Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada

Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada: Unique artistic creations, the Alhambra and the Generalife of Granada bear exceptional testimony to Muslim Spain of the 16th century. They form an exceptional example of royal Arab residences of the medieval period: neither destroyed nor changed by the alterations of radical restorations, the …

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Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville

Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville

From the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville World Heritage inscription for the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville: Together, the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias as a series, form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. They perfectly epitomize the Spanish “Golden Age”, incorporating vestiges of Islamic …

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Spanish Africa: Ceuta and Melilla

Spanish Africa: Ceuta and Melilla

Transcript If you think of Spain, you probably think of a European country which has its arm around Portugal where they eat tapas and paella. However, what if I told you that Spain is also an African country? In fact, it is the smallest country in Africa, and no, I’m not talking about the Canary …

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Visiting the Serra de Tramuntana in Mallorca, Spain

Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana  UNESCO World Heritage Site

Overview Mallorca is one of the most popular destinations in Spain. It is famous for its beaches and resorts, and it gets millions of visitors per year. However, most people are not aware that Mallorca has another side. Along the northwestern coast of the island runs the Serra de Tramuntana mountains. History Mallorca has a …

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Learning Spanish

My time in Valencia (both the province and the city) have been wonderful. I’ve been kept in constant movement since I’ve arrived either getting tours, giving speeches, or in lengthy Spanish dinners and lunches. That, plus some extremely poor internet connectivity over the weekend, means I haven’t had much time to write or process my …

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Behind the Lens – The Milky Way over La Palma, Canary Islands

I am not an expert in Astrophotography. Nonetheless, I had the chance to try my hand at it when I was on the island of La Palma back in 2011. La Palma, along with Mauna Kea in Hawaii, is one of the most important locations for professional astronomy in the world. It is the location …

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The Valencia Water Court: The Oldest Democratic Body in Europe

If you should happen to be in Valencia, Spain…in the Plaza de la Virgen….on Thursday…at noon, you will have a chance to glimpse the oldest democratic body in the world in operation: the Tribunal de las Aguas (The Water Court). Dating back over 1,000 years to the time of the Moorish conquest, the water court …

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Stuck Between Airborne Volcanic Rock And A Hard Place

I was supposed to be leaving for Spain today, but fate finds me still in Thailand. The huge ash cloud hovering over Europe has caused enough chaos in the air traffic system that I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be leaving. My hope is that I will be leaving within a day or two, but …

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