After our night in Toledo and tour of the town the next day, we headed to Segovia and arrived for some free time in the evening. Our hotel was right next to the famous aqueduct which was constructed sometime around the first century AD. No plasters, concretes, or adhesives were used and today it remains standing only because of excellent construction and its stones that fit together perfectly. The aqueduct runs nearly ten miles from the Fuente Fría and right into the middle of the city.
The next morning, we met after breakfast to begin our walking tour of Segovia. It was chilly and drizzling and we stopped under a store overhang for Cristian to give us the history of the city and the aqueduct. We kept walking and the rain let up a bit, and just as we reached the Alcázar (castle/palace), the sun had begun to peek out. The views around the Alcázar were beautiful and the castle itself was pretty impressive. We spent half an hour or so taking photos and then split into three groups for our tour. Our tour guide was very nice and we had no problem understanding her. The arab origins of the castle can be seen in the tilework and ceilings of certain rooms, although a later fire burned nearly all the furniture and wood ceilings in 1862. Above the thrones is written "Tanto Monto, Monto Tanto (Isabel como Fernando)" which was the motto of Isabel and Ferdinand, signifying that they both had an equal rule, hers just as much as his. In the castle we also saw a few items of knight's armor and finally got to climb the tower and look over Segovia.
That afternoon we left for Madrid where we spent three nights. Our hotel there had no free wifi, so that's why I didn't get to blog until we got back to ESDES. I'll get to that in a few days and that will conclude our trip to central Spain!
The next morning, we met after breakfast to begin our walking tour of Segovia. It was chilly and drizzling and we stopped under a store overhang for Cristian to give us the history of the city and the aqueduct. We kept walking and the rain let up a bit, and just as we reached the Alcázar (castle/palace), the sun had begun to peek out. The views around the Alcázar were beautiful and the castle itself was pretty impressive. We spent half an hour or so taking photos and then split into three groups for our tour. Our tour guide was very nice and we had no problem understanding her. The arab origins of the castle can be seen in the tilework and ceilings of certain rooms, although a later fire burned nearly all the furniture and wood ceilings in 1862. Above the thrones is written "Tanto Monto, Monto Tanto (Isabel como Fernando)" which was the motto of Isabel and Ferdinand, signifying that they both had an equal rule, hers just as much as his. In the castle we also saw a few items of knight's armor and finally got to climb the tower and look over Segovia.
That afternoon we left for Madrid where we spent three nights. Our hotel there had no free wifi, so that's why I didn't get to blog until we got back to ESDES. I'll get to that in a few days and that will conclude our trip to central Spain!
