Segovia, Madrid....and The Three Wise Men
In Segovia, the aqueduct is the symbol of the city. Surely, it must have been one of the most beautiful in the Roman world.
It was probably built between the late 1st and early 2nd centuries, when Vespasiano and Trajano were emperors, in order to bring water from a nearby river to the city. This magnificent work of civil engineering that has been working until recently and is still in excellent condition, begins near the Granja Palace
with simple arches and carries the water to a tank known as 'el Caserón'. A canal then transports the water to a second tower and once it reaches Diaz Sanz square, row upon row of arches tower high above the ground. Its 20,400 stone blocks are neither cemented nor stuck together by any substance, and they remain as a solid perfect block up until this day. The maximum height of the structure is on the Azoguejo Square at 28.10 m and a total of 166 arches.
From the Granja Palace, located in San Ildefonso, there are wonderful views to the mountain pass of Navacerrada, which was already snow-covered. Also the palace has magnificent gardens. There are fountains spread far and wide, a huge lake and different sorts of gardens.
Any traditional Segovian dish tastes delicious. You can eat butter beans from Granja, Castilian soup (made basically with garlic and bread), stew and wild boar. However, the most characteristic dishes are roast lamb and roast piglet. “Chorizo” and sheep cheese are traditional, as well. Wine made in Ribera del Duero are the best choice to go with these exquisite delicacies.
Madrid is an amazing city. I had been there before, but the city always gets to enrapture me with its atmosphere. What is extremely necessary is to wear comfortable footwear to scour the whole city, since there are huge distances between any two places to visit. The city looks quite alike any other European capital. You don’t have to miss its old part of town and its main square, both in the city centre and near the main art museums, Sol square, the “Retiro” (a huge park in the heart of the city) and the Royal Palace. Here go two funny pictures. The first one is a vertical garden. The second one was taken the night before New Year`s Eve. In Madrid, that night there's a "pre-campanada". It's all put on, but the clock struck twelve and people celebrate it as if it was New Year's Eve. So, you have two chances to live the experience of being in Sol square for the twelve stroke. that's crazy!
Tonight is the twelfth night, when the Three Wise Men visit every house to leave gifts for children. There’s a parade of floats symbolizing the coming of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. So, it has religious roots.
It’s also a custom to have dinner with one’s family, and then eat all together the traditional large ring-shaped cake baked for Epiphany (roscón de Reyes) and to drink hot chocolate. In some places bonfires are lighted right across the parade to illuminate, metaphorically, the path to Bethlehem.
Little figures have been hidden inside the cake’s pastry. If you find a broad bean you’ll have to pay the cake. On the other side, if you find the king figure you’ll get a cardboard crown and you’ll be the king for a night. The photo below shows a roscón freshly baked (it's a home-made roscón).
Now it's time to leave. I've to take my niece to the Three Wise Men Parade.
Jonathan, thanks for your corrections and your vivid descriptions of Leeds, York and your walks.
See you,
Silvia
Comments
Hi Silvia! What a wonderful pictures! :-) I´m still at the lan house and outside a big storm is forming. Oh I think I´ll have to buy another hour :-). Best wishes, Ana Paula.
Hi Silvia, thank you for the interesting pictures. The picture of the tower of arches (what is it called?) is so beautiful! ...and this vertical garden is so new to me! I liked it very much. Where is it? is it in a park? what grows there? The funniest is your traditional cake. I should say BRAVO for keeping these lovely traditions, for ever, young and alive. I hope you and your niece had wonderful time in the Three Wise Men Parade...all the best, Habub
Hi Silvia. Nice hair you had in the sol square (is it not the sun gate "puerta del sol" the rigth name). The Segovia aqueduct seems really amazing. Thanks God it doesn't result damaged in the civil war. I think romans really knowned how to do things. They did them to last centuries. The roscon looks delicious, but, since we are here in the middle of the summer I would like to try a slice, not with hot chocolate, but with a coke and tons of ice instead. A happy 2008 for you and all your people too. Bye
Dear Silvia, I had remained quite silent for more than 3 weeks. I remain extremely busy during those days. On the first week of December, Board of director of my office changed and I was unsure what was going to happen after that. I was a little bit worried about my future. For better or worse I have to cope with new environment and have to perform my duties with more responsibility. During the time of Christmas and New Year, casino was full of local customers and VIP customers, and I had to devote my times preparing their accounts and work for longer period than my usual working hours. I had fulfilled my duties more effectively than usual. All my times were spent either working in office at night or sleeping in the day time. Time ran away in such a way that even my family member were not able to discuss some important issues with me during that period. I felt same on me because I was unable to reply even New Year wish to you and my other friends in that period.
Hi, It's a very interesting to hear about Segovia's Aqduct.For that civil engeneering I hear first time, and when I have money a'll see that! Bye
Hi Silvia! Arriving in Salamanca, I made my way to Madrid and Segovia last winter. I really liked these cities. I actually stayed in a hostel near Sol Metro-stop. I hope to visit the south of Spain one day. I hope you had a good Epiphany's day and have a great 2008 to you and yours.
Hi Silvia, i was very taken by your report. Segovia should be a very nice place as i can see from your pics, overall that one portrays some of 166 aqueduct arches is beatiful. Romans, as other people did indeed, built oversize buildings so long time ago and now archaelogists can't often explain in depth how they did. But it isn't an extraordinary fact that they didn't use any mortar, because huge size blocks joined each other by their own by passing the time. However that big ring-shaped cake looks like very delicious...isn'it? Bye by Bruno
Hi, I'm Mercè and I really like to study english. It's very amazing your description about the travel. I think that Spain is a country that offers very diferent places depending if you are in the north, the south, the east, the oest or the centre. But everywhere you go is very very nice. Really Madrid is a beautiful big city.
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