These posts will be from the last part of Catherine's study abroad trip to Morocco and Spain. To see the Moroccan portion of the trip, look under "Morocco" on the left hand side of this blog.
They left for Spain at 5:30 a.m, but the bus was massive with new leather seats which atoned somewhat for the early hour. They stopped in Ronda for one night.
"No front desk paperwork, soft pillows, safe and free water, massive balcony. I love Europe."
She got to visit the Lara museum. which she said was full of weird things. She's right. The internet says:
Museo Lara is a private museum showcasing the collections of one man, the founder of the museum, Juan Antonio Lara Jury. The main floors of the museum feature a wandering selection of collections from old watches to early examples of handguns, vintage sewing machines and typewriters, and even a handful of old microscopes. Below the main floor, the lower level also features exhibits on movie projectors and bullfighting paraphernalia. However the cellar, as with any good museum, contains the exhibitions that truly set the Museo Lara apart.Featuring exhibitions surrounding both the Spanish Inquisition and witchcraft, the lower levels of the museum turn sinister fairly quickly. The "Living inquisition" displays feature a number of historic torture devices including a full size stretching rack. To accent the painful-looking steel devices, mannequins are set up, dressed in inquisitor's garb. The witchcraft displays also features cartoonish looking witch figures who are surrounded by outstanding taxidermy mash-ups like a bat-headed tarantula, and "dragons" made from various lizard and snake bits. There is also a life-size, preserved mermaid, a bullfrog with an old woman's face, a "werewolf" made from parts of a canine skeleton molded over with clay horns and claws. There are also items that might be used in witches' brews, such as mandrake, a child's heart in a jar, henbane, etc.
Given that the Museo Lara is the collection of a single person, its clear that the museum founder has a wide range of interests. Some of which just happen to be terrifying.
Catherine was especially impressed/amused/confused with the happy Spanish music that played in the background in the torture section.
She also send a picture of the most hilarious letter which I will transcribe here:
From the United States consulate
Tangier, September 3, 1839
Sir,
I am sorry to inform the Department, that although I have exerted myself to the utmost to prevent the presentation of any animals from the Emperor, and to convince his Ministers of the impossibility of accepting a gift or present of any kind, my exertions have not been attended with success. A brief statement of the facts of the case will show whether I have acted up to the spirit of the verbal instructions which I had the honor to receive before I left the US., and in deference to the feeling manifested on a former occasion by the US Government and which I have every reason to suppose will b e the same in the present case.
It will be recollected that my instructions to Mr. John Mullowny were to state to the Bashaw the utter impossibility of accepting any present, and in case one was offered to give it an unqualified refusal. This order I have no doubt that he fully executed, and I was in hopes that I should hear nothing more on the subject. In a few days however, it was rumored that a party were on their way from Fez with some animals for the American consulate. I immediately communicated to the Governor and Public Administrator my determination to refuse whatever might be sent and begged their influence in presenting such an offer. They replied that it was perfectly out their power to prevent it, that the present must be made, that they could not understand by what right or power that I could undertake to interfere in such a case between the Emperor and my government, that a Moorish agent who should thus refuse to convey a present to his master would very justly have his head cut off, and that the refusal of whatever might be offered would be a decided insult.
Finding I could not get any assistance from any of the Emperor's Officers, I resolved to write to the Emperor himself, but before a letter could be prepared,the sound of drums announced the arrival of the Bashaw's Nephew at the head of a troop of soldiers with an enormous, magnificent Lion and Lioness.
As my determination was well known, the commander of the troop had prepared himself with the most "conclusive answer" to all my objections. I told him that it was perfectly impossible to receive the animals, the laws of my country forbid it. He replied that they were not for me, that they were for my government. I told him that the President, the head of my government, was in the same predicament as myself, that he has not the power to receive them. He said that the Sultan knew that, but that they were not for the President but for my Congress. I replied that Congress has resolved never to receive any more presents, and that the law prohibiting public officers to receive presents, was part of the Constitution and superior to the power of Congress itself. he wanted to know who made the Constitution, I replied the people, then said he, if Congress will not receive them the Emperor desires them to be presented to the people as a present, as mark of his respect and esteem for the "Sultans of America." At last I told him that I would not receive them that my mind was fully made up; then he said my determination is as strong as yours, I am ordered to deliver them to you, it will cost me my head if I disobey, I shall leave them in the street. The street upon which is the american Consulate is a narrow short cul de sac with half a dozen Jew houses in it beside my own. Preparations were made for placing a guard at the open end, and turning the Lions loose in the street. Seeing further insistence hopeless, that to persist in the refusal would be to destroy the good feeling with which this consulate is at present regarded, i was compelled to surrender to this novel form of attack, and to open one of my rooms for the reception of the Animals where they now are. I have not dared to take the responsibility to send them to the US or otherwise dispose of them. Upon this head I shall most anxiously await instructions as they are to me a great cost and inconvenience. They are by far the finest animals of the kind I have ever seen, and I have no doubt will sell for more than enough to pay their expenses and the cost of transporting them to America. It will be impossible to dispose of them in this neighborhood. At Gibraltar they would bring nothing, and the sale of them so near here would create much excitement.
The rumor in town is that four or five horses are on their way for the "People of the United States," whether it is true or not I do not know. I hope that I shall have the honor and pleasure of hearing upon this subject from the Department as soon as possible.
I am with sentiments of respect your old Servant
Thomas A. Carr
Hon. John Forsythe
Secretary of State
U.S. America
