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This morning dawned with a steady drizzle and cars passing us covered in snow! We followed the smell of breakfast and tucked into pretty much everything on offer.
Woolly says – I really enjoyed my sausage, bacon, egg, croissants, fresh pineapple and melon, not to mention toast, should keep me going for a bit. As we couldn’t delay the outdoors any longer if we wanted to see anything we wrapped up, well Jo and Ian did (it might have been better if I had worn my scarf as it was pretty chilly round the tusks). With at least seventy places to see in Segovia according to our street map we picked a route that would allow us to go onto some and pass by others for photos. With Chinese, Japanese, Americans and pretty much every other country represented we set of through the tiny streets for the Cathedral known locally as Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion y San Frutos Cathedral. Its construction was started in 1525 but it wasn’t consecrated until 1768, looking at it this wasn’t surprising as the workmanship was incredible, with little spires occupying every part the detail was impressive to say the least. Paying
our 3 Euro each (approximately £2.50 GBP) we found ourselves inside a HUGE space with columns towering above us. Around the central areas there was smaller chapels, the decoration was so intricate and beautiful in each, Jo snapped away nearly as fast as the Japanese following behind us. With ceilings worked in incredible detail we seemed to spend most of the visit with our necks stretching upwards, 19 chapels in total named after a range of saints from St. Blas to St. Ildefonso, each totally unique in their own way and so glorious it was difficult to take it all in. We found our way into the cloisters with rooms leading off to the Chapter house with its amazing ceiling and other rooms showing us the sacred objects, French and Flemish tapestries not to mention the silverware on display, there was so much to see. Just as we thought it couldn’t get any better we entered the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament…
This was the icing on the cake and glorious to behold, not only did it look incredible it smelt beautifully of lilies as well. With necks aching we left the Cathedral behind and meandered through
the Medieval streets in search of the Alcazar (the Palace). With little shops selling souvenirs, the streets were starting to fill up rapidly with other tourists heading in the same direction.
Woolly says – I thought that Alcazar was something to do with a Genie, I was wrong, based in the farthest point of the walled city the 11
th Century Palace was built on Roman foundations and has been added to over the centuries by the different members of Spanish Royalty. For 4.50 Euro each (approximately £3.70 GBP) we could view the palace itself but declined on paying the extra 4 Euro to go up the 350 steps to visit the top of the tower – I think Jo and Ian must be feeling their age!! Entering the courtyard was a disappointment as it appeared to be more breeze block than Medieval but following the arrows we found ourselves in the main rooms of palace. With necks now hurting we gawped at the ceilings above us, the Throne room with its gold’s and deep reds, the amazing spectacle of the feast room ceiling, the bed chamber with the intricate golden designs above us it was all getting
a bit much.
With Woolly shocked into silence and very little furniture to look at we continued gazing upwards, each ceiling got better and better, until we entered what must have been the Banqueting Hall which stopped us dead in our tracks. With blues and gold’s in the design works, the room was spectacular for the carved Kings and Knights that adorned it, photographs just can’t do it justice. Finding ourselves back in the courtyard we continued our tour into the Armoury and its many suits of armour, some nearly small enough for Woolly to wear….
Woolly says – I loved all the cannons that were on display, great big long ones and tiny little stumpy ones, all avenues of defence truly covered. Finally we arrived in the Artillery Museum, everything was in Spanish but we happily looked at the pictures and busts of the stern looking Soldiers of years gone by. There were mini displays of how the cannons would have worked and the equipment they would have used to load and fire there cannon of choice. Then came guns and swords used in the close combat battles and pictures of battles that
they had been used in. With very little energy left we entered the gift shop, I really wanted the little mini mace but Ian said it was too expensive, I mean it was only 12 Euro (approximately £10.00 GBP) and I’m sure I would have got lots of use out of it!
A desperate need for a sit down and a coffee, not to mention the spitting rain gave us an all too short break before we followed our map on the hunt for Hercules Tower. This proved more difficult, we found the area that it should have been in through the maze of streets but could only see a tiny bit sitting above the Santo Domingo el Real Tower and with no access we continued on our way to the Prison.
Woolly says – A prison is always good in my book, even though my paws were aching badly I thought it was worth the extra distance. Built in the 17
th Century it looked very grey and serious in comparison to all the sandstone around us. Unluckily for me it is now the public library so a quick peek inside revealed wall to
wall computers and people searching for books, not a single cell to be seen. With batteries running down our on cameras, we really couldn’t go on any further, there was still so many things to see but the will was lost. We descended the steps down the side of the Aquaduct into the square to the delights of the most Awesome Carousel. It has a dinosaur, a rocket, an Octopus, a hot air balloon and so many other rides to sit on. I looked hopefully at Jo and Ian but my pleading eyes were ignored as we headed back to our room for a very very long sit down. A most amazing day and a place that is definitely worth visiting if you get the chance.
I can only apologise for the number of pictures today but it was so difficult to edit them down so please forgive us as we went ceiling mad in Segovia.
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