Tudela: En route

We decided at the last minute to visit Tudela, the 2nd (to Pamplona) largest city in Navarra, because it's directly between Logrono and Lleida, and found that it is unlike any other Spanish town. Rather it reminds me of medinas in Morocco, i.e. maps/GPS don't really help, neither is looking up and around for landmarks, I'm always confused direction wise. To be truthful, it was really only a small area.

Tudela is also the only town that acknowledges/promotes that their very magnificent Romanesque cathedral is built on top of a mosque, which I suspect happened a lot. For a town in the middle of vegetable growing region (we just missed their vegetable festival), Tudela seemed rather sophisticated; an art exhibit opening on a Wednesday evening, on Tuesday, a talk on "Artificial Intelligence and Democracy."

It's an easy walk from the bus station + train station complex to Plaza de los Fueros, the city center. And at dusk.

We arrived at 12:30 and, after hitting the TI and checking in to our guesthouse, started touring the city straight away, first to Palacio Del Marques De San Adrian, a Renaissance palace from the 1500's.



And then to Museo Muñoz Sola de Arte Moderno which houses the art collection of César Muñoz Sola plus a few of his own works. In addition there was a temporary exhibition in the basement of women's fashion styles made from vegetables (plant-based). Cool. First, a Muñoz Sola self portrait.

by Gustave Surrand.

by Paul Lecompte.

Plant based fashion styles.



And finally a few portraits by Muñoz Sola himself.

There were a couple of full-wall murals around town. This one by artist C215.

And El Guitarrista by EL MAC.

Lots of tasty veggies at Eroski market.

The Last Judgement Portal of the Cathedral was pretty amazing.

The poster for the AI and Democracy talk mentioned above.

And the art exhibit opening mentioned above.

The Baroque, 1700's, Palace of the Marquis of Huarte now houses the municipal library and archives.





From the archives.

A portion of the old city wall.

We walked up to a view point below the ruins of the Alcazaba (fortified palace) with a great view to windmills on a far ridge and the Ebro River below.

And a view back to town: Catedral de Santa María (center).

Good view of the old mill, railroad tracks and the Rio Ebro.

View down to the old mill and local vegetable gardens.

The old mill is now a museum.

And finally a few shots of El Teatro Gaztambide (1936)

Estella on the Camino

Another day trip from Logrono was to Estella in Navarra. Estella was rather unremarkable, though the trip was not a complete waste of time.

• Estella was the capital of Navarra in the 12th century. In a country where only churches enjoy such longevity, the kings' palace in Estella is still standing.
• The kings' palace now houses paintings by Gustavo de Maeztu y Whitney (1887-1947), yet another of Picasso's contemporaries, who produced magnificent works.
• Estella is on the Ega River which has a beautiful shade of green.
• Estella is on the French Camino. At times, I felt there are more caminoists than towns people, now that weather is warmer.

On our way to the bus station we found ourselves behind a young woman outfitted in red, black, and white - a good omen.

On the bus to Estella (Spanish) or Lizarra (Basque).

The bus station is the former train station.

The River Ega = green.

We love single-artist art museums and this one for Gustavo de Maeztu, a contemporary of Picaso, and Navarra native was not an exception.



Self Portrait.

The Samaritans (right).

Iberian Land.

The Force.

In the Meadow (right), The Boyfriends of Vozmediano. (left)

Andalusian Couplet..

The Clubbing Couple.

Iglesia de San Pedro de la Rúa is perched on a hill and has a quiet cloister with many ineresting reliefs.









The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has an amazing Tympanum with representations of the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and more....Not to mention the Atlantes below.

City Streets.

Portal of the Romanesque Church of San Miguel.

We ate our lunch on a bench next to this Art Deco fountain.

We returned to the bus station via a greenway and rail trail.



The bus back to Logrono.