The Andalucia Pome

The Moorish Heritage of Andalucia 9th - 14th September 2024 – A wonderful week had by one and all.

It’s become a tradition that on the way home

You all have to hear a ridiculous pome.

If you think that’s a habit that we shouldn’t keep

Then turn off your deaf-aids and go off to sleep.

So, we started at Gatwick. You know that it’s true

That before you fly off you do nothing but queue.

But at Malaga next there was something much worse.

I think maybe these trips all bear some sort of curse.

One of us suffered incredible pain,

She lost all her luggage, unlucky Lorraine.

But she left all her details and with splendid goodwill

She boarded the bus for the drive to Seville.

When we got to the hotel it was fairly late,

But the dinner of tapas we all thought was great.

 

Next morning - Virginia, a wonderful guide.

Her knowledge was endless, it can’t be denied.

The walk from the hotel was not very far,

To the old royal palace that’s called Alcazar.

Virginia began with a history of Spain,

Romans, Muslims and Christians she had to explain.

We then went inside. She had so much to say

To recite the whole lot now would take me all day.

So many figures from Spain’s former glory:

Columbus, Magellan, could each tell their story.

There were dozens of courtyards and several chambers,

It’s hard to recall the best one remembers.

There were intricate ceilings and walls covered with tiles

Fantastically fashioned in old Muslim styles.

There were many more rooms and gardens galore,

So when we had finished our feet were quite sore.

So we broke up for lunch. There is one silly ass is

Constantly losing his own own stupid glasses!

Then Seville’s cathedral’s enormous size

Is so big it certainly dazzles one’s eyes.

There once was a mosque that straddled the site,

So they used both the cultures and got it quite right.

There are chapels and sacristies, chambers galore.

We had seldom seen anything like that before.

 

Next morning we gathered without too much fuss

And walked to the river to get on the bus.

On the Cordoba road the traveller sees

Row upon row of young olive trees.

Cordoba’s mosque, as explained by our guide,

Contains an enormous cathedral inside!

The mosque is colossal with hundreds of pillars

And yet the cathedral inside can still thrill us.

For over an hour we did nothing but walk

And our wonderful guide did nothing but talk.

It appears that the people were never confused

Over which part by which faith was normally used.

We then went for a walk around the old town.

And many’s the street that we climbed up and down.

We went to a synagogue waiting for Jews

To come back to Cordoba when they should choose.

By now we were mostly a weary old bunch

Who were grateful to sit and consume a good lunch.

That night with some trouble we located our dinner:

By the end of the meal there was no one grown thinner.

 

Next day there was good news for lucky Lorraine.

Her luggage arrived. She was smiling again.

That morning we went to the museum of Fine Arts.

There were hundreds of pictures to gladden our hearts.

Velasquez and Zuberon, Murillos galore

Some of them stretching from ceiling to floor.

Virginia described how each picture was painted.

We followed her closely and nobody fainted.

Then we went for a walk - yes, all of us could.

To look at a statue that’s fashioned from wood.

It’s known as the Mushrooms  - I’m not quite sure why.

It stands in a square reaching up to the sky.

Then some went to the house of the Alba Duke,

A gorgeous place which was well worth a luke.

That evening a few of us took up the chance

To see how Flamencos do singing and dance.

 

Next morning we drove to the town of Grenada

Nestling under the Sierra Nevada.

The Grenada cathedral was at first a surprise

It looked to us first a conventional size.

It had what is normal with knave, apse and aisle.

It was build in the Spanish renaissance style.

Huge pillars inside were all painted white,

Which made the interior wonderfully bright.

Inside it’s adorned with many a treasure

Which to Catholic eyes must of course give much pleasure.

A quick lunch was taken before our next drive

We just ate enough that would keep us alive.

I don’t that any of us quite could remember

A more visited place than the next : the Alahambra.

It’s a huge hilltop palace which no one ignores.

It was built for the kings of the conquering Moors.

It is quite an extraordinary Arab structure

Built fully designed in the best Muslim culture.

There are arches and gateways and ceilings as well.

We walked through them all falling under their spell.

Then some of the party whose  muscles must harden

Went on for a bit and climbed round the garden.

With a drive after that is was not long before

We arrived in good time at our fine parador.

Antiquera’s the town which now formed our base

And an excellent meal recommended the place.

 

Next morning we visited old Antiquera.

We saw the old dolmens - I’ve never seen queerer.

So it’s now back to England to continue our lives

And to hope that at Gatwick our luggage arrives.

Now it’s thanks to our drivers and all of our guides

Who have helped us so much on our numerous rides.

But of course on these trips you really do need a

Kind and competent intrepid leader.

We were so lucky, what more can I say

But to Barbara James it’s hip hip and hooray!

 

By Adrian Petch