We drove 50 minutes to Antequera Wednesday. We’d been there before (click here and here) but hadn’t explored the World Heritage Site, Bronze Age burial mounds outside the city.
Created between 3000 and 2000 BCE, these “dolmens” are the largest in Europe. When “Dólmen de Menga” was opened in the 19th century, several hundred skeletons were found. Just beyond it is Dolmen de Viera.
A bit further from town is the Dólmen del Romeral. It’s newer, dating back to ‘only’ 1800 BCE. When we arrived at the entrance path, it was swarming with bees. I’m allergic and I didn’t have an EpiPen, so I decided to stay clear.
San Geraldo walked through the bees and went inside. He came out and told me that I really had to see this one because it was so different. He said the bees didn’t seem to be bothering anyone. No way, I thought. “No way,” I said. I refused to take the chance.
But then I said, “Antequera Hospital is just 5 minutes away. OK.”
Inside was wonderful. I was so grateful to have risked tit — especially since I didn’t get stung by the largish, blackish bees. Maybe some kind of Carpenter Bee? They were frenetic. A couple bounced off my bare arms as I passed, but they weren’t at all aggressive.
I feel so brave. And yet, today I think I should pick up a new EpiPen.
(Click the images to see them swell to twice their size… at least.)
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| VISITOR CENTER AT LEFT. SAN GERALDO IN THE LEAD. |
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THE TRAIL. DOLMEN DE MENGA IN CENTER.
I LAGGED BEHIND TO TAKE PHOTOS. |
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I THOUGHT THOSE WERE SAN GERALDO’S BUNS, SO I FOLLOWED.
BUT, THIS GUY WASN’T GOING ANYWHERE. |
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| DOLMEN DE MENGA. |
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| SOME OF THE MEGALITHS INSIDE. |
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| IT LOOKED BOTTOMLESS TO ME. SO GLAD IT WAS COVERED. |
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| SAN GERALDO HEADING BACK OUT. |
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| DOLMEN DE VIERA. |
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SAN GERALDO IS ALREADY INSIDE.
(TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF MY CAMERA.) |
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| SAN GERALDO BACK OUTSIDE. |
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| ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE PARK AND BACK TO THE CAR. |
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DOLMEN DEL ROMERAL, ALSO CALLED THOLOS DE EL ROMERAL,
FOR THE DOUBLE-DOMED STYLE OF THE BURIAL MOUND. |
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| THE PATH AND ENTRY WERE ASWARM WITH BEES. |
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PEACEFUL AND SURPRISING INSIDE.
THE PORTAL LEADING TO THE TWO DOMES. |
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LOOKING INTO THE (BARRED) SECOND CHAMBER.
THAT’S A ROUND MIRROR SET UP TO REFLECT THE SECOND DOME. |
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Author: Moving with Mitchell
From Brooklyn, New York; to North Massapequa; back to Brooklyn; Brockport, New York; back to Brooklyn... To Boston, Massachusetts, where I met Jerry... To Marina del Rey, California; Washington, DC; New Haven and Guilford, Connecticut; San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, and Santa Barbara, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Irvine, California; Sevilla, Spain. And Fuengirola, Málaga..
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