Day 25: October 19,
2018
Granada, Spain
We
woke up early had a quick breakfast and headed to Granada. We
arrived around noon to the Eurostar Hotel, located right across
from the Alhambra Citadel. Our room was not ready yet, so we
left our luggage there, gave them the keys to our car and headed straight to
Alhambra to see what we could do about tickets.
The
line to get tickets was very long and I found out that they are just waiting
for any cancellations as the park was sold out until the end of the
month! Instead of wasting time in the queue, I used Google to see what
else can be done. In one website (LoveGranada.com), I found out that the
city’s department of tourism sells tickets to the attraction when you purchase
a package that includes other attractions and a train ride. We decided to
try our luck there. We walked for about 30 minutes to realize walking
around this city, means up and down hills every place we turned.
We
arrived to Town’s Hall in Plaza del Carmen and
found the Tourism Office on the first floor, and they did have
a desk for buying the tickets that included the Alhambra. We were
pleasantly surprise for the number of people in front of us: just one lady!
However, when we reached the extremely nice representative, she was sorry to
tell us that all tickets were gone for today but urged us (and the lady that
was in front of us) to wait for any cancellations or return tomorrow morning
and "maybe you will get lucky".
We
decided to wait. I used the time to read about the plaza and the city and
I will write about it soon!
About
30 minutes passed by, when the representative came to us with a huge
smile. There were 4 tickets available (2 for tomorrow and two for Sunday)
and that we don’t need to purchase the entire package but pay only for the face
value of the tickets. Since the other person was in front of us,
she got to chose first and we ended up with the Sunday’s tickets. There
are no words to describe the relief we had and we were so happy. The only
changes we had to do in our itinerary was to leave the hotel Sunday afternoon
(after touring Alhambra), instead of leaving in the morning.
So
now it is time to write about the city:
Granada
is the soul of Andalusia, a place of breathtaking beauty at the foot of
the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The
city has been continuously inhabited by humans for at least 2500 years, prior
to the establishment of a Greek colony in the area. Under Ancient Roman rule
Granada developed as an economic center of Roman Hispania, with the
construction of aqueducts, roads, and other infrastructure. With the fall of
the Roman Empire the city was ruled by the Visigoths before
being re-conquered by the Byzantine Empire, all the time being
maintained as a strategic military and economic hub for the region.
The Moorish conquest
of 711 brought Islamic rule to the Iberian Peninsula and
Granada was quickly established as one of the main cities of Al-Andalusia,
the Muslim name for the region. New agricultural practices were introduced as
the old Roman infrastructure was put to use for irrigation, leading to a major
expansion of the city as it grew from the river valley up to the hills
currently occupied by the Alhambra and the Albayzín, with a major Jewish settlement, The
Realejo, existing within the town. In 1236 the city became the capital of
the Emirate of Granada, and for the next 250 years Granada stood as the heart
of a powerful and self-sufficient kingdom with the construction of the royal
palace and fortress, the Alhambra.
Fights
continued between the Emirate of Granada and the Crown
of Castile, and in the late XV century the Christians set foot in the city.
Following a military campaign led by King Ferdinand II of
Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, which included a
siege of the walled town, King Boabdil of Granada was
ultimately forced to surrender the town in 1492, bringing an end to Moorish
rule in the Iberian Peninsula.
The
fall of Granada came at a crucial moment for Christian Spain, as it was that
same year that Christopher Columbus made his first voyage to
the Americas, bringing back reports of the wealth and resources that could be
gained there. Flushed with the thought of success, Spaniards conquered much of
the Americas and brought great wealth to the new Spanish Empire. In
the case of Granada, the Christians soon forced the existing Jewish and Muslim
residents to convert and began making significant changes to the appearance of
the city in an attempt to hide its Muslim character, including replacing the
city's primary mosque with the massive Cathedral and constructing a large
Christian palace in the heart of the Alhambra. Persecution against the Muslims
and Jews took its toll, and over time the city began to suffer economically as
these populations abandoned their homes in the area.
Granada
remained a largely medieval-style city well into the XIX century, going through
many economic slumps and seeing much of its architectural heritage destroyed.
However, the last half of the XIX century saw Granada incorporated into the
national rail network and the first stirrings of tourism thanks to reports of
sites like the Alhambra to a global audience. However, the Spanish Civil
War of the 1930’s sunk Granada's economy, and it persisted largely as
a bureaucratic and university town until the late XX century, when the city
underwent a massive period of modernization and development which brought new
business and visitors to the city.
We
were at Plaza del Carmen, where City Hall is located in the heart
of the city, named after the old Carmen convent which has been demolished to
make room for the town hall building.
From there we decided to take a self guided tour.
We
crossed the street and arrive to the Royal Chapel and at the
entrance we saw a group of Israelis. We introduced ourselves and tagged along
with them.
This
impressive 155 feet-high domed chapel is attached to the Catedral Santa
María de la Encarnacion but has a separate entrance; it was an
addition to the cathedral built from 1506 to 1521 in Late Gothic style.
This
is the resting place of Isabella and Ferdinand, who chose to get buried in
Granada because they deemed their defeat of Muslim Nasrid kingdom here
as their most important accomplishment. We saw the painting of Nadrid's
surrender outside the chapel entrance.
We visited the crypt were the along with their daughter (Joan the "mad"). In addition, there were also other artifacts here such as Isabella's crown and Ferdinand's sword. BTW, photo is not allowed here, and I was caught taking a picture of the graves and was asked to leave. Luckily, it was at the end of the tour!
The
sights were amazing and every alleys or streets were mesmerizing with their
uniqueness and beauty.
Our
goal was to get to the top of the neighborhood to view the Alhambra Palace from
there.
We
reached the summit and in a panoramic spot, not far from the XVI Century Church
of San Nicolas and stopped in a large terrace as our mouths dropped when
we marveled the spectacular views from there.
The
rewards for the steep hike through the neighborhood were worth it. The views of
the Alhambra and the Generalife with
the Sierra Nevada backdrop, were amazing. Bill Clinton recently
re-visited this spot whilst on a trip to Spain as apparently he had been there
once in his student days and had never forgotten the magnificent vista.
We
returned to the bazaar, using a different route and exploring other alleys and
narrow streets. It was amazing!
Our
next visit was to La Juderia, the Jewish Quarter of
Granada.
We
approached a small museum when we saw a lady placing a “closed” sign next to
the entrance. We convinced her to let us visit and she agreed. Her
husband was inside the tiny museum and he told us few facts about this place:
The
Jewish quarter was very extensive, could have between 15,000 to 20,000 souls,
and occupied approximately the extension of the current neighborhood
called Realejo - San Matias, which was an immense labyrinth of
alleys. it was a very prosperous quarter that enjoyed great importance.
The jews were mostly craftsmen and merchants who traveled continuously.
Thanks to this they used to dominate several languages, were aware of the new
discoveries and had, in general, a great culture. They also had a vast
knowledge of medicine. All this made Garnata al-Yahud a
cosmopolitan and cultured neighborhood, which had a very positive influence on
the development of the city. Today there are only few Jewish families
left here.
The
tiny museum has few rooms containing artifacts exhibit and other Jewish
symbols.
It
was dinner time and we headed to the nearby Campo de Principe, a
plaza known for the best tapas in town. We found a table outside one of
the eateries, named Meson Tabarka and had a fantastic dinner.
Day 26: October 20,
2018
Granada, Spain
A rainstorm welcomed us this morning.
We felt so sorry for the lady who chose to visit Alhambra Palace today and
prayed for a nicer day tomorrow.
Armed with umbrellas and warm clothing we
started the day.
After a quick breakfast we headed to Plaza
del Carmen to find our guide ofr today’s tour of the city, but when
she finally arrived she told us that the tour had been cancelled, due to the
weather. We asked her if there were any other tours and she said that we
should try our luck in another square, called Plaza Nueva.
We rushed to the plaza as the other tour was already in session. I asked the guide in charge to join the group and she welcomed us without any hesitations.
The guide started by telling us where we are:
The Plaza Nueva was formerly one of the most important parts of the city where
various tournaments, games and bullfights were held.
Fifteen minutes into our walk, the rain had
stopped and the visibility was clear.
Most of the tour was familiar to us. We just did the same tour yesterday only that now it came with lots of information and details about the Royal Chapel, Albaicin Neighborhood, the different style of homes that we had seen, the Bazaar and San Nicolas Church. We stopped at the terrace and once again admired the beautiful views.
The guide mentioned to us that a night tour here is well worth it as the sky in the horizons is filled with the Alhambra lights, creating a spectacular display. We looked at each other and decided to take this tour as well, later today.
We met a couple of ladies from Italy and
along with them were looking for a tavern, recommended by our tour guide.
We found Plaza Larga, only 5 minutes away, and the four of us sat down in Aixa Restaurante for lunch. Service was slow but the food was excellent. The plaza was obviously a very popular spot for locals (and tourists), as many of them occupied the tables of the restaurants there. The plaza is considered to be most vibrant square in Albaicí, characterized by its attractive cobblestone paving which holds the vegetable and fruit market every morning.
A procession was taking place as a group of
(very drunk) locals celebrated some kind of a legend and a miracle.
We agreed to meet the two ladies from Italy
in the afternoon for the night evening tour and were wandering the streets of
the old city for a couple of hours.
Click Here to watch the procession
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Click Here to watch the procession
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We regrouped in the now familiar Plaza
Nueva. A street performer attracted most of the tourists in the plaza,
demonstrating his skills in a Flamenco dance. He was pretty good!
Click Here to Watch the Street Performers
Click Here to Watch the Street Performers
There were only 6 people in the new tour. Our
new guide, Rafael, was absolutely awesome.
We stopped at Palacio de Carlos V,
as Rafael told us that when Carlos V came to Granada for his honeymoon, he fell
in love with the Alhambra and the city. He established his residence in the
Arabian palaces but decided to build his own largest palace adjoining the
Nasrid Palaces so that he could continue to enjoy them.
We found the Renaissance building as a square
on the outside and having a circular patio 100 feet in diameter inside.
Originally, there was a well in the center but It had been covered. The
building has two levels: the ground floor of the patio has 32 Doric stone
columns and an upper floor with 32 Ionic columns. They were going to cover the
building with a vault like the Pantheon in Rome but they never finished it and
only completed the roof of the upper gallery in 1957.
The rest of the tour was almost the same as
those we had taken earlier but we were able to see the nightlife in Albaicin Neighborhood with
street artists and the, now familiar, streets painted in different lights.
For the 3rd time, in only a
couple of days, we were at the summit and standing in the now (very familiar)
terrace. All we could say is “WOW” when we watched the sunset over
the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the horizons and then
Alhambra Palace was highlighted by many lights in different colors.
There were hundreds of people on the terrace (mostly locals) and Rafael asked us to follow him. He said there was even an even better spot
for photo opportunities and without the crowd.
We walked alongside the homes and then
arrived to an open niche between two homes and sure enough, had a great view!
Our last stop for the tour was in a bakery as
Rafael insisted that we have to taste Piononos, small pastries
traditional in Santa Fe, a small town adjacent to the city of Granada. The pastry had two parts: a thin layer of pastry rolled into a cylinder, fermented with
different kinds of syrup which gave the pastry a sweet and pleasant texture,
crowned with toasted cream. It was all gone in two bites!
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An Israeli girl, that was part of our group, joined us for dinner at a seafood restaurant.
Day 27: October 21,
2018
Granada - Toledo, Spain
We
woke up at 7:00 and checked out from the hotel. We left the car and the
luggage there. Weather was just perfect!
We
started our day by visiting the Alcazaba, located at the entrance
of the Alhambra Palace.
Reading
about this beautiful fortress revealed that the Alcazaba, is one of the oldest
parts of the Alhambra. It is thought that before it was built and before
the Muslims arrived to Granada, there were already several constructions in the
same area. The first historical reference to the existence of the Alcazaba
dates from the IX century and it is believed that it was then built by Sawwar
ben Hamdun during the fights between Muslims and the Christians who
converted to the Islam and lived among the Muslims.
The
current complex was built by Mohammed I, who constructed the
ramparts around the previous castle, defenses and three new towers: The
Broken Tower (Torre Quebrada), the Keep (Torre del Homenaje) and the
Watch Tower (Torre de la Vela). As a consequence, the Alcazaba became a
real fortress, where the king established the royal residence. His son Mohammed
II also had his residence in the Alcazaba, until the palaces were
finished. From then on, the Alcazaba was only used as a fortress for military
purposes.
When
the Christians took over the city, they carried out many works to repair the
Alcazaba. At different moments of its history, during long periods of time, it
was used as a State prison, even during the French occupation.
We
toured the entire complex, following a map that was provided. The views
from each corner of the wall were magnificent, as the city of Granada was laid
down in front of us. We were able to identify several sights that we had
visited in the last couple of days and felt great about it. We visited
the beautiful gardens of the fortress, called Jardines de los Adarves,
which were near the exit of the Alcazaba. It was so called because it was
located on the low protective wall under the fortress and looked at the most
beautiful views over the city, from there. The wall that goes to the Vermilion
Towers (Torres Bermejas) starts at that point and a famous poem
by Francisco A. de Icaza can be read on the wall. I
looked it up and here is the translation to English:
“Give
him alms, woman,
For
there is nothing in this life
Like
the grief of being
Blind
in Granada”
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Yesterday, when we purchased the 2 tickets, a time was set for entering the properties of Alhambra. It got close to this hour (9:30am) and we stood in line waiting for the gate to open for the ticket holders.
Here
is a summary of this unique, out of this world palace:
The
Alhambra stands majestically on a fortified hilltop with the snow-peaked Sierra
Nevada Mountains as a backdrop. This UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site
is the main attraction in Granada and is an absolute must-see attraction. The
Alhambra was the residence of the Moorish rulers of the Nasrid
Dynasty for 250 glorious years, from the XIII to the XV centuries, and
is a veritable museum of Islamic architecture. Surrounded by ancient walls, the
Alhambra appears from afar to be an impenetrable fortress. This site was the
last stronghold of the Moors in Spain.
Our
first stop was at the Palacios Nazaries (Nasrid Palaces),
considered to be the highlight of the whole palace. This is the stunning
centerpiece of the Alhambra, with perfectly proportioned rooms and courtyards,
intricately molded stucco walls, beautiful tiling, fine carved wooden ceilings
and elaborate stalactite-like muqarnas vaulting (significant
in Islamic architecture, because its elaborate form is a symbolic
representation of universal creation by God), all worked in mesmerizing,
symbolic, geometrical patterns.
We
tagged along a group from the USA, that had a guide accompanying them for the
entire tour of the palaces.
We
visited this complex of palaces, which were the residence of the kings of
Granada. Its construction was started by the founder of the dynasty, Alhamar,
in the XIII century, although the buildings that have survived to our time date
mainly from the XIV century.
The
palace was originally divided into three main areas: the Mexuar,
the administrative and public part of the complex; the Palacio Comares,
the emir’s official residence; and the Palacio de los Leones, his
private quarters.
We
entered through the Mexuar, a 14th-century room used as a ministerial council
chamber and antechamber for those awaiting audiences with the emir. The public
would have gone no further.
From
the Mexuar we passed into the Patio del Cuarto Dorado, a courtyard
where the emirs greeted guests, with the Cuarto Dorado (Golden
Room) on the left. Opposite the Cuarto Dorado was the entrance
to the Palacio de Comares through a beautiful facade of glazed
tiles, stucco and carved wood. Built for Emir Yusuf I, this Palace served as his official residence. It's set around the
lovely Patio de los Arrayanes (Patio of the Myrtles) with its
rectangular pool. The long pool, in front of the building was (for me) the
highlight of the Palaces.
The southern end of the patio is overshadowed by the walls of the Palacio de Carlos V. Inside the northern Torre de Comares (Comares Tower), the Sala de la Barca (Hall of the Blessing) leads into the Salón de los Embajadores (Chamber of the Ambassadors), where the emirs would have conducted negotiations with Christian emissaries. This room's marvelous domed ceiling contains more than 8000 cedar pieces in a pattern of stars representing the seven heavens of Islam.
The Patio de los Arrayanes leads into the Palacio de los Leones (Palace of the Lions), built in the second half of the XIV century under Muhammad V. The palace rooms surround the famous Patio de los Leones (Lion Courtyard), with its marble fountain channeling water through the mouths of 12 marble lions. The courtyard layout, using the proportions of the golden ratio, demonstrates the complexity of Islamic geometric design – the 124 slender columns that support the ornamented pavilions are placed in such a way that they are symmetrical on numerous axes.
Of
the four halls around the patio, the southern Sala de los Abencerrajes is
the most spectacular. Boasting a mesmerizing octagonal stalactite ceiling, this
is the legendary site of the murders of the noble Abencerraj family,
whose leader; the story goes, dared to party with Zoraya, Abu
al-Hasan's favorite mistress. The rusty stains in the fountain are
said to be the victims’ indelible blood. At the eastern end of the patio is
the Sala de los Reyes (Hall of the Kings) with a leather-lined
ceiling painted by XIV century Christian artists. The name comes from the
painting on the central alcove, thought to depict 10 Nasrid emirs. On the
northern side of the patio is the richly decorated Sala de Dos Hermanas (Hall
of Two Sisters), probably named after the slabs of white marble flanking its
fountain. It features a fantastic dome with a central star and 5000 tiny cells,
reminiscent of the constellations. This may have been the room of the emir's
favorite lover. At its far end, the tile-trimmed Mirador de Daraxa (Daraxa
lookout) was a lovely place for the palace residents to look onto the garden
below. A passage leads through the Estancias del Emperador (Emperor's
Chambers), built for Carlos I in the 1520’s, and later used by
the American author Washington Irving. From here, we descended to
the Patio de la Reja (Patio of the Grille) and Patio
de Lindaraja before emerging into the Jardines del Partal,
an area of terraced gardens.
We continued along a path to the Generalife, which was built between the XII and XIV Century. The palace was used by the Muslim royalty as a place of rest. It was designed as a rural villa in the vicinity of the Alhambra, with decorative garden, fruit and vegetable patches, courts and other structures.
The entrance to the Generalife is interesting for two reasons. On the one hand, its exterior part is rural, befitting a country house more than a palace; on the other hand, various courts had to be traversed at different levels in order to reach the interior of the Alhambra palace itself. The vegetable gardens located on the south side of the palace, between the Promenade of the Cypress Trees and the Promenade of the Walnut Trees, were transformed into landscaped gardens in 1930.
Our time in the garden was memorable. What impressed me the most, were the symmetric gardens, the beautiful pools and the views of the city from the top.
We exited the gate and returned to our hotel to pick our luggage. We then
drove to the city of Toledo, talking about Alhambra the entire way and felt so lucky to be able to visit this out-of-this-world site. We had lunch on the way, in a
cafeteria along the highway.
We
arrived to the city in the late afternoon and checked into the elegant NH
Hotel, 10 minutes walk away from the walls of the old town. We wasted no time and went for a
walk in the old town where we found a lovely restaurant for dinner.
Not far from the old city’s wall we saw a a small round Chocolateria with a large patio. There was a large crowd there and we decided to check it out. This place sold only 2 items: Churros (as in Mexican sugary bread) and Chocolate (hot cocoa).
Not far from the old city’s wall we saw a a small round Chocolateria with a large patio. There was a large crowd there and we decided to check it out. This place sold only 2 items: Churros (as in Mexican sugary bread) and Chocolate (hot cocoa).
When
we finally got to the window to order we asked for 2 hot chocolates and 4
pieces of churros. The lady at the counter looked and asked: “eso es todo”
(That’s all?). We were sure it’s enough, after all we just had a huge dinner, and found a table in the
patio. We noticed that each person, sitting in the patio, ordered like 6
pieces each of the churros on the average. We finished our dish of churros (in about 2 minutes) and
they were so yummy. I went back to the counter and this time ordered 4
more pieces. The lady in the counter smiled as saying: “I knew you’ll be
back!”
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Day 28: October 22,
2018
Toledo, Spain
We
woke up at 7:00 and headed to the dining room for an outstanding breakfast.
We
decided that today we will tour the old town, surrounded by the old wall.
The history of Toledo dates back to Roman occupation circa 192 BC. The ruins of the Roman circus are still visible just outside the walls of the city. Roman occupation was followed by Visigoth rule, Muslim rule and finally the Reconquest of Toledo in 1085 AD.
Toledo
was the capital of the Spanish empire until the mid-XVI Century when the
royal court moved to Madrid in 1561.
“Holy Toledo” isn’t just an expression! The historic walled city in central Spain known as Toledo is positively packed with religious sites. The city is often compared to Jerusalem and its historical landscape has been called biblical. That is because this very unique and richly diverse city was impacted over time by three different religions. Like Jerusalem, Toledo is brimming with Muslim (more commonly called Moors in Spanish history), Jewish and Christian influences that all add up to a very unique mosaic of a city.
We
found the winding, cobbled streets of the old town crowded with locals and
tourists, as well as a surprisingly large number of cars and vans.
As we entered the Old Town, we noticed Jewish marks in many places, specifically on the sidewalks where Jewish symbols are painted on the tiles in the winding streets.
Jews
have lived in Toledo for centuries and until the XV Century were an integral
part of Spain and particularly in this city.
We headed to the Jewish Sector and stopped at a store that sells Judaica merchandise. The Jewish owner, a nice middle-age person lives outside the city. He provided us with many facts about the historic events in the city that affected the lives of the Jews there:
Toledo
was known as a center of Jewish Spain between the XII and XIV Centuries. Important
Jewish figures of Toledo during this period were Abraham ben Alfakhar, a
doctor and poet who carried out diplomatic missions for Alfonso, and Salomin
ibn Zadok, who was charged by Ferdinand III to collect taxes for the
king of Granada
In
Toledo there are street names such as Calle Juderia and Calle Samuel
Ha-Levi among the small narrow streets of the medieval area.
Synagogues were built with no special architectural features on the exterior. Under Moorish rule, the Jews adopted the Mudejar style of mosques. Under Christian rule, the synagogues could not exceed a certain height. There are three remaining synagogues in Spain, two of them in Toledo, both sit on a city square.
Synagogues were built with no special architectural features on the exterior. Under Moorish rule, the Jews adopted the Mudejar style of mosques. Under Christian rule, the synagogues could not exceed a certain height. There are three remaining synagogues in Spain, two of them in Toledo, both sit on a city square.
During
the XII and XIII Centuries, Jews and Christians of Toledo were free and equal
in the eyes of the courts and they had the benefit of royal favor. The members
of the Jewish community formed the “aljama” headed by a rabbi named by the
king. The rabbi was the spiritual leader of the community and was in charge of
maintaining order and the supervision of judicial affairs according to the Talmud
and the Torah. Judges, a chief of police and a bailiff were elected yearly.
In
1391, there were five Talmudic schools and 10 synagogues in Toledo. As Spain
works toward reviving its Jewish past, many visitors flock to Toledo to see the
two remaining synagogues, the El Transito Synagogue and La Sinagoga
de Santa Maria La Blanca, along with the Sephardic Museum. Both synagogues
were built in the Mudejar style, heavily influenced by Arabic aesthetics, and
were converted into churches after the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 by
Ferdinand and Isabella.
The
Juderia, or old Jewish Quarter of Toledo, was the
center of rabbinic teachings. Jewish scientists and doctors thrived in the XIV
Century as Jews were treated well by the Christian monarchs of the time. But there
were persecutions over time, especially at the hands of common Christians who
persisted in telling tales in which Jews were the villains.
The Jewish Quarter also housed the famous Escuela de Traductores de Toledo (School of Translators), whereby Jews used their knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew to translate philosophical and scientific works into Latin and Spanish.
We thanked the owner (I forgot his name) and
headed to the El Transito Synagogue.
The place was closed on Mondays and we promised ourselves to return
soon.
We
walked the narrow alleys of the Juderia.
It was a great experience, knowing that few hundred years ago these narrow
streets were filled with Jewish life.
At one
spot we purchased multi attractions ticket, in the old city, as we intended to visit them all.
We first visited the Church of Santo Tomé, home to the MOST famous painting by El Greco, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.
According to local legend, the funeral of the Count of Orgaz had some unexpected guests: namely, Saint Stephen and Saint Augustine, who appeared suddenly and miraculously to help lower the count's body into his tomb. The honour of having saints attend his funeral was in recognition of the count's religious life as well as his extreme generosity. In any event, the count had stipulated in his will that a yearly donation be collected from the citizens of Orgaz, a small town outside Toledo, and be given to the parish church of Santo Tome in Toledo. The count was a parishioner of that church and had his private chapel there. However in 1562 the citizens of the town decided to stop making the payment, hoping the legacy would be forgotten. They could not have been more mistaken. The parish priest of Santo Tome, immediately instigated legal proceedings against the town and in 1569 it was ruled in the priest's favour.
To celebrate this legal victory, as well as to immortalize the Count's generosity, Nunez renovated the count's chapel and commissioned El Greco to paint an exceptionally large altarpiece for it.
We first visited the Church of Santo Tomé, home to the MOST famous painting by El Greco, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.
According to local legend, the funeral of the Count of Orgaz had some unexpected guests: namely, Saint Stephen and Saint Augustine, who appeared suddenly and miraculously to help lower the count's body into his tomb. The honour of having saints attend his funeral was in recognition of the count's religious life as well as his extreme generosity. In any event, the count had stipulated in his will that a yearly donation be collected from the citizens of Orgaz, a small town outside Toledo, and be given to the parish church of Santo Tome in Toledo. The count was a parishioner of that church and had his private chapel there. However in 1562 the citizens of the town decided to stop making the payment, hoping the legacy would be forgotten. They could not have been more mistaken. The parish priest of Santo Tome, immediately instigated legal proceedings against the town and in 1569 it was ruled in the priest's favour.To celebrate this legal victory, as well as to immortalize the Count's generosity, Nunez renovated the count's chapel and commissioned El Greco to paint an exceptionally large altarpiece for it.
Our next stop was at the La Sinagoga de Santa Maria La Blanca. Now, it is a historic church. It was completed in 1203 by Yosef ibn Sosan under the reign of King Alfonso VIII. Yosef was the king’s principal tax collector and prince of the Jews in Castile. The synagogue is a small plain rectangular building. There are 32 columns inside that support the arches along five parallel aisles. There are no Hebrew inscriptions on the walls, as this custom did not begin until more than a century after the Synagogue was built. On one of the columns, close to the ceiling we saw a Jewish star, an evidence of what once this church was. We marveled the beautiful interior and also visited the archeological digs in the back of the church.
A tour guide explained that during the reign of King Alfonso VIII the Jews enjoyed the favor of the king, who was in love with a Jewish woman. The synagogue was the center of Jewish life in Toledo until 1405, when there was a riot against the Jews and it was converted into a church named Santa Maria La Blanca.
We located The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes (Not far from the church) and entered the beautiful building. This monastery was founded by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I to commemorate both the birth of their son, Prince John, and their victory at the Battle of Toro (1476) over the army of Afonso V of Portugal.
We
toured the entire Monastery including the gardens, enjoying the tour
tremendously. Once again we walked the
alleys of the Old City and at one point we purchased hearty sandwiches for
lunch.
We arrived to our next destination, for a visit at the most magnificent
religious site of the city: Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo.
We paid only for the audio guide phones, as our
previously purchased tickets covered the entrance.
The cathedral is one of the three XII Century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain and is considered, in the opinion of some authorities, to be the largest and most important work of the Gothic style in Spain. It was begun in 1226 under the rule of Ferdinand III and the last Gothic contributions were made in the XV Century when, in 1493, the vaults of the central nave were finished during the time of the Catholic Monarchs.
It is also the second largest cathedral in Spain, after the one in Seville, but it is considered the most important church in Spain because of its history as the capital of the Catholic faith in Spain. It
The
famous Spanish Renaissance painter El Greco played a major role in the
evolution of the cathedral as a repository of fine art. Born in Greece, he
arrived in Spain in 1576. He eventually settled in Toledo and became a friend
of the dean of the Cathedral, Diego de Castilla. For years, Castilla was
a major patron of El Greco and commissioned him to paint altarpieces and other
works. Other well-known artists whose paintings and frescoes adorn the
cathedral include Giovanni Bellini, Francisco Goya, Raphael,
Titian and Van Dyck.
When we
entered we were simply blown away by the sparkling gold reliefs of what is
called the “Retablo” in the Capilla Mayor,
(Main Chapel & High Altar)
just behind the main altar.
Considered to be a magnificent example of Gothic art, the huge
altarpiece of gilded and painted larch wood (a very tough, durable and
waterproof wood) stretches to the ceiling.
Overflowing
with amazing detail, the altarpiece actually summarizes the entire New
Testament with its intricately carved and life-sized painted wood
sculptures. It is a jaw-dropping example
of artistry at its very finest. It is
said that the artisans used gold plundered from the Americas in the gilding
process.
One of
the other outstanding features of the Cathedral is a mesmerizing piece of XVII
Century sculpture done in the “churrigueresco” style (a highly ornamented and lavish Baroque
style). This altarpiece is carved from
marble and alabaster and is known as “El Transparente.” Sitting
just behind the main altar, El Transparente was overlooked for years because
the cathedral was too poorly lit for it to be noticed. This problem was eventually remedied by its
sculptor Narcisco Tomé, who cut a skylight in the ceiling to give it
proper illumination. Another hole was
cut into the back of the altarpiece itself to allow shafts of sunlight to
strike it and at the same time allow people to see right through it. So, persons looking at the altarpiece are
seeing through it so-to-speak.
Another
“illuminating” thing in the Cathedral is its magnificent stained-glass piece
known as the Rose Window. This is
the oldest of the more than 750 stained glass windows in the cathedral. The
beautiful Rose Window brings light to what is the heart of the cathedral and
its magnificent choir stalls. The choir’s free-standing altar
features a XIII Century Romanesque stone figure of the Virgin Santa Maria la
Blanca, the patron saint of the cathedral.
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Legend
has it that several centuries ago, the Virgin Mary came down from Heaven to pay
a visit to Toledo. Inside the cathedral
is the stone believed to be the one Mary stood on as she delivered her message
to Toledo.
This massive Gothic cathedral is brimming with art treasures. There is even a room called “The Treasury” where we saw gold and silver treasures that are used for masses and processions. The treasury is located in the chapel below the great tower and is protected by this beautiful iron gate.
Some of "The Treasury" masterpiece that we saw:
The
bejeweled “Crown of the Virgin of the
Sacrarium” from the XVI Century
A 500-pound, 10-foot high, XV Century
gilded Monstrance known as the “Custodia de Arfe” after its creator,
Enrique de Arfe. The Monstrance is made
of solid silver and was gilded, allegedly, with solid gold brought back from
the New World by Columbus. Every year the Monstrance is carried through the
streets of Toledo during the Feast of Corpus Christi. If you are Catholic, you might know that this
is as what is known today as the “Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.” It celebrates the institution of the
Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper.
The beautiful gallery with paintings by such masters as El Greco, Rafael
and Velázquez.
There
are two paintings on display here by Toledo’s most famous former resident, El
Greco. One painting is called “The Disrobing of Christ.”
The Renaissance painter, desperate for commissions from the church,
toiled over and created some of his most famous masterpieces here in
Toledo. Eventually, Spain would claim
this Greek painter as one of its greatest artists. Ironically, it has been said that Toledo, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, has changed little since the day the Greek painter
arrived.
I was
taken by what I believe to be another carving of the Virgin and child, both
wearing crowns of gold.
A
whole bunch of Cardinals are buried in the Cathedral of Toledo. In fact, they can choose where in the floor
of the cathedral they’d like to be laid upon their death. Suspended between heaven and earth, their
cardinal hats are then hung high above their grave site and left there until
they rot away. There is an impressive
gallery in the Cathedral that houses huge oil painting portraits of all of the
Toledo Cardinals going back at least 500 years.
There
are more than 20 chapels throughout the cathedral, many of which house
beautifully carved tombs.
We
ended our wonderful tour of the Cathedral and walked towards the Cambron
Gate, formerly known as the “Gate of the Jews” due to its proximity
to the Jewish Quarter.
We
looked for food but it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner. We finally found a nice family restaurant and
had a homemade dinner style meal.
Before
going to sleep I made reservations to a walking tour of Madrid.
Day 29: October 23,
2018
Madrid, Spain
We
decided to drive to the city, instead of taking public transportation.
We
woke up early to a beautiful day, full of sunshine and after another
delicious breakfast at the hotel, we started our journey to Madrid, about an
hour away from Toledo.
I
asked Google Map to take us to the nearest parking spot to our meeting point at
Plaza de Isabel II. We arrived 45
minutes before our scheduled time and went for a café in the plaza.
Our
tour guide, Tamara, showed up right on time and we started out tour of Madrid.
A
brief description got us oriented:
The large
square, where we met, is nearby the Teatro Real. It is a popular meeting place for the
young of Madrid. Apart from the illustrious buildings around it, the square is
rather unremarkable with the statue of Queen Isabel II in the middle of a
fountain at its center. The queen succeeded her father King Fernando VII
to the throne when she was only three years old!
This
in itself wasn’t so extraordinary, as child-monarchs weren’t unusual; what was
extraordinary is that the king’s successor was a female! Part of the VI Century, a
Law stated that no woman could accede to a throne, but Fernando VII didn’t much
like his brother Carlos, his natural successor, so he overruled the law and decreed
that his daughter should reign after him. Obviously, he didn’t count on dying
when she was only three and for eight years Isabel’s mother acted as a regent.
The queen’s life wasn’t particularly a happy one – at the age of 11 her mother
abandoned her, she got married at 16 to her homosexual (double) first cousin,
and had only five of her eleven children reach adulthood. Her uncle Carlos
fought her for years over the succession of the Spanish Crown and she was
disposed during the Glorious Revolution in 1868. Her son Alfonso became King Alfonso
XII and Isabel was exiled to France, where she died in 1904.
We
walked towards the Royal Palace (Palacio Real de Madrid) and arrived 15
minutes later to a beautiful statue in the front-center of the palace.
Tamara
told us that this palace has been the home to the Kings of Spain from Charles
III to Alfonso XIII.
She
explained that though Madrid's Royal Palace takes us on a journey through the
history of Spain, it is no longer the royal family's home, but continues to be
their official residence where state’s ceremonies take place.
The
current Royal Palace, was built on the site of the old Alcazar which was
destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve 1734. King Felipe V decided to build
a palace for his Borbon Dynasty. The Italian Filippo Juvara was
selected to design the new palace and his plans were to create a grand palace
along the lines of France's Versailles. All construction was vaulted in
stone and brick, not wood, so that any fire could not destroy it. Carlos III
established his residence there in 1764.
Tamara
elaborated about the statue that stood with all its glory, in front of us: This
statue is of King Philip IV:
“For
some this is only a nice statue in the middle of the square", she started, “but
if you know the history, you would agree that this is a masterpiece.”
She
continued to explain that the statue created by the Italian sculptor Pietro
Tacca. The statue was based upon a painting of Velazquez, called 'Equestrian
Portrait of Philip IV' (1635), a painting that is now for display in the Prado
Museum, (which we will visit tomorrow). The complication of the image was
that the horse was rearing up, so that the entire weight of the statue would
have to be carried by the two behind legs. A statue of a prancing horse was
never been made before from the relative weak bronze metal. The revolutionary
sculptor Tacca believed it could be done. He needed the mathematical
calculations of the genius Galileo, to prevent the statue of falling
face forward. Galileo assisted with the precise calculations, which still exist
today and are for display in Italy. His solution was to place the center of the
gravity of the statue as far back as possible. In order to achieve this, the
rear part of the statue would have to be made of solid bronze and the forward
part should be hollow. The precise weights and measures were determined by
Galileo, who claimed the statue would stand forever. He was right, it is still
standing today. Some believe that Galileo advised to attach the tale of the
horse to the pedestal which provides the statue with more balance and is part
of the secret.
Tacca
started with the statue in 1635 and it was finished in 1640. After Philip IV
instructed to make some adjustments to the head and face of the statue it was
placed in Parque del Retiro. In 1834 queen Isabella II had the statue
moved to the place it is right now, the most central place at Plaza de
Oriente. It was placed on a large fountain, decorated with statues of lions
and allegorical figures.
There
was no time to visit the interiors of the palace but since we would be here for the next
couple of days, we would try to visit the palace and its gardens.
To the left of the palace stands a beautiful Cathedral. Santa María la Real de La Almudena i(or Almudena Cathedral in short). It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993.
Plans
to build a cathedral in Madrid dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena were
discussed as early as the XVI Century but the construction only began in 1879. The
cathedral seems to have been built on the site of a medieval mosque that was
destroyed in 1083 when Alfonso VI re-conquered Madrid.
We continued our walking tour and arrived to Plaza de la Villa, one of Madrid’s best-preserved historical monuments. It is located in the historical zone, and up until not long ago, the site was the home of the capital City Council.
In its
outskirts are the main facades of three buildings with high historical-artistic
value, built in different centuries. The oldest one is The Lujanes’ House
and Tower (XV century), built with a Gothic-Mudejar style, located on
the eastern side of the Plaza. This is now the office of the Academy of
Moral and Political Sciences. Following in chronological order, we saw the Cisneros’
House (XVI Century), a Plateresque palace completing the southern
part of the enclosure, and the Casa de la Villa (XVII Century), with a beautiful Baroque style, one of the sites of the Madrid City Council, situated on
the western side of the Plaza.
We continued our walk and arrived in front of a restaurant named Botín, which was founded in 1725, and Tamara mentioned that this is the oldest restaurant in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, and one of the touchstones of Madrid’s traditional cuisine. Over the years it has won numerous awards and recognitions.
We
climbed few steps and arrived to Plaza Mayor, located in the center of
the city, originally built between 1580 and 1619, where it was originally
called the "Plaza del Arrabal" and was used as the main market of the
town.
We
learned from Tamara that the Plaza has been the scene of numerous events. It
has also hosted public executions . Today, it is the location of the annual
Christmas market. It has also hosted bullfights and soccer games. Every Sunday
and holidays it hosts stamp collecting and coin collecting market in the
mornings.
The Plaza is rectangular in shape and highlights the uniformity of the architecture. 237 balconies are present on the three-story residential buildings that face inward towards the Plaza. To enter or exit The Plaza Mayor, there are ten entrances to choose from. In the center of the square stands the statue of Philip III on a horse, which was placed in 1848.
The Plaza is rectangular in shape and highlights the uniformity of the architecture. 237 balconies are present on the three-story residential buildings that face inward towards the Plaza. To enter or exit The Plaza Mayor, there are ten entrances to choose from. In the center of the square stands the statue of Philip III on a horse, which was placed in 1848.
This
plaza also was the last stop of our tour.
We returned to one of the alleys and had a 3 course lunch for just 7
Euro a person, including a couple of beers.
The
day has just started and we continued to walk the city’s streets, finding our next attraction: Neptune Fountain, one of the most famous fountains in
the city. We found the white marble Neoclassical fountain, and understood why it is considered as one of the most
beautiful in Madrid. It sits in the center of Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo;
better known as Plaza de Neptuno.
The
square is surrounded by beautiful aristocratic structures built between the XVIII
and XIX Centuries, including the Ritz and Palace hotels.
In
this decorated fountain is an XVIII Century sculpture of Neptune, the god of
the sea, holding a trident while riding on a carriage pulled by two creatures
with a horse-shaped upper-half and a fish serpentine-tail.
We
continued to walk on the very large boulevard to view another beautiful plaza with a
fountain in its center: Cibeles Fountain has been standing in this symbolic
square since 1782. One of the city’s most famous landmarks, it displays Cybele,
the Great Mother of the gods and Roman goddess of fertility, atop a chariot
drawn by two lions.
The
square is the start of Madrid’s avenue of art, the Paseo del Arte. The
fountain is flanked by four magnificent buildings: Buenavista Palace
(the Army’s General Headquarters), Linares Palace (which accommodates
the Casa de América cultural institution), Cibeles Palace
(previously the main Post Office, it now houses Madrid City Hall and Centro
cultural Center), and the Bank of Spain. Commissioned by King
Charles III.
When
it was first erected, the monument was not only intended to be decorative but
also functional, providing water for the official water carriers – who would
deliver water to houses – and for the general public. It was also used by the
cavalry as a water stop for their horses.
We
kept on going and arrived to Plaza de Independence and to the famous
gates to the city La Puerta de Alcala, a Neoclassical monument in the
Plaza. It is regarded as the first modern post-Roman triumphal arch built in
Europe, older than the similar monuments Arc de Triomphe in Paris and
Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Madrid
in the late XVIII Century still looked like a somewhat boring town, surrounded
by medieval walls. Around the year 1774, King Charles III
commissioned to construct a monumental gate in the city wall, replacing an
older, smaller gate that stood nearby. It was inaugurated in 1778.
We
walked for about 30 minutes on Grand Via (Great Way), the main boulevard
of the city. The street, sometimes referred
to as the "Spanish Broadway", is one of the city's most important
shopping areas, with a large number of hotels and large movie theatres;
however, in recent years, many of these theatres have been replaced by shopping
centers. Thousands of people where
cruising the streets most with shopping bags full of merchandise.
At the end of the boulevard was the beautiful Plaza de Espania. This large Plaza is located in the city center, at the intersection of Gran Vía and Princesa streets. Here we found the Cervantes Monument, one of the most popular tourist spots. The Monument was inaugurated in 1915. This impressive monument stands behind a rectangular pool. The figures of Don Quixote and his squire Sancho Panza stand on the central pedestal inviting passers-by to gaze at them amid the bustling life of the city.
The square has a fountain with a pond, and seasonally landscaped and wooded areas. Flanking the square we find two emblematic buildings of the city: Torre Madrid and Edificio España, which constitute one of the most interesting architectural areas of the capital.
We
rested on one of the benches and as early evening arrived, we walked back to
our car and headed back to Toledo.
Day 30: October 24,
2018
Madrid, Spain
We
knew that today’s main attraction would be The Prado Museum but had no
other plans.
After
breakfast we drove to the capital Madrid and parked nearby the museum (we
managed to find a street parking).
We
entered the museum and felt excitement filling us up: A dream come true!
The
Prado Museum opened on November 10, 1819.
In a matter of fact, in a little more than a year from now it will
celebrate its bicentennial birthday!
It is
undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest collections of art, but with over 8,200
drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures, in addition to a
large number of other works of art and historic documents it could be hard to
know where to start, especially when we were limited to few hours. For that
reason, planning was a must.
Last night I made reservations to the most famous museum of them all and googled: “Important exhibits in Prado”. The result gave us 26 art jewels that “are Must See”, which I compiled into a list. I asked one of the many ushers, the location of each exhibit in the museum. The usher was absolutely great and I wrote next to each masterpiece, on my list, its location.
Last night I made reservations to the most famous museum of them all and googled: “Important exhibits in Prado”. The result gave us 26 art jewels that “are Must See”, which I compiled into a list. I asked one of the many ushers, the location of each exhibit in the museum. The usher was absolutely great and I wrote next to each masterpiece, on my list, its location.
As we approached each painting (on my list), I Googled the name and read
it to Tova. This enabled us to enjoy the
paintings better, as we were able to (kind of) analyze what we viewed. We also had the Museum Headphones, so we actually had a good understanding of the masterpieces.
On top of my list was Las Meninas (Spanish for The Ladies-in-waiting), one of Diego Velazquez’s best-known works, was on top of my list.
On top of my list was Las Meninas (Spanish for The Ladies-in-waiting), one of Diego Velazquez’s best-known works, was on top of my list.
The composition
raises questions about reality and illusion, and creates an uncertain
relationship between the viewer and the figures depicted. Because of these
complexities, this picture has been one of the most widely analyzed works in
Western painting!
The
painting shows a large room in the Royal Alcazar of Madrid during the
reign of King Philip IV of Spain, and
presents several figures, most identifiable from the Spanish court, captured,
according to some commentators, in a particular moment as if in a snapshot. Some look out of the canvas towards the
viewer, while others interact among themselves. The young princess Margaret
Theresa is surrounded by her entourage of maids of honor, chaperone,
bodyguard, two dwarfs and a dog. Just behind them, Velázquez portrays himself
working at a large canvas. Velázquez looks outwards, beyond the pictorial space
to where a viewer of the painting would stand. In the background there is a
mirror that reflects the upper bodies of the king and queen. They appear to be
placed outside the picture space in a position similar to that of the viewer,
although some scholars have speculated that their image is a reflection from
the painting Velázquez is shown working on.
Viewing this masterpiece made it clear why Velasquez has been the leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age.
Remember the statue we saw in front of the Royal Palace? As I had mentioned, the statue was based on the next picture we viewed: Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV.
Another
painting not to be missed, by Velasquez was The Surrender of Breda. Though the painting depicts a military
victory, Velázquez removed the bloody and violent aspects of the battle from
the canvas. Instead, he chose to present the aftermath of the battle: the
capitulation of the Dutch to the Spanish troops. It is important to notice how
Velázquez established the difference between these two groups. The Dutch, on
the left, appear disorganized, youthful, and few in number. This contrasts with
the Spanish troops located on the right, which are presented as a large,
well-organized, and seasoned group. Velázquez’s depiction of the spears,
vertically rising over the horizon, has received much attention, to the point
that the painting is also known as The Lances. The numerous spears create a
sense that there are more Spanish troops than we can actually see and, because
of their ordered arrangement, they emphasize the military competence of the
Spanish soldiers.
Velasquez
masterpiece, The Triumph of Bacchus, was our next view. Bacchus was the god of the grape-harvest,
winemaking and wine, of fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre
in ancient Greek religion and myth.
In the painting, Bacchus is represented as a person at the center of a small celebration, but his skin is paler than that of his companions, rendering him more easily recognizable. Unusually, the rest of the group, apart from the figure naked to the waist behind the god, is in the contemporary costume of poor people in XVII Century Spain. The work represents Bacchus as the god who rewards or gifts men with wine, temporarily releasing them from their problems. In Baroque literature, Bacchus was considered an allegory of the liberation of man from the slavery of daily life.
More of Velasquez painting that we viewed were:
In the painting, Bacchus is represented as a person at the center of a small celebration, but his skin is paler than that of his companions, rendering him more easily recognizable. Unusually, the rest of the group, apart from the figure naked to the waist behind the god, is in the contemporary costume of poor people in XVII Century Spain. The work represents Bacchus as the god who rewards or gifts men with wine, temporarily releasing them from their problems. In Baroque literature, Bacchus was considered an allegory of the liberation of man from the slavery of daily life.
More of Velasquez painting that we viewed were:
Apollo at the Forge of Vulcan. A figure
suddenly appears on the left in a forge where various blacksmiths are working,
dressed in an orange robe and wearing a laurel wreath, with rays of light
emerging from his head. This is Apollo, who addresses himself to Vulcan.
Christ
Crucified, which proves without a doubt why Velazquez
made his reputation as one of the best portrait artists in Spain.
Lastly
we viewed the Las Hilanderas, one of
Velázquez's most ambiguous and complex masterpieces. The painting (also known as The Spinners or
The Fable of Arachne) is based on the story of the weaving competition between
Arachne and the goddess Pallas Athena, from Ovid's Metamorphoses, book VI.
It was
time to view some of Francisco Goya’s masterpieces:
We
first viewed The Family of Charles IV.
At the center of the composition, brilliantly lit, is the figure of Queen
Maria Luisa, who holds the hand of her son Francisco (in vivid red) and her
daughter, Maria Isabel. King Charles stands to her left: widely thought to be
an ineffectual leader, his off-center placement provides a clue about the power
dynamic of the family as well as their foibles and failings. Indeed, the Queen
was believed to hold the real power, along with Prime Minister Manuel Godoy,
with whom she had an affair (her illegitimate children are at the far left of
the canvas, one in blue, the other in orange).
La Maja Desnuda, featuring an unknown model, believed to be either Godoy's mistress Pepita Tudo, or the Duchess of Alba, who was Goya's supposed lover and La Maja Vestida, the same model in cloths. Both works were confiscated by the Spanish Inquisition, but now proudly hang next to each other in Spain's most important museum.
Next, we viewed the impressive Second and Third of May 1808, where Goya sought to commemorate Spanish resistance to Napoleon's armies during the occupation of 1808 in the Peninsular War.
The
Black Paintings was our last of Goya’s collection to view. A name given to a group of 14 paintings, by the
painter from the later years of his life.. They portray intense, haunting
themes, reflective of both his fear of insanity and his bleak outlook on
humanity.
We
entered the Flemish Art room and viewed the following:
Hieronymus Bosch – The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Rogier van der Weyden, which isn’t just one of the Prado Museum highlights, it’s one of the most mind-blowing works of art anywhere in the world. Its depiction of giant birds, people inside bubbles, strange constructions straight out of a science fiction film and copious nudity have given rise to a huge number of different theories about its true meaning. It also provided a major inspiration for the surrealism of Salvador Dalí.
Hieronymus Bosch – The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Rogier van der Weyden, which isn’t just one of the Prado Museum highlights, it’s one of the most mind-blowing works of art anywhere in the world. Its depiction of giant birds, people inside bubbles, strange constructions straight out of a science fiction film and copious nudity have given rise to a huge number of different theories about its true meaning. It also provided a major inspiration for the surrealism of Salvador Dalí.
More painting
viewed were: The Birth of the Milky Way and The Three Graces,
by Peter Paul Rubens, featuring the Greco-Roman myth of the origin of
the Milky Way. The painting depicts Hera (Juno), spilling her breast milk, the
infant Heracles (Hercules) and Zeus (Jupiter) in the background, identifiable
by his eagle and lightning bolts.
The
last painting in the Flemish Art gallery was Artemisia by Rembrandt, one
of his first masterpieces. The subject
of the picture is still unclear. It portrays a young woman, variously
identified as Artemisia, receiving a cup from a maiden. The cup would contain the ashes
of Artemisia's husband, King Mausolus, or, in the case of Sophonisba, the
poison which killed her.
The Italian
Art was our last viewing:
Italian
artists have always made up a central part of the Spanish royal collection. The
collection included the following masterpieces:
The
Annunciation by Fra Angelico, portraying the key moment in the Christian story when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary,
and announces that she will give birth to a son by miraculous means.
Two masterpieces by the great Rafael: The Holy Family and The Cardinal.
The
next 3 paintings are the best of Titian:
Equestrian Portrait of Charles V: the horse's strength seems just in check, and the king's' brilliantly shining armor and the painting's deep reds are reminders of battle and heroism. Titian recorded all of the foreground elements—the horse, its caparison, and the rider's armor—from those used in the actual battle. Both the armour and harness survive, and are kept at the Royal Armory in Madrid.
Venus
and Adonis - Here, Venus tries to stop her lover from
departing for the hunt, fearing—correctly—that he would be killed.
Danae
Receiving the Golden Rain. Here Titian painted a magnificent
portrayal of the short story in Greek Mythology, where Danae, the
daughter of Acrisius, King of Argos, was locked up in a tower by
her father. He wanted to prevent her from having children, because the Oracle
had told him that he would be killed by his grandson. However, Zeus fell
in love with Danae, and possessed her, by turning into a shower of golden
rain. From their union Perseus was born - the hero who killed the Medusa
and saved Andromeda. When taking part in the Olympic Games, he
accidentally killed Acrisius when he threw a javelin, thereby fulfilling
the Oracle’s prophecy.
We
spent 6 hours viewing the above and continued our day, talking about the
highlights of this unbelievable collection we had the privilege to view.
We
walked towards the downtown area of Madrid and found a great restaurant named Café
del Principe, on Plaza de Canalejas.
They served us a great lunch for a very reasonable price and superb service.
Tova finally found the shoes, she was looking for the entire trip in Spain, in a shoes chain store by the name of Mary Paz. (The exact name of a traveler we met in Lisbon in the Byf restaurant)!
We
decided to revisit the Royal Palace so we could view the interior and the
gardens. However, a procession was taking
place there as some dignified guests came to visit King Felipe VI and
his wife Queen Letizia.
We watched the guards doing their routine on and off their horses and then went to the Almudena Cathedral next door to the palace. We did see the exterior yesterday and wanted to see the interior and learn more details.
Dating
from the late XIX and early XX Centuries, the Cathedral is very new by European
standards, but its importance is for the fact that it is the seat of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope
John Paul II in 1993.
We
headed back to the car and walked for about 30 minutes to get there. Once there, we headed back to Toledo, as we
promised ourselves to visit El Transito Synagogue, which was closed a
couple of days ago.
The
synagogue was founded by Samuel ha-Levi Abulafia, (treasurer to Peter
of Castile), in about 1356. The synagogue was connected to his house by a
private gate and he intended to use it as a private house of worship.
As we
entered to the main hall, we couldn’t help it but compare the rich stucco
decoration to what we had seen in Alhambra and Alcazar.
The, now turned into a museum (1857), had
various exhibitions of Jewish life in Spain and particular in Toledo. We saw Jewelry, clothing, Torah scrolls, praying
artifacts, and more. In the garden we
saw a mini cemetery.
This was our last night in Madrid and we returned to the hotel to pack and get ready for tomorrow.
The, now turned into a museum (1857), had
various exhibitions of Jewish life in Spain and particular in Toledo. We saw Jewelry, clothing, Torah scrolls, praying
artifacts, and more. In the garden we
saw a mini cemetery.This was our last night in Madrid and we returned to the hotel to pack and get ready for tomorrow.
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Day 31: October 25,
2018
Cardona, Spain
We woke up super early, had a quick breakfast and
started our way to Cardona.
Now, long before the trip to Spain, my beloved cousin Simona wanted me to go there. She asked me to make the reservations early (“it sells out quickly”) at the Parador Hotel. She described the hotel as one of its kind and promised me that we will not regret it. She stayed there with her late husband and it meant something for her.
Now, long before the trip to Spain, my beloved cousin Simona wanted me to go there. She asked me to make the reservations early (“it sells out quickly”) at the Parador Hotel. She described the hotel as one of its kind and promised me that we will not regret it. She stayed there with her late husband and it meant something for her.
The distance was 400 miles and we drove the main
highway, stopping for lunch in downtown Zaragoza.
As we approached our destination, we exited the highway
and entered a mountainous region with beautiful views and winding roads.
We finally made it to the top, driving the winding
road of a mountain, overlooking the beautiful picturesque Cardino Valleys
and towns. In the center of the valley, stood a centuries-old castle and fortress that is
now home to Parador Hotel, located next to city of Cardona, Catalonia.
Parking our car was an adventure by itself and when we
finally were successful to fit in the narrow parking spot, we rolled our luggage
into the hotel’s lobby to find a real treasure. We were inside a castle. The
alleys, a wall surrounding the castle watch towers, old staircases, arches and old
furniture, all but added a unique atmosphere.
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The castle has seen more than its fair share of suffering over the course of Spanish history. Built in 886 (!), making it one of the oldest luxury hotels in THE WORLD, the 15 acres building witnessed bloody wars and brutal conflicts, feeding many of the legends and ghost stories associated with the Parador today.
But perhaps the most well-known legend of Parador
Cardona is the tragic XI Century love affair between Adalés, the daughter of a nobleman,
and the Moorish jailer of the nearby Maldá Castle. Madly in love with Adalés, the Moor renounced
his Muslim faith and converted to Christianity, and even built a cross using
stones from the river to prove that he was truly Christian. But his efforts were in vain. It was a time of war
between the Moors, who occupied much of the territory that later would become
modern-day Spain, and the various Christian kingdoms fighting to retake the
land. The young woman’s parents and brothers remained against the relationship,
and they condemned her to live inside the Cardona castle’s Minyona Tower. She was imprisoned in a space no more than 10 yards
across with a mute servant as her only human contact. Adalés withered away and
soon died in her prison. The tower still
stands today, and from its roof guests can see until the early foothills of the
Pyrenees mountains, the very same landscape that served as the backdrop for
Adalés and the Moor’s doomed love affair.*** Isn’t it a great setting for our romantic hotel? *** ==========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Our room was overlooking the valley and the views were breathtaking. We unpacked and headed outside, walking
around the fortress and breathing in the beautiful views of the valleys and the
old city of Cardona.
We decided to go to town and have tapas. We arrived to the town’s center and found a
cute little restaurant off the main square.
The waitress spoke only Catalonian and we managed to tell her, using
Google Translate, what we would like to have.
The food was good (we were also very hungry!).
Day 32: October 26,
2018
Cardona - Montserrat, Spain
When we woke up it was still dark outside. We knew this day is going to be a long one and
set our alarm clock to 6:00 am.
The view outside were astonishing with the sun rising
on the east side and not yet making his presence known. However, a little by little the valley was
waking up, displaying beautiful colors.
We started our journey to Montserrat, stopping
in a little town’s bakery for breakfast.
An hour later we arrived to this wonder of a place.
Already, in quite a distance, we saw a mountain composed
of strikingly pink conglomerate, a form of sedimentary rock. In other words: Rocks
formed from material deposited as material eroded by water, wind, or ice and
then consolidated by pressure.
We arrived to the beautiful attraction (only 20 miles
from Barcelona) and found a multi-peaked mountain range surrounding a basilica, with a name that literally means "saw mountain" in Catalan. The name actually
describes the peculiar aspect with multitude of rock formations.
The time was around 8:30 am and after a coffee break we
started to tour the area.
Once again we were tagging along a tourist group and
heard the following:
The basilica is dating back when Romans constructed a
temple to worship Venus. The area later became tied to Christianity as hermit
monks built several hermitages around the mountain. Almost a thousand years ago, in 1025, the Santa Maria
de Montserrat Monastery was built and began attracting pilgrims, who
witnessed and proclaimed the miracles performed by the Virgin of Montserrat.
In 1409, the monastery became an abbey. It expanded in size and eventually became a cultural center, which included the Montserrat Music School. The Monastery was destroyed and abandoned during the French War in the early 1800s. However, it was rebuilt again, but then became a place of religious violence during the Spanish Civil War. It was saved and recovered by the Catalonian government.
The tour started at the Santa Maria de Montserrat
Abbey containing the famous statue of the XII Century Virgin of
Montserrat. She sits at the top of the altar, painted in black. “We call
her the Black Madonna”, the guide said. The group joined the long queue,
to see the statue up close. I asked the
first person in the queue how long it took him to get to being first in line
and when he told me that it took over an hour, we opted to leave the group and
continue on our own.
We walked around the open-air central courtyard, which
had a gorgeous marble floor with Latin inscription.
We then entered the church, where services had been in
process and sat in the front to view the altar and right above us was the Black
Madonna. I was able to take a fair shot
with my camera and was a happy camper!
We toured around the complex and returned to the monastery at 12:00, and as soon as the services were completed, we entered the church.
When we prepared this trip to Montserrat, Simona told us that the "choir is a must". We found out that they were famous all over the world and are
known as The Escolania de Montserrat.
They consist of a boys' choir of sopranos and altos. Simona advised me to check their schedule as
they appear only few times a week and with that in mind, we planned it so we
would see them on Friday at 1:00 pm.
We found great seats in the middle front row (First come first served, basis) and only
few minutes, the altar was full of people, some came especially for their
performance, from the 4 corners of the world.
At exactly 1:00, a group of high school girls came to the stage and “warmed” us up with beautiful singing.
The boys’ choir was next and they were unbelievable. We enjoyed every minute of their beautiful voices, singing in harmony classical hymns and songs, for the next hour.
Click Here to Watch the Concert
It was time to continue. We first had a light lunch at the cafeteria, with stunning views underneath us and then stood in line to take the funicular to the summit of Montserrat
Mountain, one kilometer above sea level!
When we reached the station at the top we visited Aula de Natura (the Nature Centre) where we found information on the history of the mountain, its climate, flora and fauna.
The viewpoint was mesmerizing with beauty and offered a bird’s-eye view of the monastery as well as spectacular views of the surrounding area and the Pyrenees in the horizons.
We toured the surrounding area for an hour, including some easy hiking
and then used the funicular again to returned.
Click Here to View the ride on the Funicular
Click Here to View the ride on the Funicular
Dinner was the next thing on the agenda and as we returned to the bottom of the mountain, we entered the town of Monistrol de Montserrat and found a small restaurant at the center of the town’s square. Food was so yummy and the prices were ridiculous low. The place was packed with locals.
After dinner we headed back to our hotel in Cardona,
for our last night there.
Day 33: October 27, 2018
Barcelona, Spain
We woke up rather late (at 8:00) and checked out of
this memorable hotel. Rain was pouring
outside and we decided to start our day in the nearby town of Cardona. We found a nice little bakery, mostly for
take-out food, BUT, they were more than happy to cook fresh breakfast for
us. With the rain hammering outside, the
tasty meal was welcomed to our tummies.
We walked around the town, noticing that many statues were “altered” to have the Catalonian symbols and some with anti government slogans. The extremely narrow alleys tool my breath away.
We drove lowly, due to the storm, and arrived to
Barcelona at around 12:00. We planned to
return to the hotel, unload the luggage and then return the car to the
rent-a-car company, but the street leading to the hotel was blocked by the
police, as a demonstration was taken place in front of the City Hall. We then drove to the location of the
rent-a-car, returned the car and hopped onto a cab that took us (and the luggage) to
the Las Rambles Avenida, which is on the other side of City Hall. From there we rolled our luggage and checked
in.
The rain had stopped and we went to find this tapas
restaurant recommended by our friend Adi, on Day 1 of the trip.
We found Ciudad Condal on Rambla de Catalunya. The line was huge and the hostess told us that it will take approximately an hour and 30 minutes to be seated.
We found Ciudad Condal on Rambla de Catalunya. The line was huge and the hostess told us that it will take approximately an hour and 30 minutes to be seated.
We almost gave up on the idea to eat there when I noticed that waiters are carrying trays full of food outside and asked the hostess to explain where were they carrying the food too. She looked at me, and with a straight face told me that there are also seats outside and also “First come First Serve” basis. I went outside and saw about 20 people waiting. I went to the host there and asked how long will it take. At that moment a table was getting cleaned. I asked him if we could sit there and when he told me it is for 4 only and "you must wait in line", I said: “We are four, I need to call my friends from the queue in the dining room inside” and he let me sit there. I went back to the dining room and said out laud: “Anyone wanna to join us outside?”. An American lady approached me and said “It is just me. May I join you?” . I return to the table with the lady and the host never said anything.
Now: Ciudad Condal is the old name given to the the city of Barcelona. The place opened in 1997, and is known for its large choice of beers and for its delicious tapas.
We ordered about 8 different dishes and yes! We were
able to finish them all among the 3 of us!
I called Donna & Russ our good friends and loyal companions,
as they were scheduled to arrive today to the city. We met at their hotel and had drinks to
celebrate our reunion.
At our hotel, we unpacked and then repacked, getting ready for tomorrow’s
upcoming cruise back to the USA.
Day 34: October 28,
2018
Barcelona, Spain
We woke up at 7:00 and after breakfast at the hotel we
went to the Picasso Museum, about one mile away from the hotel, located at Carrer
Montcada.
The Museum, which is also a foundation, is certainly
the reference in terms of understanding Picasso's work during his formative
years (1890-1917). More than 4200 works by the young painter were on display. The collection represents Picasso's most important collection of drawings, paintings and
sculptures from his early days to his blue period.
Among the highlights were:
Self-portrait of Picasso in 1896, he was only 15 years
old then!
The blue portrait of Jaume Sabartés (1901)
Harlequin (1917)
Room 13, dedicated to the Menins, is certainly
the most remarkable of this museum. A
great admirer of Diego Velazquez's work, Picasso re-interpreted in 1957 the
famous painting "Las Meninas" painted in 1656, the remarkable painting we just
saw a few days ago in the Prado Museum, in a series of 58 paintings. The series, preserved in its entirety at the Museum is the only complete series by the artist that has
remained in one place. This is a very extensive study that consists of 45
cubist interpretations of the work.
The one that I liked the most was The Seated Man. Painted in the last years of his life and
used to show him freeing himself from all knowledge and technique, and
returning to what is natural, spontaneous and early in art – a basic immediate
painting. This led to painting without rules, an expression of his prodigious
energy.
We returned to our hotel, checked out and hired a taxi
to take us to the Barcelona cruise Terminal, to our home for the next 13 days: RCCL
Symphony of the Seas.
The entire 33
days tour, prior to today, were all because we actually booked this cruise and
then built the trip around it. This was
supposed to be a cruise to remember, as the vessel would be making its Inaugural
Sailing to America.
We had a glimpse at her from the taxi, and she looked absolutely adorable. Check-in process was a breeze
and a few minutes later we entered our cabin, and found a beautiful, port-side
room with a large balcony that was luxurious and spacious. We looked at the city, from our balcony and felt as if the city is part of us now.
Symphony of the Seas is the largest passengers ship in the
world, with 2,759 rooms and a passenger capacity of over 6,500 guests. It has 18 decks!!!
We had plenty of time before dinner and we toured the vessel, discovering the many venues. All we could say is WOW!!
The ship has 22 restaurants and 24 pools! Facilities include a children's water park, a full-size
basketball court, ice-skating rink, and two 43-foot rock-climbing walls. There
is also a 'Central Park', which contains over 20,000 tropical plants.
The promenade has fantastic stores, a grand café’, an
English pub, and more. Every night this promenade will feature dancers and singers who will entertain us.
Click Here to watch the Promenade Performers
Click Here to watch the Promenade Performers
I felt like I am in a fantasy trip where reality has
no place here.
At 5:00 o’clock we started out journey back home, as passengers on the pool deck waived goodbyes to the beautiful country - Spain.
We met Donna & Russ in the dining room and had a
great welcome aboard dinner
Day 35: October 29,
2018
At Sea
Woke up late, had breakfast at the Windjammer Café. The ship had all kind of surprises but the
next one we saw, blew our mind: The staircase leading up to the Windjammer Cafe
sounds musical notes, and the treads briefly light up when you step on them.
The effect reminded me the scene in the movie "Big" when actor Tom
Hanks steps out notes on a giant keyboard laid out on the floor.
Click Here to Watch Those Musical Stairs
Click Here to Watch Those Musical Stairs
After lunch, we continued to explore the ship.
After dinner we went to the theater to view a great
show: Hairspray.
Day 36: October 30,
2018
Malaga, Spain
The weather was not very friendly today, as showers and
some time strong winds were with us, as we docked at the Malaga port.
At the beginning we were not sure we wanted to visit
the city, but on the other hand, we wanted to say goodbye to Spain one moire time. So we did.
We visited the beautiful Cathedral (A Roman Catholic
Church), which was built between 1528 and 1782 on or near the site of a former mosque.
We then, ran towards the first café’ we saw, as rain
was pounding on us.
An hour later we boarded the ship, all soaked.
After dinner we went to the Ice Theater to watch 1977
– A Thrilling Adventure on Ice. It was amazing!! This show will undoubtedly be publicized on
social media. It involves the simultaneous flying of 48 tiny drones, each
bearing a small light that changes color.
The drones, in seemingly random flight at first, gave the appearance of
fireflies on a summer night. Eventually, they fly in more ordered formations,
bopping and buzzing to the Who's 1967 anthem, "I Can See for Miles."
Day 37 thru 42: Oct 31
– Nov 7, 2018
At Sea
Days at
sea are great for cruiser: waking up late, lots of reading, exercises, swimming,
afternoon naps, night entertainments, greet old friends, make new ones, participate
in games and activities, taking tours of the ship and attend seminars.
One morning Tova decided to brave the zip liner. She was awesome.
Click Here to Watch Tova's Zip Lining Experience
Click Here to Watch Tova's Zip Lining Experience
During the sailing we became very close with a couple from Jerusalem, Israel. Aliza and Matzi Cohen were a delight and we
had a great time with them.
During those
days we enjoyed the following shows:
Hector is Magic – surprised us with his charismatic show full of touching stories,
innovative visual effects and jaw dropping illusions.
Gary Williams – A great voice with hits of Frank Sinatra, Frankie Valli and Elvis and
more.
Flight – An original production, spectacularly chronicles the evolution of humanity endless fascination with flying. The show begins by transporting the audience to Mars in the future, and then travels back in time, documenting each major milestone of space and sky. We heard from one of the officers that Royal Caribbean entertainment team hired a former astronaut, who lived on the International Space Station for five months, as a consultant so that the set, along with interpretations of zero gravity, are as accurate as possible. The show was also developed to maintain a high degree of historical accuracy. The performance ends with a recreation of the Wright Brothers' first flight - A 22-foot plane landed on stage before our eyes. WOW!
Click Here to Watch Plane Landing on Stage
The Aqua Theater - An
impressive venue at the back of the ship behind the Boardwalk on Deck 6, had
two shows. "HiRo" took the passion of the performers for
extreme sports and translated it into a high-diving, high-energy acrobatics
show with a storyline. "Aqua
Nation" was the second show and was developed by drawing inspiration
from the performers' favorite stunts.
Click Here to Watch Favorite Moments From Hiro (Part 1)
Click Here to Watch Favorite Moments From Hiro (Part 2)
Click Here to Watch Favorite Moments From Hiro (Part 1)
Click Here to Watch Favorite Moments From Hiro (Part 2)
Adam kario – who made us smile as he
brought to the stage a routine with lots of comedy and spectacular juggling.
On Halloween there was a parade on the promenade, where the spectators got to vote their favorite costume. It was outstanding and conducted perfectly by the Cruise Director and his staff. The Adams Family won first prize!
On Halloween there was a parade on the promenade, where the spectators got to vote their favorite costume. It was outstanding and conducted perfectly by the Cruise Director and his staff. The Adams Family won first prize!
Day 43: November 8,
2018
Port Canaveral, Florida, USA
We
finally made it back to our country.
The first thing we did after breakfast is standing in lines
to go through ane immigration and custom process. To our surprise this process was moving fast
and within 20 minutes we were outside.
There were many spectators outside, who came from all
around, to witness the largest cruise ship in the world, making an appearance on a USA port as well as many reporters with lots of cameras flashing.
The ship provided us with shuttle buses to Orlando, Disney World Main Street, USA. We walked in the theme street, with beautiful buldings including city Hall, a Fire Station, a Town Square Theater and a real barber shop and stylists that offer a “baby first cut”. Lots of café’s as well as many restaurants.
We spent 3 hours and then took the shuttle back to the ship. We packed and spent the rest of the day saying goodbyes to our old and new friends.
At dinner, the dining room crew said their goodbyes by singing and dancing.
Click Here to Watch The Dining Room Party
Tomorrow we will be leaving this beautiful ship, the most
elegant and comfortable ship we have ever sailed on.
Day 44: November 9,
2018
Miami, Florida, USA
We woke up at 7:00 and after breakfast we disembarked
the ship. A Lyft driver took us to the Miami airport
where we boarded Alaska airlines to LAX.
When we finally got home, we turned on our TV to watch the news when one of the segments was about our ship's inaugural sailing to the USA.
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Absolutely mind blowing . Not only were your adventures incredible but the photos are spectacular you have captured so many memorable aspects of each place! Truly inspiring - thank you for sharing I do want to go to the places I missed and am smiling looking at the locations in France I have already been...
ReplyDeletePaula De Kroon
Thank you for sharing your in-depth report on your travels through France, Spain and Portugal. It is like a history lesson, most informative and your pictures are great! I do not know where you both get so much energy to do so many activities each day! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteTJ de Jong