Playing Catch-Up: Spain!

It was bound to happen in my transitioning between my oldest issues of National Geographic Magazine to the DVD for my missing issues: I skipped ahead to 1931 before finishing 1930. Sorry!  Frankly, though, I can't see that, from the perspective of 83 years ago, we have lost a thing!

The next article in order is "Pursuing Spanish Bypaths Northwest of Madrid" by Harry A. McBride, in the January, 1931, issue. FYI: Madrid is near the center of Spain.

Immediately preceding the article is an eight-page section of color photos which are so beautiful they all look like paintings or tapestries.  First there is the intricately-carved stone front of the Royal Hospital at Santiago, completed in 1510 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (p. 113).  Santiago's Cathedral was built in the 13th century and contains the bones of the Apostle, St. James the Greater (p. 114).  The last page shows farming equipment so primitive the plow and cart are wooden.  The author mentions that these old implements are gradually disappearing in the large areas but are still in use in many of the country areas (p. 120).

To see the road to the Cathedral, Santiago de Compostela, rent the DVD, "The Way," an interesting story starring Martin Sheene and his son.  You will be amazed both by the story and the church's architecture.

"The most interesting feature of Segovia is the old Roman aqueduct, dating from the time of Augustus.  This structure, built of solid square blocks of granite, green with age, simply set together without cement or mortar, is 900 yards long and consists of 119 arches, some of them nearly 100 feet in height.  Perched on the top for about one-third of the length is a second tier of arches.  The whole structure is a stupendous reminder of the excellence of Roman engineering" (p. 121).  I have seen so many photos of parts of these Roman aqueducts, and seen parts in Rome, I find it fascinating that they have survived two millennia! Which of our modern buildings will survive two millennia?

The wall of the Old City of Rome resembles the aqueduct in other parts of the city.  October 2013.

Also in Segovia is their new cathedral - built in 1522.  Another 'attraction' is Alcazar, a castle built in the 11th century with "turrets, battlements, and towers" (p. 122).

This villa in St. Augustine, Florida, was modeled on another Spanish castle, Alhambra.

Mr. McBride's next stop was the town of Avila, appearing "largely as the Middle Ages left her" (p. 123), surrounded by walls and battle towers built in 1090.  The author journeyed northwest through the mountains and ended on the coastal town of Santiago de Compostela, wherein is the famous cathedral, begun in 1074, "in many ways the most interesting of French or Spanish Romanesque buildings.  The western facade was built some seven centuries later" (p. 127). 

His trip concluded with remarks that the forests in Spain were fast disappearing.  And he passed into Portugal. . .