OK, on the lower left quarter of the photo after the 2 distinct lines of mountains low in the white/cloud you see a small rock - that is Gibraltar and the smudge behind it is Africa...
Monday, 13 May 2013
Standing in Europe, looking at Africa
I know this was 10 minutes of the trip but quite amazing. Alas it was a cloudy day and of course the phone camera has no lenses... but after Ronda we continued through very rugged mountains and at this high point you look across the rock of Gibraltar and see Africa...
OK, on the lower left quarter of the photo after the 2 distinct lines of mountains low in the white/cloud you see a small rock - that is Gibraltar and the smudge behind it is Africa...
OK, on the lower left quarter of the photo after the 2 distinct lines of mountains low in the white/cloud you see a small rock - that is Gibraltar and the smudge behind it is Africa...
Ronda - province of Andalucia
Ronda is on the way to the Costa de Sol. This was the most southerly outpost of the Celtic empire, and like celtic cities, built on top of a hill. We were just here a few hours but a few points of note...
We couldn't walk through the streets at first as the 101km road race was just completing in the city. I was wondering why the runners were carrying climbing poles but I guess that is telling you how steep and mountainous this area is... here are a few of the 3000+ entrants
Ronda is also the location for the Spanish legion so a few of the boys were out taking care of civilian crowd control because of the race...
Ronda is also the site of the first bullfighting ring. I felt I couldn't go to spain without somehow investigating the bullfighting phenomenon so went inside the ring and to the museum... took the photo, felt creeped out my all that testosterone and aggression and left - been and seen...
Anyhow, as I was saying, Ronda is not just built on a hill top but has a massive chasm in the midst of the old and new towns... makes for spectacular views of which the restaurants take advantage...
And I know these guys will star elsewhere forever more, but caught this 'family' just sitting in the sun on a Saturday morning outside their place in the old city... totally priceless and reminds me of....
We couldn't walk through the streets at first as the 101km road race was just completing in the city. I was wondering why the runners were carrying climbing poles but I guess that is telling you how steep and mountainous this area is... here are a few of the 3000+ entrants
Ronda is also the location for the Spanish legion so a few of the boys were out taking care of civilian crowd control because of the race...
Ronda is also the site of the first bullfighting ring. I felt I couldn't go to spain without somehow investigating the bullfighting phenomenon so went inside the ring and to the museum... took the photo, felt creeped out my all that testosterone and aggression and left - been and seen...
Anyhow, as I was saying, Ronda is not just built on a hill top but has a massive chasm in the midst of the old and new towns... makes for spectacular views of which the restaurants take advantage...
And I know these guys will star elsewhere forever more, but caught this 'family' just sitting in the sun on a Saturday morning outside their place in the old city... totally priceless and reminds me of....
Sevilla
Seville was a wonderful and very mediterannean city... the houses are white, the atmosphere is wonderful and there are many interesting things to see. You could easily spend several days here...
First we went to the Seville Plaza de Espana - my phone photos certainly do it no justice but a most magnificent plaza with 4 bridges (for the 4 main era/dynasties of Spain I think) in central gardens, surrounded by arches and little tiled representations of each of the 23 (I think) provinces of Spain.... just lovely...
Seville is beautiful and certainly different to Toledo. Orange trees, gardens that are a mix of the roman style (garden at centre of building) with the arabic features of water and fruit trees. Of course tiles, ornate plaster and the shapes of the arabic influence are everywhere. White for the mediterranean. Palms. And the most wonderful roses (more photos from Granada)...
Getting any hints Bren for some tweaking of the Frith St garden (sorry about the random person in this photo...)
Seville day was completed with a night at the Spanish flamenco school... Just a beautiful production - of course these photos with no flash do it no justice...
So put Seville on your list!
First we went to the Seville Plaza de Espana - my phone photos certainly do it no justice but a most magnificent plaza with 4 bridges (for the 4 main era/dynasties of Spain I think) in central gardens, surrounded by arches and little tiled representations of each of the 23 (I think) provinces of Spain.... just lovely...
Seville is beautiful and certainly different to Toledo. Orange trees, gardens that are a mix of the roman style (garden at centre of building) with the arabic features of water and fruit trees. Of course tiles, ornate plaster and the shapes of the arabic influence are everywhere. White for the mediterranean. Palms. And the most wonderful roses (more photos from Granada)...
Getting any hints Bren for some tweaking of the Frith St garden (sorry about the random person in this photo...)
Seville day was completed with a night at the Spanish flamenco school... Just a beautiful production - of course these photos with no flash do it no justice...
Madrid to Cordoba
Long day of travel half way down Spain from the capital Spain, through Mancha de Castella to Andalucia. We took a short stop in Don Quixote country and saw the magnificent windmills. Don Quixote is apparenty the most translated book in the world after the bible...
Cordoba is an old city where we saw what had been the second largest mosque after that in Mecca. Construction of the mosque began in 7th century and is a fantastic design inside.
The pillars are recycled from roman buildings so are all different materials and heights... marble, granite, alabaster. The arches that are the mosque construction are brick and stone. The building held 20,000 people at once. Two extensions were made by subsequent kings, one of which was elevated to calif status and had exquisite design. This is original, not restored.
In the picture below you can see some of the original work and where it was Christianised...
Above is from it was used as a mosque up until the Christians took over Spain in 1400s. The design of the altar uses the scientific knowledge of the series of inhabitants - phoenecians, romans and arabs. So if the speaker stood under this dome, his voice would transmit through this enormous building to 20,000.
When Spain reconquered by Christian in 1400s, they usually knocked down the 600 mosques. This one was considered so beautiful the minaret was converted to a belltower and a chapel placed in middle of building with small altars around the edges (We did then hear this story every cathedral we went to the further south we went). Anyhow, this saint in the treasury has his pooch with him :-) hence worthy of a photo.
Oh and here is a Roman bridge leading to the city.
Anyhow, certainly worth a visit if in Andalucia!
Cordoba is an old city where we saw what had been the second largest mosque after that in Mecca. Construction of the mosque began in 7th century and is a fantastic design inside.
In the picture below you can see some of the original work and where it was Christianised...
Above is from it was used as a mosque up until the Christians took over Spain in 1400s. The design of the altar uses the scientific knowledge of the series of inhabitants - phoenecians, romans and arabs. So if the speaker stood under this dome, his voice would transmit through this enormous building to 20,000.
When Spain reconquered by Christian in 1400s, they usually knocked down the 600 mosques. This one was considered so beautiful the minaret was converted to a belltower and a chapel placed in middle of building with small altars around the edges (We did then hear this story every cathedral we went to the further south we went). Anyhow, this saint in the treasury has his pooch with him :-) hence worthy of a photo.
Oh and here is a Roman bridge leading to the city.
Anyhow, certainly worth a visit if in Andalucia!
Madrid
Did first commute to Madrid and also sorted the Metro to Plaza de Espana. Went to Sol, theatre district, Plaza Major. Strangely disappointing.... Lots of people sleeping on the streets... Anyhow it was just one day before my list...
Since I have no photos trying to be inconspicuous with people hassling me, I am resorting to google images for a quick flash and record of Madrid... These ARE places I have been/seen...
Since I have no photos trying to be inconspicuous with people hassling me, I am resorting to google images for a quick flash and record of Madrid... These ARE places I have been/seen...
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Saturday, 4 May 2013
Sunny spring Saturday in Toledo
Today was a glorious spring day... and being by the cathedral and Santo Toma... I was in the centre of Toledo wedding activity! These are certainly events well celebrated with copious quantities of long taffeta dresses, lacquered up-do's, and lashings of fireworks and CANNON FIRE.
First are drum bands weaving through the streets to the cathedral entrance...
A glimpse into the cathedral... this is just a side entrance before you go in...
Senoritas in their finery preparing to go into the wedding ceremony...
Weddings lined up the alley - one coming out, one about to go in...
And finally, after all the fireworks, banging confetti poppers and cannon fire reverberating through the streets, the bride and groom's wedding car prepped by the guests - ready for the last wedding bang...
First are drum bands weaving through the streets to the cathedral entrance...
A glimpse into the cathedral... this is just a side entrance before you go in...
Senoritas in their finery preparing to go into the wedding ceremony...
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