Category Archives: Spain

Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza

July 29, 2022 chaput@live.com

We went and explored the Palicio de la Aljafería located in Zaragoza Spain.

Shelley and Ray outside of the Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza Spain

As we approached the palace it was obvious that this was a fortified palace build several centuries ago. We went through the main gate and into a beautiful inner courtyard. There were orange trees and the smell of orange was prominent in the courtyard.

Centre courtyard of the Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza Spain

There was an overwhelming islamic architecture design in the palace.

From ornate islamic designed frames of doorways to unique ceilings.

Shelley in the Palace of Aljaferia checking out the islamic architecture

We soon discovered that the Palacio de la Aljafería palace was built during the second half of the 11th century in Zaragoza, Spain. It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2001 and known for its Spanish Islamic design.

Shelley and Ray in one of the palace rooms with an ornate ceiling design

We wandered through the different rooms and were amazed by the size of the palace even the staircase was massive.

One of the staircases in the Aljaferia palace

The palace reflects the amazing details and ornate design during the period attained by the Taifa of Zaragoza. This history was preserved and today the palace is home to regional parliament of Aragon.

It was a great place to explore and learn about the rich history of Islamic influence here in Spain.

“Muchas flores diferentes hacen un ramo”. ~ Proverbio islámico

Spain

A few days in Zaragoza Spain

May 22, 2022 chaput@live.com

We spent a few days exploring Zaragoza, which is a beautiful city located in the northeastern part of Spain. The city has a rich history and was founded at the end of the 1st century. There are Roman ruins and reminders of its rich history throughout the city.

We walked through parts of the old section of the city admiring the old architecture and beautiful plazas.

The bullring in Zaragoza which is called MIsericordia

Tram system with view of central Market in distance

We walked through the shops and restaurants towards the main plaza enjoying the sites and sounds. There was lots of things to see and the shops were full of interesting stuff.

Eventually we reached the Plaza de la Seo which is truly stunning and has unique features. The ground s of the plaza were covered in beautiful marble tiles.

There was the stunning Cathedral at one section of the plaza which gave the plaza a very grandiose feel.

We explored the plaza de la Seo and were amazed at all the features and unique statues and items in the plaza.

Shelley and Ray with waterfall feature in the main plaza of Zaragoza, Spain

We bought a ticket to go up the tower of the Cathedral of Zaragoza to get views of the city. The tower was built on the site of the ancient Roman forum of Augustus and of the main mosque. The new tower, which was designed in Rome in 1683 by Juan Bautista Contini in the Baroque style, was started in 1686 and finished in 1704 with the placement of the spire. There are elements of the minaret that form part of the current tower.

There was an elevator that took us up to the first level of the tower. From there we took stairs which made its way up to the very top of the tower.

When we reached the top the views were amazing. We could see entire city from the tower.

View of the Roman bridge and Cathedral of Zaragoza from the tower of Zaragoza

The city of Zaragoza surprised us with its dynamic and vibrant city centre. There were lots of unique things to see, including Roman ruins, historic sites and architecture.

“La vida es un viaje, disfruta de las aventuras en el camino”

Spain

Jaén Spain

April 5, 2022 chaput@live.com

We decided to take a trip to the Spanish city of Jaén for our anniversary. It is the capital city of the province of Jaén, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. We decided to celebrate there and stay at the Parador of Jaén on the Santa Catalina hill. It is located beside the Santa Catalina Castle and has stunning views of the entire area.

We checked into the Parador and were struck by the beauty of the building. It is considered one of the best castle hotels in Europe. There were stone features throughout the Parador and it felt as if we were going back in time.

There was an amazing vaulted ceiling in the main dinning hall which was 20 meters high.

There were many features that reflected a medieval time throughout the Parador.

Shelley at the gate at one of the Parador passageways

We arrived at our room and were amazed at the beautiful views from our room. We had our own private balcony and a nice outdoor sitting area. We decided to go hiking before settling into the balcony area. We changed into our hiking clothes and headed out to explore the area. We went down a path along the side of the ancient fortified walls of the castle.

The remains of the ancient fortified walls of the Castle of Santa Catalina

Shelley standing on the ancient fortified wall overlooking the city of Jaén Spain.

Shelley and Ray on the ancient fortified walls of Jaén

We walked for about two hours exploring the area. There was a natural park area alongside the wall which we decided to venture into and explore. There were olive trees and a nice trail that lead along the edge of the ridge that overlooked the city below.

We came across some beautiful views of the city that stretched out below us.

After hiking through the natural area we decided to head back to the Parador and relax. We set ourselves up on our balcony with a snack and a glass of red wine. We rested and enjoyed the vistas for a while.

We rested up and then headed out to explore the city of Jaén. We walked into the city centre and explored the old city centre.

Cathedral of Jaén, which began construction in 1570 and is one of the most important Renaissance-style cathedrals.

We walked through the marble streets looking at the unique shops and architecture.

Some of the marble streets were almost like pieces of art. They were uniquely decorated and looked like carpets or hallways.

There were beautiful plazas located in the centre which had fountains and highlighted by lighting.

We decided to stop for something to eat and take a break. We found a nice quaint small plaza called Plaza Posito and located in the plaza was a restaurant called “Bar Del Posito ”

We enjoyed some great tasting tapas and the service was so friendly and attentive that we came back to this spot several times during our stay in Jaén. After enjoying some tapas we headed back to the Parador for the night.

We explored areas within the Parador and we went to the lounge area for a nightcap. Ray decided to have his photo taken with a couple of medieval knights guarding the premises.

The next day we explored the 13th century Castle Santa Catalina and the area around the Parador. We walked through large arches and walked towards the cross of Castle Santa Catalina.

Shelley in one of the archways of the Castle Santa Catalina

We walked along the stone walkway towards the peak area.

Finally we reached the end of the walkway and came to the Cross of the Castle Santa Catalina.

The views from here were spectacular and we could see the entire region.

We looked down on the city of Jaén and could see the Cathedral.

View of the city from the base of the cross of Jaén

The cross which stands majestically above Jaén towers up above the landscape.

It is a monument that was erected by Ferdinand III in the spring of 1246 after overtaking the fortress. There are so many historic interesting facts about this area including the fact that Napoleon’s troops turned the fortress into a stronghold in 1808. The cross was originally made out of wood but it is now a stone replica.

“Que tengas un buen día”

Spain

Els Arcs de Castell de Castells

February 9, 2022 chaput@live.com

We went exploring the area of the Arcs de Castell in the mountains approximately an hour or so from Alicante. The views along the road through the mountains were spectacular.

A view of some of the mountains along the way.

We came to a lookout area with a rest stop, so decided to take a break and enjoy the views.

Shelley enjoying the lookout in the mountains

There was even a small zip line and of course Ray could not resist trying it out.

After we enjoyed our stop we continued on to our destination. We arrived at the road that leads to the Arc de Castell. We began our hike up the road toward the arcs.

As we walked along the road it was so peaceful and quiet. We came along a very traditional style Spanish vila along the trail.

We walked approximately 8 kilometers and then started climbing up the mountain side. The road turned into a trail and then eventually into a small path. As we went it became steeper and more difficult.

Eventually we arrived at an area that was quite steep and looked a little unstable. At this point we decided to turn around and head back down the mountain.

We worked our way back down and enjoyed the views along the way. It was so quiet and there were no people around. We did not need to wear a mask and it almost felt like the pandemic was none existent. It was a great way to spend the day.

“Disfruta cada momento”

Spain

Happy New Year and welcome 2022

January 3, 2022 chaput@live.com

2021 has been one tough year and we are glad to say that it is over. We now hope that 2022 will be a lot better and the world will find some sense of normal. We are making plans for some new and exciting adventures for this year. We hope to incorporate a lot more travel and to see more of our family and friends. Until then we want to simply wish everyone a very healthy, safe and Happy New Year.