Winding Down in Barcelona

We have a few more days, but I have seen what I came to see and this may be my last post. We are in Barcelona for a few days and it holds little interest for me. It is a very modern city, the home of modern artists and modern architecture. Picasso, Dali, Gaudi are outside my area of interest. Not to mention that Rick Steves say this is the place you are most likely to be pick pocketed in all of Europe.  Dang!

That said, the weather is sunny and about 75 degrees.

We did take a high speed train from Madrid to Barcelona today and the high speed train experience in Europe is almost always wonderful. The Madrid train station is filled with trees and - believe it for not - hundreds of turtles. The trains are sleek and comfortable. And speeds, at times, were running at 300 kph; that's 185 mph. Makes me wish we could come up with something like this in the USA.

PS- My daughter Ariana was the winner in yesterday's question. Spain has few oil or gas resources and has made extensive investments in renewable energy. Of course, the high cost of this is one of the reasons why Spain has huge debt, 25% unemployment, and a messed up economy.

Windmills, solar panels, and -in this case - hundreds of mirrors that focus their reflected beams of sunlight on a tower that transfers the light to heat to hot water and, finally, a steam turbine that creates electricity. It was a very amazing sight.

Another Great City-Cordoba

A long days and a late night, so I'll make this quick. Another amazing city: Cordoba. A Roman city, expanded by Moslem rulers who built an amazing mosque - larger inside than a football field. When Christians re-took the city, they left the mosque mostly intact, but built a church literally inside the mosque.

The narrow streets on the old city.

The only remaining Jewish synagogue. The city had many and a large Jewish population until they were expelled in 1492.

Note the upper chamber for women and children.

The couyrtyard outside the mosque. The bell tower was originally the minaret of the mosque. 

Various pictures from inside the mosque. I posted too many, but it was amazing. It is much darker inside than these pictures might indicate, but the Canon 60D is amazing in low light.

The church altar.

OK, I'm thinking of redoing the pulpit at EBurg Pres. What do you think?

St Paul with the Sword of Scripture

This is the niche oriented towards Mecca when the Qu'ran was read.

This bridge remains from Roman times. Only the top is re-built.

OK, bonus question. This was shot from the bus. Any guesses what it is.

Thanks for reading. Barcelona tomorrow...the part of the tour I have little interest in.

A Day in Seville

Shawn and I have decided that if we could retire early, we would move to Seville. It is a beautiful city; like a much smaller Los Angeles, except with history and charm.

Again, Seville was an old Roman city, eventually taken over by Moors and Berbers who build a wonderful palace and mosque. Christians took it over, reworked the palace, re-built a cathedral on the site of the mosque (after an earthquake took it down). Here are some pics, but most of the best pics will have to wait until I have the opportunity to Photoshop them and lighten them up.

The beautiful, but not very old Plaza Espania

 You may recognize these stairs from "Lawrence of Arabia". Shawn is filing in for Gen Allenby.

 The Castellian hero, El Cid

 Narrow lanes of the old Jewish ghetto, Santa Cruz.

 Every cathedral needs a stuffed alligator.  

This the one on the tombs of Columbus. Apparently, there is only one finger in it.

 This is the Alcazar, the Moorish palace that Christian Spanish kings took over.

Also, a few pics of everyday Seville.

The Spanish always seem to be hanging out at cafes.

 I was tempted to bring one back for Ariana.

 This is why you never take that sprig of Rosemary from a gypsy. She was reading his palm. I think she said "I see a short women badgering you for money in your future".