With memories of Arne Johan

This Friday we had a short break in our long stay here in Spain for flying to Ålesund Norway and taking part in the memorial ceremonial for our brother-in-law Arne Johan Leira who passed away on our first night here in Fuengirola this autumn.
The ceremony and the following gathering was a nice event.

In memories of Arne Johan I have collected some of my photos where he (and we) have experienced nice moments here at Costa del Sol. However, first a photo from December 1969 where he entered our family by marring my sister.

 Our common stays at Costa del Sol started a few years after they bought an apartment at Calahonda close to the more famous Marbella.

This is from puerto Cabo Pino September 2004

In 2005 Gerd and Arne celebrated their 50th and 55th birthday in Oslo and the day before we had dinner at Statholdergaarden, Arne and his younger brother Tor met at our apartment for a drink and "bløtkake".

In 2007 we had a tour to Alhambra in Granada,

 and later same year it was my time to celebrate my 60th birthday at Cafe Christiania, Oslo

The next image  from April 2008 is a beautiful photo of Arne Johan in his apartment here in Spain. His smile document the joy he had by spending almost 180 days here in the warmth and lovely country.

In 2010 we had at least 3 common happy times together.
In Malaga City in January, In Puerto Banus in February and at their cottage at the Norwegian mountains in August

I have chosen two photos from 2011. The celebration of their common birthday celebration at Puerto Fuengirola  in February and one from a visit to Crispy Cod where they had a great Fish and Chips dinner.

The two photos from 2012 covers a lunch at the Asian food restaurant Mr Wok in March, and our trip to Ronda in October.

In the spring 2013 we once again visited Puerto Banus (an establish tradition if the weather was "no sunbathing" and Sunday)

and later during the same long stay we went on a trip to Benalmadena and the interesting arabic puerto

The photos from 2014 is limited but this photo at the Fuengirola Beach after a lunch somewhere, show how we all are happy

Tullen´s birthday party at Restaurant Charolais and our lovely Sunday lunch at La Cala de Mijas makes the end of this photo collage showing how we remember Arne Johan from our common activities at Costa del Sol.

Arne Johan always saw himself as a sailor after he went to sea only seventeen years old and sailed to Americas, Asia and between European harbours. Now he is sailing the thousand seas and we will remember him the way he was. RIP Arne and thanks for the memories.

Sunday activity

Yesterday the weather here in Fuengirola was really challenging if we were here for sunbathing only. However, the long stay periode goes over several weeks so the reason for being here is more to escape from the normal weather up north. Therefor we try to live as usual except more often having lunch or dinner at restaurants instead of home. Yesterday was no exception. Between reading, and playing with digital games my passion for making images out of colours took almost all the day as seen above.

The results can be seen on the image covering 9 sketches almost ready to be transferred to canvas later at home in Norway.

By the way: this is my blogpost number 2001. And more will com so stay tuned in.

Visiting Toledo and Madrid

For 11 years ago (in March 2004) we visited Madrid for the first time. It was a town that we always have wanted to return to, and this week it became a reality. However, the reason was that Toledo was on the top visiting places this autumn and the speed train (up to 300 km/h) from Malaga goes to Madrid. This blog will therefor include some images from Madrid, but mainly from the amazing Cathedral of Saint Mary in Toledo.

First some photos from the city including the documentation of our short stay in this city in Castile-La Mancha.

The statue of Cervantes under the Arch of Blood starts our outdoor presentation. The narrow (and very steep) streets give an understanding of the old city.

 The sunset from the bar at the top of our hotel (Carlos V) was beautiful

and turning around we also almost could touch the walls of Alcazar (a stone fortification located in the highest part of the city)

A photo of my wife on our 38th marriage day at the same place in daylight, are included.

El Greco (Spanish painter born in Crete) moved to Toledo in his 36th year and a visit to his house and museum was on the agenda.

Some of his paintings will be covered in the tour at the Cathedral, but here i include "the tears of Pieter" A masterpiece which are (in original) in the Cathedral and in the Museum of El Greco

Outside the museum the view down to the river makes a good description of the hight difference in the city. The museum is much lower than the Alcazar fortress, and the railway station is on the river level.
Here is an image from Wikipedia

Describing all the images in the following sequence is not possible unless I have the audio presentation available, but I hope these images will give you a brief understanding of the amazing Cathedral:

The Gothic columns with the Rose window.

The High Altar

Virgin Mary and her son

The sealing in the Sacristy

The Golden Paso (Throne) which is carried in the Easter procession 

The smiling mother and her child in the Choir area.

I continue with the painting of ST Peter hanging on the inverted cross at the entrance to the Sacristy

and follow up with the paintings of El Greco and Goya. Just use some seconds to feel the development in art from late 1500 to late 1700.

In the Choir this piece from the conquest of Marbella (one of many others) gives a good presentation of the connection between the church and the military forces / the ruling king

I end up with an external photo of one of the three main doors to the Cathedral. This is the one in the middle and called the door of forgiveness.

Maybe that could also be a symbol to forgive our intake of the huge dinner we had in Toledo on a small restaurant called Sancho y Panza at Plaza de Magdalena. Chicken, pork, lamb, beef and green pimientos on a bed of potatoes. Fantastic.

It has been a long blogpost if you have read everything, but I promised some images from Madrid too, so here we go:

The huge buildings along Gran Via including shops for everybody

A selfie at Puerta del Sol 

Another image from the summit bar at hotel Santa Domingo and below the beautiful garden in the shaft to the ground flor. 

Highlights from the first two weeks in Andalusia autumn 2015

This long stay period at Costa del Sol started in the most saddest way. Our Brother-in Law and my sister´s husband for 45 years passed away during his night sleep in their house at Calahonda on September 29th.
RIP Arne. We know you loved being here at Costa del Sol, your apartment, your daily walks at the beaches, your swimming exercises in the pool and our lunches at restaurants here in Fuengirola. You  will be missed.

This background makes the first weeks something different for all of us. However, in addition to support my sister we have to live our lives and enjoying the fantastic weather we have had late September and beginning of October this year. The Castillo Solhail at the Rio Fuengirola is there as a landmark, and the long beautiful beaches all the way to Carvajal and further on to Benalmadena make the perfect scenery.

My wife has as usual walked along the Paseo Maritime from west to east almost every mornings and this image of the turning point at Carvajal can be a documentation of her physical efforts

The Paseo has been upgraded last year and soon it will be an even better way to walk, stroll og run for being fit to relax here in Malaga.
Malaga City has of course also been visited  as usual (almost every week during the stay) and lunch at El Pimpi is included in the procedures.

Another highlight in this period was that friends from my hometown Ålesund came to visit us. Sight-seeing in the city and lunch together with some shopping for the women are preparing them to come back another time.

Hotel Myramar has been and is our second home. The management and the crew are so nice that we do not search for alternatives down here. The hotel as seen from the Norwegian corner in daylight and in the night makes an end of this post

Oh, I am sorry. I almost forgot to mention Amina, the hotel cat, that once again at our arrival followed us to the apartment and stayed. Getting food of course, but it is very interesting to see that she recognise us even it it 3 month since last stay here at Myramar Fuengirola Castle Beach

Another sketch for discussion

Yesterday I made another sketch and put it on FaceBook in two versions. This was the one who most friends preferred and maybe it will find it´s way to the canvas later.
The other one?
Turn your laptop upside down and see the same image that way.

Playing with colours without canvas and easel

I took some basic colours with me to Costa del Sol this autumn in addition to a sketch book and some paintbrushes. In this collection of photos I started with an image of the famous mountain "Slogen" more or less equal to the colours in Hjørundfjorden. Then I changed colours and finisher with a third version including some contours.
What will be the permanent version and size in spring 2016, remains to be seen