People spend their whole lives looking for whatever it is that makes a perfect home it's as simple as a walk-in closet or space in the yard for an herb garden that looks just so nothing can compare to grandiose dreams of a seaside villa or a mountain chalet was an artist and he did not want a normal home So Francisco set about building something special, with his bare hands, that would satisfy his creativity both while he lived there and while he built it. Before long, he had created a startlingly unique estate – one that fits right in with the whimsical outsider art sculpture house of Peter Buchs, or Ed Leedskalnin's coral castle Clad in elaborate mosaics built in the trencadis style of broken tiles the house of Francisco Gonzalez is a sprawling castle-shaped villa flanked with towering ramparts and spires made to look like the points of a massive royal crown just to see the odd house the locals always talk about he would tell you there's nothing odd about this place This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa An Aztec snake god has taken the material form of an apartment complex A quirky house created entirely out of glass bottles combines a collector's spirit with an artist's flair A century-old cabin off of Highway 30 touts an unusual construction material: dinosaur bones The Gaudí-inspired building that was the start of Terrassenc modernism An eccentric home stands out in an otherwise average neighborhood with mosaics Drawing thousands of visitors — including actor Antonio Banderas this year — they come to witness the majestic processions Robert Ransley, April 14, 2025 – National Catholic Register gilded floats carry statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary through narrow streets Locals carry these floats as an act of faith fulfilling family traditions and personal promises the raw emotion of a lone saeta (lament) echoing through the night and the deep sense of belonging make small-town Holy Week truly unique It is a deeply rooted cultural experience that unites entire communities these towns have meticulously prepared for Holy Week blending solemn devotion with artistic expression The urban celebrations also are deeply rooted in history and devotion media coverage and an almost-theatrical atmosphere Brotherhoods and sisterhoods — or cofradías — organize the processions on the shoulders and backs of devoted townspeople many fulfilling personal vows or acts of penance Marching bands follow behind and add solemn music to the event which will come to a halt and fall silent if an acapella saeta (a spontaneous lament sung by one person) breaks out in the crowds lining the streets I have lived in the southwestern Spanish town of Los Santos de Maimona in the province of Badajoz for over 20 years and more than 40 years on and off in different cities in Spain Los Santos de Maimona is a small rural agricultural town of approximately 8,000 souls It is as if there is this invisible network running throughout town known to his friends as “Mickey,” and Manuela Montaño Canseco explained that in the brotherhood’s records there are minutes from a meeting dating back to 1872 where it says that this brotherhood is so old that it is lost in the annals of time there is no record of when the brotherhood was founded Church archives reveal that in 1700 a chapel sanctuary was added to the church in town in order to house the statue of the Nazarene thus establishing that the Nazarene was present in town by 1700 The members surmise that the brotherhood already existed or at the very least was a loosely established confraternity before that year Canseco’s organization has a membership of more than 500 devotees roughly 6% of the town’s population — and that’s just one brotherhood repairing or restoration of everything involved in the procession a retired seamstress who restored the Virgin of Sorrows’ mantle she puts on the finishing touches in order to get it ready — one integral part of a living tradition that shapes their religious and cultural identity reminding the people of their heritage and the shared faith that defines their community processions wind through narrow streets where almost every face is familiar but the experience is much more personal and at times “in your face” in a positive way Preparation for next year’s Holy Week begins almost as soon as this year’s processions end This commitment is not limited to processions but is about genuinely living the Gospel and leading the life of a Christian Christian charity comprises a year-round commitment to helping the needy sacrifice and community spirit embodied during Holy Week are reflected in everyday life religious observance or the preservation of local customs The final rehearsal of the porters carrying the float is known as the “solidary rehearsal.” The porters put on their protective head and shoulder garb and carry the float through the streets without the life-size statue of Jesus or the Virgin on it and the neighbors come out of their houses and donate bags of food adding to the weight on the porters’ backs The food is then donated to an organization that helps feed those in need — a most beautiful way of putting into practice Christian values For travelers seeking not just to witness Semana Santa a small town offers an unparalleled opportunity where spectators watch from behind barriers or in some cases can purchase seats as if in a sports arena visitors don’t go unnoticed and might be approached by brotherhood members who welcome them into the heart of the tradition Some even allow outsiders to participate — whether by joining a brotherhood carrying a float or simply walking in silent reflection alongside the townspeople Robert Ransley is a freelance photographer and writer living in Spain Copyright © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) St Clare Media (EWTN GB) Limited Dean Harvey (Martigues Sport Cyclisme Payden-Rygel) has taken his best result of the season after a very strong final stage performance on the attack at the Vuelta a Extremadura stage race in Spain Irish rider Adam Kelly (Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente) put in a significant performance with a 140km breakaway at the 175km UCI 1.2-ranked one-day race Popolarissima who has won the National Cyclocross Championships for the last three years was up the road in a breakaway yesterday for much of the 153km stage from Finca El Toril to Los Santos de Maimona When the group Harvey was in was being closed down what was left of the peloton the Irish rider had the legs to go on the attack again and held off the group to the finish some 17 seconds behind solo winner Adrian Benito a 20-year-old Spanish rider competing with (Extremadura-Pebetero) containing yellow jersey Ferre Geeraerts (DL Chemicals – Experza) was just one second behind Harvey and was led in by Britain’s Charlie Meredith (Grupo Eulen-NUUK) That was a strong performance by Harvey on a lumpy course He was aggressive through the stage and the fact he had the legs to go again solo after his breakaway group was being neutralised suggests he is in great condition in a large group 20 seconds down on winner Tyler Tomkinson (Balmoral Cycle Club); the Australian leading in a four-man breakaway Harvey was 38th at 1:51 and finished 24th overall at 2:16 A number of Irish riders were also in action in Popolarissima making the day-long breakaway which was clear for some 140km before being caught Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Devo) was making his debut as an U23 – after earlier planned racing was postponed for him Dunwoody was impacted by crashes on the day and was denied the opportunity to get into the mix a 26-year-old Russian with (XDS Astana Development Team) Jamie Meehan (AVC Aix Provence Dole) finishing in the bunch We’re determined to make stickybottle.com much better for your enjoyment So become a ‘Stickybottle Supporter’ now from just €5 per month We’ve grown our audience significantly in recent years but the advertising market has become harder and harder each year In order to survive and grow – and create much better content – we need to develop an income from our readers By signing up to become a ‘Stickybottle Supporter’ you’ll be helping to secure independent coverage of Irish cycling for years to come Every cent collected from readers will be used to directly fund content Sign Up