INTRODUCTION TO PORTUGAL AND SPAIN

My husband and I decided it was time to get out of our “comfort zone” in México and spread our wings.  We agreed that Portugal and the Andalucia region of southern Spain was definitely “out and beyond” the realm of my blog  MEXICO AND BEYOND:  LAURA'S PHOTO JOURNEY and it was time for a new adventure.

We chose to visit Portugal and the neighboring Andalucia region of its neighbor, Spain. From what we had learned on the internet both countries have amazing cultures, history, and friendly people. And happily our trip proved our research was right on.

This is an introduction blog posting to the three special cities we visited in each country which included Lisbon, Porto, and Sintra in Portugal and Seville, Granada, and Cordoba in Spain.

I have decided to share each city as an individual blog post.  Consequently, I have included in this introduction some of our favorite photographs of each city to wet your appetite for more.

The Giralda is the bell tower of the Seville Cathedral in Seville (Sevilla), Spain.

The Castle of the Moors is a hilltop medieval castle located in Sintra, Portugal.

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See in Sevilla, Spain with all of the stunning gold.  

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba was built as a mosque which later became a Catholic Cathedral in Cordoba, Spain.

  A photo opportunity not to be missed at the Palacio de Viana in Cordoba, Spain.

   Another view of the giralda bell tower in Seville (Sevilla), Spain.               

     Can you believe this hand painted tile work on the streets of Lisbon, Portugal!  

The Maria Pia Bridge is a railway bridge built in 1877 and attributed to Gustav Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame. It is situated over the river Porto in Porto, Portugal.

The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex originally built in the late 800's and rebuilt in the 13th century located in Granada, Spain.  And despite the chill, it was spectacular! 

A view of the colorful residential apartments (including hanging laundry, satellite dishes, and construction cranes) above the river in Porto, Portugal. Old world charm with new world practicalities.

The stunning Gare do Oriente, the Lisbon Oriente Train Station, is worth a visit even if you are not going anywhere from Lisbon, Portugal.

The Quinta da Regaleira is a romantic palace and chapel which I found simply lovely in Sintra, Portugal. 

Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain (not California!) Granada is known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation especially the Alhambra of Granada, Spain.

This was our challenging street which was a real workout each day while staying in Sintra, Portugal.

In the process of organizing and editing the more than 1,400 photographs which we took (yikes!) I am also creating additional photograph albums for additional blog postings based on themes such as Flamenco Dancing in Spain and the Azulejos (ceramic tiles) of Portugal and Spain.

Flamenco dance wear and accessories in Seville, Spain. The best places to see flamenco dancing in the Andalucia region of Spain are Seville, Cordoba, and Granada.

Religious ceramic tile work as seen on the buildings in Cordoba, Spain.

Religious ceramic tiles as seen on buildings and near churches in Granada, Spain.

From the lovely religious tile work which is found on almost every corner in Spain to the practical advertising ceramic tiles seen below in Spain and Portugal there is something to be enjoyed by every traveler. I wouldn't hesitate to return to Portugal and the Andalucia region of Spain to discover more.

Ceramic tiles advertise the commercial establishments found on the streets of Seville, Spain.

Doesn't this beautiful ceramic tile creation in Portugal make you want to step in and check out this establishment.

In closing, the following fantastic ceramic tile creations were seen at the National Palace in Lisbon.  Aren't they wonderful!

Until I publish the first blog posting from this adventure, I hope you have enjoyed these "teaser" photographs.  Thank you for joining me and I look forward to sharing the magic of Portugal and the Andalucia region of Spain in the near future. As always, I sincerely appreciate hearing from my readers and followers. Until then, wishing you well and safe travels.  Laura

  

                        Getting lost in the alleys of Seville (Sevilla), Spain is my idea of fun.

And a friendly reminder: Memories are only a click away!