Zulo sculpture

A beautiful bronze sculpture by Victor Ochoa to honour all victims of terrorism:

 

Colour and fun :O)

 Bougainvillea scrambling over a fence

 Breakfast with boatmade greek yoghurt and bee pollen.

 Greg flexing our secondary Genoa.

 DUCK!

 

 That old chestnut waiting for the Cruise ship passengers.

Fabulous mermaid paving stones.

More Craft

Here's the basic Tunisian crochet stitch project I have been working on this week:

 Got really excited in the maritime museum on the quay here as they have recovered sunken treasure and artifacts, some dating back to the Cartheginians ( 1,500 BC). There are piles of gold coins and remnants of the coin bags...take a look at the stitch used in this coin bag:

This looks Tunisian to me. Hardly surprising I suppose. Funny bit of synchronicity... that I should be teaching myself this technique at exactly the time I see this relic!
 

Stone Carving

My favourite piece. Female on a rock. Identified as Rhea Silvia encountering Mars from which the future founder of Rome would be the offspring. She's carved in Carrara marble. 1st C. BC

 Eaves!

I Gregorious :O)

 Hail Caesar's Grandson.

 An amazing capital. These mediate between columns and the load above.

The Byzantine's obviously didn't give a flying **** about the Capitals, used them as infills in their walls!

Roman theatre

The semi circle in centre is the orchestra 'pit'. The first fifteen rows were designated Ima Cavea ( oh hail ye posh ones). The next tier Media Cavea - ( mostly men, soldiers) and very top, Summa Cavea for women and children.

 The partial restoration of the scenic facade on the stage.

Vomitorium - the exit ( to spew forth - love it).

Roman Thermal Baths Cartegena

The public thermal baths in the 1st Century were more than a bath!  Before we run away with any ideas of a Spa retreat read this quote from that time, some things never change:

''I live just above the thermal baths: imagine such shouting you would rather be deaf (...). There are troublemakers. thieves caught red-handed, hawkers who are pleased to listen to their own voices, and those who dive in the swimming pools to swim, while the murmuring water comes out splashing everywhere. Think about the hair removers, every step they take, who recite some verse in falsetto to offer their services (...) not counting the shouts from the drinks traders (...) and from the young boys fro m the pubs who go everywhere offering their products, with their own special voice.''

Seneca, Epist., 56, 1-2

And here is said swimming pool. Note the steps so that people could sit in varying depths in comfort, until the divers arrived!

Beautiful herringbone sandstone floors.

This graffiti was found scratched into one of the plaster walls.

The underfloor area of the Tepidarium, note the arch at the far end where a constant fire would be kept to produce hot air that would circulate round the floor pillars, heating the floor above.

Roman staircase behind the plunge pool - possibly a platform for the divebombers?

These amphorae may have held oils or fragrant water for the massage room. The originals were found in situ, smashed by the roof that fell in during an earthquake.

 

At the reception area of the baths, this arch. Used as a shelter in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War when the citizens of Cartegena were being divebombed by something more sinister than a swimmer! Franco's pilots.

 

Sail repairs

A stitch in time...

Greg fixing a tear on the Genoa.             

Close up of the sail palm - this is what you use to prevent the steel needle (top right) going through the palm of your hand! The bit where you apply pressure on the needle is called the 'thimble' . Greg bought this one locally and it's not adjustable. This means it is far too big for my hand and I can't help out with running repairs as I would like to do. Will be watching out in boat jumbles for a small one.