Spain Part 3 - Granada

The Magnificent Alhambra in Granada

Our day starts at 8:30 when we board the coach to travel to Granada the last point in the Golden triangle of Andalucia. The journey should take 3:30 hrs with our customary rest stop after 2 Hrs driving.The roads were excellent,plenty of Orange groves and Olive gardens.Soon we started seeing a mountain range up ahead and a while later we could see that it was snow topped.This is the Sierra Nevada range in southern Spain,beyond which lies the Mediterranean sea.......

We reached Granada,city centre at Noon and checked in,We had just enough time to do a quick tour of the environs,have lunch and regroup for the coach tour of the afternoon.

Granada has the usual quotient of Churches and museums like any other southern European city and so we headed to the Cathedral cutting across the Main Plaza.It dates back to 1523.After a quick look at the Royal Chapel of Granada where Isabel and Ferdinand are buried we rushed to a Tapas street to feed ourselves.It was Sangriya, Gazpacho and a Spanish omelette.Here Tapas (starters) come free with the drink.Were now ready to take on the afternoon.As we saw from the coach,the city and its architecture seemed to be  influenced by its glorious past. Roundabouts with fountains and Cármenes(houses that include typical gardens) create an unforgettable impression.A bit of Granada's history: 

The Spanish occupation by the Moors began in 710 AD when an African army,crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from north Africa and invaded the Iberian peninsula.The Moors ruled and occupied the Peninsula until well into the twelfth century when they were finally defeated by the christian forces from the north,except for Granada where in 1238 Ibn  Nasr marched his troops and followers and proclaimed himself as the first Sultan of the region.He allied himself with the Christian king of Castille in the north and Granada became a vassal state. For the next 250 years the Nazrids would govern Granada.For strategic reasons the Sultan decided on building a Fortress at the foothills of Sierra Nevada mountains,on a hill top;this is a fortress and a palace city without any parallel across the world.This is Alhambra. The Citadel of the Moors.The name Alhambra comes from Arabic, meaning "red or crimson castle",due to the colour of the towers and walls.
We had a specialist guide who more than shared his knowledge of the monument interspersing his talk with a generous amount of Moorish history as we had a lot of walking to do.We were first shown the etched general layout drawing of Alhambra and the way the Sultans added the palaces,channeled water from the river to feed numerous gardens and the townships. Reservoirs and Dams were built.
The permitted tourist route is around 3.5 Kms and takes a little more than 3 Hrs,at leisurely pace.
Generalife: The lush and gorgeous gardens of the Nasrid kings,the expansive Generalife was the summer palace of the Sultans. It was built in the mid 13th century. The principal attraction is the Patio de la Acequia which is a long channel of water,with water sprays on the sides,surrounded by foliage.Within we found beds of colorful flowers,exquisite architecture,leaping fountains and cool shade.

Sultan's Room for R and R

                    
On the left above,we got an overview of the palaces,gardens,houses and workshops.Also the Palace of Christian king and the church are visible at the far end.On the right,view the city of Albaicin below.
                                                               
Beautiful snow capped Sierra Nevada.



Walking along the pathway next to the expansive gardens

Having completed the Generalife gardens we walked towards the Palaces and got this view through a shaped hedge.
We are now going through Alcazba;Remains of the fortress are seen here.This is the oldest part of the Alhambra and offers some of the finest views of nearly the entire city and the Sierra Nevada mountains.(shown above).Alcazba today shows only some of  the ruins of a town which once held soldiers' homes,armoury,workshops  and baths.

Ruins of the old town

As we walk the guide points out a U shaped location in the mountain and explains:By the end of 15 th century there were internal wrangling and external pressure from both Castille and Aragon,until finally in the year 1492 the last bastion of Islam fell with Boabdil the Sultan surrendering to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel. Boabdil left with his family and entourage, and on the way,stopped at this location on the mountain for a last look at his kingdom.As he was sighing and sobbing,his mother is said to have scolded him;"Why are you now sobbing like a woman over the loss of the city,when you were not man enough to defend it"This point or Pass to the south of Granada is called Moor's sigh.Now we know where Salman Rushdie got his famous book's title from.
 The Alhambra's most celebrated structures are the three original royal palaces.These are the Mexuar,Comares Palace,the Palace of the Lions,each of which was built during 14th century.A large fourth palace was built by the Christian ruler,Carlos V.But the tour includes complete viewing of the first two along with Generalife gardens. 
Mexuar hall is the one which we see first,as we enter the gate of the Nasrid Palaces.The Mexuar was the public reception hall of the Alhambra,where the Sultan and his Vazirs heard the requests and pleas of the populace,who climbed up from Albaicin and came through the Gates. Geometrically designed tiles and carved stucco panels give it a formality suitable even for receiving dignitaries.On the door,one of the tiles of the wall says: "Enter and fear not to ask for justice,for you will get it".

Tile work at Mexuar

Comares Facade

Behind El Mexuar stands the formal and elaborate Comares facade.The facade is built on a raised three-stepped platform that might have served as a kind of outdoor stage for the ruler. 

We entered Comares and passed through a dark winding passage which opened to reveal a series of beautifully decorated rooms with walls and ceilings in mind blowing stucco moulds in various hues.

                       

                                                   
Next,we walked into the serene Comares courtyard,the first of several reflecting pools.This was the focal point of the Comares Palace.The fulcrum of courtly life surrounded by the chambers of the palace.

This pooled area is called the courtyard of the myrtles after the evergreen and aromatic hedges that line the pool.While built as a residence for the Sultan,the tower at rear was used as a Throne room.

For sure,gardens and water fountains, canals,and pools are a recurring theme in construction across the Muslim dominion.
Water is both practical and beautiful in architecture. Nasrid rulers of Granada made water integral.They brought the sound,sight and cooling qualities of water into close proximity,in gardens,courtyards, and marble canals. While contributing to the serenity of the setting,it also doubles the visual impact of the palace through reflection.

The Alhambra’s largest tower,the Comares Tower,seen behind in the picture,contains the Hall of the Ambassadors, a throne room built in early 14th century.This room exhibits the most diverse decorative and architectural features contained in the Alhambra. ( So it is in other places too!)

Our guide explaining the details about Hall of Ambassadors

The double arched windows illuminate the room and provide breathtaking views.Additional light is provided by arched lattice windows set high up in the walls.The walls are lavishly decorated with tiles laid in symmetric geometric patterns.The remaining surfaces are covered with intricately carved stucco motifs and calligraphy - Poems in praise of God or the Sultan.

 
The ceiling of Hall of Ambassadors is a masterpiece of lavish artistry.Made of wood it is designed and painted to represent the seven heavens of Islam.On the right is the pattern of tile used on the walls at eye level.
Our Guide explains:The great hall with all its magnificent craftsmanship was considered as a means to overcome the weakness in military strength of the small kingdom,during diplomatic negotiations.It was designed and constructed to impress the foreign envoys as it exhibited an aura of supreme invincibility.The lighting was so designed as to focus on the throne.The Council that decided to surrender the city of Granada to the Catholic Monarchs met inside this hall.The legend also says that it was here that Columbus convinced the Catholic Monarchs to give their approval to his expeditions which lead to the discovery of America in 1492,and that the Queen offered her jewelry to sponsor the journey.
Next, we enter the Palace of Lions created by yet another Sultan.The Palacio de los Leones stands next to the Comares Palace.This  Palace's most celebrated feature is the fountain with a complex hydraulic system consisting of a marble basin on the backs of twelve carved stone lions.It is situated at the intersection of two water channels that form a cross in the rectangular courtyard.Water juts out of each of the lions mouth making it very attractive when in full flow.

An arched covered patio runs through the perimeter of the courtyard and displays fine stucco carvings held up by a series of slender columns.Two decorative pavilions protrude into the courtyard at the narrow sides accentuating the royal spaces behind them.
We go into Sala de los Mocarabes (Muqarnas Chamber); It takes its name from the intricately carved system of brackets called "muqarnas" that hold up the vaulted ceiling.It was fabulous!

The geometrical divisions of the vault above is not only dazzling with light filtering through the tiny windows but defies the mind to believe that such craftsmanship was possible and was executed by the Moorish designers 600 years ago! This is why the word Awesome! was born.
Across the courtyard on the other side is the 'Hall of Kings" with another extraordinary vault.The room has multiple alcoves,some with an unobstructed view of the courtyard.Have a look.

We have now covered the tourist permitted areas of the two palaces and when we come out,we don't know what had hit us.All that we saw,seemed like....Heaven on earth.Yes I have been to Kashmir, Switzerland and Gurudongmar lake in Sikkim which are all Heaven on earth due to natural beauty.Alhambra shows the degree to which art can be perfected to produce incredible features.At times we had goose pimples and there were moments that we did not want to lose.But that is...wait a minute,we did not see a single wall or ceiling or floor decorated with pictures of God! Why?
Islamic faith is the answer.It prohibits pics of Gods.Consequently,the walls are not covered with mosaics,frescoes,paintings of God or religious figures unlike in Temples,Churches,Gurudwaras etc.There is plenty of Calligraphy extolling the virtues of God but no picture.The belief being,the image of God can lead to worship of the physical than the devine. Therefore there should only be representation of the divine in the form of "abstract beauty".So the Moors used Symmetry to show the brilliance of the mind of God.The walls of Alhambra are so rich and beautiful because they have lots of different symmetries created by patterns on tiles,stucco etc.

As we exited we walked past a lovely garden of Roses and other flowers beds.Alhambra's own way of saying "Thanks for your visit and have a nice Day!"
The evening was upon us as our coach climbed down the hill,the passengers remaining extremely quiet,reflecting upon all that they had seen during the past few hours.It was an extraordinary sensory experience.More profoundly however,this is a place to reflect.Given the beauty,care and detail found at the Alhambra,it is tempting to imagine that the Nasrids planned to remain here forever; Throughout the complex in the carved stucco,the words, “...no conqueror,but God” appears; left behind by Nasrids who had once conquered Granada.Ironically,they lost their kingdom to conquerors. It is a testament to the Alhambra that the Catholic monarchs who besieged and ultimately took the city left this complex largely intact.It is even said that they lived as though under siege while the Muslims outside were hostile to their presence.

One last word....I have to share info received about the gypsies of Sacromonte a neighborhood of Albaicin. They arrived about 600 years ago and one of the places where they congregated was in the caves of the Sacromonte. The mixture of Arabic influence combined with the particular lifestyle and temperament of the gypsies created Flamenco.There is a big rush to see them perform the Flamenco in front of their caves.Here is a painting by Isidoro Marín Gares depicting the caves.. 

Having had a long but eventful day,we freshened up and completed our dinner in the hotel before calling it a day.
Tomorrow we leave Andulacia and  proceed up North to Toledo in the proximity of Madrid.

Until then...Adios!
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Spain Part 2...Andalucia -Cordoba,Seville

Andalucia is the region shown in yellow in the Map above.

The popular image of Spain as a land of bullfights,flamenco,Oranges and ruined castles derives from Andalucia,the southernmost,but autonomous territory.It is the great Moorish monuments that compete for your attention here.The Moors a mixed race of Berbers and Arabs crossed over to Spain from Morocco and North Africa and occupied al-Andalus for over seven centuries.Their first forces landed in 710 AD; their last kingdom,Granada,fell to Christian Reconquest in 1492. Between these dates,they developed the most sophisticated civilization of the Middle Ages,centred in turn on the three major cities of Cordoba,Seville and Granada;the golden triangle...Read on

Day 1 Madrid - Cordoba - Seville ( Sevia in Spanish)

We departed Madrid at 8:30 on a morning when clouds had gathered,after two glorious days of sunshine.There were 19 of us of various nationality filling just about 30% of the luxurious coach.Our tour guide was Jose,a Catalonian from North of Spain,who consider themselves superior to the Spanish in the south.He spoke English quite well and faithfully repeated everything in Spanish for the benefit of Mexicans,Paraguayans and Cubans in the group.We were to cover a distance of 525 Kms today with breaks every two hours,per law.

It started to rain as we left the city and made it difficult to get good pictures of the country side.However,I managed this.

Jose dealt with the geography of Spain,second largest in EU after France,pop: a measely 46 million(just twice as much as Mumbai),the number of States/regions,4 dialects,Royalty,culture and economy.He talked about how they are limping back to a reasonably better economy,compared to 2009,thanks to tourism and export growth via Machinery,autos,agricultural produce such as Olives and pharma.South of Spain is full of Olive and Saffron farms and I was surprised to learn that the biggest buyer of Spanish Olives is Italy. 

Our first break has come;we are in the region of"Castilla La Mancha" and we stopped at  Puerto Lapice. This village has the famous Inn Venta del Quijote. Don Quixote confuses this very Inn for a castle (Man of La Mancha) and the Innkeeper as the Lord.The Inn keeper takes pity on the old man and pretends to make him a Knight.Today the Inn keeper won't take pity,but will demand a few Euros for a sandwich.See my Knight in front of Quijote world Souvenir shop.We had coffee,picked up some Saffron and said Adios to a DQ statue and got inside the coach as it started raining again.We stopped at 12 Noon for another break and reached Cordoba by 1PM. There was a slight drizzle and the sky was overcast when we had the first glimpse of Cordoba.We crossed the Guadalquivir river by the new bridge watching the grand old Roman bridge which is now open only to pedestrians.Originally built in early first century BC it has been reconstructed at various times since.Most of the present structure dates from the Moorish reconstruction of 8th century. 

Next,we saw an ancient water wheel on the bank of the river situated next to the Roman bridge.Built by Romans as a water mill,a chain pump was added by the then ruler of Muslim Spain,circa 850 AD to carry water to his palace through an aqueduct. It was dismantled in the 15th century by queen Isabelle who disliked the noise it produced,so close to her residence.

We passed Plaza del Triunfo,on our way to the historic monument that we had come to see in Cordoba and were given a break of 45 minutes for lunch before regrouping.Food and wine was very welcome after a long morning and we found place in an eatery quite quickly,inspite of the tourist crowds.After lunch we strolled towards the Great Mosque cum Church complex?We saw the Patio de los Naranjos(court of the oranges).Now for a bit of History so that you understand the term Mosque cum Church:

Church bell tower attached to mosque

Cordoba was founded by the Romans and due to its strategic importance as the highest navigable point on the Guadalquivir River,it became a port city of great importance,used for shipping Spanish olive oil,wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome.The Romans built the mighty bridge crossing the river(referred above).But Cordoba's hour of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of Al-Andalus,and this was when work began on the Great Mosque,or "Mezquita",which – after several centuries of additions and enlargements – became one of the largest in all of Islam.

The Mezquita (Mosque) dates back to the 10th century when Cordoba reached its zenith under a new emir,Abd ar-RahmanIII who was one of the great rulers of Islamic history.At this time Cordoba was the largest and the most prosperous cities of Europe,outshining  Byzantium  and Baghdad in science,culture and the arts.The development of the Great Mosque paralleled these achievements. When the city was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city were so awed by the beauty of the Mosque that they left it standing, building their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns,and creating the extraordinary church-mosque we see today. 

It is now diplomatically called "Cordoba Mosque Cathedral"and stands as a testimony to the ancient alliance of art and faith.Any amount of my writing and posting pictures cannot bring out the grandeur of such an amalgamation.You will be amazed at this creation! 

Horse shoe type of Arches in the mosque

                                                                          









Passing through the courtyard we entered the south sanctuary of the mosque whose roof is supported by a forest of pillars made of porphyry,jasper and many-coloured marbles.Some 850 pillars divide this interior into aisles,with each row of pillars supporting a tier of open horseshoe arches upon which a third and similar tier is superimposed. The most exquisite decoration in the whole complex is found in the prayer niche,a small octagonal recess roofed with a single block of white marble that is carved in the form of a shell and has walls inlaid with Byzantine-style mosaics and gold.

       Dome of the prayer niche              

As Informed earlier,since 1236 the former mosque has served as a Christian cathedral!! and its Moorish character was only altered in the 16th century with the erection in the interior of a central high altar and cruciform choir,numerous chapels along the sides of the vast quadrangle,and a bell tower 300 feet high in place of the old minaret.       

High Altar of church;our guide showing
the extensions in colour over the centuries

           

Church ceiling and chapels along sides

Jewish quarter of Cordoba:We had a quick tour of the Jewish quarter.It is a fascinating network of narrow lanes and quaint buildings mostly in white  and are considered one of the most famous Juderias in Spain.Sadly,in 1492 during the Spanish Inquisition, people of Jewish faith were converted to Christianity or expelled.
After a most absorbing afternoon we boarded the coach at 5:30 en route to Seville.Near the highway at various places we would notice Signs depicting Black Bulls ( El Toro),and the explanation? A Sherry maker erected large Signs of bulls starting in 1956 to advertise their Brandy.In 1994 the EU

passed a law that prohibited all roadside advertising of alcoholic beverages,and the bulls were therefore to be removed.But,by this time the signs were nationally renowned and public wanted the signs to be retained, but completely blacked out to remove all reference to the original advertisers.The Court eventually agreed and allowed these signs to remain on the grounds that they have become a part of the landscape and have "aesthetic or cultural significance".They look great dotting the country side as our Coach speeds up and we reach Seville in the evening.
We had dinner and retired early,for tomorrow will be a long day.

Day 2 - Seville

Famous bull-ring of Seville

Seville is situated on the plains of Guadalquivir river and its harbour in Atlantic is about 50 miles away. A bit of history;
The end of the Caliphate of Cordoba (11th century) brought about the grandeur  of the  Kingdom of Seville.The years of highest splendor in Seville happened after the discovery of America. During the 16th and 17th century its port was one of the most important in Spain, because it had the monopoly of foreign trade by sea. Thanks to the trade carried out during that period in Seville,many mansions,stately homes, churches and convents were built.The infamous Spanish Inquisition was started in Sevilla in 1481;Ferdinand and Isabella chose Catholicism to unite Spain and asked permission of the Pope to begin the Spanish Inquisition to purify the people of Spain.They began by driving out Jews,Protestants and other non-believers.Above all,the Jewish population,was targeted,and their synagogues destroyed.  

 

Our guide today was a Sevillian lady who took us by coach to see the city centre. The Moorish buildings were impressive and a lovely contrast to the modern buildings.Of importance is the fact that most of them were built,for the Expo 1929,to represent every country in the Americas who were under Spanish rule.Many of these buildings are now museums or consulates. 

The park of Maria Luisa above is laid out in the shape of a trapezium and is criss-crossed by tree-lined avenues.Where the avenues meet there are fountains and statues,making the park a kind of open-air museum.
After a cool drive while we were gaping at the various buildings with awe,the coach stopped at Plaza Espana. This magnificent square with its buildings is a real tour de force.

The Plaza Espana was  principally built for the Ibero-Americana Expo of 1929 to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits. 
The complex is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge accessible over the moat by numerous beautiful bridges.

A beautiful lamp post

     By the walls of the Plaza are many tastefully decorated tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain.Everything that you see,including the lamp posts are artistic.There are horse driven carriages for a ride and boats to ply around the moat.Currently,the plaza buildings are mainly used as government offices.   

We rode the coach towards the Jewish quarter in the Santa Cruz neighborhood,sounds familiar, for a short break and a browse through a Souvenir shop.Adjacent to this is the beautiful square of Dona Elvira, a charming place surrounded by orange trees and tiled benches with a central fountain.We strolled the square and found an unmistakable smell of orange,a very Andalusian aroma.(More about Oranges later) And then the narrow lanes where ancient houses lean so far forward that they almost seem to touch.It was all so incredibly picturesque. If the above was in itself a great outing,hold your breath,for the highlight of the day is yet to come!
But first,more on Seville Oranges;The orange trees here are as much an integral part of the landscape as are the Gothic archways of its churches.They appear in December/January followed by the sweet scented white blossom in March/April,filling the city with a fragrant and romantic aroma.But do not make the mistake of biting one of them.They are bitter,very bitter.They are not the "fruit bowl" type good for eating. Sevillanos are astonished that the British actually want to use their bitter oranges to make marmalade and reckon the pith is secretly used to make gunpowder.In any case,Seville orange marmalade is considered the finest in Britain and beyond,even if Sevillanos couldn't care for it.

We are about to enter one of the most visited complexes in the world, a space as complex as it is diverse and unique- Real Alcazar of Seville-

Royal Palace of Seville is the oldest working palace complex in Europe and one of the most important heritage monuments in Spain.In recent times it became a locale for the shooting of the popular TV series "Game of Thrones"and so.... The King and Queen of Spain stay at the Alcazar when they are in Seville. Who could blame them? I would never want to leave.    

Entrance to the complex is through a gate,an outer courtyard,and a section of old Moorish wall,into a spacious paved courtyard in front of the Mudejar* Palace.

Entrance to the Mudejar Palace

*Refers to any Muslims who remained in Spain after the Christian reconquest.Also this paved courtyard is the place where the courtiers would assemble to go for hunting expeditions.                   The Mudejar Palace, was built by Pedro I of Castile in 1364. He employed Jewish and Moorish workers and craftsmen from Seville,Granada and Toledo.They designed an exquisite building from scratch (it has been proven that there are no ancient constructions below it,unlike you know what).

Intricate craftsmanship at the entrance

Turning left at the entrance a passage brings us to the central courtyard,Courtyard of the Maidens,named as such because of the legend that the former Moorish rulers had exacted a tribute of Christian maidens for their harems.A long rectangular pool is flanked by sunken gardens and covered colonnades of pillars and arches to provide shade from the summer sun. 

Courtyard of the Maidens

We are now going into one of the magnificent accesses to reach the Hall of the Ambassadors,once a throne room,with its spectacular domed ceiling representing the universe and the stars.See pics below

Magnificent Access

Orange Dome

Around these public areas of the palace are arranged the royal quarters, including the Patio of the Dolls and the Prince’s Room as shown below. The rooms facing the gardens have windows partly masked by vegetation, and are often bathed in an almost surreal greenish glow.

Facade of the Patio of Dolls 

                         

    Entrance to the Prince's Room      

                                              

Ceiling of Prince's room

                            

From the corner of the courtyard of Maidens we went up a stairway to the upper rooms.We were in the midst of a Royal tapestry collection and later saw the Chapel of Queen Isabel, presided over by virgin Mary.

                                                                         

Tapestry

Bright Tile work

Behind the palaces are the gardens. Closest to the palace are the smaller formal gardens with fountains and pools including the famous Pool of Mercury,and its fish swimming in the depths. I captured this photo from a good 30 meters away with my telephoto lens.We had a good view of the Gardens from an upper walkway.

These are creations that have been constantly updated over the past centuries based on the dominant styles prevailing.The multitude of gardens like the garden of dance,of Troy,of flowers,of the Prince, English garden,of Poets and the Maze add to the grandeur of the Alcazar

We have come to the end of our heady experience of 90 minutes and I was thinking;The Alcazar to a tourist of the 21st century is above all a display of beauty,spectacle and amazement.It is not easy to imagine the course of history that it has seen.However,it is indeed easy to be guided by the magic of its spaces and be awed and inspired by the artistic value of each of one of them that have witnessed a thousand years of splendor,decadence and rebirth.And we must thank all those who have worked to preserve the monument for posterity.

We walked out of Alcazar looking at the Tower of the second largest Catholic Cathedral in the world,knowing that we will return to it in the afternoon.But for now we were being herded into the coach to be taken to the side of the river for a boat ride over the Guadalquivir river.It had started to rain as we stepped into the coach and took a speedy ride as the boat was waiting for our party.But Wait! What is this structure that we see by the riverside..a golden tower.La Torre del Oro is supposed to be one of the last examples of Moorish architecture and built as a defense tower in the 13th century.

It now houses a naval museum.This symbolic tower owes its name to the golden tiles that covered its structure,says one....while the other says it used to store cargo of silver and gold which arrived in Seville from the Americas.Our boat set its course on the river and we could see the bull ring and soon on the other side was the neighborhood of Triana,famous the world over for its Tile work and pottery.

But the rain made everything hazy and there was a lot of static rendering the commentary useless to the ears.

Anyway we considered it as a relaxing hour after the hectic activity of the morning and returned.

We joined the Paraguayan couple for lunch as they were settled in Miami and could speak good English.After lunch the four of us visited the Seville cathedral,another grand master pieces of the city.

It is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and third largest after St.Peter's in Rome and st.Paul's in London.It was built on the original 12th century site of the principal Mosque of the city.Its Giralda tower is about 100 meter tall and acknowledged as the symbol of the city.All the features inside are grand considering that the Gothic section alone occupies 10,000 Sq.Mters. Since we have seen a number of catholic cathedrals in the recent past my mind was not tuned to observe in detail its features.I was keen to see the mausoleum,which legend says holds the remains of Christopher Colombus.

THE CATHEDRAL-COLUMBUS controversy

One of the most controversial topics in Seville,till a decade ago,was about the claim that Cristobal Colon (Christopher Columbus) is buried here.The story goes that after Columbus died in 1506, his remains were buried first in Valladolid in Castile,then taken to a Monastery in Seville and then to the Dominican Republic and finally to Havana,from where they were returned after Cuban independence in 1898. But others claimed that the true remains are still in the Dominican Republic,and that his son Diego's remains were mistakenly taken back to Seville instead of Christopher's. In 2006 DNA tests established that the remains were indeed that of Columbus Sr.So that is settled...I hope

We came back to the hotel rested for a while and got ready for the evening entertainment....Flamenco;

Flamenco is an art form,a way of life with the Andalusian and the gypsy

and comprises guitar playing,song,dance,hand claps and foot tapping.It was strongly influenced by the Arab culture which filled it with sentiment,at a time when the Moors and gypsies were persecuted by the Catholic kings.Many centuries later it was popularised by Cafe cantantes(singers) and by late 19th century it flourished all over Spain

The 90 minute show that we witnessed in the packed hall,with a free drink to boot,put us in a spellbind,watching a completely new art form, presented by ladies.... wearing among other colors the traditional red,white and black polka dotted dresses... figure hugging,ankle length with ruffles in them.Most had their hair in a bun,a stole on shoulders and high heels.Men supported them admirably and in great style.They were in black tight fitting pants with a shirt worn beneath a short jacket.Each routine would take about 20 minutes or so and the effect of the dancers twirling their bodies and swirling their dress to the beat of the claps and foot tapping was amazing.See a small sample in the video above.(Upload Quality is poor)Some dances were

performed by 3-4 couples to the strum of guitars and resembled "Tango".Instead of using castanets they were expertly snapping their fingers.The foot tapping dance routine by the men were also commendable and Emilo excelled by foot tapping on top of a table for at least 15 minutes non-stop with shouts of Ole and hoot whistles from the audience.Capes,Fans and sticks were used in dances and the solo guitar performance was also of a high standard.What more can I say about this traditional art form that kept us engrossed throughout.We didn't even order a refill!
With this we come to the end of our Seville tour,albeit reluctantly,and proceed to Granada tomorrow.

Wait for Part 3.

Adios.

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