spain travel | Travel Thru History

Spain: Art and History in Málaga City

by Ana Ruiz

The rich history of Málaga goes as far back as the 8th century BCE when the Phoenicians founded the trade settlement here they named Malacca. The name is derived from the Punic, malac meaning ‘salt’, as Málaga was founded as a fish-salting settlement. The Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors all left their mark here and throughout the centuries, Málaga continued to thrive as a chief settlement and established harbor. Today, the port of Málaga stands as the second largest in Spain after Barcelona.

Of the eight provinces of Andalusia (Spain’s southern region), Málaga is actually the smallest in size, however, it stands proudly as capital of and gateway to the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun.) However, Málaga City is often overlooked by tourists who travel directly from the airport to such popular resort towns as Marbella and Torremolinos while missing out on the great historical and cultural wealth this cosmopolitan capital city has to offer. Málaga City is best explored on foot as the major attractions, such as sunny beaches, galleries, museums, parks, boutiques, restaurants, bars, cafes, and historic sites, are all within walking distance.

The first time I landed at the Pablo Picasso International Airport, I was pleasantly surprised by the display of reproductions of the Málaga-born artist that adorned the walls of the corridor of Terminal T2 known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso. Art-lovers can visit the Museo Picasso Málaga located in the city center dedicated to exhibiting over 200 of his works. At the nearby Plaza de la Merced, stands the birthplace or Casa Natal where the famous artist was born in 1881. Just over a century later, it was declared an official heritage site and today, it stands as a foundation promoting his works.

Not far from the Pablo Picasso Museum stands the bullring, Plaza de Toros de La Malagueta, and bullfighting museum, Museo Taurino Antonio Ordóńez. The arena accommodates up to 14,000 spectators during bullfights that are held here between April and September each year.

Although, I am not a fan of the sport, I decided to visit at a time when no bullfights were scheduled. I ventured out into the vast bullring and I have to admit that it was quite impressive and strangely peaceful. After a few minutes, I noticed two young boys in the middle of the ring who were practicing or training to become bullfighters or matadors. The boys had cleverly attached what looked like set of horns to a type of cart that was wheeled by one boy as he constantly rammed his way towards the other who was gracefully dodging and darting his way, almost as if dancing, while maneuvering his cape. I smiled and thought to myself that I much rather preferred to have seen this than an actual bullfight!

Barely a 15 minute walk from the bullring brings you to the Museo de Arte Flamenco de Málaga. Filled with fascinating memorabilia, the museum exhibits flamenco guitars, traditional colorful costumes, vintage recordings dating back to the 19th century, as well as numerous photographs and lithographs of famous local Flamenco performers of the past. Flamenco shows are held here on Friday nights at the Peńa Juan Breva located in lower level of the building.

However, when it comes to Flamenco performances for visitors, the most highly recommended venue is the restaurant Vino Mio located in the city center. Every night, shows are held here between 8 to 9:30 PM in order to accommodate tourists as most Flamenco shows begin much later in the evening. A 4€ supplement is added to the meal if you wish to enjoy the performance.

A 5-minute walk from the restaurant will bring you to a bright orange building where Málaga’s wine museum or Museo del Vino is located. Málaga has been celebrated for its sweet wines since the Phoenicians arrived, and throughout the centuries, the Greeks, Romans, and Moors continued to develop their own particular varieties. Today, over 2 million liters of wine is produced in the province of Málaga each year.

The wine museum is housed in an 18th century building where guided tours teach you about the history and culture of the wines made in the province. The 5€ entrance fee covers the cost of two wine samples of the more than 100 different varieties available. Wine-tasting tours to the wineries on the outskirts of town can also be arranged. Amusingly, a particular chain of bodegas situated in the province of Málaga are named Quitapenas, or “sorrow-removers”.

A 10-minute walk from the wine museum will take you to the magnificent Roman and Moorish vestiges located in the eastern part of the city. The Moorish structures include the 11th century fortress or Alcazába and the 14th century Gibralfaro Castle; both built by the Moors over Roman ruins upon a hill overlooking the city and harbor. The Alcazába is considered as one of the best preserved Moorish fortresses in the country. The fortress once stood as the royal residence of Sultans and today stands as a true landmark of the city adorned with Caliphal arches, majestic courtyards, tiled patios, look-out towers, and jasmine-scented gardens. Ornamental fountains and pools decorate the tranquil grounds leaving one with a sense of peace from the soothing sounds of trickling water that can be heard throughout the grounds as is customary to Muslim tradition.

The Gibralfaro Castle is actually older than the Alcazába as it dates to the 10th century, however, it was during the 14th century when it was rebuilt and enlarged in order to protect the Alcazába that was otherwise vulnerable to attacks approaching from the hills. During the days of Muslim rule, the sea reached all the way to what once were the lower ramparts. Today, spectacular views of the city, bullring, and port can be appreciated from the Gibralfaro Castle.

As if these Moorish vestiges were not enough, ruins of a vast 1st century BCE Roman stadium or amphitheater lie at the foot of the entrance to the Alcazába. To build their fortress, the Moors actually recycled blocks of the Roman arena that once accommodated as many as 20,000 spectators. The grandness of the stadium reflects the significance of Roman Málaga during its day. Yet, throughout the centuries to the present, Málaga continues to thrive as a vibrant city offering a multitude of cultural attractions and charming historical sites.

Walking Tour of Malaga with entrance to Picasso and or Thyssen Museums

If You Go:

♦ The center of town is easily accessible from the airport by a short bus or train ride. The bus and train station are within walking distance to all major sites within the city.

♦ Visit the official site of the Málaga Tourism board: www.visitcostadelsol.com

Private Full Day Tour of Malaga from Seville

About the author:
Ana Ruiz was born in Spain and is the author of two books on the subject of Spanish history and culture. Visit: ana-ruiz.weebly.com

Spanish Wine and Tapas Tasting Walking Tour in Malaga

All photos are by Ana Ruiz:
Gibralfaro Castle
Málaga Port
Plaza de Toros
Alcazába
View
Entrance to the Alcazába

Egypt In Madrid: The Debod Temple

Madrid, Spain

by Keith Kellett

It’s a bit of a shock to see an ‘Egyptian-looking building’ on top of a hill, while on an open-top bus tour of Madrid. It is, I later discovered, Egyptian indeed. Even if you aren’t into ‘things Egyptian’, you can’t help but wonder how an Egyptian temple came to be situated almost in the centre of Spain.

The Debod Temple was built … or rather, re-assembled … near the Royal Palace, in the Parque de la Montana; the site of a former Army barracks, on top of a hill called Principe Pio Hill. Surrounding the building is a clear, moat-like lake and the whole thing stands inside a considerable garden, with palm trees making the temple seem at home, even against the backdrop of Madrid’s skyscrapers.

There was a video, projected on to one of the ancient walls, but the commentary was in Spanish only, of which my command doesn’t extend to Egyptological matters. And, there were wall carvings. These, also, I was disappointed in, but then, I’ve been to Egypt, where there’s much better to be seen. And, as I found out later, for 60 years, the temple had been under water for three-quarters of the year.

Upstairs, models show how the temple probably looked in its heyday, and how that stretch of the Nile looked before the coming of the dams. Better still, a series of computers gave a commentary … in English, if desired … describing the history of the temple, how the temples were rescued from the rising waters and, most importantly, how the Temple of Debod came to be in Spain.

Many Egyptian artefacts came to Europe in the 19th and early 20th Centuries … often, without the courtesy of asking the Egyptians. But, this wasn’t the case with the Temple of Debod. As late as 1960, it stood on its original site, and was freely given to Spain by the Egyptian authorities.

Originally, the Temple of Debod stood on the right bank of the River Nile, just above the First Cataract near Aswan, dedicated to the god Amun and the goddess Isis. In 1898, the British, who then controlled Egypt, decided to dam the Nile at Aswan, the work being completed in 1902. With typical short-sightedness, they completely disregarded the fact that some important monuments would be lost beneath the surface of the resulting lake … including the beautiful Temple of Isis on Philae Island, and the not-so-well regarded Temple of Debod nearby.

However, once a year, during the annual flood, the sluice gates of the Aswan Dam would be opened, and it was possible, for a few short weeks, to visit the temples. Nevertheless, being submerged beneath the lake for most of the time wasn’t very good for the temples, especially Debod, which was already in a ruinous state when it was discovered.

In the late 1950s, a new dam was proposed. This would be the massive, Russian-built High Dam, and it was quickly realised that its building would cause many more monuments, including the colossal rock temple of Abu Simbel, 270 kilometres to the South of the dam, to be lost below the surface of the new Lake Nasser.

The Director-General of UNESCO appealed for any help that might be forthcoming, and over 50 nations responded. The selected monuments were dismantled, and re-assembled piece by piece above the rising waters.

Some temples were less fortunate in having new sites found for them. But, the Egyptians decided they would be dismantled anyway, and presented to the countries which helped them most.

The visit filled a gap for me. When I visited Egypt, all the guide-book would say was ‘Several other temples were rescued, and given, as a token of appreciation, to the countries which had helped with the project’.

The commentary in the temple filled some of the missing spaces. It told about temples being re-assembled in the USA, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. But, of course, the one we are interested in went to Spain.

A few years before, we’d taken a cruise on Lake Nasser, terminating at Abu Simbel, calling at several other rescued sites on the way. Many visitors disregarded Abu Simbel until the cruise boats were established, for it could only be reached by either an expensive flight or a long, tedious coach journey.

The problem was solved in exactly the same way as the old Egyptian navigators dealt with the cataracts.. More boats were built above the obstacle!

Cruises to Abu Simbel became possible. There won’t, however, be the congestion sometimes encountered on the Nile to the north of the dams, which sometimes resembles the Mississippi in its heyday! The number of boats on Lake Nasser will be strictly limited; understandably, the Egyptians don’t want too many tourists floating around on their drinking water!

Immediately on boarding the boat above the Aswan Dam, the popular concept of modern Egypt was left behind. There’s only the boat, the lake and the temples … and tranquil, unhurried peace. On the way to Abu Simbel, the boat calls at the Kalabsha Temple site, Wadi el Seboua and the Amada Temples, all of which were rebuilt above the waters of the lake.

They’re still rarely mentioned in guidebooks, although, for example, the Avenue of Sphinxes at Wadi el Seboua is as fine as anything below the dams. It looks even more majestic, surrounded only by the desert sands, without the litter, fumes and bustle of a modern Egyptian town.

At the ancient citadel of Kasr Ibrim, the guides usually arrange a ‘sound and light’ show. This site is still in its original location, and it’s an important one. Not only Ancient Egyptian, but much later history, almost up to the present day, awaits discovery. So passengers aren’t allowed ashore, because archaeological work is still going on, but watch from the comfort of the sun deck.

The old priests and builders were accomplished showmen, and could extract the maximum awe and reverence from the worshipping masses. The temples were designed for approach from the front. That’s now impossible at Abu Simbel, except by boat, which is now easily the most satisfactory way to come.

For thousands of years, the temple was buried under the sands of the desert, until, one day in 1813, a sandstorm revealed a portion of it to Swiss explorer and archaeologist Jean-Louis Burckhardt. Four years later, an Italian named Belzoni managed to dig out enough of the façade to enter the temple.

The temples here wasn’t built, though; it was carved from solid rock! But, the engineers responsible for its rescue were up to the task. First, they injected 33 tons of resin into the rock to consolidate it, then the temple was sawn into 1036 blocks, weighing, on average, 30 tons each. A further 1112 blocks were taken from the surrounding rock. These were re-assembled almost seamlessly around concrete domes. Any cracks were soon filled by dust and sand, causing them to disappear. And, they managed to arrange things on the new site so that the sun lit up the interior of the temple twice a year at the Solstices, just as it had at the old site, ninety feet below.

When we arrived, most of the air and coach-borne visitors had gone. So, we had the place almost to ourselves for our visit, which included another ‘sound & light’ show. Then, the boat sailed once more, and dinner was served on deck, with the illuminated temple as a dramatic and unforgettable backdrop.

But, it didn’t do to make too late a night of it. There was a call 5.30 a.m. to see the sunrise on the temple! The sun played a major part in the rituals, so the temple is sited on the west bank of the lake, and at first light, it’s seen at its best.

Maybe the newly risen sun, setting the massive statues aflame, rivals even the ‘sound and light’ show of the previous night?

Amazing Madrid, Private tour

If You Go:

♦ Madrid Tourist Info: Debod Temple
♦ Madrid Official Tourism website
♦ Madrid Airport receives flights from all over the world; alternatives are to arrive by train (www.renfe.com) or by bus (www.eurolines.com)
♦ The Metro is the easiest way to get around Madrid, and the nearest station to the Debod Temple is Ventura Rodriguez. Or, the ‘Madrid Vision’ open-top bus tour stops right by the Temple.

Hidden Corners of Madrid: Private Walking Tour

About the author:
Having written as a hobby for many years while serving in the Royal Air Force, Keith Kellett saw no reason to discontinue his hobby when he retired. With time on his hands, he produced more work, and found, to his surprise, it ‘grew and grew’ and was good enough to finance his other hobbies; travelling, photography and computers. He is trying hard to prevent it from becoming a full-time job! He has published in many UK and overseas print magazines, and on the Web. He is presently trying to get his head around blogging, podcasting and video. Email: keith-kellett@tinyworld.co.uk.

Photo credits:
The Debod Temple Madrid by Annie Dalbéra / CC BY
Original Debod Temple in Nubia, Egypt by Francis Frith / Public domain
Aswan high dam by عاصم سيد / CC BY-SA
Debod Temple recently by Keith Kellett

Spain: Cuenca and the Casa Colgadas

by Darlene Foster

My first thought upon observing the houses of the Spanish city of Cuenca, was that I wouldn’t want to be a sleep walker if I lived in one of them. This unique city, tucked away in the mountains of Castilla-La Mancha, is famous for its casa colgadas, or hanging houses, perched on top of cliffs surrounding a deep gorge carved out by two rivers. Due to limited space, the former inhabitants of the old city built their houses close to the edge, on a rocky mountaintop. Over the centuries, the relentless wind eroded the lime stone cliffs leaving some houses clinging precariously to the edge. A few balconies actually jut out over the ravine, which would make sleepwalking indeed dangerous.

Originally built in the 14th century, the remaining hanging houses are tall, narrow, rectangular stone structures, with two to three floors. They have been renovated and refurbished over the years and recently been reinforced for stability. No one actually lives in them anymore but some are home to “The Museum of Spanish Abstract Art”; a collection of art banned during the reign of Franco.

The hanging houses are the draw to this remote city but the old part of town itself is worth exploring. We take a short walk downhill from a lookout point to the Plaza Mayor where the Cuenca Cathedral is located. Dating from 1177, the building is impressive with its three arches. The Gothic Anglo-Norman façade is the only one of its kind in Spain with construction on the cathedral continuing for 300 years and never quite completed. I enjoy wandering the medieval cobblestone streets that wind past old stone houses, adorned with colorful plants spilling over the balconies and climbing up stairways.

Our trek brings us to Puente de San Pablo, a pedestrian bridge that crosses the ravine, providing remarkable views and photo opportunities of the city and the perilous hanging houses. I have an eerie feeling that one of them might topple down into the chasm before my very eyes. The devilish wind whips around, daring me to cross the bridge. I suggest not looking down if you are at all afraid of heights.

Once on the other side of the bridge, we find a good place to get something to eat at the Cuenca Parador, a government run hotel that was a former Dominican Monastery. I relax on the high backed overstuffed couches and sample the region’s traditional recipes. The food is tasty and not overly expensive. The original convent dates from the 16th century, with period furniture and works of art adorning the rooms. The ceilings depict religious scenes. The quaint confessionals are now telephone booths. The ambiance alone is definitely worth the visit.

We spend the night at Hotel Cueva del Fraile or The Cave of Friars, an enchanting place seven kilometers up the road. This 16th century building hidden in the rugged mountains was once a monastery (for the devout), later a workhouse (for the poor) and now a luxury place of refuge (for the weary traveler). I get lost finding my room as I wander the myriad of stairs and hallways, which only adds to the charm. The structure has stayed true to its original construction and surrounds a peaceful courtyard. The rooms, with high ceilings, thick stone walls and wooden beams, have no doubt been made more comfortable since the days of the friars. Antiques depicting former times are found throughout the building. The hotel restaurant features delicious, authentic Castilian cuisine for dinner and breakfast. It’s impossible for me to resist the thick, creamy hot chocolate and chocolate filled croissants on offer. Staying at Cueva del Fraile is a memorable experience for someone with an overactive imagination. Rumour has it that there is even a hotel spook!

The return trip back takes us through Cuenca, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where I once again marvel at the houses that tempt fate by hanging bravely on the precipices with a sheer drop to an unforgiving abyss.

6 Nights guided tour in Andalusia, Valencia and Barcelona from Madrid

If You Go:

♦ Cuenca is 140 kilometers south east of Madrid, about one and a half hours by car, on the N400 turning northwest on the A3 at Tarancón.
♦ A number of buses leave Madrid daily for Cuenca, €9.80 for the two hour ride.
♦ For more information on Cueva del Fraile visit: www.hotelcuevadelfraile.com/en

3 nights guided tour Cordoba, Seville, Granada and Toledo from Madrid

About the author:
Darlene Foster is the author of the Amanda travel/adventure books for children, various short stories and travel articles. Brought up on a ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta, she dreamed of traveling the world, meeting interesting people and writing stories. She has made it her mission to discover the uniqueness of places and write about them. She lives in Tsawwassen, BC with her husband and black cat, Monkey. Visit her website at: www.darlenefoster.ca

All photos are by Darlene Foster.

Pueblo Ingles: Speaking English Fluently Leads to Immersion in Spanish Culture

La Alberca, Spain

by Roy A. Barnes

Travel can be about getting from one tourist hot spot to another, and thus, neglects the opportunity to really connect more with the locals. But for one travel opportunity that takes place in off-the-beaten-path areas of Spain, it’s not possible. The sightseeing and culinary temptations afforded there take second place behind the opportunities to really connect with some of Spain’s populace thanks to the Madrid-based language training firm Diverbo.

The programs are known as Pueblo Ingles, where Spaniards who want to learn to become more fluent in English come together with English speakers (referred to as “Anglos”) to do one thing over the course of eight days: interact.

It had been five long years since I had participated in the program at the hotel-resort Abadía de los Templarios Hotel, a 15- to 20-minute walk from the town center of La Alberca, which is located in the western Spanish province of Salamanca amid the Sierra de Francia mountain range.

Surrounded by the colors of autumn that proudly emanated from the woodlands surrounding the hotel as well as the cascading foothills and mountains, I wondered if the magic that always happened in the past when scores of Anglos and Spaniards being thrown together for eight days might not be as mystical as before.

My worries were soon abated because the process of volunteering to help Spaniards become more confident in their English skills plus the gifts that the Spaniards themselves would give back to us, i.e., their insights into life, acceptance, and good-natured friendliness, would once again result in a rousing success.

The program officially started on Friday morning in Madrid, where some 36 participants (including myself) headed to La Alberca via a three hour-plus bus ride (or personal automobile for some Spaniards) through rolling pastures and farmlands after leaving the urban sprawl of Spain’s capital city. On the bus, Anglos and Spaniards were paired up, so the latter could begin their intensive language exposure.

After making it to our destination, our Master of Ceremonies, Andy, a Scotsman whose job was to foster the social and recreational activities for the participants, good-naturedly laid down the “3 Laws”: “No Spanish. No cell phones (which can be quite a distraction from interaction time). Have fun.” Each program also has a Program Director (Marta this time around), whose job it is to manage the details/problems and the daily schedule.

One of the first group ice-breakers involved a game called “Human Bingo,” which involved talking to everyone else to find out which among us, among other things, has a tattoo, has been water skiing or can dance the Sevillanas, so we could fill our boxes up.

Unique mix of Spanish and Anglo backgrounds

Who are these Spaniards who are there at the behest of their company or their own volition? Typically, a group is made up of professionals from various fields such as IT, production, and other fields. They are generally in their 20s or 30s, but some are older. One such Spaniard, Angel, an IT professional, was actually on his fifth program. Before taking part in Pueblo Ingles, he commented, “I didn’t understand anything,” but the intensive exposure time had increased his confidence and understanding of the language’s nuances. Another Spaniard, Rocio, who works for an energy renewal company, had studied English since high school, but remarked on her primary reason for coming, “My biggest problem is my listening. My listening is very bad.”

The mix of English speakers had a strong showing from America, including Wyoming (my state), California, Colorado, plus Wales, Australia, and Canada (a country which continues to have strong Pueblo Ingles participation). So with all those accents being targeted at the Spaniards for eight days, there was nothing for the Spaniards to do but actually improve.

Rick, a 74-year old former teacher and coach who’s taught English in China, heard about the program via word of mouth when he was in Germany (the method which has brought many Anglos to the venues). He emanated a common sentiment among the Anglos, “I want to learn more about the Spanish culture, the food. I want to help them speak English.”

Being caught up in the hustle and bustle of the flowing daily schedule (beginning at 9 a.m. through well after 10 p.m.), I lost all sense of time, not being able to tell one day from the next like I can when back home. The peaceful surroundings and slower pace of life in La Alberca made it feel as if I were in another world, not caring what was going on elsewhere.

You never know who you’ll meet when you go, given that the mix of people and their unique personalities constantly change with each program. As an avid runner, I found a kindred soul in one Spaniard named Ignacio. He’s participated in major marathons around the world, including the one in Boston, finishing the race just before tragedy struck this past April 15.

During one of our two-hour siestas and one of the one-to-one sessions, we took walks to the center of town, full of half-timbered houses and shops where one could obtain many things, from a can of Coca-Cola to a scarf, hat, and gloves, the latter three which my new Spanish friend found himself in need of. Our brisk walking on winding roads amid the captivating autumn foliage kept us warmer as chilled afternoons gave way to darkness. He gave me more insights on the activity since his ability to run 26 miles-plus puts my ability to run only around six miles daily to shame. As we walked back on the road leading back to the hotel through woodlands, pasture, and small farms, we could hear the soundtrack of baaing sheep and oinking pigs.

La Alberca itself has been around since the pre-Roman times, and has seen its share of past conquerors from the Romans, Arabs, Christians, and now English speakers trying to help some conquer their fears surrounding the language. For those who pay attention, there are reminders to be seen around town of the Spanish Inquisition and its place on the Santiago Trail, which hang above some of the entryways to the antiquated doorways of centuries-old domiciles. La Alberca was the first village to be declared a National Historical Monument in Spain.

Ignacio and I were lucky enough to catch a common spectacle of a pig that’s allowed to run freely around town to garner handouts from the 1,000-plus locals (plus tourists) as it fattens up so it can be raffled off. We saw some girls being chased by the pig after they stopped giving it handouts. Salamanca is an area where ham products, especially from the limbs of the pig, are considered delicacies.

But it isn’t just one-to-one conversations that brought the group together. The course of the day is run like clockwork to the tolling of a church-like bell at the resort on the hour to summon the participants back to do other things like two-to-two group conversations about social and political issues, plus group activities that might see groups of six or so coming up with a new invention or new song. Nonetheless, the variety in the activities helps the Spaniards interact in English. It culminates before dinner time with nightly entertainment that can feature anything from individual presentations to a comedic skit, where props and costumes are used to garner laughter from the audience.

More connections

Some of the most connective moments between the participants take place during the meal times, where the table wine (lunch/dinner), tasty cuisine and conversation generously flow. Breakfasts can be a bit more laid back, given the Spanish penchant for kicking up one’s heels well into the wee hours of the morning with willing Anglos. After all, to a Spaniard, 8 p.m. is still considered “afternoon.”

The transformation that took place over the week was not only noticeable for the Spaniards, who learned to even understand my Wyoming accent better, but also for the Anglos. That is, many of them were put in the position to where they had to get up before an audience and help take part in one of Andy’s plays, or do their own presentations, such as Daniel, who expounded on his knowledge of body language, while the septuagenarian Rick led the audience in some sing-a-longs. Spaniards were expected to make daytime presentations on various subjects before a selected audience to improve their presentation skills.

As a seasoned veteran of this program, I couldn’t get over just how perfectly put together this group was, which is credited to the Anglos Dept. in Madrid, who do their best to match the participants up based on the application they must fill out online to be considered for a holiday that sees their room and board covered over the course of the program for their volunteer service.

By the time the program ended the following Friday, it was hard to leave this adult version of “summer camp” and go back to my everyday life in Wyoming. I had gotten so used to the daily schedule and the people, saying goodbye wasn’t easy. Our group talked a lot, laughed a lot, and would ultimately share some goodbye tears while Spaniards like Rocio and Angel gained more confidence in their second language, despite being mentally drained.

As volunteers, we gained more insight about life in Spain and despite our differences in cultures, the commonness of humanity played out as each of us learned that we all share dreams of bettering ourselves and making new friends. In a nutshell, us Anglos became more fluent in the language of life.

If You Go:

♦ Find out more about the different venues in addition to La Alberca, the application process, and what’s expected of volunteers at the following link: www.diverbo.com/en/volunteer-abroad
♦ More about the hotel-resort Abadía de los Templarios Hotel at La Alberca (which is in Spanish)

Private tour of Ronda and winery from Malaga

About the author:
Roy A. Barnes writes from southeastern Wyoming, and is a frequent contributor to Travel Thru History. His history with Pueblo Ingles goes all the way back to 2001, when he participated in the fourth-ever program. The program just written about was the 838th.
Disclosure: The writer attended the program at the invitation of Diverbo, but neither his article nor observations were vetted by the firm.

Photographs:
Photos are credited to Roy A. Barnes, and may not be used without permission of the author. Photos showing participants were initially screened, then cleared for editorial, non-commercial usage by Diverbo.

Puente de Diablo (Devil’s Bridge)

Segovia, Spain

by Keith Kellett

Segovia, Spain is a UNESCO World Heritage site, noted mainly for its Roman aqueduct. Although my schedule only permitted me just under a couple of hours there, that was longer than a lot of the ‘follow the flag’ tour groups seemed to take who get a ten-minute lecture in each place, five minutes to take photos, and then back on the bus.

The famous Roman aqueduct was first on my list of sight-seeing stops. When the Romans arrived in Spain, Segovia was already an important point on the trade routes, lying at the foot of a mountain range called the Sierra de Guadamara, on the banks of the Rio Clamores. The Romans were interested in other purposes than trading, though. With an eye to defence, they needed to be higher up, to better survey the land. So, they built their camp where the Alcazar castle stands today, and the city expanded around it.

But, how to get water supplies up there? The water from the Rio Clamores was insufficient for their needs, anyway. So, in the middle of the 1st Century AD, during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, an ambitious project was begun. A canal was dug, to bring water from the Rio Frio, 18 kilometres (12 miles) away. The valley of the Rio Clamores would be spanned by a massive aqueduct 800 metres (about 2500 feet) long and, at its highest point, reaching nearly 30 metres (100 feet) high.

The aqueduct was built from 25,000 stone blocks and, notwithstanding its size, no mortar at all was used in its construction. It took over fifty years to built, was completed in the early 2nd Century, by which time the Emperor Trajan had ‘taken the purple’. However, a much later folk-tale told that it had been built overnight, by the Devil himself … hence its alternative name of Puente de Diablo, or ‘Devil’s Bridge’. It’s said that the Evil One was after the soul of a local woman, to achieve which, he had to complete the bridge in a single night … in which task, he failed, because he was unable to find the last block before the sun rose.

After the Romans left, Spain was occupied for several centuries by Muslims, popularly called the Moors. They partly destroyed part of the aqueduct, but as the Christians gained gradually control over the Iberian peninsula, it was restored in 1484 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

The aqueduct remained in use until the late 19th Century … according to some sources; others say it’s still in use today. Whichever, it’s such a gigantic size that it can be seen all over the city; indeed, it was almost the first thing we saw on the way in. And, it’s still in surprisingly good condition … and certainly not a “Roman ruin.”

Private full day tour of Toledo and Segovia from Madrid

If You Go:

Aqueduct of Segovia (Wikipedia)
Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct (UNESCO)

How to Get There:
♦ The airport nearest to Segovia is Madrid/Barajas (MAD). Segovia is about 55 kilometers north-west of Madrid by road; approximately one hour’s drive.
♦ By Rail: Frequent trains run from Madrid/Atocha. Times vary from about 30 minutes (AVE High Speed Train) to 90 minutes (regular stopping train) www.renfe.es
♦ By Bus: Buses leave regularly from the coach station near the Principe Pio Metro station. Journey time about 75 minutes, fare about €8. www.lasepulvedana.es
♦ We stayed at ‘El Rancho de Aldeguela’ in Torrecaballeros, about seven miles away; from there, from which Segovia was easily accessible by taxi.

Day Trip to the Ancient City of Segovia and gourmet experience

About the author:
Having written for fun while serving in the Royal Air Force, Keith Kellett developed his hobby into a business when he retired. He found, to his surprise, that his writing work was good enough to finance his other hobbies; traveling, photography and computers. He lives near Salisbury, in the south of England.

Photo credits:
All photos are by Keith Kellett