There is a saying in Spanish that goes like this "tenia pegado las sabanas esta mañana" or in other words "this morning the sheets stuck to me"... and you usually say this when you've had a difficult time getting out of bed!
I'm afraid that is what happened to me Sunday morning I just felt totally bone tired and the sheets really stuck to me so I couldn't get out of bed!!! This meant of course that we left the house much too late to go too far afield for our Sunday outing so it had to be a Sunday stroll.
Sr P had been on about big toadstools all week in some street or something in the city??????
You know during the week I'm really busy so those sort of mumblings just don't sink in to about Saturday evening or Sunday and what the dickens was he on about anyhow????
It seems the Town Hall and council had the brilliant idea (very costly by the way) to revive one of the most dismal areas in the centre of the city.
There is a rather long narrow street which used to be very popular about 20 years ago for its cafes and tavernas but had gradually fallen into a ghetto like area, harboring closed door clubs and dark grimy shops of very dubious repute.
The street gained a very bad reputation so much so that you did not walk down there alone after dark.
The project was started a year or so ago,there was a large clean up of undesirables and a few adventurous restauranteurs were coaxed to return to the area, opening up some very neat little tavernas and then other little business followed suit ....this and the Toadstools,the costly bit, has really worked because the population of the city have flocked down to see the Toadstools.
It is a very family orientated street now and it is wonderful also to see the restoration of some of the really beautiful old buildings in this street and also in the Plaza de Correos (Post Office plaza ).
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| Big clean up! |
I have always admired the Post office building which I'd say was early 19th century but I also always complained that one couldn't appreciate it as it was hidden under years of grime!
It is truly a sight to see now!
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| Restoration of post office |
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| Beautiful Mirador |
It just takes the restoration of one building and others follow suit!
Permissible graffiti .....this house is covered in poetry ....verses from famous local poets
An old door restored ....... big archway ...tall big door....not quite sure why I love taking photos of doors!!!
What was just a stroll turned into a few hours of noticing changes and admiring them.
It is so good to see that an effort is being made to keep the city looking nice.
Amanda :-)
We absolutely love pooling around the streets of Spanish towns. Thank you so much for your lovely comment about my "Blur Moon!"
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting place - the buildings are just beautiful. It's so good when some interest and money is put into restoring places like these, and the toadstools are such a fun & clever addition too. Thanks for sharing your walk, and I love that Spanish expression - it's apt for me most weekends!
ReplyDeleteHave a happy week Amanda,
xx
LOVE your walk and those smiling 'toadstools', Amanda.....couldn't helping thinking how lovely and 'Spanish' every thing looked! sigh...How different to our rather grey November here...Thank you for this little bit of sunshine..And I wish you a lovely rest of week! Hugs Maria x
ReplyDeleteHow lovely Amanda, it looks fabulous, I want one of those toadstools in my garden! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant saying! Funnily enough, my sheets always stick to me on school mornings!?!
ReplyDeleteCarly
x
Well done t those behind this scheme and turning the area around, it looks lovely! :) x
ReplyDeleteThe toadstools are very cute! I love the idea of the house covered in poetry, I've never seen anything like it and it's so lovely! Have a great day x
ReplyDeleteI love that this part of the city has been restored to such a beautiful state. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
The spanish saying is wonderful, made me smile. Your pictures of the regeneration of the street are lovely. The toolstools look great and the poetry on the house is just beautiful. I bet your glad you didn't stick to the sheets for too long.
ReplyDeleteAli x
What lovely buildings - I'm glad that the council have actively promoted the regeneration. Jx
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your walk and how lovely to see positive changes - love the toadstools!
ReplyDeleteThe post office is so lovely. I want one in my town
ReplyDeleteI am loving those toadstools!
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant and innovative idea to use giant toadstools! Its great that a previously down and out area has been made safe and family friendly, and that lots of the buildings are now being tarted up too - a great regeneration project.
ReplyDeleteLove the poetry on the building, and arent they lovely buildings? Beautiful architectural details.
Great post Amanda!
Thanks for visiting mine - do have a go at the noticeboard, it is very straightforward, if you didnt have a staple gun you could just use tacks or even drawing pins to fix the fabric I would think.
I'd looked around for one and didnt think much of the few small ones i did find, they looked cheap and flimsy even thought they were expensive, but this makes a good solid one, although being cork it is light too.
Gill xx
I loved seeing the giant toadstools and the building with poems written on it. This is such an interesting post, Amanda. It is always heartening when an area which has become run down is improved again.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy and relaxing weekend.
Helen x
Those toadstools are incredible and fun to photograph, too. It always does me so good to get out and walk every day or two. You see so many interesting things that you would see.....if you stayed in bed! lol Today would be a day to nap though....we're getting a gentle rain. sweet hugs!
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