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Published: March 7th 2006
Cathedral
A cathedral in Segovia seen on our way to the aqueduct.We left Salamanca a little after 8am. The bus ride was around 2 hours long to Segovia. After watching the sunrise, I fell onto a cloud of lethargy. I had stayed out late the night before playing poker at the jazz club next door. When I came to, people were standing up to exit the bus. I wished the bus ride were longer.
Segovia I didn't know much about Segovia before we went so I had little expectations. Segovia is known for its architecture. It houses a 2000-year-old Roman aqueduct and a "fairytale" castle reminiscent of Disneyland named the Patronato Del Alcazar.
The Royal Palace was my first experience in a castle. Since the first time I saw pictures of castles in Europe, I wanted very much to visit as many of them as possible. (As I write this, I wonder if it's every girl’s fantasy to be in a castle.) As we approached it I felt like we were entering the "happiest place on Earth". We crossed a drawbridge leading us over a moat. My legs weakened when I leaned over the stone siding and I saw how far I could fall had I leaned any further.
Segovia streets
Aqueduct in the background. As we entered the palace I began to feel the royalty, enchantment, and history that filled the air. I was impressed by the decor of the palace yet felt that this castle was too meager for royalty. The size of the rooms was not as grand as I had imagined but the embellishments definitely made up for it.
Avila Avila's visit was a very short one. We quickly toured through a gothic church, the Catedral de Avila, and walked along the wall that surrounds the city. I was unable to take any pictures in the Catedral but wish I had. This was my favorite church by far. It was much darker than the other Catedrals we have visited thus far. It was a lot smaller too. I think it was the simplicity of the church that I was attracted to. It wasn't as adorned with a ton of gold and jewels or an overabundance of religious statues, murals, or paintings. It was almost cold, it was very grey, very.... gothic. But the feeling that you are protected was still there. And people still prayed and showed their appreciation for their leader. They didn't need all the extras.
Aqueduct
Closer view. The other churches were just too rich.
The wall seems to preserve and imprison a deep-rooted history from the Romanesque period while allowing modern living to thrive. The walls itself as well as other structures in the city remind the people of what was once there. And when you turn around, a franchised shoe store offers insight of what is to come. Avila is the perfect balance of yesterday and today.
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Ofelia
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Castles
I'm showing Jeremy all your pics. You know him and castles. Maybe he'll take me sonner than later. Yeah, I saw pics of you. :P