Girona & Figueres

I took a day trip out of Barcelona to Girona and Figueres.

Girona is a historical city about an hour from Barcelona. This small walled city dates back to the Roman period. It was home to a flourishing Jewish settlement in the 12th century, until the Expulsion in 1492. Many Jews fled the city. Those who remained were either killed or converted to Christianity. The latter, however, were accepted neither by the Jewish nor the Christian communities. The Jewish Heritage Museum was interesting. Also saw Arab baths for the first time.

Another view of the city.

A doggie in the balcony. I saw many dogs in Spain. Mostly the small ones such as terriers of all sorts and Chihuahuas, which people carried around.

Now we're in Figueres. It is the hometown of Surrealist Salvador Dalí. I don't understand Surrealism. Most of Dalí's art in the Teatre-Museu Dalí overwhelmed me. Nothing was subtle. The huge installation pieces were dramatic and just plain weird (to me). Some paintings made me cringe and I left the museum feeling like I had indigestion. Not all good art go down smoothly (unlike wine, some would argue).

I can't caption this (other than calling it a black car) 'cos I don't know what it's supposed to mean or what it's supposed to be. Above it, resting on top of the black textured pillar (on the right) was a boat, with leaks. 

Installation in the stairwell. The photo's a bit blurred 'cos I was trying to get a shot without people's heads in the way (I'm referring to my fellow museum visitors). Not 'cos I was frightened by it.

What do you see?

I thought that this was a cute drawing. Dalí's really brilliantly creative (& works with multimedia), I can appreciate his talent. But, looking at his art kinda disturbs me 'cos I have no clue how his mind functions. How does he come up with such things? Warped? Fantastical?

Ah, we've all seen this. Melting Clocks. Sorta like at work, eh?

March 29 - Granada

Granada is in Andalucia, South Spain. A nice small town, with a rich past. First occupied by the Moors in the 8th century, the city peaked as a center for culture during the rule of the Nasrid dynasty (1238 - 1492). It fell to Christian rule in 1492. Prior to the Arabs, there were the Romans, Visigoths and Byzantines. It was also an early Jewish settlement. As you can imagine from its history, Granada has a strong Arab flavor. Indeed, its biggest attraction (and that of Spain's), is the Alhambra (more later).

I love the streetlamps. Pretty, eh? There's a huge student population here, mainly due to its University. The language center at the University of Granada (one of Spain's main countries) attracts many foreign students as well.

Oh. No offense, ok? Some people might find it "relevant" to work.

 

Be a cool cat. Though this cat looks a bit conked out. See, I don't mind it when graffiti puts a smile on faces.

March 30 - Granada

The Alhambra was built when the Nasrid dynasty ruled Granada. This huge complex consisted of the Nasrid palace, Generalife (gardens & country palace) & Alcazaba (military fort). For conservation reasons, entry to the Nasrid palace was restricted to 300 persons every half hour. Therefore, when visitors bought a ticket, it had a "time of entry" (half hour interval) on it - and one can choose either a morning visit or an evening visit. 

Getting a ticket wasn't a problem for us. According to our ticket, our entry time was 0930 to 1000. So after a leisurely breakfast, we sauntered over to the entrance where we stood in line to enter the palace, all excited to see what grand palace looked like. Only to be told minutes later that we weren't allowed in 'cos it was past our entry time. Huh? I pointed to my watch. My friend pointed to her watch and looked at mine. The gatekeeper pointed to his watch and we all looked at his. Why does it say 10:30 am? Then it occurred to me. Daylight saving time change. Arghs! Time has sprung forward by an hour. Double arghs! I was under the impression that the time change had already occurred before I arrived in Spain. 

So the clueless tourists (i.e. us & quite a few others) apologized for being clueless and asked if there was any way we could enter at the next timeslot instead. Nope. We'd have to buy another ticket. This annoying bureaucratic answer was given to us by 3 different parties, each with varying levels of fluency in English. But the message was clear. So that was our 12 Euro mistake.

We could, however, visit the Generalife and Alcazaba (military fort) at any time, so we did. This is the latter.

Now let's skip the Generalife for the moment and proceed to the Nasrid palace. Our "new" tickets were for an evening visit. Just as guidebooks and past visitors have claimed, the palace was a grand sight indeed. This was my first (of many later in the trip) encounter with such extensive Islamic architecture. (Previous doses were small, like in Dubai.) 

To me, the Islamic style of decoration was geometric, colorful (mosaics) & ornate. Almost too much at times. It would seem as if no surface was spared. The idea behind the Alhambra was a paradise created on Earth. Space, light, water and decoration were manipulated to create such an effect.

Heh. If you lived in the palace, this would be one of your (many) views.

Now on to the Generalife. The lush gardens. I don't quite know how to describe the huge gardens, which were made up of fountains, "sculpted" hedges, citrus trees and lots of other plants. I can, however, imagine how calming it was to walk the paths on a fine day, away from the stress and pressure of having to rule a country.

This would be an ideal place to sit and contemplate life. Or just think about what to have for dinner. 

Water is an essential element in Islam. It is also the essence of the gardens of Paradise. Thus, water features, such as fountains big and small, pools, are common in palaces built by Muslim rulers.

Looking out at the gardens. 

Again, the intricate carvings.

March 31 - Sierra Nevada, Andalucia

Ah! The great outdoors! This daytrip was certainly a highlight of the entire trip. I love nature.

The highest peak of continental Spain (Mulhacén) is in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Apparently, the snow lingers till midyear, making it a popular destination for skiing. (It is the southernmost ski resort.) And for other sports like hiking and mountain biking as well.

It was a glorious day when we were up there. If the photos don't tell the same story, it's totally 'cos I'm a lousy photographer with my basic digital camera. We had a fantastic day not just 'cos it was great to escape into nature, but also 'cos we had a very entertaining guide - Shane - and his 1997 Land Rover Defender 101. More of the antics of the pair later on.

The ski resort was still in operation. The higher we drove, the colder it got. My thin sweater was not enough. Even Shane felt cold. This man-of-the-wild had spent 3 years as a guide in the Amazon. Yeah, that one in Peru. He talked rapidly (and often) and exuded a nervous energy, which he attributed to the Greek blood in him. Clearly an environmentalist, he had extensive knowledge of the great range of flora and fauna in the Sierra Nevada. He'd stop the jeep by the road and pluck a berry and tell us that this was where the natives got their vitamin I-forgot-which from.

Lovely bloom. You know, the thing I enjoy most in nature is the absolute peace and quiet. Up in the mountain, one does not hear the "background noise" (i.e. traffic, construction etc.) of a city (or you can call it city sounds). Instead, you hear nothing but the sound of wind blowing. And I mean nothing. That sense of tranquility is indescribable. It is something you'd never get in a city, even in the dead of the night.

As I was saying, this daytrip up in the mountain was memorable not just 'cos of the nature, but also 'cos of Shane and his jeep. Here's why:

1) A few minutes up the mountain, his Land Rover started smoking. Apparently one of the pipes had burst. So all along the journey, he had to collect water from rivers/streams to cool the engine. 

2) A good half hour into the journey after lunch (with photo stops along the way), Shane discovered that he was missing his (expensive) binoculars. Couldn't find it after ransacking his jeep and backpack. We saw how flustered he was and urged him to retrace our route in search of his binoculars. 

3) So he left us at a hiking station, promising to be back within half hour or so. We didn't mind at all 'cos it was nice to be able to walk around  and take in the fresh air (there was a group of students doing some outdoor activities nearby). Besides, the weather was glorious. So we chatted, strolled around, stood around, took photos and waited. And waited. Our dear guide didn't show up till nearly 3 hours later. We were playing "Spot the green jeep" and thought that as long as the sun didn't set, we were ok. If so, we'd just run (ok, walk) down the hill to the nearby restaurant. Good thing was Shane did find his binoculars...at the restaurant where we had lunch (a good lunch if I may add).

4) The road leading up to the hiking spot was narrow, so Shane had to make a 3-point turn somewhere to head out. He chose a swamp. And just as he uttered the words "...I hope we don't get stuck in the mud...", we got stuck in the mud. So much for a Land Rover. He tried to engage the right gears but nothing seemed to work. Then he took out the vehicle handbook which we thought was hilarious. 

5) One of the tires was stuck in the mud, but it wasn't in deep at all. After trying for about 15 minutes, the jeep remained stuck. Then, something we needed came along - an English family. After the unavoidable joke about an English Land Rover being stuck in mud, the family (with 3 well-behaved kids) literally got themselves dirty to help us. Half hour later, the jeep finally inched out. We all clapped and cheered like Taiwanese passengers when a plane lands (why do they do that?). Their minivan pulled the jeep out of the mud, but only after putting debris beneath the tires for traction (see, I learnt something that day). Seriously, we were very thankful for the helpful family, who really went out of their way to help us. Even their kids contributed.

6) And to top it off, we weren't even supposed to go to the Sierra Nevada. We'd signed up for a daytrip to Las Alpujarras, which was a town in the Sierra Nevada. Didn't realize it till lunch. Goes to show that a mistake can be a good thing. 

April 1 - Cordoba

Cordoba was founded in ancient Roman times. It was the capital of the province of Hispania Baetica. Roman remains are still visible in the city today. In 711, Cordoba was conquered by the Moors. During the Islamic rule, the city grew to be one of Europe's most sophisticated cities with great cultural, political and economic power that peaked in the 10th century. Though my first impression of Cordoba was that of a typical Chinese city (don't ask me why), it has, indeed, a shining past.

River that runs along the city.

A private courtyard. I thought it was pretty so decided to take a pic by reaching between iron grilles of the closed gate. If someone yelled at me, I was prepared to yell back "No comprendo! Lo siento!" and run off as quickly as my Campers would take me.

Dusk at my hotel. While a very homely, pretty and very clean place, it was also extremely boring because nothing on TV was in English. At all other cities, I was able to get at least CNN. So, I could've sat in bed and contemplated life in my big empty room. But, I barely sat down before deciding to listen to my iPod and watch random Spanish programs (they talk so fast!) instead.

April 2 - Cordoba

Amongst the architectural gems in the city, the most "precious" is the Mezquita. It was built as a mosque in 785, by Abd al Rahman I. His successors had significantly expanded the Mezquita by building extensions during their rule. However, when the Christians claimed Cordoba as their territory, the mosque was consecrated as a church. This was in 1236. Later, during the 16th century, a cathedral was built in the middle of the Mezquita, making it a unique landmark.

Light through stained glass falls on a stone pillar.

To me, the cathedral-mosque is a visual feast which blends Moorish and Christian architecture. Needless to say, I've never seen anything like that before. As I stood in the huge but dim interior (thus the lack of photos), I found it fascinating to imagine the changes that had taken place over the centuries as the various rulers added their "touches" to the place. If you stood still, you could almost see history played out like a lapse-time motion picture.

I also found myself looking up most of the time. There was nothing which could be described as "plain" or "simple" in the Mezquita. Ceilings, prayer niches, chapels, right down to the endless arches (of a distinct red and white - brick & stone) and pillars (jasper, marble, granite) were intricately decorated and richly colored. Still, at the end of the visit, I was happy to be in the sun again 'cos it was a bit too dark inside.

 

April 3 - Seville

Hola Seville! This is the hottest place (I mean the weather) during my entire 3-week vacation. 33 degrees Celsius - warmer than Singapore. And dry. Those who know me and certain aspects of my life, would know that I tan very, very easily. So I got scarily tanned in Seville. The sun was relentless.

The taxi wouldn't take me from the bus station to my hotel 'cos it was too near. Not that I knew of course. (I'd changed plans at the last minute, taking the bus instead of the train to Seville from Cordoba.) So I dragged my luggage across the parking lot, across the main road, through a park, up some stairs & through some alley, guided by nothing but my often-faulty sense of direction (I didn't have a map), in the general direction where the trying-to-be-helpful-short-of-driving-me-there cab driver (and another stranger) pointed (& gestured & said something repeatedly in Spanish). Amazingly, I found the hotel.

After walking around (and getting lost, and having a mother with a pram apologize to me in Spanish 'cos she didn't know the place I wanted to get to), I finally find my way to the Museo de Bellas Artes. Which turned out to be quite disappointing, so no photo here (see album if you're interested). I didn't, however, get lost while trying to get to the Torre del Oro (pictured above). It was a lookout tower along the river built in the 13th century. Today, it houses a maritime museum. 

Here's a view from the top of the tower. I learnt that the more sides a tower had (during those days), the more important it was. This one has 12. So it was mighty important.

April 4 - Seville

The guidebooks told me that the Seville Cathedral and La Giralda (bell tower) is a must-see in Seville. So off I went.

The Cathedral is very Gothic. It occupies the site of a great mosque built in the late 12th century by the Almohads. La Giralda (the bell tower) was originally a minaret. In fact, it is one of the 3 remaining Almohad minarets in the world. Over time (as in a few hundred years), Christian symbols on top of the tower replaced the Islamic ones (bronze spheres) and further modifications were also made.

I get very excited when I see stained glass. I don't know why. I love the vibrant colors projected as natural light streams through the windows, and how this brilliance contrasts the (usually) dim interiors of the churches.

Look at the ornate ceiling and the arches ...

This is one of the very big bells at the top of La Giralda. Going up the tower was interesting. There were no stairs. So we just went on and on and on, not quite knowing when we'd reach the top. The views along the way were spectacular though. There were closeups of the cathedral's gargoyles, buttresses and of course, views of the city.

Just to show you how Gothic the architectural style was. I also liked the photos of swimming pools on top of surrounding buildings that I'd taken (see album).

April 5 - Seville

My first stop today was the Casa de Pilatos. An example of mudéjar architecture, i.e. a style that is influenced by Islamic architecture, that came about during Christian rule.

Originally built by the Marquis of Tarifa in the 1520s, it is now owned by the Medinaceli family.

Having a garden in those days was a prestigious thing. This casa had a beautiful garden. Look at the bougainvillea in full bloom!

A copy of Ribera's "The Bearded Woman".

My next stop was the Royal Alcazares, another good example of mudéjar architecture in Seville.

Also with a huge lovely garden.

April 6 & 7 - Madrid

I arrived in Madrid on a lovely sunny day & I liked what I saw. Nice open spaces within the city. Grand buildings that tell their own stories. Greenery for visual & environmental balance. Great first impression. Helps too that the weather was oh-so-fine. I, however, don't have many photos of the city 'cos the highlight of Madrid (to me) is its museums. There's enough art in the Prado Museum, Reina Sofia National Art Museum and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza to last me for days. I had to pace myself.

I forgot what this was. I think I was outside the royal palace. This was barely an hour after I'd arrived. I was trying to ignore the map and was busy being impressed by the city.

Love the street lamp! I think I was still outside the royal palace.

Eh, more street lamps that I like. Details people!

Gold. A reminder of past glory perhaps? For me, it's these history "markers" around the city (or any other city in any other country) that really spice up and add character to the place. It's like living in today with a sense of the past.

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As I found out, Madrid and Barcelona are in constant competition as the 2 biggest cities in Spain, both vying for the top city spot. The rivalry is, of course, very obvious & very intense in their football/soccer clubs. To the point where it became a consideration for the government when it implemented a national vehicle licence plate system. Previously, each province had their own plates. And during soccer seasons, emotions ran so high that cars would get vandalized (or worse) because they had plates of the province where the rival team was from. An Irish guy living in Spain told me this. Not entirely sure if this is true, but I think that there's a bit of truth in this. 

Anyway, I digress. When I mentioned that I would be visiting Madrid to a Catalonian in Barcelona, she immediately said that I should "judge" for myself & see which city I prefer. Hmm...having visited both, I must say that I prefer Madrid. It seems to be a nicer place to live in. And I remember thinking to myself (as I took a bus out of the city to El Escorial) "I could live here". But the next thought was "But the idea of siestas drives me nuts". Then "Oh well, maybe I could learn Spanish or something during those couple of hours everyday". And then I was distracted by an Aston Martin (we were on a freeway).