you read in a travel article.  ~  Dave Barry

Up Next:  Part 2

October 28

Seville

[When last we left you, our tour guide Maria was leaving us – in a courtyard at the Alcazar . . . ]

[Now absent a leader, the tour group ambled aimlessly down a green archway . . . ]

[And for the rest of the day we would wander around Seville aided only by maps . . . ]

[Here we’re still on the grounds and gardens of the Alcazar . . . ]

[Yellow flowers, whose scientific name I believe is flowers de yellow . . . ]

[Without fear of contradiction, palm trees . . . ]

[Jardin de las Damas . . . ]

[As it all is . . . ]

[We’re still on th garden grounds, but I’m apparently the first person ever to take a picture of this structure (at least with the Super and Anne in the photo) . . . ]

[More shots in and around the gardens . . . ]

[And then Anne discovered an escapee from a Dr. Seuss movie . . . ]

[No animals were injured in the filming of this photo . . . ]

[Continuing around the picturesque grounds . . . ]

[And it was a lovely day as well . . . ]

[Rugs on the wall, a/k/a, tapestry, in the  . . . ]

[Sala Bovedas Palacio Gotico (Gothic Palace) . . . ]

[Including Sala de las Bóvedas (Vaults Room) . . . ]

[And Salón de los Tapices (Tapestry Room) . . . ]

[With 6 large tapestries . . . ]

[Then out and about in the city (the 4th largest in Spain) . . . ]

[In city center . . . ]

[Fountain of Híspalis . . . ]

[The name of Puerta de Jerez is derived from when this square was a Roman gate leading into Sevilla from the town of Jerez de la Frontera. The plaza’s focal point is the Fountain of Híspalis. Similar to the adjacent Alfonso XIII Hotel, the Fountain of Seville was built to delight visitors attending the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. The statues of the woman and children by sculptor Manuel Delgado Brackenbury are allegories. They represent the historical city when the Romans called it Híspalis (www.encirclephotos.com).]

[The Torre del Oro tower . . . ]

[We’re walking now toward the tower and the Guadalquivir River . . . ]

[The Torre del Oro (“Tower of Gold”) is a dodecagonal military watchtower.  It was erected by the Almohad Caliphate in order to control access to Seville via the Guadalquivir River.  Constructed in the first third of the 13th century, the tower served as a prison during the Middle Ages.  Its name comes from the golden shine it projected on the river, due to its building materials (a mixture of mortar, lime, and pressed hay).  The Torre de la Plata, an octagonal tower, is located nearby, and is believed to have been constructed during the same era (Wikipedia)].

[A now for a stroll along the river walk on a beautiful evening . . . ]

[Hola!!]

[Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza:  The historic bullring of Seville was built in the eighteenth century. The arena, which has a seating capacity of about 12,500, is one of the most famous bullrings in all of Spain (www.aviewoncities.com).]

[Sunset over Seville . . . ]

[And the palm trees along the Guadalquivir . . . ]

[In front of the bullring . . . ]

[In 1997, he was awarded the Andalusian medal for his unparalleled mastery and singular plastic splendor as a bullfighter and in 2002 the Gold Medal of the Fine Arts of the Spanish state that was delivered to him in Granada on September 17, 2003 by the king Juan Carlos I.  After his death in August 2005, the mayor of Seville reported the construction of a monument as a tribute to his figure.  This monument, located in front of the Bullring of the Real Maestranza de Sevilla, was inaugurated on June 11, 2009, in which the bullfighter is represented at the moment of citing a bull with the crutch.  It is the work of the sculptor Luis Alvarez Duarte (Wikipedia).]

[Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon, Countess of Barcelona . . . ]

[She was a fervid fan of bull fighting and of the Andalusian culture. In 1995, her granddaughter Infanta Elena married in Seville in part because the Countess’ love for the city (Wikipedia).]

[Looking a place to cross the street to the bullring side, this looked like a fun outdoor restaurant . . . ]

[The monument to ‘La Tolerancia’ by Eduardo Chillida . . . ]

[Aha, a place to cross with busy night life beginning on the far side . . . ]

[Handicraft market El Postigo Sevilla . . . ]

[And completing our day at the Seville Cathedral . . . ]

[The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as Seville Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral.  It was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the adjoining Alcazar palace complex and the General Archive of the Indies.  It is the third-largest church in the world (its size remains a matter of debate) as well as the largest Gothic church.  After its completion in the early 16th century, Seville Cathedral supplanted Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world, a title the Byzantine church had held for nearly a thousand years.  The total area occupied by the building is 23,500 square metres (253,000 sq ft).  The Gothic section alone has a length of 126 metres (413 ft), a width of 83 metres (272 ft) and its maximum height in the center of the transept is 37 metres (121 ft).  The total height of the Giralda tower from the ground to the weather vane is 96 metres (315 ft).  Since the world’s two largest churches (the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida and St. Peter’s Basilica) are not the seats of bishops, Seville Cathedral is still the largest cathedral in the world (Wikipedia).]

[Peeking in through a locked gate . . . ]

[So we just circled the exterior . . . ]

[Triumph Square . . . ]

[Pope John Paul II . . . ]

[The Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville.  Its height is 343 feet (105 m) and its square base is 23 feet (7.0 m) above sea level and 44 feet (13 m) long per side. The Giralda is the former minaret of the mosque that stood on the site under Muslim rule, and was built to resemble the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco.  It was converted into a bell tower for the cathedral after the Reconquista, although the topmost section dates from the Renaissance.  It was registered in 1987 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.  In the 16th century the belfry was added by the architect Hernan Ruiz the Younger; the statue on its top, called “El Giraldillo”, was installed in 1568 to represent the triumph of the Christian faith (Wikipedia).]

[On the way back to our hotel . . . ]

[A final glance back at the cathedral . . . ]

[On the morrow we will be venturing to the White Villages of Andalucia . . . ]

Whilst traveling through the Andes Mountains, we lost our corkscrew. Had to live on food and water for several days!  ~  W.C. Fields

Next:  Andausia?

March 5

The tournament most famous for bringing humongous snow storms to the state is under way.  Fittingly, it looks like a big one is on the way . . . 

[The team looked relaxed during warm-ups.  But this is tournament time . . . ]

[And they’re high school kids.  It’s normal to be nervous when you’re in a lose- and-go-home situation.  And against Sauk Rapids, this would be the 3rd time in two weeks.  We won by 30, and lost by 3?  Go figure?]

[The school’s activity director escorts the father of famous Cardinal alums to his seat . . . ]

[At first I thought he was escorting an uninvited loiterer out of the building . . . ]

[For dining on school property after hours . . . ]

[The aforementioned famous alums . . . ]

[Sauk Rapids jumped the jump . . . ]

[But it wasn’t called . . . ]

[Go figure?]

[Carsson Jones (11), not afraid of taking it to the “hup” and getting fouled . . . ]

[But as a team, free throw shooting has been a bit of hit or miss . . . ]

[Colton Roderick (35), at 6’4″ and healthy after an earlier in season ankle sprain, is a force at the top of the defense . . . ]

[Like our girls team, steals and break outs are a big part of the boys offense . . . ]

[Colton at the line . . . ]

[Then Anders Hedstrom (22), our solid senior . . . ]

[Not a lot of photos in the half.  The game was frought with tournament jitters yielding lots of mistakes.  Carsson and Treyton Thompson (42), our 6’11” center, both had two early fouls.  Treyton played less than half of the half accordingly . . . ]

[The Storm scored the first 5 points of the 2nd half to tie the game.  Then the Cardinals took off.  They played with energy and crispness and looked like a team that would be a hard out . . . ]

[We play basically a four guard offense, with these 3 (Senior Trey Hoepner (0)) and Anders to go with Treyton . . . ]

[Carsson is our defensive stopper . . . ]

[And he gets fouled when he drives . . . ]

[Treyton was a force in the 2nd half.  He had a perfect shooting night – 7 for 7 from the field, 2 for 2 from the line  . . . ]

[The Cards are hard to figure.  They’re medicore at best from the free throw line, but we were an excellent 8 for 18 on 3’s?  All 5 starters had at least one 3, meaning all must be guarded on the outside.  It may not be this year, but they will be a team to follow with so many key underclassmen.  Next up, Sartell in the semi-finals . . . ]

They shot the ball well early. What comes out of the microwave hot doesn’t always stay hot. I know, because I eat bagels in the morning.  ~  Shaquille O’Neal

Up Next:  Whatever occurs

October 28

Seville

The next leg of the journey – Granada to Seville, 248 kilometers (155 miles) due east . . . 

[Yes, it looks like a train station . . . ]

[But we actually got on a bus there to go to a train station . . . ]

[Said train station . . . ]

[And a first view from the train out of said train station . . . ]

[Hillside wind farms . . . ]

[Looks like the Andalusia villages we would be visiting the next day . . . ]

[Rooms with a view . . . ]

[Generic out the window shot . . . ]

[Church and castle, a common combo in the old countries . . . ]

[We 4 had 8 seats – loved it!]

[The arid rolling hills of the South of Spain . . . ]

[An absence of green . . . ]

[And three from the Super along the route . . . ]

[Villages unknown . . . ]

[The ever present olives . . . ]

[Seville, we are here!  At the Seville Cathedral . . . ]

[Monument of the Immaculate Conception.  Since 1918, the Monument of the Immaculate Conception has stood in Plaza del Triunfo near Seville Cathedral. Some people mistakenly believe this name refers to the virginal conception of Christ. Instead, after a papal bull issued by Pope Pius IX in 1854, the Catholic church confirmed Mary was born free of all original sin. The statues at her feet are some of the men who pursued this dogma. In Seville, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 is a public holiday and holy day of obligation. That is when this monument becomes the center of costumed celebrations, processions and bands (www.encirclephotos.com).]

[Santa Marta – Plaza Virgen de los Reyes – Seville Old Town.  Plaza Virgen de los Reyes, Virgen de los Reyes Square, which is the beautiful and iconic square located between the Cathedral and Barrio Santa Cruz. In its centre you can appreciate a gorgeous fountain constructed for the 1929 Ibero-American exhibition, defeated by an ornamental farola (street light), and surrounded by three of Seville most prominent historic buildings, the Cathedral (including the Giralda tower and the adjacent Patio de los Naranjos), the Archbishop’s Palace and the Convent of the Incarnation (www.terratraditionsconsulting.com).]

[We toured the Alcazar of Seville in the afternoon . . . ]

[The Alcazar of Seville is a royal palace built for the Christian king Peter of Castile.  It was built by Castilian Christians on the site of an Abbadid Muslim residential fortress  destroyed after the Christian conquest of Seville.  The palace, a preeminent example of Mudejar architecture in the Iberian Peninsula, is renowned as one of the most beautiful. The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as their official residence in Seville.  It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the adjoining Seville Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies (Wikipedia).]

[Our tour begins here – with Maria . . . ]

[This seems somewhat like the entrance to the Kremlin?]

[We enter with a mass of our close personal amigos . . . ]

[Not unlike the Alhambra,  n’est-ce pas?]

[Ceilings are a big deal – here at the entrance to Patio del Yeso . . . ]

[Stucco – carved plaster . . . ]

[Likely not a lap pool . . . ]

[Patio de la Monteria, or Courtyard of the Hunt . . . ]

[Moorish courtyards . . . ]

[Central panel of the triptych altarpiece, Virgen de los Mareantes, or Madonna of the Seafarers . . . ]

[The following two photos by the Super . . . ]

[Always looking up because it’s about the ceilings . . . ]

[This is generically called an “old ship decoration” . . . ]

[Moorish arabic design pattern on the walls . . . ]

[Courtyard of the Maidens . . . ]

[No “maidens” in sight . . . ]

[But arches – oy, the arches . . . ]

[Maria getting ready to wrap it up . . . ]

[Hall of the Ambassadors . . . ]

[Walls and glass ceiling of Courtyard of the Dolls . . . ]

[The tiled arches are the signature features . . . ]

[Golden Dome of the Ambassadors room in Alcazar . . . ]

[Arabesque Mudjar plasterwork and arches of the 12th century Salón de Embajadores (Ambassadors’ Hall or Throne Room) . . . ]

[Can you say, “intricate”?]

[Yup, floors too . . . ]

[The Super next to a column with writing on it . . . ]

[Said writing . . . ]

[And Maria wraps up her tour for us . . . ]

[And Ruthie’s take this session . . . ]

[We will continue from here in Part 2 . . . ]

It is impossible to travel faster than light, and certainly not desirable, as one’s hat keeps blowing off.  ~ Woody Allen

Up Next:  Part 2

February 21

Well, hello boys & girls!  We’re into that time of year where state tournaments seem to occupy a lot of time for ye ole Cub Reporter.  So, in between shoveling snow off the roof, I’ll try to keep up with the games as best I can.  And then when a senior night is tossed into the mix, I look at those about to play their last games as Cardinals and think . . . how will we ever replace them next year?  Somehow it happens – it’s the process.  A big thanks for the memories to these seniors . . . 

Last regular season home game, a make-up of a game previously postponed v. St. Cloud Apollo . . . 

[Yup, the JV struggled through another game.  What was that about having to replace graduating seniors?]

[Card captains meet the captains of the Eagles.  Apollo has been the hot team of late in the conference, with a 10-point win over conference leader Willmar and a 4-point loss at in-the-running Fergus Falls in their last two games . . . ]

[The moms & dads join the seniors in pre-game recognition.  First up, McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35), senior center, going to the U of M on a shot put/discus track scholarship . . . ]

[BTW, her dad, Chad, is the high school principal . . . ]

[Next Kaye Paschka (3), starting point guard . . . ]

[Going to Augustana to run track, i.e., relays, triple jump, hurdles . . . ]

[And, of course, it’s always fun to ham it up with mom & dad . . . ]

[Then Emily Jones (33), starting forward . . . ]

[She will be going on a 9-month missions trip to three countries in different parts of the world.  Something I would highly recommend for everybody . . . ]

[Nikki Botzet (31), guard, provides enthusiatic depth for the team and is going to pursue nursing at St. Ben’s . . . ]

[And team manager Jackie Niska, going to NDSU in education . . . ]

[I think Mac had a mosquito fly into her eye . . . ]

[Kohler gives thanks for their yeoman years of service and a bon voyage . . . ]

[Let’s play basketball!  Mac jumps against arguably the most talented player in the conference, Lariah Washington (3).  Lariah scored 30 and 31 in the Eagles last two games against conference powers, Willmar and Fergus.  She is going to Eastern Illinois on a D1 basketball scholarship . . . ]

[Appears to be a Cardinal full court press.  Somehow we always seems to have two ball hawking guards every year to play this defense.  And this year, Mia McGrane (5) and Kaye have been playing those roles to perfection . . . ]

[Looks like the Eagles made it this time . . . ]

[On the offense side, Mia feeds the post . . . ]

[Then Ella Grove (11) looks inside to a cutting Jonesie . . . ]

[The team traded blows for the first half of the half, matching shot for shot.  Here Mac has some free throws . . . ]

[Then the Cards dialed up the pressure to such an extent that Mr. Scott called the bridge and told Captain Kirk he didn’t know long his engines could hold up at that speed . . . ]

[Mia and Kaye were getting quick picks and layups . . . ]

[When the Eagles made it into the front court . . . ]

[Every turnover or defensive rebound led to a 5-player rush of Cardinals into the offensive end leading to easy baskets or offensive rebound put backs . . . ]

[As in Ella here, trying to beat Washington . . . ]

[The initial shot rolled off, but the Cardinals had 4 players there for a rebound . . . ]

[Under the basket inbounds play triggered by Mia . . . ]

[Jonesie joins the “press corps” . . . ]

[Mia and Kaye eyeball Washington . . . ]

[In the game within the game, Kaye defended Washington holding her 25 points.  And yes, it was a really good defensive job.  And Kaye herself scored 19 . . . ]

[And this may have been . . . ]

[2 of her 19 . . . ]

[Ella inbounded to Kaye in the corner . . . ]

[One of those halves where the Cards got on a roll and kept rolling – five players in full sprint downcourt with every rebound, every steal – a thing of beauty and a joy forever . . . ]

[Cards prepare to inbound the 2nd half . . . ]

[While Kohler aligns the frontline players . . . ]

[Mia inbounded to Kaye . . . ]

[Mia shoots some free throws . . . ]

[Kaye chases Washington along the baseline . . . ]

[The ref calls a halt to the activities for a Kim Kardashian sighting . . . ]

[Ella, 21 points, inbounded to a Mia, who had 12 points, breaking to the basket . . . ]

[Mac receives a pass . . . ]

[From Jonesie, 10 points, as the bigs moved outside to open cutting lanes . . . ]

[With the big lead, the Cards took the air out of the ball, trying to get the Eagles to come out of their zone defense . . . ]

[Kaye made a couple of free throws here . . . ]

[This sequence best displays Cardinal basketball – Kaye, who always seems to be the fastest player on the court, on a breakaway after a steal . . . ]

[Game over!  Very nice win.]

[Photo on loan from the Cardinal Connection.]

My coach said I run like a girl.  And I said if he ran a little faster he could too.  ~  Mia Hamm

Up Next:  Mia Hamm’s coach running?

February 19

Last year’s state runners-up off to a good start . . . 

[As with every hockey game, it all begins here . . . ]

[Jack Westlund (10) and Shane Birkeland (25) chase the puck into the Otter zone . . . ]

[Face-off in the Cardinal zone before a full-house . . . ]

[Cards score first, by Zach Wosepka (20).  We spent the entire game from this vantage point as a change of pace from up top on center ice.  And at one time were visited by Zach’s dad, who likely stopped for a visit with the Crane and Regent Anderson . . . ]

[Feeling out 1st period.  The Cards beat the Otters twice during the regular season, 7 – 2 and 4 – 0 . . . ]

[The pace picked up in the 2nd period – here a shot from Alex Jost (29) . . . ]

[Here Joe Westlund (10) and Joe Bigger (6) are wondering where all the other players went . . . ]

[Oh, there they are as Westlund turns to take a face-off . . . ]

[And Joe scored, on his shot, his tip, and another tip that went in . . . ]

[And here’s Zach again . . . ]

[Ben Doherty (7) on the far side in front of the student section all attired in hunting gear . . . ]

[Doherty and Jack Westlund on the draw . . . ]

[And Jack scored . . . ]

[Jack on the fly, known-to-be speedy player . . . ]

[Caleb Strong (3) completes the Doherty-Westlund line . . . ]

[Caleb, close up and personal . . . ]

[He scored a short handed goal . . . ]

[I think it was a teammate who said his hands are so good he can stick handle in a phone booth . . . ]

[After 2, the game was pretty much secure . . . ]

[My fan mates decided to call it a night after the 2nd period.  The Otters scored early in the 3rd – that only made the Cardinals mad as we scored right back.  This one by Ben Jenson, 11 seconds after the Otter goal . . . ]

[Just to show that the 2 goals were scored in the first 1:25 of the 3rd period . . . ]

[Your basic hockey arena overview . . . ]

[And the final goal, Zach Wosepka’s 2nd of the game . . . ]

[Goalie Bailey Rosch (31) had a solid game . . . ]

[Winding the game down . . . ]

[Strong with Jack Westlund . . . ]

[A final flurry around the Otter goal . . . ]

[Next stop, against the No. 2-seeded, Sartell Sabres.]

Street hockey is great for kids.  It’s energetic, competitive, and skillful.  And best of all it keeps them off the street.  ~  Author Unknown

Up Next:  Girls basketball

October 27

Granada

Continuing from Part 1, at a high point at the Alhambra . . . 

[The flags are telling us  – what?]

[Yup, that it was breezy and chilly.  Just ask this charming couple . . . ]

[Overlooking Nasrid Palace . . . ]

[Bill and Anne . . . ]

[With Granada . . . ]

[As the backdrop . . . ]

[Granada, in a hazy mist . . . ]

[Heading back down the stair well from where we were taking the preceding photos . . . ]

[Back to the gardens . . . ]

[From here our guide Anna bade us all adios, it was time to tour on our own . . . ]

[As we continued our garden tour . . . ]

[The rain began to become annoying . . . ]

[While the weather was uncomfortable, the rain brought the sense of smell into the picture – it was fresh . . . ]

[Where we were, with Anne pointing to the way out . . . ]

[The exit route . . . ]

[It was a long slippery downward slope in a pouring rain . . . ]

[I think I had to have the Super hold the umbrella so I could get these photos half way down.  Really, Washington Irving?  Washington Irving (1783 – 1859) was the son of a New York merchant, he was trained in law but gave it up for the family business. When it collapsed he turned to writing but also figured proximately in the diplomatic world. In England he was secretary to the American Embassy and then took up the post in Spain as Ambassador.  In 1829 he journeyed from Seville to Granada and then took up residence in the Alhambra palace when it was in an abandoned state. In Spain he wrote “Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada” (1829) and his best known work “Tales of the Alhambra” which was first published in London in 1832 under the title “The Alhambra; a series of tales and sketches of the Moors and the Spaniards”. It weaves a series of stories around the folk with whom he shared his life there. Irving was largely responsible, along with the French writers of the same period, for the Romantic image of Al-Andalus which persists to this day. The book met with immediate success wherever it was published. A best seller of its day (www.andalucia.com/history).]

[Our hike down the hill has led us to the Grenada Cathedral.  Recall the previous photo of this cathedral taken from above at the Alhambra . . . ]

[Unlike most cathedrals in Spain, construction was not begun until the sixteenth century, after acquisition of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada from its Muslim rulers in 1492. While its earliest plans had Gothic designs, such as are evident in the Royal Chapel of Granada by Enrique Egas, most of the church’s construction occurred when the Spanish Renaissance style was supplanting the Gothic in Spanish architecture. Foundations for the church were laid by the Enrique Egas starting from 1518 to 1523 atop the site of the city’s main mosque; by 1529, Egas was replaced by Diego de Siloe who worked for nearly four decades on the structure from ground to cornice, planning the triforium and five naves instead of the usual three (Wikipedia).]

[Wandering the cathedral’s exterior neighborhood . . . ]

[Just in time for a wedding?]

[Grand Plaza of the cathedral – we likely would have spent more time here in better weather . . . ]

[And . . .  we’re in . . . ]

[Granada’s cathedral has a rectangular base due to its five naves that completely cover the cross.. All of the five naves are staggered in height, the central one being the largest. At the foot of the cathedral there are two towers. The left one, called the tower of San Miguel, acts as a buttress which replaced the planned tower on that side.  The main chapel consists of a series of Corinthian columns on which capitals is the entablature and, over it, the vault, which houses a series of delicate stained glass windows.  The facade consists of a framed structure in the form of a triumphal arch with portals and canvas.  It consists of three pillars crowned by semicircular arches supported on pilasters . . .  The pilasters don’t have capitals but projections sculptured in the walls, as well as attached marble medallions.  Above the main door is located a marble tondo from “José Laughing on the Annunciation”.  Additionally, there is a vase with lilies at the top, alluding to the virgin and pure nature of the mother of God.  The sacrarium, raised between 1706 and 1759, follows the classic proportions of the whole, keeping the multiple columns of the transept the shapes of the compound of Siloam (Wikipedia).]

[The Super ordering paella?]

[From here, photos throughout.  The contrast in lighting just made one do so . . . ]

[We always say, sometimes all the cathedrals just seem to meld together.  Kinda liked this one though . . . ]

[Back at the hotel, time to check out social media.  What did we used to do?]

[Wondering where we were going to go for fine dining . . . ]

[Then a brain storm.  The weather wasn’t very good for outdoor wandering, so we just decided to eat at the hotel restaurant.  Most of these upscale hotels have excellent restaurants, but it’s like you never fish in the lake you live on.  So, here we are at the Garbo with wonderful ambience . . . ]

[It even comes with a fake bookcase . . . ]

[It appears we’re eating at proper Spanish dining time – 8:00 . . . ]

[The Super checks the menu . . . ]

[I had the duck breast.  On the morrow, we would be off to Sevilla.]

That’s all from Granada, folks!!

Spain travel tip: If bathroom genders are indicated by flamingos, the boy flamingo is the one with a hat.  I learned this the hard way.  ~  Dave Barry

Up Next: Cardinal sports

February 12

Ahhhh, hockey weather . . . 

[As you can see below, this year’s team was very young.  Freshmen and sophomores played major roles.  We knew they’d be talented, but the youth undoubtedly led to a unique season . . . ]

The original hockey helmet . . .

[Our Cards were hosting the Willmar Cardinals in the section semifinals . . . ]

[Refs’ and captains’ pre-game meeting.  The subject of said meeting can only be disclosed on a need-to-know basis . . . ]

[Our Cardinals won both regular season games from their Cardinals, in one game unleashing 69 shots on goal . . . ]

[We were certainly the favorites in the game . . . ]

[And Alex began pressing the attack early . . . ]

[And Hanley Block (28) scored within 3 minutes . . . ]

[Kaci Trosvig (25) and McKenna Ellingson (24) rush to join the celebration . . . ]

[The next face-off . . . ]

[Ali Castle (22) tussles in the corner . . . ]

[Meg Shercliffe (5) advances the puck . . . ]

[And . . . . . ]

[Then McKenna scored less than 6 minutes into the game . . . ]

[And then McKenna . . . ]

[Scored again.  It seemed like this game would no longer be in doubt . . . ]

[But then Willmar scored a bit of a sloppy goal with about one minute left in the period.  It obviously gave them hope . . . ]

[Then into the 2nd period, Willmar scored two quick and eary power play goals and all of a sudden we had a tie game?]

[Chastised by that . . . ]

[McKenna then completed her hat trick and we had the lead again . . . ]

[Then Mayson Toft (14) scored and we appeared to be on our way again with a two goal lead . . . ]

[But then Willmar scored about a minute after Mayson’s goal, and it was a one goal game heading into the final period . . . ]

[The 3rd period was tense all the way . . . ]

[Willmar pulled their goalie at the end . . . ]

[And Hanley got an empty-netter for her 2nd goal of the game . . . ]

[Our Cards win!!]

[The last home game for the seniors . . . ]

[The last line of fist bumps . . . ]

Hockey player?

Epitaph

The Cards played Fergus Falls two nights later in Willmar for the section title.  They played the kind of game that marked this “unique” season.  The two teams split during the regular season, and the Otters were the No. 1 seed based on overall record. But I think most likely thought the Cards the favorite (we won and outshot them 42 – 16 in the second game).  But as so often happened during the season, the Cards outshot the Otters again 33 – 16, but lost 3 – 1.  As in the Willmar game, the Otters had back-to-back power play goals the 2nd period, and despite the Cards 16 – 4 shot advantage in the 3rd, neither team scored again.  That ended a 7-year Cardinal run as section champs, and it may be the first time the Otters have won it.  So congratulations to them.

Particularly early in the season, the Cards were losing games where they had big shot advantages.  But even in those lost games, the young talent was displayed and it would only be a matter of time before it clicked.  The team won 8 of its last 9 until the championship game and finished with a 13 – 12 regular season record and 2 – 1 in the sections.  What jumps out at the end is that we outscored our opponents 100 – 66 and outshot them 1001 to 574!  Wow!  That would seem to indicate a team with a really good record?  But what anomalies:  We outshot Willmar 69 – 12 in our 1st game against them, but only won 2 – 1; we outshot Mound Westonka (a top ten team) 32 – 12, yet lost 6 – 0 (???); we outshot St. Cloud in the 1st game 35 – 13, yet lost 3 – 1.  Well, you get the idea.  Thanks to the team for a fun and interesting season.  I think they’ve given us a preview of what’s ahead, and that we’ll likely be section favorites again next year.

Post season, hockey players head for the beach . . . 

If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead.  ~  Erma Bombeck

Up Next:  Maybe Spain