Spain 2016 - back to El Rocio. Horses not birds.

Mum and Dad dropped me in El Rocio and then headed down into the Donana Nature Reserve for some birdwatching, They planned to pick me up 3 hours later. First stop was a restaurant, for coffee and so I could use the washroom.
The pilgrimage to El Rocio is conducted on horseback and in horse/mule/oxen drawn wagons so it wasn't surprising that there was a saddlery shop next to the restaurant. I wandered in and while I did a horse and carriage drove up and a couple of people on horseback stopped by. Busy place.

A couple of hot and sweaty mules. They had been working hard pulling a cart full of tourists around.

I walked over to a building with a tourist info sign on it and another sign that said "Museo" but it was shuttered, locked and disgusting with pigeon poop. I'm not sure that being out of season is enough explanation, it looked like it hadn't been open for years. Pity, as I was hoping to see some photos of the pilgrimage and its history.

I wandered the streets imagining them full of carts and horses, colour and noise.

At this time of year, away from the tourists at the church and the lagoon, its very quiet and peaceful, just the ongoing evidence of horses about.

Guess you use an SUV to deliver the carriage.

I was looking for a place to sit and sketch one of these ornate buildings but its not a community set up for walking or sitting.

There are no sidewalks. In front of the houses, bars, restaurants and hotels there are hitching posts. Modern ones and

more rustic ones.

Many of the buildings have covered porches. Bet this has seen a few parties!

I finally found a bench to sit in the sun and sketch this building owned by the town of Coria.

Wandering back down towards the lagoon I watched a man lunging a horse for a while.

I saw a couple of groups of people riding and wondered if there was a stable where I could ride but it was getting close to time to meet up with Mum and Dad so I didn't inquire anywhere.

Little lizard sunning himself. George and I used to take lizard pictures for Mike as he was into lizards as a kid. As was Chris, who I phoned shortly after this and heard about her new house.

I know I promised in yesterdays post, no more bird pictures but he is such a glossy Glossy Ibis.

Mum and Dad were back to El Rocio early as Donana was dry and they had not had much luck birdwatching there. There has been a drought here and the surrounding strawberry growers have severely depleted the water table leaving a lot of people worried about the Donana park's lack of wetland.