We arrived in Seville on the very comfortable Renfe AVE high speed train and enjoyed the trip immensely. Trains in Spain are so much fun!
We took two taxi's and checked into a really nice Airbnb with a roof patio/ deck but as luck would have it, it rained most of our trip.
In the morning we had a tour guide booked to give us a tour of the Alcazar and the Cathedral.
The forecast was for rain in the afternoon so we toured the gardens first. It seems like the Muslim rulers in Seville enjoyed gardens as much as the Mughals in India. The gardens were built to provide relaxation and a source of food and cooling for the warmth of the area. The common elements are manicured hedges that create lovely patterns, fountains and pools. Would love to have these in my back yard.
One thing that stands out were the ubiquitous orange trees in the gardens and in the city in general. We were curious, so Connie explained that the trees are mostly sour oranges that were planted because of their evergreen leaves and then contoured to provide shade through out the gardens and the city. She also explained that the more sour the oranges on the trees, the more fragrance it provided. It’s amazing to see oranges growing on hedges over 8 feet tall and nobody picking them. Seemed like a shame to waste the oranges but after trying multiple of these oranges, we understand why!!
The architecture of the Alcazar reflects the design of the Muslim rulers and the subsequent changes made by Christian rulers. You see beautiful patterns with Arabic script and sometimes in the presence of Christian symbols, reflecting conversion of the space into a Church or other Christian function. A big style point of note was the creation of very elaborate ceilings in almost every area of the palace. Heavenly is a way to describe it.
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand made this place home and heart of their empire together, known as Plus Ultra. It is still considered a Royal Palace with a section that is off limits to visitors. Christopher Columbus met with Queen Isabella here and was given the grant to explore for another passage to India.
The Cathedral was nearby and is like many Cathedrals in Spain, a Mosque converted into a Christian Church. It’s amazing to see. Christopher Columbus aka Cristobal Colon and his son Ferdinand Colon are buried in the Cathedral because of their expansion of the Spanish Empire of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand known in Spanish as Plus Ultra.
We learned the true significance of Virgin Mary and how God purified her of her sins before her birth...also commonly known as the immaculate conception. Apparently Christianity has many forms of the Virgin Mary, reflecting her virtues in different areas. It almost seems like the many God’s of Hinduism that reflect different powers.
The cathedral bell tower is actually one of the minarets from the old mosque that was re-purposed. The Muslims made the tower walkway wide enough for the prayer caller to ascend to the top on horseback. This is a unique feature that allows us to walk up a nice wide ramp. The views of the Seville skyline from the top were beautiful but the heavy rain kept us from enjoying it for too long. A sunny day would have been better!
The evening was a dinner and a Flamenco show at a local theater. A bottle of water was 5 Euro! What an amazing display of skills and stamina.
It seemed they were in agony while performing but in reality the show displays the emotional exchange between the pair of dancers, one man and one woman. A visit to Spain is not complete unless you see a Flamenco show. Truly worth the time and money.
In the morning we had a tour guide booked to give us a tour of the Alcazar and the Cathedral.
The forecast was for rain in the afternoon so we toured the gardens first. It seems like the Muslim rulers in Seville enjoyed gardens as much as the Mughals in India. The gardens were built to provide relaxation and a source of food and cooling for the warmth of the area. The common elements are manicured hedges that create lovely patterns, fountains and pools. Would love to have these in my back yard.
 |
| Central Courtyard |
 |
| Manicured maze of animal shaped hedges |
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| Add caption |
One thing that stands out were the ubiquitous orange trees in the gardens and in the city in general. We were curious, so Connie explained that the trees are mostly sour oranges that were planted because of their evergreen leaves and then contoured to provide shade through out the gardens and the city. She also explained that the more sour the oranges on the trees, the more fragrance it provided. It’s amazing to see oranges growing on hedges over 8 feet tall and nobody picking them. Seemed like a shame to waste the oranges but after trying multiple of these oranges, we understand why!!
 |
| Admiring the Orange Tree hedge |
 |
| Capturing how the orange tree hedge is trained |
 |
| A nice hedge with oranges |
The architecture of the Alcazar reflects the design of the Muslim rulers and the subsequent changes made by Christian rulers. You see beautiful patterns with Arabic script and sometimes in the presence of Christian symbols, reflecting conversion of the space into a Church or other Christian function. A big style point of note was the creation of very elaborate ceilings in almost every area of the palace. Heavenly is a way to describe it.
 |
| Alkazar aka Palace of Dornish Kingdom on Game of Thrones |
 |
| Beautiful arched ceilings with carved side walls |
 |
| Garden View |
 |
| tapestry from the Tapestry Room |
 |
| tapestry from the Tapestry Room |
 |
| One of many intricate ceilings |
 |
| another ceiling carved exquisitely |
 |
| Decorative carvings on archways |
 |
| Detailed colorful arches |
 |
| Looking up the Atrium towards the second floor that is still used by the Royal Family |
 |
| Amazing ceiling in the Throne room. Just look at design |
 |
| Close up of the Throne room. Look at the crown |
 |
| add caption |
 |
| Another beautiful carvings |
 |
| Hand made tiles installed on the floor with "Plus Ultra" inscribed |
 |
| Crest on the ceiling with "Plus Ultra" |
 |
| Enjoying the Whisper system... |
 |
| What's this...oh forgot to trim the beard. |
 |
| Whisper system is great |
 |
| It's cold! |
 |
| Energizer bunny getting a recharge |
 |
| Loving the architecture |
 |
| Our gang on tour at the Alcazar |
 |
| Colon Family Crest... Family of Christopher Columbus, whose name was actually Cristobal Colon |
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| Christopher Columbus Crypt |
 |
| Christopher Columbus crypt |
 |
 |
| Baptism pool |
 |
| Cathedral ceiling arch |
 |
 |
 |
| Very elegant altar |
 |
| Altar to Mary |
The cathedral bell tower is actually one of the minarets from the old mosque that was re-purposed. The Muslims made the tower walkway wide enough for the prayer caller to ascend to the top on horseback. This is a unique feature that allows us to walk up a nice wide ramp. The views of the Seville skyline from the top were beautiful but the heavy rain kept us from enjoying it for too long. A sunny day would have been better!
 |
| Walking down from the bell tower. Notice the wide path |
 |
| At the top of the bell tower |
 |
| Bell tower from the garden |
 |
| Enjoying the wet scenery |
 |
| The garden and city from the bell tower |
 |
| Enjoying dinner and a flamenco show |
It seemed they were in agony while performing but in reality the show displays the emotional exchange between the pair of dancers, one man and one woman. A visit to Spain is not complete unless you see a Flamenco show. Truly worth the time and money.
How to win at casinos with live casino - AirJordan
ReplyDeleteCasinos how to order air jordan 18 retro varsity red with live top air jordan 18 retro toro mens sneakers casino games · air jordan 18 retro red suede shop Promotions · Promotions · Gaming air jordan 18 retro men to good site · Entertainment air jordan 18 retro toro mens sneakers good website