Algeciras-Ronda railway

Robert Bovington

The Algeciras to Ronda train journey is a trip through some of the most beautiful countryside in Andalucía. The little three-carriage train winds its way past some of the attractive 'white towns' of the region and through the spectacular scenery of the Los Alcornocales and Grazalema Natural Parks.

British engineers built the line when Victoria was on the throne - I have often wondered whether she had some sort of stomach disorder the amount of time she spent there - sorry - I couldn't resist that!  

Many of the stations still have the original equipment and furnishings that were shipped out from Britain in the 19th century.

La línea de los ingleses - the 'English Railway' - is actually 110 miles long and continues beyond Ronda to the town of Bobadilla. The line is just one section of a large scenic route that stretches eastwards through Granada and on to Almería.




more blogs by Robert Bovington... 

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Álava

Álava is one of the three provinces of the Basque Country. 

If you visit this area of Spain it will be no use you practising your newly learnt Castilian Spanish on the locals as they probably won't understand you - they speak Euskara. Come to that, if your Spanish pronunciation is anything like mine, the locals in other areas of Spain won't understand you either! 

Never mind! A visit to Vitoria, the capital of the province, should cheer you up - as long as you like architecture! There are medieval buildings, Renaissance mansions and attractive churches.

Plaza de la Virgen Blanca en Vitoria-Gasteiz. by Guyletsbuild (public domain)

 

Catedral de María Inmaculada (Catedral Nueva) de Vitoria-Gasteiz
by Zarateman (public domain)

If you are not a culture vulture you can console yourself by eating, as the food's pretty good. Some say (probably the Basques) that the region has the finest cuisine in Spain!

Robert Bovington


www.tablondeanuncios.com

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

An afternoon at the Alhambra Granada

On Wednesday 31 October 2012, my wife and I paid a visit to the Alhambra in Granada.

The Alhambra reigns supreme in the city of Granada and rightly so. If it stood on a flat plain, it would still be one of the most spectacular fortresses ever built. However, it sits at the top of the highest wooded hill in the city. Not only that - this red-walled palace has the fairy-tale backdrop of the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

Alhambra viewed from the Mirador San Nicolás

There's lots to see in the grounds.......like the Convent of San Francisco where you don't have to have religious tendencies to stay because it also serves as a Parador...

Convent of San Francisco

There are pleasant views...

...the Sierra Nevada...

...and the Albaicin area of Granada...

Alcazaba wall

The distant views might be spectacular but the interior of the Alhambra is simply stupendous! There is so much of artistic merit to see. However, there are four main areas to explore: the Alcazaba, the Palace of Charles V, the Casa Real or Royal Palace and the Generalife Gardens.

The 'must see' part of the Alhambra is the Royal Palace which really comprises a number of buildings called the Nasrid Palaces. They are the central nucleus of the Alhambra. Visitors, who have already admired other parts of this magnificent fortress, are spellbound when they encounter the magnificence of these palaces. If you do not have time to explore the Alhambra in totality, you simply must allow time to visit the Nasrid Palaces! They are built around three courtyards - the Golden Room, the Myrtle Courtyard and the Lion Courtyard.

Such is their splendour and unsurpassed beauty, that I cannot really find the words to describe the exquisite detail of the palace interiors, so I won't! Instead, I will add a few of the many photographs that I took!

ceiling of the Comares Palace

Patio del Cuarto Dorado

In all the rooms of each palace and patio the walls and ceilings are exquisitely decorated.

Patio de los Arrayanes

Patio de los Leones

Sala de los Abencerrages

alcove in the Sala de la Barca

...even little alcoves are exquisitely decorated!

 







---another beautiful ceiling in the Hall of the Two Sisters!

Sala de las dos hermanas - ceiling

a view from the Alhambra

There are a number of lovely patios and gardens in the Nasrid Palace complex...

Jardines de Daraxa

another pleasant garden in the Alhambra - the Jardines del Partal...

and then, of course, there are the Generalife Gardens...

I have covered only a small part of this magnificent World Heritage site. To see more photos of the Alhambra and Generalife click on the link below...

http://www.panoramio.com/user/2391258/tags/Alhambra


more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Spanish Impressions"	http://bobbovington.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

www.tablondeanuncios.com

Padules (Alpujarra Almeriense)

The stone paved streets of Padules are typical of the Alpujarras — the façades of the houses whitewashed and little pots of plants sit on windowsills behind wrought-iron railings.

 Robert Bovington

www.tablondeanuncios.com

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Rodaquilar - old gold mine

Rodaquilar - old gold mine © Robert Bovington

This part of Spain has always had an abundance of raw materials and this area of the Cabo de Gata has been extensively mined for 2000 years. The Romans extracted silver here. Later 'lead fever' took hold in the middle of the 19th century. However, the golden years for Rodalquilar followed the discovery of gold around 1880.

www.tablondeanuncios.com

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/