Motivated Parent - Successful Child: January 2020

Spain – Check my photo album https://photos.app.goo.gl/j1z9kC1rRg4qf36C8

12/27/19 (Madrid, the capital of Spain)

Spain is in Europe and it is a part of the European Union.
There are discounted tickets to many museums for the EU residents.
Puerta del Sol is the center of Madrid where there is a point zero and The Carlos III Horse Statue.
Since 1967 the most famous symbol of Madrid is 'El Oso y El Madroño'. A 20 ton statue of a female bear eating fruits from a strawberry tree was sculptured in 2017 and placed in the most famous and most central square The Puerta del Sol to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the symbol.
The fruit of the Strawberry Tree is distinguished by its globular shape and rough-textured skin that is candy apple red and about 3/4 inch in diameter when ripe. Unlike ground strawberries, which wear their seeds on their skin, the Strawberry tree fruit contains seeds within its flesh. The flesh is white to golden in color with a soft jelly-like consistency. The Strawberry fruit replicates flavors reminiscent of apricots and guavas with subtle woody undertones, a characteristic evident of many wild shrub fruits. On a foraging note, unripe Strawberry tree fruit can cause nausea while overripe fruit ferments on the branch and can cause mild intoxication.
The historical Post Office in Madrid was built in 1768. It has also been a prison and police station and 9 years ago it became a city hall.
When in Spain eat 12 grapes in 12 second on New Year's Eve (symbol for 12 month of the year). It will guarantee you good luck for the entire year.
King Carlos III which has a statue added night light in Madrid for the safety and ordered to build a sewage system in the city.
The narrowest house in Madrid is only 3 meters wide and it is a gift shop now.
The Hairbrush hotel is the oldest one in the city built in 1610. It was called that name because there was a special hairbrush stuck to a chair made out of ivory.
1561 was when there were new borders established and a country became bigger.
“La Torre del Oro” is a bullfighting bar in Plaza Mayor, Madrid. This bar did not have live bullfights at the bar, as that would have been muy peligroso, but was rather a place where people who love bullfights could gather. 85 percent of young people don't like bullfighting, but they still come here to have a drink.
Plaza Mayor has suffered three serious fires throughout its history. After the first one Juan Gomez de Mora rebuilt the square. After the third fire Juan de Villanueva reconstructed it again and ordered to change buildings from 5 to 3 levels and created the series of arches at the corners of the square for safe escape if necessary.
Plaza Mayor was built in the 14th century. It used to be the biggest plaza in the city but now The Puerta del Sol is the biggest. This is the center of the radial network of Spanish roads. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year.
Spanish ate lots of pork, so during the Inquisition time it was easy for the Catholic church to find out who was Muslim or Jewish since they don’t eat pork.
Ferdinand and Isabella chose Catholicism to unite Spain and in 1478 asked permission of the pope to begin the Spanish Inquisition to purify the people of Spain. The Inquisition was definitively abolished July 15, 1834, by a Royal Decree signed by regent Maria Cristina de Borbon, during the minority of Isabel II and with the approval of the President of the Cabinet Francisco Martínez de la Rosa.
“El Kinze de Cuchilleros” barbershop was opened in 1900. Today it is one of the oldest barbershop in Madrid that, having passed its legacy from parents to children, has managed to maintain its essence and remain one of the most important in the capital. It is still cheap, $14 dollars for a haircut . Many famous people have gone there.
“Restaurante Bontini” is the oldest restaurant in the world that was opened in 1725 and is located in Calle Cuchilleros, Madrid, Spain, near the above mentioned barbershop. It is owned by Gonzalez family.
Hemmingway came to the oldest restaurant in the world. They offered roast meat and soup with bread instead of pasta. Now they offer paella, salads and others. The restaurant is very narrow therefore people need reservations to be facilitated.
There are 2 parts of the city: Austra and Latina. Austra is the royal family and Latina, the old Latin part. It is also a name of a market. The market was named after Elizabeth Latina who was special because she was a 21 years old woman who taught the children of the royal family. This showed that women were included in social life and important. This was weird in the 17th century. She was the first female university teacher and taught Latin.
In 1906 a man threw flowers with a bomb which injured 100 and killed 25. The bomb hit the cables. That day, there was a celebration and procession of the new king and queen.
The Spanish Republic (Spanish: República Española), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (Spanish: Segunda República Española), was the form of government that existed in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of Alfonso XIII, and it lost the Spanish Civil War on 1 April 1939 to the rebel faction that would establish a military dictatorship under the rule of FranciscoFranco.
In 2001 in Madrid there were many brass statues molded and placed around the city. They represented common people.
Madrid started as a fort for Toledo to protect the city against the North. Arabs conquered Madrid and called it Mahret which with time turned into Madrid.
Toledo was the capital of Spain for a short period of time.
The Madrid Cathedral is designed in Neo-Gothic style which means that it has high ceiling and lots of light. Greek and latin statues are placed on the building. The Cathedral was built for 100 years. Bishop lived in Toledo.
There are 108 statues of kings near the Royal Palace.
Taking inspiration from a painting by Velázquez and possibly conversing with Galileo Galilei about stability issues, Pietro Tacca crafted an enormous bronze statue of King Philip IV of Spain that carried its weight on the rearing horse's two hind legs and tail, the first time this posture had been accomplished in a bronze of that size. The horse's tail balances the weight. The king didn't like the original head of the statue and ordered the artist to cut it off and put up a new one. Now we can see that the head is smaller than the neck.

12/29/19 (Madrid, the capital of Spain)

Madrid is the 3rd most populated city in the European Union.
Madrid originated from 1200 years ago.
Toledo used to be the capital and Madrid was supposed to just protect it.
There are 21 districts in Spain.
Peceta was the old currency of Spain.
In 2002, Spain adopted Euros as their currency.
Plaza Toros Las Ventas in Madrid, Spain is the third largest bullring in the world. The largest is the Plaza de Toros México in Mexico City, and the second largest is Plaza de Toros Monumental de Valencia in Venezuela. Plaza Toros Las Ventas is of course the largest bullring in Spain. It can seat 25,000 people and it measures an impressive 60 metres in diameter. Construction was completed in 1929, but the inauguration didn't take place until June 17, 1931.
The best time to experience bullfighting in Madrid is during the San Isidro fiesta, which takes place between May and June each year. This is the most famous bullfighting festival in the world and fights take place every day for three weeks. The bull fights start at 7pm and generally last some two or three hours.
Nowadays people prefer soccer from bullfighting. Soccer is the national sport.
In 1976, 18 Muslim countries with diplomatic representation in Spain signed an agreement to erect a mosque in Madrid. “Omar Mosque'' in Madrid, popularly known as the M-30 Mosque, was financed by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia who provided 2,000 million pesetas to carry out the construction. It was inaugurated by the Saudi monarch and Juan Carlos I of Spain on September 21, 1993.
As of 2016, Spain officially had 1,919,141 Muslims out of a total population of 46,438,422, or slightly above 4%, of the total population. Out of these, 1,115,124, or 58.7%, were immigrants without Spanish citizenship.
There are not many skyscrapers in Madrid. The Picasso Tower, built in 2009, which is white, is the tallest skyscraper in Madrid. It is 150 meters or 900 feet and owned by the owner of Zara. It was designed by the same designer who designed the Twin Towers.
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century. Picasso is credited, along with Georges Braque, with the creation of Cubism.
Most people in Madrid live in condominiums. The average cost of a 2 bedroom apartment is 250,000 euros. A small house cost around 1.5 millions euros.
In 1989, the Berlin wall was pulled down. Three sections of the Berlin Wall are placed within the "Parque de Berlín" (Berlin Park), in the district of Chamartín in Madrid; they are located in the center of a fountain/pond, in the north-eastern corner of the park.
“Real Madrid” is the name of a soccer team and the stadium.
There is a plan to make it the most modern one in Madrid. Barcelona has a bigger stadium than Madrid. It has a capacity of 81000 people. After the renovation it will be even bigger. The work has started a few weeks ago.
The ticket to tour the stadium costs about 21 euros.
Castellana Avenue is the most popular street in Madrid.
On January 6th, there is a big parade to celebrate Three Kings (the Magi.) It is very special for kids because they get their Christmas presents that day.
Plaza de Colón (Columbus Square) used to mark the borders and end of Madrid. Plaza de Colón was established in 1893 in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage to America, celebrated the year before in 1892. The plaza features two very different artistic works that honor the great explorer, who was commissioned by Spain's royalty - King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella - to make the trip.
There are 4 blocks which symbolized four Columbus' trips of 1492, 1493, 1498, and 1502.
On February 16, 1808, under the pretext of sending reinforcements to the French army occupying Portugal, French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain. Thus began the Peninsular War, an important phase of the Napoleonic Wars that was fought between France and much of Europe between 1792 and 1815.
In the 18th century Carles the III built a botanical garden and a place for science which is now the Prada Museum.
The Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha or Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha is a large church in central Madrid.
Madrid metro was inaugurated on 17 October 1919 by King Alfonso. The first phase was constructed in a narrow section and the stations had 60 m (200 ft) platforms. The system is the 12th longest rapid transit system in the world, with a total length of 293 km (182 mi). Its growth between 1995 and 2007 put it among the fastest growing networks in the world at the time, rivaling many Asian metros such as the Shanghai Metro, Guangzhou Metro, Beijing Subway, and Delhi Metro.
The Atocha Train station is the largest railway station in Madrid, Spain, and one of a kind in the world. What makes Atocha so special is the stunning 4,000 square meter tropical garden the station houses under the arched skylight.
The part of the station where the greenhouse resides dates back to 1851, to the time when Atocha was inaugurated. Over 7,000 plants belonging to around 260 different species adorn the garden, including a pond with 22 species of fish and turtles. In the summer months, when the dry heat of Madrid seeps through the glass roof, hundreds of tiny sprinklers let off a sort of steam, giving the place a genuine look of outdoors jungle.
There is 3,000 km of high speed railroad in Spain which is the 2nd biggest in the world. Only China has 15,000 km long subway.
Reina Sofia Museum was a 18th century hospital. For that reason it is rather ugly. In 1992, it began to store contemporary art. In 1937, Picasso painted Guernica for the King Filipe and now we can admire it in the Reina Sofia Museum.
Spanish artist Pablo Picasso’s monumental anti-war mural Guernica was received by Spain after four decades of refugee existence on September 10, 1981. One of Picasso’s most important works, the painting was inspired by the destruction of the Basque town of Guernica by the Nazi air force during the Spanish CivilWar. In 1939, Picasso gave the painting to New York’s Museum of Modern Art on an extended loan and decreed that it not be returned to Spain until democratic liberties were restored in the country. Its eventual return to Spain in 1981–eight years after Picasso’s death–was celebrated as a moral endorsement of Spain’s young democracy.
Three great plagues ravaged Spain in the 17th century. They were: The Plague of 1596–1602 (Arrived in Santander by ship from northern Europe, most likely the Netherlands, then spread south through the center of Castile, reaching Madrid by 1599 and arriving in the southern city of Seville by 1600.) The ambassadors decided to settle away from Madrid for that time. In memory of that event there is a square named Ambassador Square.
Spain still has a royal family. The Spanish monarchy is currently represented by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 re-established a constitutional monarchy as the form of government for Spain.
Filip the VI is 51 years old. He is tall, educated and very modern. In 2004 he married in a cathedral a young journalist. They were driven short distances from the palace in a couch. They never spend a night in the palace.
The royal family today doesn't live in The Royal Place. They live in an 18th century hunting lodge, 5 miles from Madrid. King and queen cannot live in the big castle because it doesn't belong to the Royal family anymore.
The current king doesn't hunt and isn't deeply religious. He married a commoner, journalist. His father, Juan Carlos is 80 y.o. and still alive but resigned because of a poor heart condition. He liked hunting a lot.
1561 was when the original palace was constructed but it burnt in 1754. The next one was rebuilt from different materials, this time from stone.
The palace is in the same spot as it was before. It was built in 20 years. It was designed only by 2 people.
The Royal Palace in Madrid is enormous and it has 2800 rooms. The last king who lived in the big palace was Alfonso.
The cathedral in front of the palace called Almudena Cathedral (Santa María la Real de La Almudena) was finished in 1992. The Neo-Gothic interior is uniquely modern, with chapels and statues of contemporary artists, in heterogeneous styles, from historical revivals to "pop-art" decor.
The pope John Paul II blessed the cathedral in 1993. There is a beautiful bronze scene of it on the entrance door.
The cathedral seems to have been built on the site of a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083 when Alfonso VI reconquered Madrid. Construction ceased completely during the Spanish Civil War, and the project was abandoned until 1950, when Fernando Chueca Goitia adapted the plans of de Cubas to a baroque exterior to match the grey and white façade of the Palacio Real, which stands directly opposite.
In 1931 people tried to build a republic but lasted only 5 years.
Treaties signed and official reception were in the big castle.
Filip the II is the one who moved the capital to Madrid.
Al Morena means city wall. The city was reconquered by Christians in the 11th century. There is Almerena church where when the wall collapsed a picture of St. Mary appeared. The cathedral was named the same way.
The City Hall was constructed in the 17th century. It was used as a jail and meeting place for officials.
A historical building next to The City Hall was built in the 14th century.
There are still 3 cloisters and convents in Madrid.
San Isidro is the saint of Madrid. Isidore the Farm Labourer, also known as Isidore the Farmer (Spanish: San Isidro Labrador) (c. 1070 – May 15, 1130), was a Spanish farm-worker known for his piety toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers and of Madrid, and of La Ceiba, Honduras. His feast day is celebrated on May 15.
50 years ago people only had nativity scenes during Christmas season but now they have Christmas trees too.
In the 60s, 70s, 90s, car producing was an important industry in Spain. Now Spain is the 14th car exporter but it used to export more and it was the 4th.

Happy New Year!

12/30/19 (Toledo, The Old Capital)

The Toledo population is 80,000 people.
Toledo is known for its traditional crafts, including damascene metalwork, antique-inspired swords, and handmade marzipan (sweet almond candies). Marcipan is a typical sweet during the Christmas season. The nuns make unique marcepan and sell it for charity. However, the most famous art works of Toledo are the masterpieces by El Greco displayed throughout the city's churches and convents as well as at the El Greco Museum.
Knives and blades from Toledo are very famous. They were exported throughout Europe.
Damascene metalwork, famous for Toledo, is generally made by inlaying oxidized steel with gold or silver, creating intricate designs that resemble tapestry patterns. Thin segments of gold or silver wire are then worked into this chased void, creating a sharp edge between the steel and its inlaid patterns. 24 artisans make this type of jewelry in Toledo.
The old Toledo was protected by medieval walls.
Roman came to Toledo and met the Iberians in 280 BC. Iberians have little info.
They called it Ispania, turning into España which is how the county was named.
A period of Visigods, or Germanic people, was after the Romans. Romans and Visigods protected land from Germans. They founded a city and it remained the capital. In 711 AD, Arabs came.
The Castle of San Servando is a medieval castle in Toledo, Spain, near the Tagus River. It was begun as a monastery, occupied first by monks and later by the Knights Templar. It was built in the 11th century to protect the bridge.
It took Romans 200 years to conquer Toledo.
San Martin Bridge is the oldest bridge remaining made in the 14th century.
El Canta Bridge was built later in the 14th century where the old one was. Only two historical bridges are still standing. There used to be 11.
The Puerta de Bisagra Nueva ("The New Bisagra Gate") is the best known city gate of Toledo. The gate is of Moorish origin, but the main part was built in 1559 by Alonso deCovarrubias. It carries the coat of arms of the emperor Charles V. It superseded the Puerta Bisagra Antigua as the main entrance to the city. It was built after Toledo became the capital.
The oldest gate in Toledo, The Puerta Bab al-Mardum, or Puerta de Valmardón, was built in the 10th century. It used to be the main gate to the city. Its name 'mardum' is Arabic for 'blocked up'. Perhaps because its function was taken over by the Puerta del Sol.
The San Pablo monastery was built in the 14th century but abandoned 200 years later.
Troops came from Syria and found Cordoba; they conquered it, which is in the South. Chtistian leaders gathered in the North creating a new christian kingdom. Country got unified. The unification took 800 years, from 711 to 1492. Alfonz the VI helped reconquer.
In the capital of the Empire, Toledo still remains in writing the fight of a bullfight in the year 1566, on the occasion of the birth of the infanta Clara Eugenia, daughter of Filipe II. In that same scenario years later, concretely in 1572 two great bullfighting festivities were celebrated that caused sensation: the first one was due to the great victory of Lepanto and the second with the birth of Prince Ferdinand.
For many years, until 1865, the bullfights were celebrated in the plaza del Zocodover, backbone of the Castilian city, sometimes sounded. It is in the 19th century when rise the new and definitive bullring of Toledo, located on the road of Madrid.
Main economy in Toledo is tourism but since it is so close, people only come for ½ day and sleep in Madrid.
Saint John of the Monarchs church was going to be a burial place for Isabel. It was built 500 years ago. Later it wasn't a burial place anymore because they conquered Granada and wanted to be buried there.
The Cathedral in Toledo was built in the 13th century and has 5 entrances.
There are only three priests who serve the cathedral and they even live in private apartments far from the cathedral.
Bishop's house was built in the 16th century. They built a bridge so the bishop wouldn't get wet.
Charles III founded Toledo. His son Filip became the king. He moved the capital to Madrid.
The code of arms of Charles which were 2 heads became the city code of arms because Charles III founded the country.
There was lots of wood used as construction material so fires burned buildings easily.
San Marcos church was built 500 years ago and became an art gallery not long ago. Changing it into a modern thing is quite usual nowadays.
Then when Madrid became the capital, Doménikos Theotokópoulos, called “El Greco”, a prominent Renaissance painter, sculptor, and architect of Greek origin moved to Spain. El Greco was needed to paint El Escorial. King Filip didn't like El Greco’s paintings so El Greco moved to Toledo and stayed there for the rest of his life. He was regarded as a Spaniard because he changed his painting style. First he painted like Michelangelo but then he lengthened his figures and used very bright colors in his paintings.
In Santo Tome church (english Saint Thomas church) there is “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz,'' a 1586 painting by El Greco. Widely considered among his finest works, it illustrates a popular local legend of his time. The painting in Santo Tome church was made in 2 parts. It became well known because people went to see it frequently.
Gonzalo Ruiz de Toledo, Count of Orgaz, was a Toledan nobleman who had lived in the fourteenth century and acquired a renown as a donor to religious institutions. Before he died, he had willed certain rents from the village of Orgaz to the church of Santo Tomé, where he had elected to be buried. In 1586 the parish priest initiated a project to refurbish the count's burial chapel, and commissioned El Greco to paint what has to be considered as his masterpiece.
In the painting 2 saints descended from heaven, Saints Stephen and Augustine because the Count of Orgaz was a good and noble person.
El Greco is included in his painting and he is the only person looking at the viewer. El Greco's son is there as well and he is the only child in the painting.
El Greco's son Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli was born in Toledo, became a painter and architect and designed the city hall in Toledo.
El Greco painted weirdly because he might have had problems inside when he came to Spain.
On July 31, 1492 Isabella I ofCastile and Ferdinand II ofAragon ordered the expulsion of practicing Jews from their kingdoms.
The one who changed their religion officially (not really) could stay, the one who didn't went to the North of Africa, Morocco and became Slaves. Later they moved to Portugal but after 5 years they were also kicked out. They went to the Ottoman Empire after that and were finally accepted.
Santa Terresa de Jesus changed her religion to Christianity.
Jewesh people called the river Sefarat and were called Sefaraties.
The people blamed natural disasters of all defeats to Jews.
There are little tiles now and then on the cobblestone streets of Toledo made by Jewish that show their symbols such as the menorah to show that they lived there even though they were ordered to move out by the king and queen of Spain. They claimed that the land was theirs so they got it for free since their ancestors who they didn't even know were prosecuted.
The Hebrew word for life is a popular symbol and toast; chaya ( חיה) means "living thing" or "animal"- and is linked to the number 18. Both words rhyme with “high,” and the toast l'chaim (לחים), which, as anyone who has seen Fiddler on the Roof knows, means “to life.”
There used to be 10 synagogues in Toledo but now there are only 2.
Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca was built in 1900. The synagogue didn't have 2 floors (2nd for women) so they used the curtains while the other synagogue had 2 floors for genders. In synagogues the door doesn't face the altar.
Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca used to serve as a shelter for poor women and later a military Magazine for Napoleon during the French and Spanish war.
Morris art was popular for Christian and Jewish buildings. Arabic art was popular in Christian churches.
La Mancha cheese is very typical and special for Toledo and named after a famous book “The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha” novel by Miguel de Cervantes. The cheese is made from milk from La Mancha sheep.
In Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes people raised money to free soldiers caught by Arabs during the war.

12/31/19 (Grenada)

Grenada elevation is 738 m (2,421 ft) above sea level. Granada is a city in southern Spain of Andalusia region, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Sierra Nevada is the coldest place in the south and it has snow slopes. It is home to Europe's most southerly ski resort, with a season running from November to late May. Mount Veleta's northern slopes provide a spectacular setting for the resort, which offers over 100 kilometers (62 miles) of skiable routes spread between 124 pistes.
The pomegranate or Punica granatum, is “granada” in Spanish and the official motif or “heraldic symbol” of the city. “Granada” also means grenade or hand grenade. The city was supposed to be called Granata but the Christians didn't know how to pronounce it.
Granada has an ancient and still considerable Gitano (Gypsy) population, from whose clans many of Spain's best flamenco guitarists, dancers and singers have emerged. Traditionally the gypsies inhabited cave homes on Sacramento Hill, and many still do, giving lively displays of dancing and music in their Zambras (shindigs).
The caves have the same temperature all year long, always 18C degree which is comfortable for an unstable temperature outside.
Nowadays there are fancy caves to rent for rich people as well.
Most people in Granada are Catholic.
Granada used to have a sugar industry.
The Emirate of Granada (Arabic: إمارة غرﻧﺎﻃﺔ‎, trans. Imārat Ġarnāṭah), also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada (Spanish: Reino Nazarí de Granada), was an emirate established in southern Iberia in 1230 by Muhammad ibn al-Ahmar. In 1236 Cordoba was conquered. After Prince Idris left Iberia to take the Almohad Caliphate leadership, the ambitious Ibn al-Ahmar established the last Muslim dynasty on the Iberian Peninsula, the Nasrids. The Nasrid emirs were responsible for building part of the Alhambra palace complex. By 1250, the Emirate was the last part of the Iberian Peninsula held by the Muslims. It roughly corresponded to the modern Spanish provinces of Granada, Almería, and Málaga. Andalusian Arabic was the mother tongue of the majority of the population. For 250 years (two and a half centuries,) the region enjoyed considerable cultural and economic prosperity. It was gradually conquered by the Crown of Castile and dissolved with the 1491 Treaty of Granada, ending the Granada War. In January 1492 Muhammad XII of Granada, the last Nasrid ruler of Granada, formally relinquished his sovereignty and surrendered his territories to Castile, eventually moving to the north of Africa in exile.
Grenada is known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra.
Alhambra fortress was a military city but was never attacked because of its strategic surrounding and structure. There were no trees in the past for the soldiers to be able to see enemies. Enemies came from the valley.
The name Alhambra, signifying in Arabic “red,” is probably derived from the reddish color of the tapia (rammed earth) of which the outer walls were built (in Arabic, («qa'lat al-Hamra'» means Red Castle.)
Alhambra - This hilltop fortress complex encompasses royal palaces, serene patios, and reflecting pools from the Nasrid dynasty, as well as fountains and orchards of the Generalife gardens.
The Alhambra was an “alcazaba” (fortress), an “alcázar” (palace) and a small “medina” (city), all in one.
The Alhambra is the last and greatest Moorish palace in Europe.
Alhambra fortress inspired many artists.
Moorish poets described it as "a pearl set in emeralds," in allusion to the color of its buildings and the woods around them.
“La Puerta del Vino” (The Wine Gate in Alhambra inspired Claude Debussy's eponymous piece of music, despite never having seen it. http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/en/edificios-lugares/the-gate-of-wine
https://www.alhambradegranada.org/en/info/charlesvpalaceandsurroundingareas/winegate.asp Alhambra became famous thanks to a book called “Tales of the Alhambra” by American author Washington Irving. The book is a collection of essays, verbal sketches and stories. Washington Irving (1783–1859) was inspired by Alhambra, and partly wrote his book during his 1828 visit to the palace/fortress complex.
“Noches en los jardines de España” (Nights in the Gardens of Spain), G. 49, is a piece of music by the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla. Falla was Andalusian and the work refers to the Hispano-Arabic past of this region (Al-Andalus).
Alhambra is about 740 meters (2,430 ft) in length by 205 meters (670 ft) at its greatest width. It covers an area of about 142,000 square meters (1,530,000 sq ft) or 35 acres.
Water means power and is an important symbol in Islamic gardens and faith. Muslims have to wash hands, feet and face and pray 5 times a day before they pray.
Water was also an important source of contemplation for Nasrid scholars. To quote from the inscriptions on the fountain: A running stream evokes the illusion of being a solid substance and one wonders which one is in truth fluid.
The Alhambra is built on an elevated plateau. A complex water conveyance system began operating about 800 years ago.
A supply was established by building a dam and aqueduct from the River Darro over six kilometers away. This channel, the Acequia Real, was the first to bring water to the palace and the beginning of a complex water network for the growing palace-city. Subsequent improvements included reverse qanāts, an ingenious irrigation system that takes river, run-off and subterranean water and channels it underground towards the hill, where it pools in a cistern beneath the complex. Recent discoveries suggest that complex hydraulicdevices were then used to draw water up to the palace.
One of the most celebrated architectural design achievements in the complex is the Court of the Lions, constructed in the mid-14th century. This austere yet magnificent space follows a traditional charbagh plan, a quadrilateral garden arrangement of four platforms divided by four water channels, symbolizing the four rivers and four gardens of Islamic paradise. These channels converge in a central fountain whose basin is supported by twelve intricately decorated lion sculptures. The volume of flowing water is modest, but its effect is great within the carefully controlled space. A variety of porticos, side rooms, and halls decorated with crystalline muqarnas surround the open-air court.
All fountains there are gravity fountains and water flows because of an incline https://www.piccavey.com/secrets-alhambra-palace-water/
Muhammad had summer and winter palace in Grenada. The Palacio de Generalife (Arabic: Jannat al-'Arif? - Architect's Garden) was the summer palace and country estate of the Nasrid sultans of Granada. The palace and gardens were built during the reign of Muhammad III (1302-1309) and redecorated shortly after by Abu I-Walid Isma'il (1313-1324).
The palace complex is designed in the Mudéjar style which is characteristic of western elements reinterpreted into Islamic forms and largely popular during the Reconquista, a period of history in which the Christian kings reconquered Spain from the Muslims.
Decoration designs were made of plaster, alabaster, crushed marble and water. It was not cut but molded.
800 years old columns are still standing thanks to led added at the top and bottom of each column. This helps to absorb earthquakes well.
There are black and white stone mosaics on the floors.
Windows were built low, closed to the grand/floor because when Muslims prayed, they put elbows on frame.
A “Legend of The Abencerrages Room” says that when one of the knights fell in love with the sultana the sultan got upset and beheaded 37 knights. It is said that the reddish color that even today can be seen in the bowl of the fountain, and in the channel that carries its water to the fountain of the Patio de los Leones, is due to the blood stains of the murdered knights. https://www.alhambra.info/en/legends-alhambra.html
There is no reference to the Alhambra as a residence of kings until the 13th century, although fortification has existed since the 9th century.
When Muslim came to Europe they planted many orange trees. Double leaf trees produce sour oranges, good for marmalade so loved by British.

Spain

Spain used to be all different kingdoms and they fought among each other. In 1492 Spain became a united country.
There are 4 official languages in Spain: Galician-Portuguese, Spanish (Castilian), Basque, Catalan. Valenciano is another language but in reality it is same as Catelan, which is Spanish. All The East speaks Catalan.
Tagus River is the biggest river in Iberian Peninsula. It is 1000 km. Iberian Peninsula is in Portugal and Spain
In 1975, Spain had a representative government. All communities were independent. The people with politics didn't want this to happen.
The North is much different from the rest of Spain; is the richest. It is Basque country and Catalonia. There is a well-developed industry. The North has all the best: good weather, water, fertile land, and good work ethic like the northern European so they are good at business. Catalans protest and burn trash frequently to get independence from Spain.
There is 20% unemployment in the south.
In Spain, there’s nothing quite as important as HAM. It’s bigger than religion, bigger than football, and goes beyond just a regular obsession. This isn’t just food, it is life.
Spanish ham is the best thing that can happen to the back leg of a pig. Rather than cooking the ham, you make jamón by dry-curing the leg. After slaughter, the legs are trimmed and cleaned, and then stacked in a barrel full of salt. They’re left for roughly two weeks to drain as much moisture as possible! The leg is cured for the bare minimum time, and is ready for sale no more than 12 months later.
After that, the salt is wiped off and the legs are left to hang and cure. It’s carved off of the bone and served alongside other cured meats, sausages, and cheeses as an appetizer.
The Spanish tradition of ham making dates back more than 2,000 years to when the Roman Empire controlled most of the country. Even to the exotic palates of the Romans, Spanish ham was a delicacy. But for hundreds of years, cured ham legs were a specialty reserved only for royalty and clergy. It wasn’t until the 13th century that ham made its way to the everyman’s table. Today, the average Spaniard eats more than 7 pounds of cured ham per year!
IBERIAN HAM is made of black pig fed with acorns. It is very expensive. It costs 200 Euros per kg.
SERRANO HAM comes from pigs with the oh-so-inventive name of “white pigs”. These pigs have white or light brown hooves. Due to the pigs breed, their conditions, and their diet, the fat is not integrated into the meat. You’ll see that serrano ham has broad strips of pink meat alongside strips of pure white fat, with no marbling. The fat content of the pig is around 25%.
The whole world knows about the gastronomic miracle in Segovia, a town located in the north of Spain: Cochinillo Asado or Roast Suckling Pig cooked in a special oven. The criteria for both pigs and restaurants are very strict. For the pigs: not heavier than 4-5 kilograms, milk-fed only, not older than three weeks, a special breed and a special menu for the feeding mother. Then it’s time for the chef’s talent and the special oven.
Paco Montalvo (born 19 November 1992) is a Spanish classical musician and creator of flamenco violin as the main voice. He is the youngest violinist to make a 21st-century debut in the main hall of Carnegie Hall in New York City. He began by taking lessons from his father at the age of five. He practiced daily for 12 hours.
50 years ago in Spain people only had nativity scenes during Christmas season but now they have Christmas trees and decorations everywhere too.
In the 60s 70s 90s, car producing was an important industry in Spain. Now Spain is the 14th car exporter but it used to export more and it was the 4th.
Bullfighting is a big industry so even though people don’t like it they support it have job opportunities.
Casa Pepe is a restaurant about someone who worked with Hitler. It is a restaurant opened by someone who admired the guy who worked with Hitler named Franko. He was attached to the Catholic Church. He wanted people to be baptized. Franko was a fascist. Some people were happy with him but many people liked his rule.
80% of Catholics were married in church 20 years ago and now only 20% or less
El Escorial Monastery - is a vast building complex located in the heart of the Guadarrama Sierra (on one side of Mount Abantos) in San Lorenzo de El Escorial just 50 kilometres from Madrid. It was declared to be a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1984. The building is the most important architectural monument of the Spanish Renaissance. On 23rd April 1563, the first stone was laid under the orders of Juan Bautista de Toledo. On his death in 1567, Juan de Herrera was responsible for the work, marking his own architectural stamp in the "herreriano" style, characterized by the importance of the lines rather than the abuse of decorative elements that distract attention from the building. Construction ended in 1584. The project was conceived by King Philip II, who wanted a building to serve the multiple purposes of a burial place for his father, Holy Roman emperor Charles V; a Hieronymite monastery; and a palace. The first architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo, designed the ground plan on a gridiron scheme, recalling the grill on which San Lorenzo, the patron of the building, was martyred. After Toledo’s death, Juan de Herrera took up work on the project. The final product was uniquely Spanish. The building complex, severe in its lines, has four principal stories with large towers at each corner. Arranged within a quadrangle, the buildings include the church (1582), the monastery, royal palace, and college (1584), and the library (1592).

Bonus Tip

Don't share opinions on politics in the country because there are different opinions

Food I wanted to try

Marcepan
Smoked salmon
Paella Valenciana
Patatas bravas
Gazpacho
Pimientos de Padron
Fideuà
Jamón
Tortilla
Churros
Mango ice-cream
Caramel nut popcorn
Perdimos ir caki

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Facts about Spain, History, Fun Facts and Different Cities