The Spanish Preview

I'm brown, I'm penniless and I'm home! Hot scorching Spanish days just fly by in the blink of an eye when you're not trying to avoid pick pockets or scheming gypsies (but as we learnt, we Chinese are a slipperier lot!), and while Lionel finishes with the 1200 plus photos we took, here's a little preview for you blood-thirsty blog-snappers, just to whet your appetite.

(Oh, I have to add that all these photos are courtesy of my humble Olympus mju 300, and not Lionel's mighty Nikon D70s. See, even little cameras can churn out pretty decent postcard shots!)


Our days in Barcelona drained us of our money more than any other Spanish city. Here's the famous Gaudi lizard at Park Guell. I'm glad Park Guell was free. 16 euros to visit Casa Batllio even with a 20% discount is a major rip off.

Seville on the otherhand really captures the feisty, hot-blooded Spanish spirit!

From the bull fighting rings:

The famous Maestranza bullring, which aficianodos proclaim is the most beautiful and was featured in Bizet's Carmen. I am still staunchly not a supporter after the horrifying discovery that up to 5 bulls are mercilessly tortured and killed each fight. At least the meat is fed to the poor.

To it's very red, tomato saturated food:

Enjoying a dinner of tapas at one of the many outdoor 'Bordega's or bars.

And yet Seville has that sense of serenity and spiritual one-ness, magnificently captured by the Moorish and Islamic architecture.

Like the fountains at the Alcazar

The Mercury fountain at the Alcazar. If you could only see the view we were facing! You'd have to wait for Lionel's photos though.

And the Giralda tower

The bells, bells, bells of the Giralda (isn't that a name that could inspire magic lamps and sultry arabian nights?)

And then there were the fantastical orange trees that just bloomed everywhere and gave the air that tangy scent:

In the courtyard of the Cathedral after climbing up the Giralda tower. The trees were littered with oranges, but much too far up to pluck... damn it! It isn't easy being an orange thief!


And for the Roman History enthusiasts (like Lionel), just outside Seville in the little village of Santiponce lies what was the third largest Roman city with its remarkable mosaics. However in a very Malaysian way, during the Middle Ages the ruins were used as a source of stones for buildings and much treasure hunting was carried out without any restraint and it was not until recent times that the value of Italica was realised. (The Duke of Wellington was one such criminal!).

Oh well, at least we got to see what was left of it (much to Lionel's joy!)


Overlooking the massive amphitheatre and the entrance to the amphitheatre below. You can just imagine the great gladiator fights were the precursor to bull fighting.


Then it was on to Granada, where all beauty and wonder seemed to just culminate in the Alhambra, the most sensual and romantic of all European monuments (or so some say, and having seen it for myself, I would never object!). Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains, this was the last stronghold of the Moorish Islamic empire, before the Reconquest. However it retains all the serenity and charm left by the Moors, with the most intricate yet harmonious architecture I have ever seen, or hoped to see in my life.

I mean, just look at that:


The lovely intricate carvings in the Court of Lions, one of the many magnificent courtyards in the Nazrid Palaces.

Honeycomb-like structures on the ceilings forming an 8-sided star.

Another view of the Court of the Lions, or Patios de los Leones where the centre font gives the court its name. This court famously inspired Washingon Irving to write his Tales of the Alhambra

Graceful stalagtite features, which are repeated all over the palace - a unique feature of the Alhambra

A notable feature of Islamic architecture is the use of water everywhere, to create a feeling of peaceful serenity, coolness and spaciousness.


Subtly rippling pools create the illusion of mirrored images and more space, while the calm noiseless water provides a spiritual atmosphere, like this one in the Partal


Fountains provide both aural and visual beauty, like the many fonts in the Generalife (pronounced He-ne-rah-li-fay)


And of course they provide several picture-perfect moments!

The view of the Albaicin and Sacromonte, the old Moorish quarters, is just amazing! Its practically an entire hill littered with tightly packed white-washed houses, and of course the cave homes that used to belong to the gypsies, and are still in use today!

We just had to get a photo:


And on our way out, I caught this photo of the entire Alhambra (excluding the Generalife where we were at)


You don't see that everyday! When I feel like uploading the rest I'll let you know.