Segovia is an extremely picturesque city. I really couldn’t stop taking shots while we were there, and have so many great images that we had to split it up into two posts. Enjoy this second glance of the wonderful city an hour north of Madrid. Our first post on Segovia can be found here.
Now, we think 11th place was a little unfair for Plaza de la Merced’s 2010 monument. Theirs has consistently been one of the least interesting special section offerings, but the commission really stepped it up with this year’s “Passage Through Valencia”, and deserved better than 11th.
A huge touristic train rumbles through different scenes of the “New Valencia”, filled with sightseers and animals from the Bioparc. It was humorous, and well-done.
Keep at it Merced! You’re headed in the right direction.
For hostel/hotel bookings during Fallas, we’ve found the best rates at Hostelbookers, Booking.com and Apartments in Valencia
Don’t miss out: Our trip to Segovia part II
In 2010, we’re making good on our promise to see more of Spain! We recently spent a weekend in the gorgeous medieval city of Segovia, an hour north of Madrid. The entire casco antiguo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for good reason. Within the old walls of Segovia are any number of treasures, including a bustling Plaza Mayor, an imposing cathedral, twisting alleys, and an abundance of restaurants serving the famous Segovian cochinillo (roast suckling pig). But the highlights are the Alcázar and the mind-blowing Roman Aqueduct, found at opposite ends of the city.
Segovia is about 4 hours from Valencia by car, so doesn’t really qualify as a “day trip”. But if you’re in Madrid and have some extra time, you should definitely make the effort. Enjoy our pictures of this beautiful ancient city.
We returned recently to Xativa, in order to impress Mike’s parents, visiting from the castle-less USA. Since I’ve already taken practically every possible picture of the Xativa castle, this time a I made an HD video.
I’m not entirely happy with the quality or editing… and the music kind of gets annoying after a while. But I think the video provides a good overview of the castle. Hope you enjoy it!
Alright, 10th place isn’t the greatest finish ever for the Fallas commission of Cuba-Literato Azorín, but they did emerge from the festival with the victory they were really hoping for — the prize for best Street Lights.
Filmed with the Sanyo VPC – CS 1 (super tiny) available here: USA, UK, Deutschland and Spain
In the dark blue glow of their beautiful lights, the monument almost seemed to be an afterthought… “The Family Skala” was a portrayal of a bourgeoisie family in Victorian England. An old man stood atop a spiral staircase, who could have been Watson, and other characters and scenes from the period littered the scene.
Our favorite ninot was of Jack the Ripper knocking on a door, with his blade hidden behind his back. But otherwise, this monument was just not as well done as a lot of others, and seriously suffered by its proximity to Sueca’s wonderful ode to the nations of the world.
For hostel/hotel bookings during Fallas, we’ve found the best rates at Hostelbookers, Booking.com and Apartments in Valencia
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