Suckling pig under the Aqueduct

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And so, after an overnight bus from Barcelona to Madrid (a much cheaper option as compared to Renfe trains), I arrived at the capital at 6 plus in the morning and was lucky enough to be able to check into the dorm at that time. I did manage to catch some good rest over the ride so it was not too tiring having to get out again for a day trip to Segovia.

So after planning over breakfast, off we went (i met up with my friends who took the other option of train) to Segovia, some 2-hr slow-train ride away from Madrid. There is the availability of the high-speed train but then again, it cost more, and we took it for the return trip instead. There was some confusion at the train station on train timings as somehow the timings were different from those shown on websites, but we did manage to get to our destination with minimal fuss.

Headed straight for the tourist centre for the map of the town, which is not too far a walk from the train station; around 20 mins or so. It was a quite a breeze walking along the old towns and noticing that most of the people we encountered were students. Apparently, the median age of the population is very young. Wiki tells it all! We were firstly greeted with the gorgeous view of the Aqueduct right below it, which is where the tourist information centre is located as well. And we were pretty lucky too, as right after we took our maps, a flash mob by students happened just in front of the aqueduct! A sight indeed, as we were left wondering, if Singaporean kids back at home, were ever encouraged to perform such an act. They left a pretty deep impression on me at least, and of the town as well. 😊

Snapped some, in my opinion, really beautiful shots of the landscape, one that is enhanced by the structural stand-out of the Aqueduct, complemented by the distinct 'shophouses' of the town beside it. Definitely one of my favourite scenic shots besides the Alhambra in Granada! And of course, being an engineer, I have always been intrigued by such structures that seemed to be aided by the divine touch of God. How did the Romans build the Aqueduct and how did it manage to withstand all the years of weathering?! Engineering marvel, no doubt.

Wondered around the town, walked along the very narrow streets and before long, we reached the castle we were heading for. Not as grand as the one is Alhambra but definitely unique in its conical towers that resembles disneyland, with its similar colours as well. Fortunate to have a really clear blue sky, photos appear really rich in colour! Paid the entrance fee and headed up to the top of the castle, rewarded with a bird eye's view of the town, with the San Frutos Cathedral standing out as the icon of the town. The view was definitely enhanced with snow-capped mountains at the backdrop. Nice!

Hiked along the path beyond the walls of the castle back to the town to catch a different angle of the castle before settling for dinner in town. Had the famous suckling pig, apparently a signature dish of the town, at a restaurant just next to the Aqueduct. The taste was unique and is quite different from the roasted pig/duck that we have back at home. The 3 of us shared a course (because it was ex!) but with the baked potatoes and bread/soup that comes with it, it was pretty filling.

With the settling sun, we had a second view of the aqueduct with a different angle of the sunlight shining on it, and all I can conclude that, I am truly amazed by what my eyes saw 😊 This day-trip from madrid was definitely worth the time.

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Comments

[liliram]

Ahhh. Segovia!
One of my fav towns. And not just because of the suckling pig. (Frankly, I prefer the Oriental suckling pig) Glad you are documenting your travels and journeys around Europe -- keep writing!