Ceuta

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  3rd September by steve48

  It looks like a member of the ku klux klan, David. But I'm fairly sure that a Spanish order of monks wears an outfit like this. So it's probably a famous local monk.

  
  

  
  

  I'm intrigued by the corner feature of the building in the background. Are those massive statues of birds on the parapet?

  
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  4th September by Sergeant_Pluck

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/sergeantpluck/5088846113/in/set-72157625057009467/
  
  
  
  The statue is a representation of the ' Nazareno' - a member of the brotherhood (or fraternity) that conducts the spanish Semana Santa processions at Easter. Typically, a city will have a dozen of more such brotherhoods, each with a different 'outfit'.  

  
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  4th September by Sergeant_Pluck

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/sergeantpluck/5088846113/in/set-72157625057009467/
  
  
  
  The statue is a representation of the ' Nazareno' - a member of the brotherhood (or fraternity) that conducts the spanish Semana Santa processions at Easter. Typically, a city will have a dozen of more such brotherhoods, each with a different 'outfit'.  

  
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  5th September by DavidRoss

  Thanks for the information, Sergeant. My trip to Ceuta wasn't really planned in advance and I found it quite difficult to find out much about it. I couldn't find a Tourist Information office and entries in guide books were very limited.
  
  Yes, Steve, those are large statues of birds on building at the rear, but I don't know what they're all about either.  

  
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  5th September by Sergeant_Pluck

  No problem, David - this kind of iconography is very common in Andalucia around Semana Santa.
  
  
  
  I missed the comment about the birds from Steve - they are not birds - they are dragons. They belong to the famous 'Casa de los Dragones'* - which is a real jewel in Ceuta's crown, apparently...
  
  
  
  
  
  *Info supplied by Mrs. Pluck (who is Andalusian!)

  
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  5th September by steve48

  Thanks David, Sergeant, and Mrs Pluck.

  
  

  I googled Casa de los Dragones to see more photos and to find out more about it. It does seem to be quite a famous building in Spanish circles – a fine example of the turn-of-the-century Spanish eclectic style. Apparently the dragons were removed in the 1920's/30's and only restored a few years ago.

  
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