Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Off the beaten tourist track in picturesque Segovia (Photo-essay)

A few days ago, I blogged about venturing off the beaten track in Hong Kong.  Should there be any doubt: Escaping from the crowd is something I enjoy doing, even when touring in parts of the world less familiar to me.  Consequently, when I visited the historic Spanish city of Segovia earlier this year, I found myself loathe to follow the route a tourist office staffer marked out on a map for me (without my asking her to do so).

To be sure, I was unable to resist checking out the exposed section of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Roman aqueduct or paying a visit to Segovia's Alcazar while I was in the area.  However, I ended up eschewing the opportunity to spend time in the city's cathedral in favor of doing such as going wandering in the areas beyond the old town walls rather than just those encircled by them.

A confession: it was in large part due to my wanting to get better views of the Alcazar then I had been treated to while walking through the old town to it that I decided to descend several meters down to the plain below from the rocky bluff on which the bulk of the old town stands and take a circuitous route back to the part of the city where most tourists were to be found.  Along the way, I got to spend time in areas that were greener as well as quieter than much of where I had previously ventured in Spain, and made that walk feel at times like an actual hike in the country that got the adrenaline flowing and my spirits soaring in a way that I don't think a visit to yet another historic place of worship would have! ;b

The Gothic cathedral which I was content to just view 
from the outside -- so sue me!

Click on the above image and I think you'll understand why I preferred 
to spend a good bulk of my time in Segovia walking around outdoors instead!

Minutes before I took the plunge and ventured
down to the plain below...

A far better view of the Alcazar than one can get from
the rocky bluff on which the old town sits

Solitary angler doing his thing by the river

 Another stunning view of the enchanted looking Alcazar!
 
A quiet, green area I passed by turned out to be 

 A view of Segovia old town, including the top of 
its cathedral, from outside the old town wall :)

3 comments:

Paul said...

Nice little hike! We did part of the hike as well but we cheated with a taxi trip to the Vera Cruz church outside the town then walked back, hiking up the northern side of the walls.

Bill said...

Hi YTSL,

This is truly my kind of travel entry because rather than focusing on just one sight, you explored the area around it, giving one a more complete picture (your panoramic photo) of the day through your eyes. Alcazar resembles Neutschwanstein, but this is contrasted by your shot of the fisherman which gives a daily human element to the day...Puppet Ponyo, posing on your pack, beams with the happiness of a student spending summer vacation in a foreign country. A travel blog to be proud of!

Bill



YTSL said...

Hi Paul --

I'm sure you also enjoyed your hike, however short. The Vera Cruz church was closed the day I visited Segovia. Otherwise, I'd have been tempted to check it out!

Hi Bill --

I wondered whether you'd enjoy the sight of Puppet Ponyo in this post! I've not been to Neutschwanstein but the Alcazar sure does resemble a fairytale castle to me. :)