Portugal and Spain trip (The Iberian country)

We recently returned from a trip to Portugal and Spain. We learned how the two countries were conquered by several different countries and cultures. First was some Germanic tribes, then Morocco (the Moors), then came the Romans, and finally the Catholic crusaders for the church, which is still pretty much the culture today.

We landed into Lisbon Portugal where we stayed for 3 days. A very large city of small alleyways and steep hills.

Then off to across the border to Spain, after a brief stop in Évora to learn about those beautiful hand painted tiles. Traveling can be a pain in a bus, but ours had WIFI. Next stop was Carmona and some wonderful Roman ruins with an amphitheater, which is still used today.

Remnants of the Roman structures was everywhere, from the columns to the arched aqueducts crossing over the modern streets.

Then to romantic Seville for a day trip. Visiting and grand plaza built in 1929 for the Pan-American Expo the year the stock market crashed causing it to be a total disaster, but it is gorgeous with its tall spirals, hand craved stone columns and beautiful painted tile mosaics.

Stay a couple nights in a converted Castle fort perched high on a hill overlooking the small town was unbelievable. One of many hotels we would stay in that totally blew our socks off.

Next stop, Ronda, after stops at an olive farm and a 2000 acre ranch that raises bulls for bullfighting. Very controversial topic, even in Spain. If you did not know, Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world. Much of the olive oil marketed by Italy comes from Spain, Read your labels. 

As we drove through the countryside toward U'beda, there was nothing but rolling hills and a sea of olive trees. After a short stop in Cordova to tour a gigantic (250,000 Muslim Mosque built by the Moors, when the Catholic crusaders (Templars) took over the country and built a cathedral in the middle of it. Amazing! The Mosque must have been to beautiful to tear down.

We continued our trip northeast toward Toledo (not Ohio) for the next few nights and finally the long flight back to the states. Toledo is an extremely old city located in a river valley surrounded by very old houses, churches and military armories.

Our trip to Portugal and Spain was amazing, informative and in some aspects eye opening to their history. Both countries were world powers in their day, mainly on the oceans. The people, like other countries we have visited, were over run by countries and forced to change their culture in many ways. Now they are a mixture of all they were. Each invading country left its mark from architecture, to food, to religion and imbedded into the present culture of Portugal and Spain. 

There is so much more I could write and photos I could photo but it would be a blur. We loved the trip and the people on our 16 day trip, but were so glad (as always) to be home and see our bed.

Take care, stay safe.