Spain 2023
This trip was the result of having a good friend who lives in Madrid, Amanda W. She is a professor of finance at a prestigious private university in Madrid, and she invited me out. I stayed with her in Madrid, and we did take one overnight adventure to Seville and Cordoba. I cannot believe all I got to see in eight days! I chose everything meaningful to me and packed so much in!
Scenes from walking in Madrid
The Prado Museum, which I have been dying to see for years. It has masterpieces from Velasquez, Bosch, El Greco, and more.
This classical guitarist was outside the Prado. He was incredible.
In the city center
Plaza de Mayor
El Torro bar, which is famous for the bulls and many photographs of famous people who have visited
The Royal Palace
Eating in the Plaza Mayor. There were many dining options. I love the food and hospitality in Spain.
This interesting knight was operated like a marionette. It walked around the plaza with a band playing music and drumming.
More scenes from Madrid, including this couple with a cute cat. My cat would never allow this.
The photos below are all of Toledo, where the capital of Spain was before Phillip II moved it. I have been dreaming of seeing Toledo for years. It is such a remarkable city with so much diverse history.
Toledo has old mosques and synagogues, which you can tell have shared architectural styles. This was once a city of great tolerance before the Reconquista of Ferdinand and Isabella.
This is the original paining of the Burial of the Count of Orgaz by El Greco. In it you can see the importance of having someone (saints) accompany you to the spirit world, which the Catholic church was trying to highlight (you don't die alone)
streets of Toledo
The food in Spain! All so amazing.
Look at this ceiling in the chapter room of the Toledo cathedral.
The organs and choirs of these cathedrals never ceased to amaze me.
It is clear that Spain once had immense gold and silver from the Americas. It was hard and complicated to grapple with when seeing all the wealth in the cathedrals and palaces.
One view of the massive cathedral. This cathedral and the one in Segovia (see photos later) were in a sort of competition. The cities are quite small for how large these buildings are.
Walking around the walls of Toledo.
The following, starting with the photo above, are from Seville, in southern Spain. Amanda and I took a train ride first thing, and went all the way to Seville (a little over three hour trip). We spent the day there before taking the train up to Cordoba, another 30 minutes-ish. We spend the night in Cordoba.
Seville possesses some of the most beautiful architecture and design I have ever seen. The following are of the Alcazar in Seville, or the palace. The Islamic influence is so clear, and this was such a stunning complex.
The orange trees were blossoming everywhere here, and I wanted so badly to bottle the fragrance and take it home to the Wyoming snow.
I went up into the tower of the cathedral in Seville and got a grand view of this spectacular city.
In this cathedral Columbus's tomb is carried by these four representing the four regions of Spain.
From the tower looking out at Seville
Plaza de Mayor of Seville
This is the river all of the goods of the "New World" came up from Cadiz.
Moving on to Cordoba, where we spent the night in the most lovely historic patio village.
This was the patio area of our Airbnb. I was so in love.
Cordoba with the golden dusk light.
Morning in Cordoba began with churros and chocolate.
Maimonides was born 1138 (or 1135) in Córdoba, Andalusia, in the Muslim-ruled Almoravid Empire, during what some scholars consider to be the end of the golden age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula, after the first centuries of the Moorish rule. This statue remembers him. He was a great scholar and philosopher.
Old Jewish synagogue
The photo above is from a part of the area below that was closed off to tourists right now for restoration. I went outside of Cordoba to the side of a mountain where the Medina Azhara is.
From https://www.turismodecordoba.org/medina-azahara-1:
The history of Medina Azahara, the magnificent, enigmatic city palace which was built for Abd-al Rahman III at the foot of the Sierra Morena mountains five miles from the city, is shrouded in myths and legends. According to popular belief, Abd al-Rahman III, after proclaiming himself Caliph in 929 A.D., after eight years in power, decide to build the city-palace in honour of his favourite, Azahara. However, recent research strongly suggests that the real reason for the Caliph founding Medina Azahara was to promote the new image of the recently-created independent western Caliphate as a one of the strongest, most powerful kingdoms in Medieval Europe.
The city was built on three terraces, surrounded by a city wall, with the Royal Castle situated on the highest and the middle levels. The lower level was reserved for living quarters and the Mosque, which was built outside the walls. Historical sources mention ten thousand people working daily on building the palace complex, on which no expense was spared by Abd al-Rahman in order to achieve the desired propaganda effect: he would project the image of the new city like the flagship of the powerful kingdom he governed. Rich marbles of violet and red, gold and precious stones, as well as the skilled work of artisans from the best quarries and the now legendary Byzantine contributions, helped to make the palace take on its full glory.
This was the warmest day I experienced in Spain, due to it being the most southern point I visited.
Out in the distance is Cordoba
Back in Cordoba, we visited the Mezquita (mosque), which was turned into a cathedral. You can see both elements now. It was one of the most edifying architectural creations I have encountered. I could sense the layers of history.
We sat here and enjoyed stillness for a time before I took a trip up in the tower, which is in the complex and looks over the mezquita and courtyard.
Cordoba
Coming down from the tower
Every detail is meticulous
We also went to the Alcazar here, which is were Columbus talked to Ferdinand and Isabella.
Statue commemorating this famous meeting
Again, we paused here for a time, taking in the sights and scents. I knew I had to take advantage before returning to the Wyoming snow. What a lovely respite.
I carried all on my back for two days so we did not have to store bags and waste time. It was worth it with all we got to see. Here we are waiting for the train back to Madrid.
When back in Madrid the next day, I took a little group tour out to The Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen (above) which the dictator Franco had built. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Fallen
El Escorial, where Phillip II liked to hang out and get away from Madrid. He was very devoted and studied here. He and other monarchy are buried below the basilica inside here.
Part of where the royal dead are encrypted.
Courtyard of El Escorial
Going down to where the kings are buried, which are right below the basilica. This was quite astounding to me, realizing I was among the bodies of some of the most powerful people in the world for their times. I will refrain from giving my opinions of them here.
Phillip liked to collect religious relics, and behind this massive door, many of them are still held. This intrigued me, and I wanted to know more about these relics. I read that Phillip believed these gave him power and legitimacy.
Part of Phillip's living quarters. These material objects were his, including the desk below and bed.
Looking outside El Escorial through the leaded glass.
Basilica at the Valley of the Fallen. This is a massive cross. This was built by political prisoners of Franco and has of late been used to commemorate all the fallen of Spain's civil war. Franco was buried beneath the basilica, which was very controversial. His body was moved to his family's property in 2019.
I had to sneak this photo. Don't judge me. This place felt very depressing.
Photos from my wanderings around Madrid.
Turkish Sweets! And I stopped and visited with a young Iranian woman who spoke excellent English and Spanish. The sweets were amazing. I sampled a few and bought some sweets and honey sesame hazelnuts, a treat that is hard to find.
Public gardens near the Royal Palace, which is in the background.
The Temple of Debod is above, which was an ancient Egyptian temple that was removed and reconstructed in Madrid in 1972.
Trying paella at the best place for it in Madrid, Cafe Valencia.
We went on a walk and stopped by the bullfight arena. It is a beautiful structure, but I have no desire to see a bullfight. I watched a recording of one for an 8th grade Spanish class activity a hundred years ago and have had no desire for more.
A day trip to Segovia is a 30 minute train ride away from Madrid. This has a massive Roman aqueduct in excellent condition. This was such a charming city and a great way to end my last full day in Spain. It was a little chilly in this more mountainous area, thus the jacket and beanie.
Disney copied a lot of this castle, which has gone through various phases of construction. Isabella was coronated here.
Somehow my cat Jewel got to Spain and at the castle!
The royal armory.
The Toledo rapiers are everywhere.
Inside the massive cathedral of this small city. This competed with Toledo for size and dominance.
One of the more famous paintings in this cathedral is above. Take a guess at interpreting it.
This "wagon" was getting ready to get put on procession for Holy Week activities.
These cathedrals never ceased to awe me.
We took a walk along the entire aqueduct. Where it currently ends (or begins, for that matter) outside the main historic city is short enough to see how the water would flow.
The next morning, I flew home! And went back to Star Valley where the next day it snowed 20 inches in Afton! As you can imagine, I was wishing I was still in Spain.
