A Few Days In Spain Part 2

A Day Trip

We took to take a day trip to Segovia which is north of Madrid.  We boarded a high speed train Renfe AVE and were in Segovia in thirty minutes.

Segovia was one of the best days in Spain for me.  I had no idea what was waiting for us there.  After the train ride we took a bus ride to our final destination.

For the first time in my life I have seen things so beautiful I wanted to cry upon viewing them.  Amazing does not fully describe what I saw there.

Roman aqueduct which is either from the first century or early 2nd century.  There is no legible date so we are not certain about its age.  It was built without mortar.  Water travels 17 km from the mountains into a tank then to a small house where the sand and sediment separate and then on to the city. 

 

Gothic cathedral, which is beautiful.  Construction began in 1525 after the original cathedral burned down in 1521.  The cathedral still holds mass but is open to the public for viewing.  Below are a few shots of the inside.  Breathtaking!

 

Alcazar- One of the preferred residences of the monarchs of Castile.  From here Isabella left and was proclaimed  Queen on the Main Square of Segovia on December 13th, 1474. After the court moved to Madrid Alcazar became a state prison for over two centuries. 

Below is a picture taken on the draw bridge looking down at the moat. 

 

View from castle.

View of Segovia from top of aqueduct.

Not bad considering we did not use a tour guide.  We purchased train tickets, caught a bus and hailed a taxi all our own. Did I mention we did this all in Spanish or our best version of Spanish. Most importantly we made it back to the train station so we could get back to Madrid.  What a day!