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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