Spain

Madrid

We stayed in two youth hostels in Madrid, and made good use of our Metro passes. Madrid's Metro is perhaps one of the most efficient subways we've ever used. We enjoyed a city bus tour that gave us a comprehensive overview of the geography of central Madrid. Highlights include visiting the museums, strolling through the plazas at night, and stopping at every gelato and ice cream stand we saw.

Incredible murals on the building walls in Madrid

Having tapas in the Plaza Santa Maria (thanks Wende!)

Jen making friends with our waiter

Ahh... tapas and cerveza. How can you go wrong?

Some of the beautiful architecture that is found all over Madrid

Imitating masterpieces: an artist reproduces a work in the Museo del Prado

We enjoyed visiting both the Museo del Prado and the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid

The "Stop, Don't Walk" signal apparently doesn't apply to the police!

Madrid by night: a rich blue sky punctuated by a sliver of moon

The Puerta de Alcalá in Madrid

Segovia

Going to Segovia was a snap decision; we originally planned to go to Toledo, but Jon bumped into someone who had a great experience in Segovia, so we said "Sounds good, let's go!" We weren't disappointed, as Segovia delighted us with its Old World charm and its incredible architecture with a very small town feel.

Jen and Jon reflecting on the Spanish countryside on the train from Madrid to Segovia

The tower of the Gothic Catedral, completed in 1577

The old town of Segovia, seen from the Alcázar

Jon, in a classic pose, and Jen

The Alcázar, the fairytale design that inspired Walt Disney's vision of Sleeping Beauty's castle

Segovia at dawn

Sunrise through the arches of the Acueducto, made up of 163 arches

Completed in the 1st century, not a single bit of mortar was used in its construction.

Just as amazing were the local party-goers who were waiting for cabs after a night of clubbing... this is at 7am

The anti-war sentiment was very evident in the cities that we visited

Sunset silhouettes in the streets of Segovia

The little courtyard at our apartment in the old town

Like a Kodak commercial: a hot-air balloon rises over the spires of the Catedral

The intricate details on the inner rooms of the Alcázar

Hello!! Anybody home? Jen knocking on the door of the Alcázar

Sevilla

After re-entering Spain from Portugal, we actually stayed in Sevilla for four nights, soaking in as much ambience and food as we could. It took us a while to adjust our clocks to the afternoon siesta, but we eventually got it down. This was the first time we paid for air conditioning, and it was certainly worth it. We loved getting lost in the Barrio de Santa Cruz and in El Centro, and walked for hours through narrow alleyways and crooked streets. Everyone we had talked to raved about Sevilla, and we can now understand why.

A baker prepares his pastries in the morning at a local patisserie

All kinds of baked goods ready for consumption. Watching the people come and go in the bustling cafe was a real treat

Yes, it was pretty hot in Sevilla. 44°C is about 112°F. We spent the hours between 2-6pm indoors in A/C

The flamenco performance we saw was electrifying. The singer, guitarist, and dancer were very talented.

We don't know if what we saw was better or worse than other performances, but nonetheless, it was an fascinating experience

There were many beautiful examples of tilework on all the buildings in Sevilla

Another example of the intricate tilework in the Triana area, where we stayed

The famous Cathedral at dusk. We watched part of a service in the Cathedral, the third largest in the world

Jon sitting in his Rolls Royce convertible. Nice set of wheels!

Jen and Jon posing under the arches of the beautiful Plaza de España

The Plaza de España completed in 1929

An example of some of the colourful tilework

Each day, we passed the Torre del Oro, a Muslim watchtower along the river Guadaliquivir

One of the ornate entryways to the Cathedral

Full moon on our last night in Sevilla

Watching a bullfight in the Plaza de Toros was quite a unique experience... see details here.
**WARNING: Some people may find these pictures disturbing **

Malaga