Belchite, Zaragoza, SPAIN

Belchite, a village which dates back to 1,800 BC where a cave was uncovered, many wars were fought there including Napoleon and finally the bombing on September 1937 which destroyed the village. (dates may not be accurate)

The moment we saw the village, there was a feeling of sadness as you see the whole village in complete destruction where around 5,000 people perished. Some claim to be able to hear the sounds of crying and war planes heard flying over the village.

"No more kids walking down the streets, no more jotas (spanish for a type of dance and song) to be heard by those which our parents used to sing"

Saint Martin, at the entrance of the church you see the above saying in Spanish. My heart sank as I read this and as I sat at an entrance of a house where which only two walls were left standing, I pictured the children laughing and running down these now deserted and ghostly streets, the sadness of the many lives that were taken was overwhelming.

The village also attracts quite a number of ghost hunters. It is claimed that the sounds of fighter planes can be heard in the dead of night. Recorded sounds were passed on to professionals for analysis and came up with more extraordinary sounds on the tape.

A haunting voice is heard saying "There is only one life" Sounds of children can be heard and voices being carried through the air along the deserted streets. The cross (above right)  was where all the dead bodies were gathered and in that hot ghastly afternoon day, the smell of slowly decaying bodies was becoming to much to bare and the burning began.

Beltiche - A haunted ghost town with a remarkable history. The last habitant living there was in 1960 after Franco went back on his word after  telling the survivors that they would be given a free home to live in.

Investigations are still being conducted. Who knows what ghostly proof someone will come up with. Come and spend the night in Belchite, you may end up going home with a ghost story!

Portugal, 2nd Visit

Well, I just had to return to Lisbon and I can't help but to repeatedly say how wonderful the city is. No disrespect to Spain but Portugal once was part of Spain until they became their own entity and culturally they are now more advanced than Spain; attitude, professionalism, it is something I respect when I visit countries and apart from waiting for a salesperson in a store for 20 minutes, the people there make you feel welcome.

On my second visit I spent time visiting some wonderful villages with breathtaking architectural monuments that left you breathless. The monastery of Santa Maria Da Vitoria (left) is an amazing structure in Batalha. The building of the monastery started in 1386 and finished in 1517 and the end result, well the photo does not do it justice. The building has to be seen to take in its beauty and glory. The unfinished chapels at the rear of the monastery was commissioned by King Duart in 1437 where he and Leonor, his queen are buried there. Again the design and architecture is amazing.

There is so much history in this world and unfortunately one life time is not enough to piece everything that existed before our time. These glorious buildings, hand carved, sweat and blood pouring into every stone, years of carting rock by rock to build wonders where in the 20th century, no such building could ever be compared. Think of it this way, here you have a marvel over 500 years old and is still in great shape. There are other twice, three times older and still standing. Remarkable.