Badajoz is a little known city even to Spaniards, but if you decide to visit, you won’t be disappointed.
It’s located almost at the border with Portugal in the region of Extremadura. The historic city center is walled by an ancient Moorish citadel overlooking the Guadiana river.
On Sept. 28, Urban Sketchers Badajoz members rolled out the red carpet to welcome me (special shout-out to José Manuel Gamero Gil for the flawless organization!) I gave a talk about the history of Urban Sketchers at the Museo de la Ciudad “Luis de Morales.” And I joined a sketchwalk at the most curious location: a Byzantine-style chapel that replicates the throne hall in the storied Neuschwanstein castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. My visit and the Urban Sketchers Badajoz events even got in the regional press!
After an intense 24 hours in Badajoz, I traveled to Montemolín, the small village in the Southernmost part of the province where my dad lives and my roots go back many generations. José Manuel Gamero Gil, Carmen Rojas, Victor Alvarado and Pepe Cortés, the admins of Urban Sketchers Badajoz, paid me a visit a few days later. We sketched from the top of a hill and had cafés con leche at Bar Centro.
My first urban sketch still hangs on the wall above the counter in that bar, which is owned and operated by some of my cousins. I made it during siesta time in 1986, while summering here with my parents and brothers, as we always did in the hot months of July or August, the only time when my dad could take time off from his job at the Barcelona car factory.
Now 87 years old, my dad is doing good and enjoying his golden years in Montemolín. It was hard to say goodbye, but I look forward to seeing him again in future trips to this amazing land! Thanks to Urban Sketchers Badajoz for making this stop on my recent journey extra meaningful!