Nativity Scenes

The Spanish take their time about doing Christmas. Moreover, where other Christian cultures do nativity scenes--living or dead, life-sized or miniature, you know, a manger, a cow and a donkey, maybe some wise men--the Spanish do nativity towns or even nativity cities. (Collect the whole set!). They are definitely worth a look.

At a park in Toledo

A store in Madrid

At El Escorial

A whole nativity country!

But in Segovia, here was a whole nativity city set for sale

Parents beating a child

Jews preparing a pig for slaughter (it was circumcized, right?)

And--holy crap!--a nativity out-house!