Spain's Route 66 - Ruta de la Plata

Spain's Ruta de la plata, is being referred to as a smaller version of North America's Route 66. The Silver trail stretches 800km, snaking down the west side of Spain, parallel to Portugal, passing through 4 regions and 7 provinces. The route, features 25 municipalities that are cooperating to market their gastronomy and top level places of interest. It starts in the beautiful coastal town of Gijón, with views of the Bay of Biscay, including towns like, Ribera de Arriba, Lena, La Pola de Gordón, León, La Bañeza, Benavente, Zamora,  Plasencia, Casar de Cáceres, Calzadilla de los Barros, Fuente de Cantos, Montemolín, Carmona, to  name a few, with Seville being the last city on the route.

The network will be promoting the whole silver trail as a tourist attraction, through local travel agents, social media and tour ops. In the past, the majority of travellers were predominantly from Spain and Portugal. There are plenty of hotels, hostels and campsites along the route as it is not just solely for hikers and bikers to make the journey, motorist are also welcome too.

Part of the adventure along the way to your destination is stopping off at new places and exploring; you never know what you might find or what will happen. They say a stranger is a friend you have not met yet.

 

I have also written another Squidoo lens on my Cockerel Collections which has been growing since the 90’s and from all over the world.

Valentine's Day Gifts

35 Dollars, which at the time of writing is around 26 Euros or 21.50 Pounds, that's how much they want nowadays for a 12 piece bucket of Kentucky fried Chicken here in Spain, and they don't do beans. With Valentine's Day approaching I thought I would write a few Squidoo lenses on gift ideas, first, starting with gifts for her and then gifts for him.

Gifts for her are all under 20 Euros.

Grow your own unique Rose and then name it, either after yourself or a loved one. The rose is then registered at the British library.

Name a star, again either after yourself or someone special. There are millions of stars still to be named you can get a box set gift here.

Become a Laird or Lady of a Scottish castle by purchasing some Scottish land, you are legally entitled to use the title Laird. Females can choose to be a Laird or a Lady, when you have registered you will have free access to the castle and can enjoy all it has to offer, a box set is available here.

For the guys on Valentine's day I've included some red letter days, which are named after religious holidays that are marked in red on calenders. Nowadays they are general referring to as memorable days out. For example, a track day, white water rafting, golf lessons with a pro and Segway rally day. It could also be a dinner for two in an up market restaurant, weekend away in Paris or a $200, 000 space travel ticket from Virgin.

Mysteries of the Arctic – The Flight of the Eagle

The explorers S. A. Andrée (1854–97), Nils Strindberg (1872–97), and Knut Frænkel (1870–97). Set off from Norway in 1897 on a journey to the North Pole by Hydrogen Balloon. Merchandising and heavy promotion in Sweden did not sway the majority opinion, that this was a dangerous and risky venture with a high fail probability. Disregarding many signs, Andrée went ahead with the expedition in an almost Polly-Anna optimistic flurry and some would say over confidence.  

They communicated with the rest of the world with steel buoys wrapped in cork and homing pigeons.

A buoy was found with a message from Andrée, saying that so far all was good. Two days later they disappear.

For years people speculated on what had happened and their disappearance was shrouded in mystery. Decades later their bodies were discovered in 1930, with journal entries, equipment and photographs proving that they had landed safely, so now they had the task of finding out what had happened.

Not far from their last camp was the carcass of a polar bear, it was tested and found to have trichina worm…..

There are some great pictures of the ill-fated exhibition that was found in 1930 here

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Grinding it Out -The Making of McDonalds

My Latest lens is a book review about Ray Kroc’s book, ‘‘Grindingit out’’, it’s a great motivational tool, with positive messages through out, and like Ray Kroc at 52, when he started expanding McDonalds; it is never too late to learn and succeed.

Ray Kroc, born Raymond Albert Kroc on the 5^th October, 1902 in Oak Park, near Chicago met the McDonald brothers when he sold them several Prince Castle multi-milkshake machines and became intrigued at their success in such a small town.

Ray Kroc started franchising the restaurants for the brothers as they had no interest in more work.

Eventually he became frustrated with the two brothers because of their unwillingness to run with the business and expand more rapidly, so in 1961, Ray Kroc bought the company for $2.7 million (which was enough to pay each brother $1 million each after taxes).

Artist Margaret Keane - Big Eyes

My latest Squidoo lens is about Big Eyes Artist Margaret Keane, when she started painting those doe-eyed waifs, and met her husband Walter Keane, and how after twenty years of not seeing each other, they go into battle for the rights of the paintings.

Most of the earlier big eyes paintings are only signed Keane so it wasn’t until Margret opened up on a radio interview about the truth behind them, that the battle began. Margaret stated that all the paintings were done by her and her husband took care of the marketing and selling of the paintings, and everyone assumed, with help from Walter, that the paintings were done by him, she was stuck in doors, sweat-shop style, churning out paintings, hidden from the lime-light. Margaret didn’t kick up a fuss at the time because she loved to paint different children, and was inward and shy, focusing on her inner feelings.

After a public challenge, a paint off, in which Walter failed to turn up, Margaret, denounced him on a radio show. Walter returned a statement saying she is only making these accusations because she thought he was dead. This is when the lawyers got involved.  

The paintings at this time were selling like mad with prints and plates shifting in the millions, from department stalls and art galleries. Even the advertisement materials for the products, like posters, were stolen.

The court case went on for three and half weeks and eventually resulted in the Judge suggesting a paint off after Margaret brought in paintings in the big eyes style from her youth. Walter declined clasping his shoulder and making excuses that he had a problem.

Margaret was awarded 4 million and in an interview afterwards said it wasn’t about the money, she just wanted her art and anyway, he would never pay. 

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