Sorry folks, but pix will come later...
Remember, we're reading bottom (oldest) up, not top (newest) down.
It was well worth another #3 bus trip back into the old town to walk through Parque de Maria Louisa to see the expansive Plaza de Hispana.
Spain is big on gardens and I suspect this is partly the influence of the Moors - who also brought the "paradisios" (walled gardens) concept that fill the welcoming patios of homes with flowers and trees, ponds and colorful tile work. Here are a couple of paradisios.
Imagine walking along street-wide paths lined with heavily laden orange trees. The trees are so aromatic you become thirsty. Occasionally the path is shared by horse drawn carriages... horses with high-arched necks and show-worthy gaits. You spot a pond with attractive ducks and notice the arbors covered in violet bougainvillea. Just then a flock of white doves fly across the pond and swoop up into the branches of a tree that looks like a huge magnolia tree, but it has, instead of a trunk, multiple tremendous bulbous roots. You rest on a bench covered in blue and yellow tiles, the most beautiful you have ever seen, to feed the ducks (and golden fish) the crust of the pizza you saved for this very purpose. To spread your happiness around, you share the crust with the beautiful little girl next to you, who smiles up at you and says, "gracias!"
Preparing to continue your stroll, you take out your souvenir fan because this is Spain and it is hot.
It is just a few steps and you come upon a spectacular view, the Plaza de Espania, which is in a semicircular layout. Tourists and locals have brought their kids here to be treated to ice cream, four-wheeled bike rentals and generally to run around the huge tiled expanse, which includes a circular river (where you can rent row boats) and a bridge of blue tiles.
Eventually you come to the grand steps but first admire the history of Spain depicted in, you guessed it, gorgeous tile work. Climb the tiled steps for the view and witness tall walls of gold and irredescent and intricate tile patterns. Take pictures, hoping they can capture the beauty.
Remember, we're reading bottom (oldest) up, not top (newest) down.
It was well worth another #3 bus trip back into the old town to walk through Parque de Maria Louisa to see the expansive Plaza de Hispana.
Spain is big on gardens and I suspect this is partly the influence of the Moors - who also brought the "paradisios" (walled gardens) concept that fill the welcoming patios of homes with flowers and trees, ponds and colorful tile work. Here are a couple of paradisios.
Imagine walking along street-wide paths lined with heavily laden orange trees. The trees are so aromatic you become thirsty. Occasionally the path is shared by horse drawn carriages... horses with high-arched necks and show-worthy gaits. You spot a pond with attractive ducks and notice the arbors covered in violet bougainvillea. Just then a flock of white doves fly across the pond and swoop up into the branches of a tree that looks like a huge magnolia tree, but it has, instead of a trunk, multiple tremendous bulbous roots. You rest on a bench covered in blue and yellow tiles, the most beautiful you have ever seen, to feed the ducks (and golden fish) the crust of the pizza you saved for this very purpose. To spread your happiness around, you share the crust with the beautiful little girl next to you, who smiles up at you and says, "gracias!"
Preparing to continue your stroll, you take out your souvenir fan because this is Spain and it is hot.
It is just a few steps and you come upon a spectacular view, the Plaza de Espania, which is in a semicircular layout. Tourists and locals have brought their kids here to be treated to ice cream, four-wheeled bike rentals and generally to run around the huge tiled expanse, which includes a circular river (where you can rent row boats) and a bridge of blue tiles.
Eventually you come to the grand steps but first admire the history of Spain depicted in, you guessed it, gorgeous tile work. Climb the tiled steps for the view and witness tall walls of gold and irredescent and intricate tile patterns. Take pictures, hoping they can capture the beauty.
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