The Minnesota Opera Company, in Alexandria, with the Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra, who’da thunk?
[My view of the festivities from my seat. Once planted, with a plate of hors d’oeuvres and a glass of wine in front of me, I tend not to move around much . . . ]
[Various members of the Opera Company were in town, off and on during the week, making presentations at several of our schools . . .
[Thanks again to Mahrie Ouray and the Garden Bar on 6th for hosting this event . . . ]
[No assembly required . . . ]
February 10
[Conductor Brad and the opera cast with “Conductor’s Notes” prior to commencement.]
[To be honest, I would not consider myself an opera fan. But I appreciate the abilities and skills of these performers. It’s too bad that the crowd may not have been what was expected, but again we were having a foul weather day. They missed these marvelous singers performing “unplugged” . . . ]
[To clear the stage for the opera cast, we stuck our orchestra in a hole in the stage. I thought they performed admirably insync with the opera singers. OK, I do admit I used to enjoy Tony Randall hosting “Live from the Met.” Randall noted that he became an avid opera fan when he discovered the genre was . . . well, the polite word would be “naughty.” For example, La Traviata was first performed in England on 24 May 1856 in Italian at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, where it was considered morally questionable, and “the heads of the Church did their best to put an injunction upon performance; the Queen refrained from visiting the theatre during the performances, though the music, words and all, were not unheard at the palace.” It was first performed in the United States by the Max Maretzek Italian Opera Company on 3 December 1856 in Italian at the Academy of Music in New York. George Templeton Strong noted in his diary: “People say the plot’s immoral, but I don’t see that it’s so much worse than many others, not to speak of “Don Giovanni,” which as put on the stage is little but rampant lechery,” while the “Evening Post” critic wrote: “Those who have quietly sat through the glaring improprieties of “Don Giovanni” will hardly blush or frown at anything in “La Traviata” (Wikipedia).]
Opera is where a guy gets stabbed in the back, and instead of dying, he sings. ~ Robert Benchley
It was a day of postponement make-ups; of a day long basketball Winter Classic; of girls and boys hockey and basketball teams all having home games, all of which could have been seen absent a previously scheduled meeting and an evening with members of the Minnesota Opera Company.
*It was actually “five for five” (but “four for four” was more alliterative) because the boys swiming team won its first conference title since 2005 . . .
[Yes, girls hockey sections have begun. And this first round quarter final game against Morris/Benson had already had two weather related postponements.]
[And yes, the score reported at the beginning is correct. The result was not unexpected, it was a mismatch on paper, yet it was still astounding . . . ]
[M/B has 5 7th-graders on their varsity roster. They just were not capable of keeping up with the bigger, faster, more experienced Cardinals . . . ]
[And once it has started, there is really no way to shut it down. By the nature of hockey, with shift changes every 90 seconds or so, all players suited up play the entire game . . . there are no “subs” to put in . . . ]
[I’ll give the Storm credit. They knew they were totally overmatched and just tried to make the best of it . . . ]
[They were often smiling while just enjoying playing hockey . . . ]
[We thought their sophomore goalie actually played very well – she made a lot of nice stops . . . ]
[Zeroing in on specific players, this is freshman Kaci Trosvig (25). Already a very accomplished player, she’s starting to remind me very much of her older sister, Kristin, who graduated last year, with her ability to circle in the offensive zone and maintain puck possession . . . ]
[An unknown Cardinal heading in on net . . . ]
[And it appears she scored . . . ]
[Here’s Kaci on the front porch . . . ]
[Another goal . . . ]
[With 19 goals, there was lots of hugging in this game . . . ]
[And again . . . ]
[Let’s go fist bump the bench . . . ]
[Oy! After period one . . . ]
[Start of period 2 . . . ]
[I took this 5-minute video early in the 2nd period. Owing to my good timing, it was the only 5-minute stretch in the entire game in which we didn’t score. But it gives you an idea of the athletic mismatch . . . ]
[And out on the point is sophomore defenseman, Ali Castle (22) . . . ]
[Number obscured with Kaci . . . ]
[Kaci circling behind the goal . . . ]
[Leading to another goal . . . ]
[Kaci and . . . ]
[Hanley always seem to be in front of the goal . . . ]
[After period 2. Oy, again!]
[The entire 3rd period was on running time. 11 different players scored, all 19 goals had at least one assist, 11 goals had two assists. We play Willmar in the semifinal.]
Alexandria Cardinals – 2, East Grand Forks Green Wave – 0
[We lost to the Green Wave, 7 – 1, earlier in the season. Our one bad game. Both teams are ranked in the top ten . . . ]
[So, we obviously wanted to make amends . . . ]
[But we would have to do it without our two leading scorers, Ben Doherty and Jack Westlund. Fortunately, Ben Jenson (9) gave us an early first period lead . . . ]
[Caleb Strong (3), without his usual linemates Doherty and Jack Westlund . . . ]
[Benson and Pesta attack . . . ]
[Matthew Carlsen (26) joins the fray . . . ]
[Strong with a point blank shot . . . ]
[Nope . . . ]
[Number unknown on the door step . . . ]
[Oh, it’s Joe Westlund (11) . . . ]
[Logan Croonquist (15) with Josiah Gronholz (4). It’s nice to have a Gronholz on the team again . . . ]
[After 2 periods. The shots are deceiving – theirs were from a long way out, and we missed the net on a few odd man rushes . . . ]
[3rd period, trying to hang on to that one goal lead. Here’s Zach Wosepka (20) and Alex Jost (29) . . . ]
[Zach . . . ]
[Cole Walters (23) in alone . . . ]
[Nope . . . ]
[Smothered by the Green Wave . . . ]
[And he’s down . . . ]
[I believe there was a tripping penalty . . . ]
[Revering lining up a shot . . . ]
[Jost looking for a tip . . . ]
[Pesta camping out . . . ]
[Here comes the puck!!]
[It’s still there!]
[Game over! Strong got an empty-netter at the end . . . ]
[Time for congrats all around . . . ]
[And especially for goalie, Bailey Rosch (31) . . . ]
[Our goalies pitched a double shutout on the day . . . ]
[Our girls and boys basketball teams both beat Becker that night. I, unfortunately, could not attend either as I was hobnobbing with the Minnesota Opera Company, who would be performing at the high school the next day.]
High sticking, tripping, slashing, spearing, charging, hooking, fighting, unsportsmanlike conduct, interference, roughing… everything else is just figure skating. ~ Author Unknown
Day 2 in Granada would be all about the Alhambra . . .
[Unfortunately, the weather was not going to cooperate . . . ]
[Photo op while waiting for tour commencement . . . ]
[Our goal . . . ]
[The Alhambra map – no, I do not know the photo bomber . . . ]
[The Super, Anne, and Bill with our tour guide, Anna . . . ]
[As good a place as any for: The Alhambra (“The Red One”) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century. After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition), and the palaces were partially altered in the Renaissance style. Alhambra’s last flowering of Islamic palaces was built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain during the decline of the Nasrid dynasty, who were increasingly subject to the Christian Kings of Castile. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the buildings occupied by squatters, Alhambra was rediscovered following the defeat of Napoleon, who had conducted retaliatory destruction of the site. The rediscoverers were first British intellectuals and then other north European Romantic travelers. It is now one of Spain’s major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country’s most significant and well-known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inspiration for many songs and stories (Wikipedia).]
[The Alhambra covers 35 acres . . . ]
[The Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens are high up in the hills, overlooking the city of Granada. It’s a great place to just walk around and enjoy the views. The outer parts of the gardens include fruit trees (figs, pomegranates, walnuts, and more) along with a vegetable garden (andhereweare.net).]
[There’s some obvious logisitics in play. How many, and when, tour groups assault the facility, because the Alhambra attracts two million visitors annually. And watch out for those pokey things on umbrellas . . . ]
[Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. In every case, the exterior was left plain and austere. Sun and wind were freely admitted. Blue, red, and a golden yellow, all somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure, are the colors chiefly employed (Wikipedia).]
[Spectacular views in even the absence of sunshine . . . ]
[A Granada sighting in the distance . . . ]
[Anne and Bill stop for a photo op . . . ]
[The Generalife Gardens include the Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Water Channel or Water-Garden Courtyard), which has a long pool framed by flowerbeds, fountains, colonnades and pavilions, and the Jardín de la Sultana (Sultana’s Garden or Courtyard of the Cypress). The former is thought to best preserve the style of the medieval Persian garden in Al-Andalus (andhereweare.net/)].]
[Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra . . . ]
[Palacio de Generalife (“Garden of the Architect”) . . . ]
[Arch views abound . . . ]
[And here’s where you had to be careful not to get separated from your group . . . ]
[The detail of the arabesques . . . ]
[Granada, the city of . . . ]
[Anne and Bill looking up at where we were for the Granada overview shot . . . ]
[The rock design walkways highlight the area designed as a public park. Why yes, it is unusual to use “design” twice in one sentence . . . ]
[The ladder of water, access to the highest area of the Generalife . . . ]
[Photo ops before climbing the stairs . . . ]
[And now we’re up top with views down on the gardens . . . ]
[We’re walking back down while the troops gather around Anna . . . ]
[Looking back up from whence we came . . . ]
[This would be our ultimate exit from the Alhambra (Part 2) in pouring rain . . . ]
[Archaeological excavations . . . ]
[More areas of archaeological discovery . . . ]
[Parador de San Francisco is a tourist accommodation belonging to the national network. It is located on the old site that occupied the Convent of San Francisco from the 15th century, inside the site of what is the fortress palace of the Alhambra. It was built by the Catholic Monarchs in 1494 Royal Street above a Nasrid palace where important remains are still preserved (Wikipedia).]
[Walking down hill to a “break area,” that’s Palacio de Carlos V at the bottom on the right . . . ]
[The Super pointing at – a hitching post for tall horses? – on Carlos V Palace . . . ]
[The Palace of Charles V is a Renaissance building in Granada, located on the top of the hill of the Assabica, inside the Nasrid fortification of the Alhambra. The building has never been a home to a monarch and stood roofless until 1957 (Wikipedia).]
[The Super is enjoying what we were hearing from Anna – I wish I could remember what it was?]
[Architectural details as we exit the palace . . . ]
[The Alcazaba, a fortress, is one of the oldest part of the Alhambra, as is the case of the Vermilion Towers (Torres Bermejas). It is thought that before it was built and before the Muslims arrived to Granada, there were already several constructions in the same area. The first historical reference to the existence of the Alcazaba dates from the 9th century and it is believed that it was then built by Sawwar ben Hamdun during the fights between Muslims and muwalladins [Christians who converted to the Islam and lived among the Muslims (www.alhambradegranada.org).]
[Anna explains the finer points of its construction . . . ]
[The Torres Bermejas (Vermilion Towers), on Monte Mauror, are a well-preserved Moorish fortification, with underground cisterns, stables, and accommodation for a garrison of 200 men. They predate the Alhambra, and their origins are unknown (www.davidpride.com).]
[And here we’re climbing up for even better views . . . ]
[We’re going up there?]
[More excavations . . . ]
[And this is plumbing – a public sewer system . . . ]
[But I repeat, we’re going up there?]
[And early pizza oven?]
[Isn’t this high enough for overviews?]
[Well, actually not . . . ]
[Great view of the Granada Cathedral . . . ]
[Why yes, we are going up there . . . ]
[The view across the city to Sacromonte, sometimes also called Sacramonte, a traditional neighborhood in the eastern area of the city. It is located on the hillside and in the valley of Valparaíso, opposite the Alhambra – emblem of Granada. I t occupies both banks of the Darro River, and is traditionally the neighborhood of the Granadian Gypsies, who settled in Granada after the Christian conquest of the city in 1492 (Wikipedia).]
Addendum
The Super took lots of photos here. It’s time to feature some of her work.
[And we’ll continue from here in Part 2. I can’t recall if I mentioned previously that I blew out my left shoulder hefting luggage on the train ride from Barcelona to Madrid? Well, that’s why in this signature pose I can’t lift my left arm any higher than this. When I got home, the medical establishment diagnosed the problem as an impinged bursa. After three weeks of physical therapy, I am able to move my arm everywhere – but 3+ months later it’s not completely healed. But thank you for asking . . . ]
How lazily the sun goes down in Granada, it hides beneath the water, it conceals the Alhambra. ~ Ernest Hemingway
Who are these guys and who lets them in the building?
[It’s amazing how often the JV game turns out to be a reflection of the upcoming varsity game. Knowing the game against Sauk Rapids-Rice was likely not to be competitive, I would have opted for going to the boys hockey game. But I had a scheduling faux pas and had promised Brad the basketball game. It turned out good. The old girls hockey super fans (us!) always preferred the girls game because when the boys have testosterone flair-ups it’s like a 20-car pile-up on the interstate with more players in the penalty box than on the bench – and that, apparently, is what happened last night . . . ]
[Did you check the security cameras for any Kim Kardashian sightings?]
[It was a combined “Fight Cancer” night with glow sticks distributed to one and all.]
[Cardinal assistant coach Julie Wrobel lines the teams up for photos . . . ]
[Pre-tipoff meanderings . . . ]
[And here we go . . . ]
[McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35) gets the tap . . . ]
[Kaye Paschka (3) begins the assault on the record books . . . ]
[Under the watchful eye of the game constabulary . . . ]
[Ella Grove (11) is now in a groove where she’s shooting lights out . . . ]
[And Kaye slam dunked a bunch of free throws in a row . . . ]
[The defensive hard line . . . ]
[Oh-oh, the ball must loose and airborne!]
[Mia going for the straight up steal again. McKenzie and Emily Jones (33) have her back . . . ]
[The Storm held on to that one . . . ]
[Mia inbounding to Jonesie cutting off a back screen by Alayna Strand (25) . . . ]
[Of course, we applied the fullcourt press the whole first half . . . ]
[Jaya Hatlestad (13) inbounds to Mia . . . ]
[Who employs the old “hidden face” trick . . . ]
[Everybody cut! Although the game was not competitive, it’s really fun to watch this team when it gets on a roll. With fast tempo defense and offense, the whole team takes off and runs when we get the ball. And this game was the best I’ve ever seen in terms of passing on the fly and interior passing. Lots of beautiful assists for layups.]
[Pretty much the expected half time score . . . ]
[Then the delightful halftime show . . . ]
[First, the kindergarten and first grade dance team . . . ]
[Then the 3rd and 4th grade old pros . . . ]
[(I wonder if any of them can shoot the “3”?)]
[The 2nd half starts with Mia attempting another pickpocket move – she gets an amazing number of clean steals when the opposition is standing still . . . ]
[It’s hard to dribble through our defense without someone knocking the ball loose.]
[Again, the game went to running time with 8 minutes left, and the whole team played. Here Nikki Botzet (31) got a freebie – she also made a 3 . . . ]
[Pretty much a reflection of the teams’ respective abilities. Six games left on the regular season schdule.]
[And, of course, the other stars of the game.]
A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning. ~ Billie Jean King
Leaving the game this night, the polar vortex was gone, but it was still more than wintery. As we walked to the car, the snow pack crunched under foot. And I thought, “I like this.” It’s winter, it’s basketball, it’s just the way it’s suppose to be.
[The JV reflected what would subsequently happen in the varsity game as well. Rocori, at this time, just cannot match up with us physically and athletically . . . ]
[Before the game even started Ella Grove (11) responded to a reported Kim Kardashian sighting . . . ]
[Like a successful sports bar, you need good wings . . . ]
[The Card wings are 6′ 1 1/2″ Emily Jones (33) and 6′ Ella . . . ]
[McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35) and Mia McGrane (5) ready for the opening tap . . . ]
[And the ball is airborne . . . ]
[And Mac has it . . . ]
[Early on Kaye Paschka (3) finishes a breakaway . . . ]
[This was a sight that would be repeated often in the game . . . ]
[And here Kaye’s framed by the Cardinal backdrop . . . ]
[Cards on defense . . . ]
[Making things really tough for the Spartans . . . ]
[And eventually Jonesie corrals the ball and outlets to Mia . . . ]
[Likely leading to a fastbreak lay-up (lexicographer’s can’t seem make up their minds on this: lay up, layup, and lay-up are all used) . . . ]
[This is one minute and 44 seconds into the game. The Cards had their mojo back and have regained their swagger . . . ]
[The full-court press often lead to turnovers and immediate lay-ups . . . ]
[Jonesie in particular had a big scoring start . . . ]
[Ella on a drive to the hoop . . . ]
[An “and one”?]
[Yes, it was over at the half . . . ]
[Kaye defends the inbounds to start the second half . . . ]
[Well, maybe not yet . . . ]
[This kind of mismatch is tough for both teams . . . ]
[The Cards played everybody with substantial minutes for all . . . ]
[Wrapping up coverage with Jonesie at the line . . . ]
[Followed by Alayna Strand (25) . . . ]
[Because of score differential, the game went to running time the final 9 minutes, and those minutes were largely played by the junior varsity. Of concern, however, MacKenzie rolled an ankle in the first half and never returned to the game (she appeared to be walking fine at the boy’s game the following night), and Cate Bloom did not suit up?]
February 1
We drove to the game in the glow of a beautiful sunset. The first game in several months we were able to do so. A clear signal that spring is just around the corner – that and having to swerve to keep from hitting a groundhog . . .
[The JV game was promising – a great 2nd half by the Cards generated a substantial victory . . . ]
[The set up: The Cards were coming in on a 5-game winning streak. The Cards had beaten Fergus Falls at their place earlier this year. The Otters were coming in on a 4-game losing streak. In their previous game, they only scored 39 points in a loss to Little Falls. The Cards had beaten Little Falls 90 – 44. In light of all of the above, logically Fergus won handily. It’s why you play the game . . . ]
[Card guard Kristen Hoskins (21) in warm-ups . . . ]
[Card center Treyton Thompson (42) in warm-ups . . . ]
[Treyton had been invited by the Gophers to attend a recent home game . . . ]
[Come out fighting at the bell. No hitting below the waist. Actually, just no hitting . . . ]
[Preparing for the opening tip . . . ]
[At 6’11”, Treyton won it easily . . . ]
[Despite that, Fergus fielded the tap – looking back, it was an omen . . . ]
[Treyton follows the ball flight under the gaze of the school photographer . . . ]
[Anders Hedberg (22) launches a 3. I can’t remember the result on this shot. I do remember that Fergus was 8 for 8 on 3-point shots in the first half (then made their first attempt to start the 2nd half). Well, that wasn’t good for the home team!]
[Here Treyton is guarded by a large body, 6’9″ freshman for the Otters . . . ]
[When not guarded by the freshman, No. 22 in the photo, also big athlete took over the job . . . ]
[Anders with another 3 attempt. The Otters did a good job of blocking Treyton off the boards . . . ]
[No. 23 for the Otters is a freshman. He was 6 for 6 on 3’s and finished with 25 points. 6’4″ sophomore guard Colton Roderick is out for the Cardinals. That gave Fergus a size advantage at guard – it was telling . . . ]
[At the half, the Cards had some ground to make up. Unfortunately, we started the 2nd half with turnovers that led to a 7 – 0 run by the Otters . . . ]
[The school photographer catches the girls team sitting in the front row . . . ]
[Kristen inbounds to start the half . . . ]
[And starts the offense . . . ]
[Free throw shooting was OK, from the floor not quite as good . . . ]
[The Cards amped up their pressure defense and cut the largest gap in half . . . ]
[Trey Hoepner (0) and Carrson Jones (11) tracking No. 23 . . . ]
[I thought Carrson had the best game for the Cards. He somehow manages to drive through areas that appear to be totally clogged . . . ]
[Write this one off and start anew with the next game . . . ]
I don’t want to shoot my mouth in my foot, but those are games we can win. ~ Sherman Douglas
[But before we left for Granada we had to wake up in Madrid . . . ]
[Then go up to the rooftop to view the sunrise . . . ]
[A final look down on our neighborhood. Rush hour begins early in Madrid . . . ]
[Then we boarded a bus for our 4 1/2 ride to Granada – 420 km (260 miles) straight south . . . ]
[Unknown obelisk in the middle of somewhere along the highway . . . ]
[Unknown fire in the middle of somewhere along the highway . . . ]
[Olives! With the Sierra Morena mountain range as a backdrop . . . ]
[Olive trees are, literally, everywhere. Spain has over 300 million olive trees and produces 40 per cent of the world’s olive oil. Andalucia is the largest olive growing area on the planet . . . ]
[No olive trees was a rare sight . . . ]
[Settled in for the long ride . . . ]
[As we near Granada, a small village tucked amidst the olive trees . . . ]
[Granada, we are here! Specifically, checking in at the Hotel Melia . . . ]
[Bags to the room, freshen up, and hit the streets just outside our hotel . . . ]
[Along a block-long colonnade . . . ]
[Where we burst upon a multi-street intersection. This is the Hotel NH Victoria in the historical center of Granada . . . ]
[Equestrian sculpture on the roof, Ayuntamiento, Barrio San Matias-Realejo, Plaza del Carmen . . . ]
[Three visages from the same original – a new record!]
[This is Granada. Spanish is the native tongue here. English is the money maker! The cigarette butt in the lower right corner offers a hint of authenticity . . . ]
[I don’t remember the place, but looking at these photos again it was one of my favorite meals on the whole trip . . . ]
[The food, the portions, the beverages, the ambience – everything seemed good!]
[Again, my favorite aspect of Old Europe . . . ]
[Plaza de Mariana Pineda – Mariana de Pineda y Muñoz, generally known as Mariana Pineda, (1 September 1804 in Granada – 26 May 1831 in Granada) was a Spanish liberalist heroine . . . ]
[A continuation through the Mariana Pineda plaza . . . ]
[Bill points out the finer points . . . ]
[A major book sale was in the offing. What better place to hold one but on the plaza of a liberalist . . . ]
[Book sales stands abounded . . . ]
[Yes, we actually were going in seach of books . . . ]
[The weather and/or the time of day or day of the week may have been affecting attendance . . . ]
[The Super and the young man were admiring the size the statue’s . . . feet?]
[And end of the first evening in Granada with a gelato . . . ]
How lazily the sun goes down in Granada, it hides beneath the water, it conceals in the Alhambra! ~ Ernest Hemingway
[So, it was cold outside – damn cold! The school would be shuttered for the next two days as locals try to figure out how to keep the chickadees warm! But the game was on . . . ]
[I missed all of the JV game (I guess we won) but arrived in time for the coaching staff warm-ups. We learned this week that [t]he National High School Athletic Coaches Association has just announced Wendy Kohler as a 2019 National Basketball Coach of the Year Finalist. Eight finalists from across the nation will be honored.]
[And Kaye Paschka (3) was honored as being the first player to fall under the gaze of my camera lens. The Cards had broken a 3-game shooting slump in the previous game and appeared to be back on the road to recovery . . . ]
[I couldn’t find the camera’s “on” switch for the opening tip (at my age, it happens), so this was the first game action. Mia McGrane (5) got us off to a running start, hitting our first 3, and then a couple of free throws . . . ]
[With friends McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35), Kaye, and Ella Grove (11) . . . ]
[Congrats from those teammates while the Lumberjacks’ 25 gives her the “eye” . . . ]
[The ‘Jacks came in with a good record, and we soon discovered they had a lot of players who could shoot . . . ]
[If that was a pass to an open player in the corner, it likely led to a 3 . . . ]
[The Cards aggressive defense made it hard for the ‘Jacks to find good shots, but they handled the pressure pretty well . . . ]
[All 3 of the ‘Jacks in this shot seemed to hit 3’s whenever they were open. Fortunately, we didn’t let them get open that much . . . ]
[Ella in a maze of white jerseys . . . ]
[Mia and Mac calling, “Here I am” . . . ]
[The Cards are turning back down court like a basket was scored . . . ]
[Mia applying back court pressure . . . ]
[Emily Jones (33) in the middle of a 10-player convention under the basket . . . ]
[And up she goes for a two-handed stuff . . . ]
[All eyes have it. I don’t know . . . ]
[Ella had had a 3-point shooting hot streak; then slumped with all the team . . . ]
[She appears to have recovered as she was 3-for-3 on 3’s in the 2nd half . . . ]
[And she’s been a good foul shooter all year . . . ]
[Alayna Strand (25) provides speed and quickness off the bench – a likely starter next year . . . ]
[At the half. It was good. We were turning the game into a track meet, and it was great to see the team get out and run enmasse. Our speed was the difference, as it usually is . . . ]
[Mia on defense . . . ]
[Then Ella . . . ]
[Then Alayna lets loose and outlet pass as we head the other way . . . ]
[And then she shoots some free throws . . . ]
[Ella from underneath . . . ]
[Looks good?]
[I think so . . . ]
[The Cards got up to about a 30-point lead . . . ]
[But it closed a bit at the end. The Cards were back in their pre-slump mode. The five starters scored 16, 13, 12, 10, and 10. With that kind of balance we usually win.]
They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds. ~ Wilt Chamberlain
[This small stone slab in Madrid’s city square marks the geographical center of Spain. The marker sets the Zero Kilometer point, the point from which distances are measured in Spain—specifically, it’s the starting point for measuring the the distances of the country’s six national roads, A-1 to A-6. Kilometre Zero is also the starting point for Madrid’s numbered streets; the closer to the Km 0 mark, the lower the street number. These traditional markers are common to find in many countries, often located in the capital city. (It’s believed they were also traditionally used to measure driving distances in guidebooks, as the spot where drivers marked their odometers at zero.) The most famous milestone marker however is the “Golden Milestone” (Milliarium Aureum) in Ancient Rome, which is believed to be the source of the saying “all roads lead to Rome.” Spain’s Kilometre Zero is in the middle of Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, the historic semi-circular city square. The slab is quite easy to miss, situated on the ground outside the clock tower on the old Post Office building. (Incidentally the old clock is also believed to have kept official time in Spain.) The plaque was placed here in 1950 and replaced with a newer stone in 2002 and again in 2009. It was turned around 180 degrees by mistake in 2002 during a reform of the square. The plaque was renewed in 2009, during the roadworks of the Puerta del Sol square, and this time placed in the right poistion. (http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kilometre-zero) The Super and Anne are the models.]
[The Congress of Deputies is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain’s legislative branch. It is located in the Palace of the Parliament. It has 350 members elected by constituencies (matching fifty Spanish privnces and two autonomous cities by proportional representation using the D’Hondt method. Deputies serve four-year terms. The President of the Congress of Deputies is the analogue to a speaker and presides over debates (Wikipedia).]
[From this government area, looking down to the Fountain of Neptune located in the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo . . . ]
[Cervantes’ statue in Plaza de las Cortes . . . ]
[And herrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee’s, Neptune!]
[The Paseo del Prado is one of the main boulevards. The Paseo del Prado is the oldest historical urban in Madrid and was declared Bien de Interes Cultural. It runs north-south between the Plaza de Cibeles and the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V (or Plaza de Atocha), with the Plaza de Canovas del Castillo (Neptune, and of the Ritz and Palace five-star hotels) lying approximately in the middle. The Paseo del Prado forms the southern end of the city’s central axis. This densely tree-lined, wide and centric avenue is a landmark for the city residents and the location of important cultural and tourist spots in the city, including the so-called Golden Triangle of Art, which encompasses three museums, including the Prado (Wikipedia).]
[In other words, it was a really cool walk between the plazas . . . ]
[Fountain of Apollo, 1803 . . . ]
[City Hall on Plaza de Cibeles . . . ]
[The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city. It sits at the intersection of Calle de Alcala (running from east to west), Paseo de Recoletos (to the North) and Paseo del Prado (to thesouth) (Wikipedia).]
[Per Sebastian, this is where the Madrid citizenry comes to celebrate major soccer (OK, futbol) victories . . . ]
[The “weather ball”?]
[City Hall, closer upper . . . ]
[Some kind of artsy thing on the plaza . . . ]
[Banco de Espana, Spain’s central reserve bank (with the golden “weather ball” on top) . . . ]
[No leo español . . . ]
[Where everything is in relation to Puerta de Alcalá (Alcala Gate) . . . ]
[The Puerta de Alcalá is a Neo-classiclal monument in the Plaza de la Independencia. It is regarded as the first modern post-Roman triumphal arch built in Europe, older than the similar monuments Arc de Triomphe in Paris and Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. It was a gate of the former Walls of Philip IV. It stands near the city center and several meters away from the main entrance to the Parque del Buen Retiro. The square is bisected by Alcala Street, although the street does not cross through the monument, and it is the origin of the Alfonso XII, Serrano and Olózaga streets. It was inaugurated in 1778 (Wikipedia). This is the West side, front view.]
[Puerta de la Independencia, the northwest gate to Retiro park . . . ]
[Guide Sebastian is saying adios, leaving us all alone in the big city . . . ]
[From the East (“B”) side?]
[The grounds on the way to . . . ]
[We stopped for a rest and refreshments in the park . . . ]
[The service was indifferent, but it was a lovely day . . . ]
[María Cristina de Borbón, queen consort of Spain, located in front of the Cason de Buen Retiro . . . ]
[And Maria from the front . . . ]
[And then down the hill to The Prado . . . ]
[The Prado Museum is the main Spanish national art museum. It is widely considered to have one of the world’s finest collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and the single best collection of Spanish art. Founded in 1819, it also contains important collections of other types of works. El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and it is considered one of the greatest art museums in the world. The numerous works by Francisco Goya, the single most extensively represented artist, as well as by Hieronymus Boasch, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian, and Diego Velazquez, are some of the highlights of the collection . . . ]
[The collection currently comprises around 8,200 drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures, in addition to a large number of other works of art and historic documents. As of 2012, the museum displayed about 1,300 works in the main buildings, while around 3,100 works were on temporary loan to various museums and official institutions. The remainder were in storage. The museum received 2.8 million visitors in 2012 (Wikipedia).]
[My guess is Goya . . . ]
[The base of Goya with a . . . well, interesting, expression . . . ]
[My guess is Velazquez . . . ]
[There is free entry to the museum after 5:00 p.m. (as I recall). But the line forms early and goes on for blocks. We were at the back of the line, and it took over a half an hour to get to here. But we got in. As you could see from the beginning signage, the Prado is 200 years old this year and is undergoing an extensive makeover . . . ]
[At long last, the entrance is at hand . . . ]
[Prado “stuff” . . . ]
[And we’re in!]
[After I took this shot, I was immediately put upon by several art aficionado museum employees. My life passed before my very eyes. Needless to say, I could take no more interior photos . . . ]
[Back to our hotel, then across the street for a nosh . . . ]
[Bill found a nice beer . . . ]
[And I found these deli sandwiches I’m going to dream about again tonight . . . ]
[“Home” to the Dear Hotel . . . ]
[Rooftop excitement . . . ]
[With a full moon over Madrid . . . ]
[Looking down on the street from whence we just came. On the morrow we will be on the move again . . . ]
Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. ~ Benjamin Disraeli
After four memorable days in Barcelona, a city that totally lived up to its pre-visit billing, it was time to move on. Up next was Spain’s capital city . . .
[From Barcelona to Madrid by high speed rail . . . ]
[Having a pre-trip nosh in the Barcelona train depot . . . ]
[Como offered a sense of Minnesota . . . ]
[A train with airplane services . . . ]
[But the seats were much comfier, of course . . . ]
[Moving apace – 617 km (383 miles) in under 3 1/2 hours . . . ]
[Arriving in Madrid . . . to a botanical garden train depot?] ]
[Getting organized before going out to find the Dear Hotel (see map up top) . . . ]
[Checked into our hotel, then hit the streets. The first storefront we noticed . . . ]
[The direction of our walk, likely looking for a fine dining experience . . . ]
[Never went over to see what Nebraska was all about . . . ]
[But we’re obviously in the heart of the city . . . ]
[Though this appears to be a significant piece of inner-city statuary . . . ]
[I could find nothing about it on the Google machine?]
[Plaza Callao square on Gran Via street (Gran Vía is the most famous and popular touristic street in Spain) . . . ]
[We have a side street goal in mind, Anne leading the way . . . ]
[As I recall, it turned out to be a longer walk than it appeared on the map . . . ]
[And looking in on Plaza Mayor. Let’s have a look . . . ]
[First shopping for lunch in the plaza . . . ]
[The Plaza Mayor is a major public space in the heart of Madrid. It was once the centre of Old Madrid. It was first built (1580–1619) during the Habsburg period of Philip III’s reign. Only a few Spanish blocks away is another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is for the people of Madrid and tourists to shop, walk around, eat, and enjoy the outdoors (Wikipedia).]
[Casa de la Panadería in the plaza . . . ]
[Meanwhile, still perusing possible dining venues . . . ]
[Aha, found. A place to peruse maps and ponder being amidst yet another reconstruction area . . . ]
[And whom amongst us doesn’t enjoy sangria?]
[I’m having a good time! And whom amongst us doesn’t enjoy gazpacho?]
[A bronze statue of King Philip III at the center of the square, created in 1616 by Jean Boulogne and Pietro Tacca. Giambologna’s equestrian statue of Philip III dates to 1616, but it was not placed in the center of the square until 1848. The statue was a gift from the Duke of Florence at that time. It was Queen Isabe II ordered to move it from Casa de Campo to become the centerpiece of the Plaza Mayor (Wikipedia).]
[Always wondered about the collar of the times – a fashion statement, or a neck brace?]
[On the move again . . . ]
[Appears to be an official building, but all I know for sure is that it is officially a building . . . ]
[Because I’m a very good reader, I know this is the Hotel Plaza Mayor . . . ]
[Generically identified as Government buildings in old Madrid center . . . ]
[Ditto . . . ]
[Self-identified . . . ]
[Ditto . . . ]
[Getting “the finger” from a restaurant and lounge . . . ]
[Our Madrid guide, Sebastian . . . ]
[King Charles III on Puerta del Sol . . . ]
[Hotel Moderno I believe translates to modern hotel (can’t fool me) . . . ]
[No leo español . . . ]
[Ditto . . . ]
[After a three year absence, the iconic Tio Pepe neon sign, which has dominated the skyline of Madrid’s central square, La Puerta del Sol, since 1936, has returned to its rightful place on the 8thMay 2014 (www.tiopepe.co.uk/).]
[No leo español . . . ]
[Calderon de la Barca monument, Plaza Santa Ana . . . ]
[Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Barreda González de Henao Ruiz de Blasco y Riaño, usually referred as Pedro Calderón de la Barca; 17 January 1600 – 25 May 1681), was a dramatist, poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age. During certain periods of his life he was also a soldier and a Roman Catholic priest. Born when the Spanish Golden Age theatre was being defined by Lope de Vega, he developed it further, his work being regarded as the culmination of the Spanish Baroque theatre. As such, he is regarded as one of Spain’s foremost dramatists and one of the finest playwrights of world literature (Wikipedia).]
[Intrigued by plaza goings-on . . . ]
[Ahhh, be alert – Segways on the loose!]
[Ahhh, more fun than a Segway . . . ]
[Hotel ME Madrid Reina Victoria . . . ]
[The street of Cervantes is a public road located in Madrid de los Austrias (district of Cortes, district Center), which descends, in a north-south direction, from the street of Leon to the square f Canovas del Castillo, on the promenade meadow. Before it was called Calle de Francos, until in 1835 it took the name of the author of Don Quixote. Among its oldest buildings is the dedicated House-Museum of Loe de Vega, within the general set of the Barrio de las Letras (of “the muses or comedians”). Like many other writers, poets and authors of comedies, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a habitual neighbor of the neighborhood that for that reason would be known centuries later as a “neighborhood of the muses.” (Wikipedia)]
[Our guide, Sebastian, could not have been more effusive about his country’s pride in Cervantes, and this neighborhood of the muses . . . ]
[Don Quixote and Sancho . . . ]
[Don Quixote and Sancho?]
[Lope Félix de Vega y Carpio was a Spanish playwright, poet, novelist and marine. He was one of the key figures in the Spanish Golden Age of Baroque Literature (Wikipedia).]
[The Super’s kind of place! We’ll finish Madrid in Part 2.]
Once a year go someplace you’ve never been before. ~ Dalai Lama
Our Cardinals were hosting the Willmar Cardinals. One week earlier their Cardinals ended our Cardinals run at an undefeated season winning by one point. This rematch also included the penultimate performance of the Alexandria Aces, who are coming to the end of a 30-year run.
[The JV continued their excellent season . . . ]
[All the Cardinal captains meet the referees at midcourt to discuss string theory . . . ]
[Then the shooting warm-ups began . . . ]
[Our Cards were looking sharp . . . ]
[Coach Kohler meets with the starters prior to game start . . . ]
[The content of the discussion is on a need-to-know basis . . . ]
[Rockin’ ‘n rollin’ . . . ]
[And we’re off and jumping – McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35) for us . . . ]
[The opening tips this year, for both girls and boys, always seem to end with further swatting at the ball after landing . . . ]
[The Cards jumped out to a quick 9 – 3 lead and all seemed to be OK again in Camelot. Here’s Ella Grove (11) patrolling center court . . . ]
[Kaye Paschka (3) has continued a long Cardinal tradition of having a defensively pesky point guard . . . ]
[McKenzie appears to be receiving a pass from Ella with Kaye and Mia McGrane (5) also on the scene . . . ]
[Kaye tracking down an opposing Cardinal . . . ]
[Mia at the free throw line, now also joined on court by Cate Bloom (21) . . . ]
[Kaye and Ella with full-court pressure . . . ]
[And Kaye again in pursuit of No. 11 . . . ]
[Our Cards shooting continued to be cold, a continuation of now a 3-game slump. Our defense was keeping us in the game . . . ]
[Then the Aces performed at the half. The program is ending after a long nationally-recognized run . . . ]
[Although I’m sure the group’s founder, Larry Novotny (in the background with camera), would say it was time, the kids in this age group (5 – 12, boys and girls) are now playing on traveling basketball teams instead . . . ]
[The always grand finale ball spin to the ceiling . . . ]
[Willmar came out in the 2nd half and couldn’t miss while our shooting slump continued. You just have to bow your heads to them for playing a great game. Willmar is still undefeated in conference while our Cards have lost 3 in row . . . ]
[With Kaye at the line, I just have to remind the team that a couple weeks ago they played a near perfect half against Fergus Falls – shooting 78% and making 4 of 6 3-pointers . . . ]
[A final note from your old Cub Reporter: All slumps end. Just look to your classmates on the girls hockey team. For most of the year they had a real problem scoring goals despite almost always outshooting their opponents. Now they have scored 30 goals in their last four games! Just keep firing away . . . ]
Shooting is just like toenails. They may fall off occasionally, but you know they’ll always come back. ~ Charles Johnson
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