Lesson of the day: cheat the system by joining a group tour. You may also learn something. Arriving at the Alcazar, I was greeted by a line of tourists that seemed to stretch for miles towards I don't know where. The line seemed to be longer than the two lines that are permanently, and randomly, etched in my memory. The first line, which I had the pleasure of standing in for a good hour or so in the scorching, dry St. Petersburg summer sun, was for the observation deck on the St. Isaac's Cathedral. The second line, and I have no idea why this has made a comfortable and permanent home in my memory, was in some park in Russia where I waited 45 minutes in a line surrounded by chatty Russian ladies to use the bathroom. But I digress.
Fortunately, my experience with this particular line did not last long since my program director quickly ushered me and the other two girls into the hands of a tour guide with whom we only waited ten minutes to enter the
mudejar* palace. Walking into the Alcazar was like walking into a smaller version of the
Alhambra.
Look familiar? Tiled walls,
herradura** arches, stone carvings, immaculate gardens. Having spent almost ten hours at the Alhambra back in October, I felt very much at home walking through the splendid rooms of the Alcazar.
main patio:
stucco etching and tiles
gardens:
*Arab design applied to Christian architecture
**horseshoe
That was NOT in Russia, that was in Versaille. I mean the line to use the bathroom. Not everything that is bad happens in Russia.
ReplyDelete....and you know how Lev and Lizzie paid someone who ushered them to see Lenin's mummy, though that pleasure theoretically is a 100% free.
ReplyDeleteI´m pretty sure it was in Russia.
ReplyDeletei like your comparisons between the alcazar and alhambra. it would be even more interesting if you put some photos side to side to show their similarities.
ReplyDelete