European Railway Journeys 6of6 Andalusian Express
this european rail journey takes us to spain on the trip of a lifetime traveling by train through southern spain we'll see some of the most fascinating country in the whole of europe we'll be stopping off in andalusia on a circular rail journey that encompasses history folklore and festivals the silver rails of spain will take us to many interesting sites as we pass through golden sunflower fields olive groves and dramatic scenery this is a land with plenty of good taste where a paella can be accompanied by subtle sherries and great wines it's a country alive with music including the artistry of flamenco true in gypsy folklore and rich with indian influences and our train well that has a history of its own which we'll come to shortly let it be said now though that it's one of the world's greatest of railway journeys and its route will be from seville via cordoba granada and ronda towards the resorts of the costa del sol before we start our journey we'll take a look at seville itself which lies on the rio guadalcuvier some 540 kilometers south of the capital madrid this is the capital of andalusia and regarded as the most spanish of spanish cities the pioneering global adventurers ferdinand magellan and christopher columbus set out on their epic journeys from here the romans came to seville in 45 bc and what was a village developed into a major town the moors later gave way to a monarchy and much of the growth of seville can be attributed to a golden age of trade with the new world the landscape is littered with the inheritance of different styles this style being the olympic stadium of tomorrow and under construction close to the center of seville for history one need look no further than seville's great cathedral through this ornate moorish arched entrance is a colossus only saint peter's enrollments and polls in london are bigger there are over 30 chapels and it's here that the great navigator columbus is buried here in the sacrista mayor are many treasures including the silver guild keys to the city presented to the king saint ferdinand iii also a cross made of the first gold brought back by columbus from the new world as well as admiring the richly decorated interior visitors can climb the massive la giralda tower and here a further reminder of christopher columbus who sailed in 1492 to what would become known as the bahamas the santa cruz area of the city includes the back streets and alleyways of seville's old quarter here traditional tapas bars entice footweary tourists to rest a while before they take on further exploration as an alternative a horse-drawn carriage ride will enable the visitor to be guided around some of the major attractions in comfort along the banks of the river we pass torrei del oro or tower of gold as part of the old city defenses this lookout constructed in 1220 was where treasures from the new world would have been unloaded one of the most attractive places to visit is the parque maria luisa the whole area was designed by parisian jean-claude forrester as part of the 1929 iberio american exposition this was a dazzling international extravaganza set amongst leafy surroundings the centerpiece of the area is the plaza de espana this semi-circular plaza looks across to the river and the parkland adjacent contains pastiche pavilions that today are home to museums of andalusian folk art and archaeology back on the ground the plaza designed by anibal gonzalez has a fountain that adds a degree of refreshment in the midday heat temperatures in seville can soar to uncomfortable levels in mid-summer and the shade of the trees in parque maria luisa make for a further refreshing retreat the whole plaza is very theatrical in its layout and characteristic tile work in the form of balustrades steps and benches provide interesting touches students of architecture will find plenty to sketch within the grounds here the gardens and plaza are the most dazzling remnants of that 1929 exposition though the year itself is maybe more noteworthy for the wall street crash which dominated headlines at the same time our carriage ride continues here we passed the 18th century former royal tobacco factory where three quarters of europe's cigars were once manufactured the carriage ride will end near the equestrian statue of ferdinand iii who liberated seville from the moors back on the shaded shopping streets there are familiar high street names and spanish souvenirs included is popular and practical headwear for all occasions cool in summer durable and colorful a tile work technique introduced by the moors known as azulejos can be found on many buildings as decoration or as here in an original 1924 studebaker car advertisement also still very evident is the traditional spanish tapas bar and one of the joys of eating out in the region is the noted sociability of the andalusians here the visitor will find tapas the habit is suggested to have come from the eating of a few nibbles with a drink before a main meal in spanish this would be tapar el apetito or in translation put a lid on the appetite these are friendly informal places where the day's business life or social calendar would be discussed seated on tiled benches tapas are generally eaten standing at the bar and in seville there are plenty of such places to eat as evening approaches young and old generations will frequent these fashionable meeting places festivals and cultural events fill andalucia's calendar and seville is at the forefront of several religious events in late may or early june corpus christi is commemorated and the streets are thronged with people the main feature is the procession of the custodia or monstrance such processions are an annual flamboyant occasion and for semana santa or holy week more than 100 pesos or floats bearing religious effigies are carried through the streets of the city such events may celebrate not just religious days but also mark historic landmarks and matters reach fever pitch in the early hours of good friday when the virgin de la messiana is paraded accompanied by two and a half thousand members of the nazarenes or brotherhood a few blocks away another procession is about to negotiate a tight turning into one of seville's many narrow streets it's a slow process as the swaying passos takes its time to be guided around the corner the frame is extremely heavy being made out of solid timbers and navigators at each corner beckon those bearing the passos to inch left or right behind the drapes in total darkness the bearers slowly shuffle forward another procession on the other hand has taken up a brisket pace the tiny backstreets of seville are far from quiet by night as restaurants and bars allow their business to spill out onto the pavements the heat of the day has gone and a more sociable temperature now pervades and at the same time as those religious festivals are processing nearby there is music with a celtic flavor we're in the plaza san francisco alongside seville's city hall and believe it or not this music is also part of the corpus christi celebrations our andalusian journey will depart from seville's santa hooster station this colossal concrete building is one of the most modern of its type in europe and is andalusia's most important the national rail network in spain is run by renfe with some through services to france italy austria and switzerland run by their subsidiary iver rail and it's iva rail who are responsible for the very special train that will be taking on our journey the al andalus express is a vintage train with historic carriages built between 1900 and 1930 the 14 vehicles in the consist are owned by renfe and have been restored to a magnificent condition for operation by iber rail on regular andalucian tours the whole train offers refinement and services from a bygone era and transports its travelers through a time tunnel to the elegance of the bell epoch reminding us that it's still possible to travel with and for pleasure with inlaid marquetry polished brass and shining varnish this really is a palace on wheels and recalls the spirit of the age of elegance pipral faro is a british metropolitan car of 1929 and introduces us to the superb onboard dining restaurant gourmet dining in air-conditioned luxury the compact sleeping cabins are also of original design and come complete with some on-suite facilities this is a train that people from all over the world come to experience to get to seville the departure point for the al andalus express there are of course air services but you can also travel by ave or trend de alta velocidad espanola which links seville with the capital madrid this is an extremely efficient high-speed service european and american rail passes including euro rail and interrail are accepted on the renfe network subject conditions and it's interesting to note that some services offer a money-back guarantee if a train should be more than five minutes late at santa hooster in seville the al andalus express is awaiting departure and on board passengers are eager to see the curtain rise on their travel experience the whole journey will take a leisurely seven days and starts out via castillo del almodovar del rio and cordova 140 kilometers away the train pulls out of santa hooster station on time and on route to cordova a leisurely lunch is taken as travellers enjoy their first glimpse of this fascinating region castillo del almodovar del rio is one of andalusia's most dramatic skyline features the moorish castle which dates back to the 8th century has at its base the rio guadalquivir which we first saw in seville this is a fertile valley a prosperous farming area where olive groves and citrus trees reach as far as the eye can see behind the castle the straggling whitewash town of almodovar is dwarfed by its imposing fortress a few kilometers further on we arrive in cordoba cordova was a roman provincial capital two thousand years ago but had its most important years at the time of the moors becoming the western capital of the islamic empire moorish influences stem from a time when in ad711 some 12 000 berber troops landed in gibraltar so beginning 800 years of rule by the muslims in spain cordoba's jewish quarter seems to have changed little in recent times and a walk around its cobbled streets reveals where small traders silversmiths and jewelers traded alongside the ruling muslims a thousand years ago one of the trademarks of andalusia are the bougainvillea and geraniums that cling to the whitewashed walls of the narrow alleys all too small for traffic but ideal for a peaceful stroll the center of cordoba is the old city and in particular the mesquiter or mosque on the banks of the guadalcavir the origins here are carthaginian dating back some 12 centuries and like many other historic monuments the mesquiter can trace its development over many years it was al-haqam ii who in the 10th century added some of the most lavish decoration the mosque was reconsecrated in the 16th century when a cathedral was built in part of the complex this included an italianate dome construction of the cathedral within the mosque was a controversial one and even in the 16th century there was much displeasure of the finished building fortunately much of the richly ornate guilt and stunning decoration has survived one of the main features of the mesquita is its collection of 850 columns of granite jasper and marble the roman occupation of spain had far-reaching influences and the puente romano bridge across the river below the mosque whilst rebuilt by the moors still stands on original roman foundations the romans brought many such public works including aqueducts for irrigation villas and municipal buildings as well as a whole lifestyle they developed a language and legal system for spain and it was only as their empire overstretched itself and after many turbulent years that the moors took control from the air the great mosque which covers some five acres makes an impressive sight the river is a strong link with the past and today it remains the backbone to the surrounding fertile land here vineyards olive groves and citrus cultivation is evident and in june the fields are awash with yellow as sunflowers come into bloom their oil being a very important trading commodity with ample irrigation from the rio guadalquivir sunflower oil production now amounts to more than 200 000 tons for each harvest from cordoba the al andalus express will travel overnight via linares down to the ancient city of granada the 14 coaches of this mansion on wheels head east as dusk settles over the olive groves on board the footwearie will be retiring to their births now changed as if by magic from day rooms into cozy air-conditioned sleepers here in the shadow of the sierra nevada is granada and the royal citadel of alhambra this is one of the real highlights of this tour and the train will stay here for a full day of exploration the new city itself is a modern mishmash of styles and once more reflects different influences but the old palaces and gardens of the alhambra tell a different story the guitarist andres segovia described this part of granada as a palace of dreams where the lord put the seed of music into my soul a coach will take us up to the top of the hill to where the nazarite dentistry ruled from 1238 before it fell to the catholic monarchs in 1492. first stop up here will be the general life gardens located north of the alhambra palace itself this was the country estate of the nazareth kings it was here that they would escape the heat of the city below and relax as they put it a little nearer to heaven the name general life or janet al-arif could be translated to be garden of lofty paradise construction and design of the garden started in the 13th century and would have included pastures for animals as well as the setting out of mature hedges walkways and ponds water played an important part of the arabic designs as it provided refreshment of the soul for what were a nomadic or desert people a local guide will always provide the visitor with an informative and entertaining sketch of the area's history the alhambra palace was built during the nasrid dynasty and used modest materials such as tile plaster and timber which was superbly worked to achieve great effect the craftsmanship here is dazzling and despite napoleonic attempts to blow it up much of the infrastructure remains unchanged over the centuries this is the palacio carlos v a fine renaissance building which was added to the alhambra in 1526 the view from the old battlements is impressive here the patio de aranes has a pool set amidst myrtle hedges and which reflects light into the surrounding halls twelve marble lions support a fountain that is situated in the patio de los leones built by muhammad v little has changed here and the decorations are superb the arab influence is ever present so to complete a visit to the alhambra it is worth walking down the hill back into granada through the old town or albay sea here you feel closest to the areas of moorish influences the stroll along the rio daro also lets you encounter a little of the local flavour castanets have always been an important part of flamenco which along with the guitar form an integral part of the accompanying rhythm they're also a popular tourist souvenir back in the main town granada's cathedral was built in 1523 in the gothic style by enrique des aegas and was one of the earlier christian structures in the area outside one of the entrances can be found an unusual stall selling local herbs and teas the aroma is wonderful and the cure-alls on offer are very tempting the subtle marquetry work of local craftsmen also reflects the design and technique of the arab world grenada's new town can be a stifling place in summer so it's interesting that the modern planners have incorporated fountains and water features into their city designs this very much in a similar way to those nasrid rulers who attempted to create better living conditions in their day back at the railway station whilst the al andalus express waits various local services are busy in adjoining platforms these are regional services there are three longer distance trains which run to madrid seville the costa blanca barcelona almeria cordoba and malaga tickets can be booked in advance and a reservation is advisable if you plan to travel on dias festivals or public holidays first and second class accommodation is available and the network is surprisingly extensive the al andalus leaves granada the following morning for just a few hours of traveling our journey is towards antiquira but we will be making another stop on route at the tiny hamlet of salinas it is early morning and few passengers are about in geraldo the train's piano bar she was built in france in 1928 and later on will come alive to the sound of music and dance on the al andalus's famous gala night right now though the two dining cars are in service and a sumptuous breakfast awaits hungry travelers you might wonder why this 14-car special should stop at such a sleepy place and you won't find salinas in the guidebooks or sightseeing literature but you will find the nearby luxury hotel la bobadia in the best hotel guides this is a place of absolute relaxation and should best be described as an oasis the setting is superb and the quality of service and facilities extremely high traditions are alive here and this is the place to meet those world famous andalusian horses horse trekking is popular through often rugged countryside and breeding traditions have made the horse an integral part of life in andalusia local fiestas and festivals will often feature horse riding events and countryside farms will more often than not have paddocks set aside for training and exercise it's great horse riding country often thought of as a tropical species the flamingo is one of the wildlife attractions of koto donana and the rio odl delta inhuelva some 17 percent of andalusia's total land area has been reserved as national parks or nature reserves our train moves on again in late afternoon as we head for an evening rendezvous in antikira it's a short journey of just one and a half hours and will allow ample time for sightseeing before darkness falls at 5 pm and on time the train arrives at antikira here the train will park overnight whilst tour participants visit the town for sightseeing and an evening appointment with the world of flamenco first stop is the town's museum where a team of restoration and cleaning experts are busy preparing one of the paso's or religious icons for a forthcoming festival it's meticulous and thirsty work more than 40 years ago antikyra is a busy market town and commercial center in the guadalce river valley the town long being of strategic importance as part of granada's early defense line if it was famous for anything else it would be its large number of churches around the town there are important megalithic remains roman artifacts evidence of early religious orders and a moorish castle the approach to the castle is through the 16th century arco de los gigantes and from here there are fine views from the torre del papa biotas which is located in part of the old castle walls the real cologiate de santa maria la mayor stands high on a hill overlooking the town but today this huge structure no longer fulfills a religious purpose but is used for concerts and exhibitions elsewhere this impressive looking church is no church at all but built by a local homeowner with grandiose ideas as the sun sets on antiquier it's time to appreciate the art of flamenco flamenco is set to represent the soul of antalucia and is more than just a dance this is an art form with rhythm that finds its origins back in early gypsy lifestyle it's a tradition that's been kept alive through many generations from anti kira the train moves on the next day heading for ronda so this is day five of this fantastic trip and the train which has taken two hours to get here from anti-kira will park up all day whilst travellers experience the sights and sounds of this fascinating town ronda is the home to some of the best views in all of andalucia here the main focal point is the puente nuevo bridge over the 100 meters or 330 foot deep teo gorge this was a real feat of civil engineering in the late 18th century ronda is probably the most spectacularly located city in spain being situated on a massive rocky outcrop straddling a precipitous limestone cleft the views are stunning the palacio del marquez with its bizarre carvings of biblical and inca figures was built in renaissance style in the 18th century not surprisingly it is well placed to have some of the best views in town ronda's original mosque also survived the ravages of time the santa maria la mayor has been turned into a church and whilst the minaret has been converted into a bell tower inside a gothic nave has been created the high altar dates from the 16th century and is in what is called platoresque style the views here are just stunning but for some getting close to the edge can prove a daunting experience throughout spain many historic castles have been turned into high quality paradors or hotels ronda's parador has one of the finest views and most relaxing settings uh a small glazed tile illustrates what is believed to be one of the earliest representations of bull fighting which developed from the mid 1700s into a serious part of spanish life the bullfight or koreda is a sacrificial ritual in which people pit themselves against an animal that is bred to kill although opposed by many for its cruelty it is a popular televised sport in spain and ronda's plaza de toros is considered to be the spiritual home of this activity thousands come to sit in the most expensive shaded seats and there is plenty of evidence in the ring here of near misses between bull and matador beneath the stands there's a museum dedicated to bull fighting with paintings costumes and mementos from the past the rich and famous have been associated with the ritual here orson welles the corridor takes place in three stages called tessios baiting the ball prior to execution just occasionally the ball can get the upper hand the usa has had its own matador hero this is the costume of john fulton from philadelphia the al andalus express now prepares for its journey back towards seville however there's more to see in this area of andalusia and after all the mediterranean coast is not far away so we'll take a short excursion from ronda down to the costa del sol by road this is a beautiful route which has recently been modernized to make it safer to use it twists and winds between the sierra de las nieves natural park and the mountains of the sierra bermania down to the coast these mountains are home to much diverse wildlife including griffon vultures and three species of eagle a very different viewpoint than the endless rows of olive groves further north and now our first site of the mediterranean sea these are the resorts where the wealthy have their villas and luxury apartments down here the industry is not olive oil production nor even fishing but totally tourist orientated welcome to marbella in 1936 author laurie lee described the local people as thinly ribbed sea hating cursing their place in the sun today few anderluceans would curse the prosperity that tourism has attracted marbella is the haunt of royalty film stars and the international jet set and considers itself aloof from other nearby resorts such as torremolinas and fuengerola which have more mass-market appeal marbella's modern tourist departments sit alongside a two-mile promenade and provide a high quality of vacation accommodation however behind the news sprawl the old town still exists relatively unscathed by modern development here smart restaurants are dotted all through the spotlessly clean squares and courtyards eating outside in the plaza de los naranjos shaded by orange trees can be a delightful experience then there are the shops stocked with all the tourist needs for a successful holiday in the old town or casco antiguo the parish church and its adjoining convents of la trinidad and san francisco look down across the rooftops on today's visitors the only serious decision in the evening is just which restaurant to eat in andalusia produces over 20 of the world's olive oil so it's not surprising that the culinary arts are important here this colossal dish is paella made in andalusian style with fish and garnished with saffron-flavored rice as an imperative the gourmet might enjoy a good sherry this is another of spain's major exports and along the coast from marbella at jerez can be found many of the most famous names a visit to a bodega is well worthwhile and will normally include a tasting opportunity fino has been said to be andalusia's signature a tour includes a chance to walk through darkened cellars piled high with barrels or solaris and will enable the visitor to learn more of its making and determine the difference say between an amontillado and an oloroso famous visitors here have signed their names to rows of barrels the phoenicians introduced the vine to the harass region 3000 years ago but it was the british who developed the industry and whose names such as john harvey are still associated through ownership the processes are all described to the visitor in detail and then it changes the color again and changes the taste the bodega visit is nearly complete though not quite as to know the product one needs to taste it fino is fresh light and crisp and should be served chilled amontillado is fino aged in the barrel it has a strong earthy and dry taste oloroso has a rich nutty aroma and cream is dark and sweet and is often served as a dessert wine our journey is nearly over and the al andalus express heads back to seville from ronda to complete its week-long excursion it's gala night and the last evening for passengers on board with around 20 staff on board the 80 passengers are assured the best of attention possible the train can demonstrate its success through the worldwide clientele it attracts from japan from the usa from the middle east and from around europe the al andalus's privileged guests are here to enjoy an experience from a romantic era that nearly got away this sumptuous meal is accompanied by the best of spanish wines standards on board are extremely high whilst the ambiance is one of relaxed though unstuffy sophistication gala night is a special occasion and to mark that moment two japanese guests add their own contribution with a demonstration of origami much to the fascination of fellow travelers the atmosphere on board is relaxed and along the train in geralda the passengers will dance the night away this luxury train has escorted its guests on a leisurely though purposeful journey through some of europe's most stunning scenery and expansive history behind the scenes locomotive engineers carriage cleaners and fitters have all made it their job to ensure the trip went smoothly and ran to time and as the revelers from last night's gala when their way home from seville with many happy memories to recall the train is restocked cleaned and serviced and sets out to do it all over again this is a train of the greatest lineage she has the interior of an ocean liner and a provenance that reflects not just her age and history but that represents standards of service from the golden age of train travel to see anda lucia from her windows is a privilege and riding spain's silver rails an experience not to be forgotten a train ride away down at marvel the sun is setting on the beach and those on vacation have retreated for the day to the bars and street restaurants of this exotic resort the sands will be deserted until tomorrow apart from the presence of local fishermen who cast their lines into the warm waters of the mediterranean no doubt tomorrow will be another memorable andalucian day you
2021-10-26 18:42
