WHERE'S WENDY? Round 8
The terrace of the vinoteca at the Hotel Marques de Riscal, designed by Frank Gehry.
by Wendy Perrin
Okay, you found me: Yesterday I stopped by the stylish new hotel attached to the Marques de Riscal winery. It's in Elciego (which means "The Blind Man") in the heart of Spain's La Rioja wine region, and it also happens to be on Conde Nast Traveler's 2007 Hot List.
Marques de Riscal is one of Spain's oldest and most venerated wineries.
Afterward I stumbled upon fiesta preparations in a nearby hilltop village:
Tomorrow is the Day of San Pedro and San Pablo, so the town is busy celebrating.
This lady on stilts was rehearsing for a pageant yesterday evening.
Gigantes y cabezudos ("giants and big heads") is a medieval tradition: Performers on stilts don giant costumes and reenact legendary stories involving kings, queens, priests, mayors, and other powerful figures. Then they dance down the streets and the crowd follows, dancing along.
Local children watched the rehearsal for the giant puppet show while eating their merienda (mid-afternoon sandwiches) to keep their stomachs full till dinnertime, which can be as late as 11 p.m. Sunsets happen at 10 p.m. here in June.
And not far away sits this recent work of art.
Where am I? Name the town, the building behind the lady on stilts, and the structure between the town and the nearby mountains.
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The building in the field is Ysios vineyard/winery in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa, Spain.
The name of the building? I thought we agreed, no more buiding names!
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:05 PM
I'm going to guess the building is their town hall.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:06 PM
The Calatrava-designed Ysios winery
Vitoria Spain,
working on the building : 0)
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Is the name of the winery Calatrava Winery?
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:12 PM
OK LaGuardia
I found a picture labeled
Euskadi, ?lava, Laguardia
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 12:12 PM
PUERTA DE CARNICER?AS
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Oh, I see, Calatrava was the architect.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:15 PM
AYUNTAMIENTO NUEVO
Tambi?n se encuentra en la Plaza Mayor, que es porticada. Fue construido en el S.XIX y en su fachada tiene el escudo de la Villa.
Translation please LOL
http://www.hernandezrabal.com/espana/euskadi/alava/laguardia.htm
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 12:15 PM
Translation:
NEW CITY COUNCIL Also one is in the Greater Seat, than she is porticada. It was constructed in the S.XIX and in his facade it has the shield of Villa.
It's their council building, or I suppose one would call that a town hall. Was I right?
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:17 PM
PUERTA DE CARNICER?AS == Door of Slaughters?
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:19 PM
There seems to be two buildings that are called Ayuntamiento. Viejo and Nuevo, old and new. That one seems to be the new one, or Ayuntamiento Nuevo.
No confusion there!
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:24 PM
yes that translation is odd. That is what you get when people label pictures.
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 12:34 PM
guess it is not odd after all:
This wall was open to the outside through four gates.
One to the west; the gate of ?P?ganos? .
To the south; ? Mercadal? . .
To the southeast; the gate of ?San Juan? .
Northeast; ? Santa Engracia? .
The gate of ?Carnicer?as? (butcher's) , to the east, was open in the 15 th century .
my lesson for today! : P
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Apparently it is their council building, the town seat.
Still can't find an actual name for it. People just refer to it as a council building, or a judicial building.
It has the imperial blazon of Carlos V on it.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:45 PM
They also call that winery Ysios Bodega.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 12:48 PM
On that civil-townhall-judicial building behind the stiltwalker, there is a sign above the door that says "Banesto"
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 01:04 PM
what are you using to read that? X-ray vision??
Banesto is a bank!!!
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 01:08 PM
"I can see with the power of my mind!"
LOL
No, I didn't know that meant bank. Hmm.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 01:11 PM
Banks are more commonly called Banco, but Banesto must be the brand name like Citibank.
And it seems they sponsor the cycling team.
Google is my friend LOL
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 02:07 PM
Ah, I think it's called Casa Consistorial, which is bascially a town hall.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 03:05 PM
"Casa Consistorial" is written in black letters on the wall a little ways down from the sign that says "Banesto"
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 03:09 PM
Oh and LoriB, I wasn't reading "Banesto" on her picture, I found a picture of it that was taken straight on.
Hehe, re-reading what I wrote, I realized it sounded odd.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 03:45 PM
gosh I thought I "wasn't" seeing things. Well I did find another pic that shows the Banesto sign, but the plaque says "Plaza Mayor".
Will have to see what the Authority says - lol.
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 04:12 PM
The Plaza Mayor is the plaza in front of the building. There's also a street called Calle Mayor, which I think runs to the Plaza.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 04:19 PM
I do think we have to boycott the building names - no more, no more, no more LOL
Posted by: lorib | June 28, 2007 at 04:28 PM
LoriB, I agree completely!
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 04:29 PM
BTW, the town of Laguardia is called Biasteri in the Basque language.
Posted by: tracker1312 | June 28, 2007 at 09:28 PM
Hi Tracker and LoriB,
You two are a riot. You should start a radio talk show called something like "Trip Detective" or "Name That Monument."
When I asked you to name the building, honestly all I was looking for was "town hall" -- which Tracker got in comment #2. The town is indeed Laguardia -- which I think both of you deduced -- and the winery is indeed Ysios, designed by Spain's favorite homegrown architect, Santiago Calatrava.
Are you guys as exhausted as I am?!
Wendy
Posted by: WendyPerrin | June 28, 2007 at 11:40 PM
I can barely keep up with you and Tracker. Next trip I want to come and drink wine with the two of you!
Posted by: lorib | June 29, 2007 at 09:06 AM