Arches of Crodoba

Jill and I spent at least an hour wandering around inside the Mezquita-Cathedral. As I mentioned in yesterdays post the architecture was simply stunning. Here are some photos, even though it's so much better to see in person!

You might be able to tell that the alternating red and white arches in the first and second photos look a bit different than in the third photo. Because the mosque was enlarged at various times, different techniques were used to achieve the look. In the first two photos actual red bricks were used while in the third photo the look was achieved by painting red onto the arches. Another interesting fact is that there are 856 columns (of the original 1,293 before the cathedral was built into the mosque) of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite supporting the arches.

We were lucky and arrived for our visit early enough to witness mass being held in the cathedral. The priests were singing and the atmosphere was overwhelming.

Mihrab

Okay, only a couple more posts about my travels through Spain. I had such a great time that it's hard to stop talking about it. Anyway, one of the other highlights of my time in Cordoba was our visit to the Mezquita-Cathedral. This building features some of the most amazing architecture that I've ever experienced. Although the building served many purposes it was used as a mosque from about 784 until 1236 when after the Reconquista it was turned back into a Christian church. In the photos below you can see the spectacular focal point of the mosque, the Mihrab. It was built in the mid 10th century and according to Rick Steves, 3000 pounds of stones were used in it's mosaic.

Wild Flowers

The Greek countryside is starting to bloom! While spending time around Attica on Friday I took a few shots of the various flowers I saw. Hopefully we'll get a chance to take a few more photos as the spring season continues to grow near.

 

Out and About

For the past few days I've been reliving life as a Regular Member at the American School. On Thursday, I accompanied the members on a walk tracing the ancient city walls of Athens. It was an adventure that began in the Kerameikos (ancient cemetery where two significant gates of the city were located) and followed the walls for exactly 6.02 miles according to Margie's pedometer. Many portions of the walls can be seen underneath modern apartment buildings, within modern museums, in the basements of modern hotels, etc. It was an exciting morning. On Friday, Rob and I accompanied the members for a day trip around Attica in search of ancient border forts. It was a fun filled day that included some fantastic scenery. Below, Rob and his colleagues discuss Phyle, a fort on the frontier of Attica.

Just before lunch we took a pit stop at the Monastery of the Blessed Meletios. The church that is seen in the photo below dates from around 1035 A.D. What you don't see is the skirt I donned which is custom at many monasteries. 

Aegosthena, the final fort of the day, came complete with beautiful views to the eastern end of the Corinthian Gulf. These images are what I love so much about Greece.

Maimonides

This statue of the Jewish philosopher Maimonides sits in  Tiberiadus Square, the heart of the Jewish quarter of Cordoba. Maimonides was born here in 1138 when Cordoba was one of the greatest intellectual centers of the world. When Maimonides was ten the Almohads (a Muslim dynasty from North Africa) invaded and his family was forced with the decision to either convert, flee, or face death. The chose to flee and Maimonides spent a good portion of his life (and died) in Egypt. Today he is known as one the the greatest Jewish philosophers, Torah scholars, and doctors of the Middle Ages.

Roman Cordoba

I have been trained (thanks to my time traveling with the American School) to seek out Greek and Roman remains wherever I travel and Cordoba didn't disappoint. The remains in include a Roman temple, mausoleum, and a heavily reconstructed bridge. Also of interest is the statue of Seneca near the Jewish Quarter. Seneca, a Roman Stoic philosopher and advisor to Emperor Nero, was born here around 4-1 BC. 

Paseo de los Reyes

Jill and I most enjoyed the gardens at the Alcazar in Cordoba. These gardens occupy about 55,000 square meters of land and contain many different kinds of plants including orange and lemon trees as well as cypress and palm trees.

Jill loved the trees so much that she started hugging them! It was really embarrassing and I couldn't get her to stop! ;) Seriously though we found the coolest tree near the back of the gardens. It was trimmed to look like a tower and we enjoyed playing and posing with it. Another fun fact about the Alcazar is that it was the location where Christopher Columbus asked Isabella and Ferdinand to sponsor his trip to the Indies....but we all know that he ended up in the Americas. There is a nice representation of their meeting amongst the trees.

Cordoba

After a fantastic few days in Seville we got back on the train and made our way to Cordoba! It is thought that Cordoba was the most populated city in the world and the intellectual center of Europe around the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th centuries. Our first stop (after coffee and churros, of course) was at the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos. This palace was one of the main residences of Isabella and Ferdinand, and we could see why they enjoyed it so much. The views from the palace towers were amazing!

Plaze de Espana

Jill and I stopped by Plaza de Espana in Seville for a few photos on our way to lunch. We would have loved to stay longer to really enjoy the stunning tile work, but we were just too hungry to linger!

Tsiknopémptẽ

Although I still have a few photos of Spain that I'd like to share with you, I had to pause and talk about Tsiknopémptẽ (literally meaning "smoke Thursday). This day is known as smoke Thursday because it's the day where most Greeks enjoy eating vast quantities of meat just before Lent begins. Last night at the school we participated in Tsiknopémptẽ by enjoying lamb chops, hot dogs, sausage, pork, and little hamburgers. As you can tell from Rob's plate, it was all very delicious!

Flowers

We couldn't leave Spain without some flowers for our hair! These handmade flowers were so neat that we had a difficult time deciding which ones to buy. In the end we each choose a few and Jill sported hers around Seville while I wore one of mine for the first time on Valentine's Day.

Giralda of Seville

The bell tower of the cathedral in Seville is known as the Giralda. It was originally a minaret before the mosque was turned into the cathedral after the Reconquista of Spain. One of my favorite activities of each new city I visit is to climb to the highest point and this high point didn't disappoint. Actually, it was an easy climb as the tower was built to be ruled by horseback. This meant that instead of climbing stairs we simply walked  a series of ramps all the way to the top!

Seville Cathedral

Did you know that the Cathedral in Seville is the largest Gothic cathedral the world? Also, in general it's the third largest church in the world! This Roman Catholic church was completed in the 16th century after the Reconquista, and the church was built to demonstrate Seville's wealth and power. It was constructed on the site of a mosque and its bell tower originated as a minaret and offers fantastic views of the city. In addition to other treasures the cathedral is home to the remains of Christopher Columbus.

Alcazar of Seville

The Alcazar was built in the 12th century as the palace of the Moorish kings and was later used under Christian rule after it was rebuilt in 1364. It is a stunning example of Mudejar architecture, and I might even say that this was one of my favorite sites in Spain! At the very least it's the one do-not-miss site in Seville.

In the photo above you can see the Lion Gate which is where we entered the palace. Padio de las Doncellas (pictured below), the main courtyard, was remarkable. Everywhere we turned was another beautiful room, doorway, or garden to soak in. The Moors really knew what they were doing when they designed and built their palaces. I could have spent the entire afternoon in the gardens soaking up the Spanish sun. So incredible.

Riding the Rails

In order to travel between Madrid, Seville, and Cordoba Jill and I took the luxurious AVE trains. Although the tickets were difficult to get in advance on the Spanish website, the hard work paid off as the trains were very nice. We had the option of watching a movie or listening to the radio, and the seats were much more comfortable than airplane seats. As it turns out, traveling by train was a nice way to see the Spanish countryside too!

Toledo's Cathedral

The Gothic cathedral in Toledo, Spain was built between 1226 and 1493, and it's so large that I could barely fit it into one photograph. The cathedral was built upon the site of the Great Mosque of Toledo which itself replaced a Visigoth church so needless to say this ground has been holy for quite some time. Because the church is so large it was difficult for Jill and I to really appreciate the architecture of the exterior but the interior was a bit easier to take in. In addition to the central nave with beautiful stained glass windows we enjoyed viewing objects in the treasury, art in the sacristy, and the impressive Capilla Mayor.

The highlight of the treasury is this 15th century gilded monstrance measuring 10 feet tall and weighing 500 pounds. The gold used on this piece was allegedly brought back to Spain by Columbus from the New World. The monstrance is used annually in Toledo's feast of Corpus Christi and most recently was brought out of the cathedral for a Eucharistic Adoration presided over by Pope Benedict XVI.


Finally, the Gothic alterpiece (Capilla Mayor) was absolutely stunning. It is made from gilded and painted larch wood with figures that are life-sized. At about five stories tall, it summarizes the New Testament culminating with Christ's crucifixion.

Templo de Debod

Did you know that there is an Egyptian Temple in Madrid? It is a fascinating site with an interesting story. In 1960 UNESCO put out an international call for help in saving several temples and archaeological sites along the Nile River. The high Aswan Dam was being built on the Nile and if nothing was done many treasures in Abu Simbel would soon be under water. Spain and several other countries responded and were nicely repaid for their help with temples! Originally the Templo de Debod (dedicated to the god Amun and goddess Isis) stood about 15 km from Aswan but in 1969 it was dismantled and shipped to Valencia where it was put on a train and transported to Madrid.  It opened to visitors in 1972 in the Parque del Oeste in central Madrid.

The Netherlands, United States, and Italy were also thanked for their help with temples. You can visit the Temple of Taffeh at the National Archaeological Museum in the Netherlands, the Temple of Dendur at the MET in NYC, and also the Temple of Ellesiga at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. Jill and I enjoyed touring the inside of the temple where we received a nice history lesson and a close up view of the sandstone carvings.

Nebraska in Madrid?

It's true. I'm not sure if the Nebraska Restaurant in Madrid has any actual ties to the state of Nebraska in America, but you can order the Nebraska burger or the Lincoln burger from their extensive menu of American and Spanish dishes.

Plazas in Madrid

Madrid's beautiful plazas seem to be the center of life for many Madrilenos and after spending a bit of time in them I can see why. Pictured below is Plaza Mayor and it is located in the center of Madrid. Although it is now a major tourist attraction this rectangular plaza (created during the Hapsburg period) was once the scene of bullfights, markets, and even public executions. A bronze statue of King Philip III can be seen in the center and the building behind him was originally used as a bakery.

Just a few blocks east of Plaza Mayor sits the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun). It is probably the busiest plaza in Madrid and in the 15the century it held one of the city gates. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Puerta del Sol holds Km 0 of the radial network of Spanish roads as well as the bear and madrone tree which is the symbol of Madrid (pictured below).

Closer to our hotel was Plaza de Santa Ana. This plaza is surrounded by cafes and tapas bars at which we had some delicious meals. Teatro Espanol, Spain's oldest theater, watches over the plaza which contains a few monuments to Spain's golden age. Pictured below is the poet Federico Garcia Lorca.

One of my favorite plazas was Plaza de Espana because of it's peacefulness, cleanliness, and green space. It is located at the west end of the Gran Via and has a monument to Cervantes in the center. My photo was taken in the center of the plaza looking back upon the Edificio Espana building.

After traveling to many major European cities I can see why plazas and squares are so important to everyday life. I love how the locals pass through the plazas on their evening strolls, visit the bakery for their daily baguette, or meet their best friend for a coffee. I could get use to this kind of living...

Jamon

Jill and I both arrived back to our respective homes following a wonderful adventure of Spanish travel. I will use the next few days to show you a little more about our experiences. Today I'll start with one of my favorite subjects...Spanish Jamon!

Spain is the land of the jamon (ham) and there are plenty of varieties to choose from. Jill and I tried as much as we could and can vouch for its deliciousness. The Spanish can purchase their jamon on the bone from the local grocery store and it looks nice and pretty on display.

I wonder how long it takes the average family to eat an entire leg of ham. Regardless, the following photo is a sign of a good ham...

One night while in Seville we ordered Jamon Iberico with eggs and potatoes. It was very good, of course, and made me want to ship a leg of ham back to America!

There are about as many ways to serve ham as varieties. While in Toledo we had our ham on a sandwich accompanied by patatas bravas at a tapas bar that Zac recommended. Yum.

Don't forget breakfast! While in Cordoba we had ham along with our cafe con leche and croissants. I especially liked the ham pictured on the left as it was much like Italian prosciutto.

As you can imagine I LOVED all of the ham we had, but by the end of our trip Jill was getting a little tired of it. At this meal we compromised and had our ham on pizza!