Chuck's Posts beginning April 22, 2015 in Madrid

We spent two nights in Madrid with our program director Ramon. Double click on picture to enlarge.

The Royal Palace (most inside pictures were not allowed of the individual rooms) :

Church across square from Royal Palace:

Great steak at restaurant pic below:

El Escorial Tour - April 23, 2015

Toledo, City of Three Cultures

Hill overlooking Tagus River

Local Pastry

Toledo Cathedral

 

 

El Alcazar, the 16th Century Moorish citadel

Copy of El Greco's famous painting in Santa Maria Church:

 

El Greco's signature

 

his self portrait???

After touring Toledo, we move on to Cordoba

Bus Stop at Wine Store

Saffron

Franco's Mausoleum

Cordoba, best known for its most famous landmark, the Mezquita (Great Mosque), the third-largest mosque in the world, built during the tenth century-7 Videos

Granada, founded by the Romans and site of the Alhambra, began during the 13th century by the Moors and continued over centuries:

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Extensive Garden of the Alhambra to create a paradise on earth:

Torremolinos and view from our hotel room:

Optional tour across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier, Morocco:

 

 

 Rug Factory Stop

 

Lunch Stop

 

Drive back in Spain to hotel:

 

 

 

 

 Drive to Malaga, views from bus:

Sevilla and The Alhambra:

 

Alhambra Garden Tour:

 

April 28, 2015 Torremolinos and Malaga:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rhonda Bull Ring and city

Rafael Tajeda Horse and Bull Ranch and lunch 

Burial site of Olson Wells in courtyard of home

top of palm tree dying from disease

Another diseased palm tree

views from top of Rhonda, like many Andalucian cities saw its glory days under Moorish rule and last stronghold of the Arabs before being conquered by the Christians in 1485:

Views from Rhonda bridge into gorge below

Sevilla and the Flamingo Dance Performance:

 

 

Drive to Lisbon Portugal:

    

 

 

 Horse Breeding Farm

 

 

 

 

 

Piles of Cork bark

Views from Lisbon hotel room

Lisbon City Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sintra and Casscais

Royal Palace in Sintra dating back to the middle ages

 

Farewell Dinner May 3, 2015