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Samuel Dodson
Samuel Dodson

Samuel Dodson

traveled in 9 countries Read more
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  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Wandering around Cordoba

    July 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    I took the opportunity tonight of wandering around the amazing city of Cordoba. I came across a triumphal arch and forum from the Roman times. Also there is a bridge from Roman times across the river which was an important port from Roman times right through to the Middle Ages. The river silted up, and then the port was moved downstream to Seville in the fifteenth century and Seville took on the port status that Cordoba had previously enjoyed.

    Cordoba was the preeminent city in Western Europe in the eleventh to about the thirteenth century.

    The biggest and best place to visit is the Mosque and Cathedral here in Cordoba. It is a huge Mosque the has maintained its moorish characteristics but operates as a Cathedral. We are on a tour of that amazing landmark tomorrow morning. We saw is from the outside this evening and that was amazing in itself.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Granada to Cordoba

    July 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Today we rose and left our hotel in the old city of Granada after enjoying breakfast in our quaint hotel. Very typical of old Granada. We picked up our car and drove first to Malaga on the Costs dal Sol. It was not directly on the route to Cordoba, our destination for the day, but we had reason to make a detour. We needed to visit Jim Lily in hospital.

    Jesse and Felisa messaged saying their great uncle was on a tour in Spain and had a fall and ended up in hospital in Malaga. We were able to visit him and his brother Andrew in hospital to show a friendly Aussie face and say hello. They were grateful. We were sorry we couldn’t do more, but we did what we could to cheer them up given the challenges they are facing.

    We continued on the journey to Cordoba and arrived about 4.30pm. We are staying in a really nice hotel in the Jewish Quarter (Juderia) called NH Collection.

    I went on a quick walk around the neighbourhood and discovered we were right next door to one of only three old synagogues from the medieval period in Spain. There is this one and then two in Toledo, our next destination.

    We are also next door to two significant plazas. Maimonides Plaza and Plaza de Tiberia. Both of these plazas commemorate one of Cordoba’s most famous sons - Moses Maimonides, also known as RAMBAM, an acronym for his full name. He is probably the most famous of all Jewish Rabbis. I remember visiting his burial site in Tiberius in the shores of Galilee when I was in Israel. He was a Jewish Philosopher, doctor of medicine, rabbinical scholar and prolific writer. He had to flee Spain because of Jewish persecution during his lifetime, but he is remembered as one of the greatest Sephardic Jewish leaders of all time. Oh yes, he also wrote the Mishnah Torah , the greatest commentary on the Jewish Torah ever written and still studied by Jewish scholars today.

    Maimonides has all kind kinds of things named after him in the city, including streets, shops, restaurants, hotels, plazas, museums and so on. Ironic given that all Jews, including Maimonides, were expelled from Spain. So effective was this expulsion that instead of the 30,000 Jews in Cordoba in his days, there are now only 16 Jewish families in this city. Not even enough to keep a synagogue going. The old synagogue is closed for renovations and it is a museum owned by the city, there being not enough Jews to keep a synagogue going.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Museum and Flamenco

    July 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    I visited a museum of the Inquisition and Sephardic Jewish history in the evening, followed by a flamenco concert.

    The museum told the tragic story of the Inquisition coming to Granada and targeting Jews and Muslims who had chosen to stay rather than flee. They had to convert. They were known as conversos. The Inquisition tested whether they had really converted or whether they were merely putting on a facade of conversion in public but still practicing their own religion in private.

    The Inquisition had the power of the church and the king behind it so it’s power was enormous and much to be feared. The museum explained the process of trials and punishment in gruesome detail. There is very little left of Jewish people or culture in Granada as a consequence of the efficacy of the Inquisition.

    After visiting the museum and seeing the sun set over the Alhambra, I went to a Flamenco concert which was a fascinating insight into a very Spanish form of music and dance which has its roots in the amalgam of the cultures of gypsies, Moors and slaves here in Granada. The guitar playing, the dancing, castanets, foot stomping and Flamenco costumes are amazing.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Granada Cathedral

    July 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    The Granada Cathedral could not be constructed until the Christians had regained control of Granada in 1492. The foundations were laid in 1518 on the site where the mosque had stood. The Cathedral was one of the first to be built in the renaissance style whereas most of the Cathedrals that predated this one were built in the Gothic architecture of the Middle Ages. This Cathedral was therefore cutting edge architecture. To stand in it is to feel that one is standing in a Greco Roman temple of massive scale due to its classical influences which at the time were new and untried.

    The wealth and history of Granada and its art are on display in this building.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure
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    More of the Alhambra

    July 15, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Some more photos of this amazing palace and fortress.
    Our guide was excellent. Her name was Irene. She reminded me of Priscilla in her younger days. She spent seven years studying to be a guide. She told us that the financial crisis of a couple of years ago has made it very difficult for younger people in Spain to get a job and many of her friends have had to go abroad to find employment.Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Alhambra in Granada

    July 15, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    The Alhambra is a fortress and palace which is on a prominent hill in Granada. It is the most popular tourist destination in Spain. When we arrived at our hotel yesterday we were told all the tickets for the Alhambra were sold and the next available ticket was in about five days. We were told this waiting list was short because it is the heat of summer. In the autumn and spring the waiting periods can be five weeks. Not to be easily deterred, I got online yesterday evening and discovered a source for tickets for a tour for today. They were expensive but I wasn’t coming to Granada to miss out on seeing the Alhambra. So I bought them. I was very thankful we did. It is a very memorable tour. Don’t miss it if ever you are in this city.

    The Alhambra began life as a fortress in Roman times, then began to develop as a citadel of large proportions during the Muslim rule. The Sultan built a citadel and a palace to impress visitors and create an impregnable fortress to withstand any invader. It served its purpose. The fortress was never taken. The Spanish king and queen Ferdinand and Isabella retook Granada from the Muslim ruler in 1492, the final city in Spain to return to Spanish rule, but they could not take the Alhambra despite besieging it, and only succeeded with a negotiated surrender of the city. The deal struck was that all citizens of the city, including Muslims and Jews, could continue to live peacefully in the city if the Muslim king surrendered the fortress and palace. The deal was struck. The Spanish honoured the agreement for a short time, then the Inquisition began its work and Jews and Muslims could only stay if they converted to Christianity.

    The palace still retains its Muslim architecture combined with a renaissance palace built by Charles V, Isabella’ grandson. There isn’t just one palace, but a complex of palaces, a fortress with three levels of walls and Impregnable gates in medieval style, gardens, water pools, a complex system of bringing water from kilometres away which still flows through the palace, the gardens and to city today.

    The tour went for three hours and we felt like we were only scratching the surface of this huge citadel. It was an amazing place that brought Granada’s fascinating history to life.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Granada

    July 14, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Granada is one of the most important historical places in Spain. It is here that the Moors held out for so long against the Spanish. It was in 1492 the Ferdinand and Isabella finally overcame the Moors and returned the city and the region to Spanish (and Catholic) rule.

    It was also in 1492 the Christopher Columbus received royal support for his trip to the new world, something that would lead to untold riches for Spain and change the world forever. It was also in 1492 the the Jews were expelled from Spain. 1492 was a busy year here in Granada.

    The Jewish history is fascinating in this place (before 1492). More on that later.

    I went on. Tour of the gypsy area of the city, which is outside the old city walls, and where gypsies have been living in cave houses for many centuries. They are still there and have a history of providing labour and agricultural services for the city for many generations. The area of the city is called Sacremente. There are fantastic views of the city from that hill. The main attraction of the city, the Alhambra, can be seen clearly from the gypsy hill.

    The Alhambra is the old Moorish palace which became the palace of king Ferdinand and queen Isabella when they took the city back from the Muslims.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Nerja then Granada

    July 14, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    This morning we got our swimmers on and went straight downstairs to the beach. There was no time to be wasted. Beautiful warm sunshine and the Mediterranean was beckoning. We sat on the beach for about an hour, swam for a while in the clear water and skimmed stones across the sea. It wa a very memorable morning and we wished we were staying longer in the Costa del Sol. We had to check out at 12:00pm so that was the limit of the time we had.

    We then drove about five minutes down the road to the famous viewing terrace called Balcon de Europa. It has a spectacular vista of the magnificent beaches in the area. The view is the most used publicity photo used to promote this region. We spent some time here soaking up the atmosphere. We bought some lunch and had an ice cream from one of the many stores selling a huge variety of flavours.

    We then headed off towards Granada, stopping only to look at the notable landmark which is the aqueduct with four tiers of arches. Another memorable sight in Nerja.

    We reluctantly left Nerja, wishing we had allocated more time to this beautiful coastal region of southern Spain.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure
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    Back to Spain

    July 13, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    We spent the night our hotel Dar Souran which is located in the Medina of Tanger. We went up to the terrace for breakfast which was included. Breakfast included orange juice, coffee, eggs, bread, pastries, crepes, jams and honey, and olives.

    Hassan our troublesome guide turned up to take us to our taxi. We traveled back to the ferry terminal at the huge port in Tanger. The port is massive. It is obviously being expanded to one of the major African ports. There were acres of brand new cars just waiting to be transported around the world.

    It was amazing to again be travelling across the straits of Gibraltar. One of the major waterways in the world. At one point I could count over fifty large container boats and ferries within our view on this major traffic route to and from all the Mediterranean countries and the rest of the world.

    Once we arrived back in Spain, we found our hire car still parked where we left it, and drove along the beautiful Costa del Sol (coast of the sun, or sun coast) to the beautiful town of Nerja and our hotel right on the beach. We had a swim in the Mediterranean Sea and enjoyed sitting in the warm sunshine along with other sunbakers. The Costa del Sol is a popular holiday destination for
    English and French holiday makers during the summer.

    The weather is spectacular. The sunshine is clear, the water refreshing and the daylight lasts until 9.30pm. The twilight is long and the sunset beautiful.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    More from Morocco

    July 12, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Some more photos that tell the tale of our memorable trip to Tanger in Morocco.

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    More about Tangier

    July 12, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Tangier overlooks the Straight of Gibraltar. It is where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet. The city has a long history of many cultures. Many of the signs are in French, Arabic and Berber. Berber is the language of the nomadic people that have been resident in this area of Northern Africa for centuries. The design of the rug I bought (for a very good price) is Berber (or at least that is what they said, I wouldn’t really know).

    The dinner we had included Tagines of chicken and lamb, couscous, Moroccon pasties, soup, Moroccan bread, mint tea and cookies. Very tasty. Sam was agitated the whole meal knowing we were being ripped off. I was enjoying my Tagline and couscous.    Read more

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    Tanger in Morocco

    July 12, 2018 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    From the time we stepped off the boat Sam and I fell victim to the Morocco con. We didn’t know it, but as soon as we stepped into a taxi at the port we were being set up for the evening.

    The taxi driver tried first to charge us too much so we were proud we put our foot down and bargained him down to 20 euros. But he couldn’t speak English well so he organised his English speaking friend to meet us near the hotel to assist us. He took us on a circuitous route to our hotel and provided us with a friend to show us the sights of Tangier (you can see where this is going).

    His friend took us to some sights and then to a rug factory and then to a spice and perfume factory. Yes, I bought a rug much to Sam’s chagrin. But I only paid $80 euro for it so you can see they weren’t overjoyed with our price. Nevertheless it was Sam who first lost his patience with them. After I bought the rug and then we were being shown the spices and perfumes Sam proclaimed very loudly that he had had enough and we were not buying anything.

    Mohammed our guide them took us to his friends special restaurant for dinner. It was traditional Moroccan food which I enjoyed but Sam just knew we were being conned.

    After dinner our guide returned us to our hotel and then demanded 20 euro each for his time. I paid him 5 for each of us and said goodnight. Sam couldn’t believe I paid him anything.

    Sam was most indignant about the whole proceeding and is looking forward to getting out of Morocco and back to Spain. I just see the sport in it. I have been through this many times - in Egypt, in Turkey, in parts of Europe, in Bangkok and now Morocco. It is all part of the sport the tourism game leads to. I actually think we did okay today. Sam just felt we were pawns in their game and that made him very agitated.

    I love Morocco. The sounds, colours, smells, sights are so different to Spain. Or anywhere I have been for that matter. It is certainly a third world country, but if you are keen to get a bit off the beaten track, it is fantastic. Quite beautiful. I don’t think Sam will hurry back, but I could spend more time here for sure. Just don’t expect the refined tourist experience that is usual in Europe.

    We are staying in a hotel in the Medina (old city of Tanger) where the market is located. The souk. It is very characteristic of old Morocco. Most of the buildings are 800 years old and the fortress is over 1000 years old. An amazing place.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Crossing the straights of Gibraltar

    July 12, 2018, Strait of Gibraltar ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We caught a ferry from Algeciras to Tanger in Morocco at 4.00pm this afternoon. It takes 90 minutes from one port to the others. Both ports are huge trading centres for Europe and Africa.

    It was amazing to be on the boat crossing one of the most famous waterways in the world. The Phoenicians were some of the first traders to control this area of the world, the ancient Romans also conquered it, followed by the Visigoths, the Spaniards, the Jews, the Muslims, the French and the British. The was also an important theatre of war in the world wars.

    To be in the middle of the straight and easily look from one side to the other demonstrated how narrow the straight is as how easily it could be blocked by a malevolent power. The German U boats tried in World War Two and succeeded for a while.

    Sam and I felt the significance of first setting foot in Africa. Neither of us have been to this continent. It is very special.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Gibraltar

    July 12, 2018 in Gibraltar ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We drove from Ronda to Gibraltar this morning. It is a two hour drive through a mountainous region of the most spectacular countryside. Southern Spain in rugged and grand. As we descended from the mountains towards the Mediterranean Sea, we passed many luxury resorts in the hinterland with fantastic views of the famous coastline.

    We parked the car in La Linea and walked through customs into Gibraltar. The small region of Gibraltar is still English territory and has been since 1770. The strategic location is a key to controlling the maritime trade in the Mediterranean Sea. Half the worlds maritime trade passes through the narrow straight of Gibraltar, which is only 8 miles across (14km). One can clearly see Africa from Gibraltar and vice versa.

    The famous rock of Gibraltar took me by surprise. I was not expecting something so huge. It is a monster which just rises out of nowhere. It is a memorable landmark in an amazing location. It has seen a huge amount of history. Many naval fleets have passed by and some have even attacked the ruling power in Gibraltar, from Roman times right up to WW2. Hitler hatched a plan to take Gibraltar from the Brits but it failed. It was code named Operation Felix.

    We had lunch at McDonald’s near Gibraltar and were amused that the drive through was called McAuto.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Bullring in Ronda

    July 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    The bullring in Ronda is famous in Spain. Hemmingway wrote extensively about bullfighting and spent a lot of time in Ronda. I visited the bullring and toured its facilities, museum, bull handling yeards and the ring itself. For a town on only 30,000 people, it has a significant place in the history of bullfighting. Apparently the style of bullfighting differs in each area of Spain, and the toreadors in Ronda take a slightly different approach to those in Seville, who try to impress with flourishes and graceful turns and dance-like moves. Its a bit more stolid in Ronda, if I understand it correctly.

    The bullring here had more areas open to the public than the bullring in Seville. I could actually stand in one of the eight stalls that hold the bulls, which are released one by one and they run in a straight line from their pen, into the daylight of the ring. They are furious and a bit disoriented when they enter the ring, and are ready to take on whoever is standing in the ring wearing fancy clothes and waving a red cape around.

    The tour of the bullring was very interesting. I would like to see a bullfight but they are not taking place in the heat of summer.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Ronda

    July 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    The town of Ronda is one of the most beautiful places in Spain. It's famous bridge is spectacular, and our hotel is literally on the cliff overlooking the bridge. Construction on the bridge began in 1751 and it boggles the mind how large a task it would have been. It is 120m high above a narrow canyon through which a river runs.

    The whole of Ronda is elevated above the countryside around it. There are many places from where magnificent views can be savoured.

    Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway both spent many summers in Ronda and wrote about how they loved the town, its beauty, rugged cliffs and its long tradition of bullfighting.

    The narrow streets and the white buildings are so characteristic of this area. It is one of the most beautiful towns in Andalusia, if not Spain itself. We are only spending one night here, which seems hardly enough.    Read more

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    Setenil de las Bodegas

    July 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Our second stop for the day was in a town set on a gorge with the white houses literally built into the cliffs. The inhabitants are almost troglodytes - living in caves. The houses look like they have been slowly swallowed by the granite cliffs, but they have been built right into the rock. Even the main cafes and restaurants are built in under a huge overhanging ledge of granite.

    We were able to marvel at the town, its white buildings and the people who lived in the rocks.    Read more

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    Arcos de la Frontera

    July 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Sam and I packed our bags and left our Airbnb in Seville to pick up our car from the Seville Airport. We caught the EA Airport bus and reported to the Enterprise Car Hire booth. We were allocated a Citroen which had only done 42 km - it was a brand new car.

    We drove to Arcos de la Frontera, our first stop for the day. This town is one of many white hilltop towns in Andalusia. This area was the frontier for many years in the war to expel the Muslims from Spain. The towns were fortified on hilltops and the characteristic white stucco finish on the buildings makes them shine white in the sunlight.

    Arcos is situated on a cliff above the river that formed the natural frontier. Sam and I climbed to the top of the town and overlooked the terrain for miles. It was a beautiful location and vista. We tried to get into the castle at the very top of the town, but it was closed for no apparent reason. We were able to get spectacular views from right near the big church nearby.

    There was a man and woman who had set up a very unusual and captivating exhibition at the top of the cliff. They had about fifteen birds of prey (in Spanish, raptors) including owls, kestrels, hawks, eagles and falcons. They were very majestic. People could wear a leather glove and hold them for a donation. We paid five euros and Same had a hold of an eagle and a kestrel. I held a huge Spanish owl. The owners of these birds have 90 in their aviary. They have two Mexican eagles they have trained to fly away and return to the glove. This takes a lot of training from when the birds are just chicks. Being so close to these majestic creatures was very special.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    The Bull Ring in Seville

    July 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Parts of Spain have banned bullfights, but not Seville. They continue to occur in the famous Seville bullring known as Plaza de Toros. Sam and I went on a memorable tour of the bullring and all of its preparation rooms, animal storage areas and museum.

    The tour commences with the museum, which displays all kinds of fascinating artifacts and pieces of art which commemorate the art of bullfighting. There are famous toreador outfits, bullfighting capes and weapons, as well as an explanation of how bullfighting began - which was a way for Spanish cavalry to become accustomed to fighting on horseback.

    We then walked through the animal enclosures for the bulls and the horses which are used in the bullfights (the picadors are mounted on horseback). Then we saw where the toreadors prepare, including a chapel where they pray moments before going out into the ring.

    We then walked out into the centre of the bullring itself and stood exactly where the Toreador would stand when waiting for the charging bull to emerge from the gates. The really brave toreadors take a kneeling stance when the bull first charges into the ring. I am not sure I would choose to face a charging bull, weighing 500-700 kgs, on my knees, but I have never been confronted with that particular challenge so it's hard to really say.

    The bullring was first constructed in 1749 and it is still used today. The bullfights are not taking place while we are here because everyone is on summer holidays, but there are some youth training events taking place in the next few days. Young and emerging bullfighters get to have a go over the summer months. Maybe its a bit of a holiday camp for naughty boys, I'm not sure.

    Bullfighting is a very proud tradition in Spain, although there is a lot of pressure to ban it. Animal rights groups have a strong objection and it is said that the majority on Spaniards now believe it should be banned. It has been banned in some parts of Spain, including Barcelona and Catalonia generally, but it still takes place here and in Madrid. We might be able to see a bullfight in Madrid, we are not sure. Is it okay to watch a bull being killed as sport?

    It was a very memorable tour of an iconic sporting arena in Seville.    Read more

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    Torre del Oro

    July 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    The Torre del Oro (meaning Tower of Gold because of its golden appearance from a distance) is one of the most famous remnants of the old city walls and port of Seville from its most prosperous times. It was constructed in 1220 and was an icon of Seville from that time. From the tower the whole of the port area of Seville, and most of the city, can be overwatched. The tower is in all the medieval paintings or drawings of Seville. The Spanish Galleons and merchant ships bring treasure from the new world would pull up beside it.

    The tower is constructed in three levels, the bottom two levels being dodecahedron in shape, which gives it a unique appearance, recognisable anywhere. The top level is round and was constructed at a later time period.

    During the medieval period, a huge chain was anchored from this tower, across the river, to form a defence against enemy ships sailing any further up the river. It could be raised or lowered from the tower. This chain was actually used a number of times in defence of the city.

    The tower can be climbed today and inside its rooms there is a really good museum of the naval and maritime history of Seville, including Ferdinand Magellan who was first to circumnavigate the earth, and Columbus who discovered the new world. These shipping voyages and many others set forth from this port, which was the most important in Europe at the time. The trade in goods from the new world is also described in this museum. Seville was very prosperous and this port saw all the riches of South America return in Spanish Galleons for the benefit of the Spanish Kings and rich Spanish merchants of Seville.

    The port of Seville is actually in a river rather than on the coast, which was considered a significant advantage because it gave the fleet and the port more protection against pirates and other maritime aggressors. This was particularly important given the value of the cargo being carried and unloaded from these ships.

    Today we saw evidence that the river is still navigable by big ships. A massive cruise ship was pulled up to the port of Seville and its occupants were getting out to spend the day in Seville.    Read more

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    Real Alcazar

    July 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Sam and I went on a tour of the famous Real Alcazar, the royal palace in Seville. This famous palace is a spectacular remnant of the glory days of the Spanish Empire. Seville was the port from which Spain launched every trip into the new world bringing back gold, silver and precious cargo of all kinds which brought untold wealth through the port of Seville into the court of the king in this city.

    The royal palace is built in architecture (known as Mudejar) unique to Seville, which is a special combination of Muslim and Christian influences. The Almohads, Muslims, had taken Seville in 712 and controlled it until 1248, about five centuries. They had built a palace for the Sultan of their Caliphate. When King Ferdinand freed the city, he was so impressed with the luxury of the Sultan that he wanted a palace built fit for a Sultan. So he brought in artisans and builders from Granada, which was still under Muslim control, and they built the palace in a unique mix of Muslim and Christian architecture and art.

    The court of the king is luxurious and huge. The top story of the palace is not open to the public because the current king and queen maintain that story for the royal family in case they wish to stay there when in Seville. The current king has not used it, but the previous king did from time to time. It does require the whole palace to be closed down.

    The palace was declared a World Heritage site, along with the Giraldo, in 1987. The palace is so unique and special that it has been used in quite a few movies and TV shows which are set in the Middle Ages. Ridley Scott directed a movie about Jerusalem called The Kingdom of Heaven which used the Palace and its grounds to depict Jerusalem. Also, the Game of Thones TV show was shot here. Apparently, the whole palace had to be closed to the public for two weeks for that shoot.

    We spent a couple of hours in the palace but felt we could be spent longer there. The gardens are beautiful as well and represent the gardens of many parts of the world, as the kind received gifts of plants from many countries and these were used to build gardens characteristic of those countries within the palace walls.

    The Muslims love to include lots of water fountains and greenery in their courtyards, to create a kind of paradise, and these are found throughout the palace and its grounds.

    The Real Alcazar is not to be missed on any visit to beautiful Seville.    Read more

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    The Giralda

    July 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    The Giralda Tower is part of the cathedral and a remnant of the mosque which once stood on the same site. The tower was the minaret of the mosque and is just huge. It was the tallest building in Seville until a higher modern skyscraper was completed only three years ago.

    The tower is characteristic of muslim architecture for most of its height, but the Christian renaissance bell tower was built on top of it, so the top part looks distinctly different.

    Sam and I climbed the 34 ramps which wind their way up the inside of the tower, and then the last few stairs to get to the top. When the Muslims controlled the city, one man had to make this climb five times a day to call the Muslims to prayer. Ramps were used in the tower instead of stairs so the man could ride a donkey from the bottom to the top instead of having to climb it five times a day. No donkeys were available today so Sam and I climbed to the top on foot. The view of Seville from the top is spectacular. It would be 360 degrees except they are restoring one side of the tower which blocks the view in one of the four directions.

    The Giralda is the most famous landmark in Seville and the symbol of the city.    Read more

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    Seville Cathedral

    July 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Sam and I went on a guided tour of the Seville Cathedral this morning. It is the third biggest church in the world, behind St Peters in Rome and St Paul's in London. However, it is the biggest cathedral (neither of the other two is classified as a cathedral) and the largest gothic church in the world. As a cathedral, it supplanted the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul as the biggest in the world when it was completed in 1506.

    The cathedral replaced a large mosque built on the same site by the Muslims when they were ruling the city. The city was retaken by Ferdinand III in 1248, and the mosque was gradually converted to a church. But the plans for the cathedral were drawn up and construction commenced in 1401. It took about 100 years to build. Inside it is grand. The huge columns create the sense that one is standing in a huge marble forest with the roof being as high as the sky. The backdrop to the altar is spectacular - a wooden carved story of Jesus told in about 50 ornately carved panels and every covered with gold - 30m wide and 20m high.

    The church is full of original paintings by famous artists, including Goya and Murilla, the latter celebrating the 400th anniversary of his birth this year so there are special exhibitions about hsi art in the cathedral and all through Seville.

    The Visigoth Kings who ruled Spain in the 5th century were converted from Aryanism to Catholicism by two archbishops of Seville who were brothers. They were canonised as a consequence and there are some spectacular paintings of these brothers who are famous in Seville for this accomplishment (although I'm not sure it improved the spiritual status of the Visigoth Kings at all).

    The Cathedral is a spectacular building, bringing together as it did all the very best craftsmen, artisans and artists in Spain and Europe to produce one of the major infrastructure accomplishments of the Middle Ages. It was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

     Many famous kings and queens of Spain and buried in this Cathedral. Christopher Columbus is also buried here and his remains are memorialised in a spectacular tomb with four bronze men carrying his large coffin on their shoulders. These four men symbolise the four main parts of Spain - Leon, Castillo, Navarre, and Aragon. The son of Columbus is also buried in the Cathedral because he donated his library to the Cathedral, which included many of Columbus’ original documents and records.

    There are two major parts of the original Mosque that still form a part of the Cathedral. The courtyard outside the cathedral was the "sahn" (ablutions courtyard) of the original Mosque. There are beautiful orange trees planted in this courtyard the flowers of which give off a very characteristic scent which is synonymous with Seville. There is also the famous Giralda Tower which was the tallest building in the city until just three years ago, and which was the old minaret of the Mosque and was, when it was built, the highest and largest minaret in any mosque in the world. It was a twin of the minaret in Marrakesh in Morocco.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Susanna - a sad lesson for life

    July 9, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    There was a Jewish girl in the Middle Ages called Susanna who is famous in Seville. She was the most beautiful girl in the city. She was romantically attached to a Sevillian soldier, one of the Spanish army resident in the city. Susanna's father was very unhappy with his daughter being in love with a Gentile and a soldier. The Jewish father was rich and well connected and he organised for a raid on the group of soldiers which included the boyfriend of his daughter. He wanted to kill them for stealing his daughter's heart.

    Susanna decided she must warn her boyfriend of what was being planned. The consequence was that the soldiers attacked the father and killed him, and then the boyfriend disassociated himself from Susanna because he was ashamed of what he had brought upon himself and his fellow soldiers as a consequence of being involved with a Jewish girl.

    Susanna had now not only lost her boyfriend but also her father. She lived a lonely life and died a sad spinster. She requested that her bones be displayed on the wall outside her house as a lesson to all Jewish children not to forsake your family or your people for the promise of love. Love is fleeting but family is forever, she said, and she had sacrificed her family for folly.

    Her bones were on display for several centuries, but then they were taken down, and a plaque installed instead over the door of her house in the Jewish quarter. It is a famous landmark and still there today. The street, which is the Morte street meaning death, is also named Susanna Street in that section where her house is located.    Read more

  • Simon and Sam Europe Adventure

    Guided Tour of the Jewish Quarter

    July 9, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    We went on a guided tour of the Jewish Quarter at 5:30pm. The guide explained the reasons why the Jews lived so close to the royal palace and could be in the King's court in just one minute's walk. The Jews, prior to the Black Plague in 1350, were very popular with the King for two reasons: firstly, because they could lend money which the king often needed, and, secondly, they were the best doctors in Spain so they king called on them for medical treatment. However, when the Black Plague decimated the population of Seville, the Jews did not catch the plague. This led to accusations of various kinds, including the Jews poisoned the water, the Jews killed Christ and this is God's punishment on the Catholics for favouring the Jews in the city, and the Jews have all the money of the city and are causing the Catholics to suffer.

    This all led to an uprising of antisemitism which culminated in one night of massacre in 1391 when the people of Seville rioted and killed 4000 of the 5000 Jews living in Seville. This led to the remaining Jews to flee to other parts of the city and they had to convert to Christianity if they were to be saved. Why didn't the king stand up for them? Because he was so in debt to the Jews that he was thankful that the people had killed the people to whom he owed money. It was an easy way to wipe out a debt.

    The inquisition commenced here in Seville. It was designed to investigate first whether the Jews had really converted to Christianity or were they just doing so to save their lives and secretly keeping their Jewish rituals behind closed doors. The first hearings were held in a small square in the Jewish Quarter. There are two narrow streets going off the square very close together. One street is called Vide (which means life) the other is called Morte (which means death). If the inquisition found the accused innocent, they were taken down the street named life, if found guilty, they were taken down the other street to be executed. It is a chilling reminder of the cruel reality of the Catholic Inquisition. There is a museum located where the first headquarters of the Inquisition was located in Spain. It is here in Seville and we hope to visit it tomorrow.

    There is a square in Seville where a synagogue was located in Seville, but it was destroyed. There is a little Jewish symbol on buildings here wherever there is something of significance to the Jews. They are hard to find, but the guide pointed them out. For example, there is a small underground walkway where the Jews resorted to praying out of sight after the persecutions began. There is also a symbol in the square where the synagogue once stood in the 14th century.

    There are only about 150 Jews living in Seville today, not enough religious Jews to have a synagogue. The Jewish community has never really returned to Spain after they were so persecuted and then expelled in the 14th and 15th centuries.    Read more

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