It was a typical hot and dry day at 42 degrees when my Japanese roommate and I headed to Chamartin to catch the Spanish high speed train AVE on the way to Segovia. After around thirty minutes, it was time to hop off the train and hop on city bus No. 11 (1.03 Euros) to get to the city center. And there it was - the Roman Aqueduct. Unlike the ones of Tarragona and Lisbon that require quite a tedious search, the one of Segovia serves as the gateway to the city, giving you a grand welcome. An impressively elegant monument, the Acueducto de Segovia still has its layers of brick-like granite blocks intact despite being built during the first century. One of the best-preserved ancient structures left on the Iberian Peninsula putting itself on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites, they were still using it until mid-19th century. Behind the aqueduct's grandeur is the quaint city with its uniform blocks in sepia, some cobblestone streets, and elegant yet laid back restaurants and specialty shops. This Castillian town's appeal lies on its preserved history and cultural richness. Informative signs complete with translations make it easier for anyone to roam around. Everything is close enough to walk to that's why unlike in other cities, the distance to each place of interest is not indicated. Strolling along leads you to the Plaza Mayor or the main square. Close by is Limon y Menta Pasteleria where you can stop by for a quick bite. Walking around fifteen minutes more opposite the direction of the aqueduct leads to an ediface reminiscent of a childhood fairy tale dream: El Alcazar de Segovia. True enough, this royal palace built on a stone peninsula in the 1200s is often referred to as Snow White’s Castle due to a huge resemblance between the two. You will also notice its similarity with the Disneyland Castle. Its name is indicative of its Moorish origin, with "alcazar" coming from the Arabic word "al'qasr" which means fortress. The end of the visit to the Alcazar signaled meal time, which meant one thing: sample Segovian specialties. When in Spain, it is standard to order the menu del dia for lunch: a set meal with a primer plato (starter or appetizer), segundo plato (main course), and postre or café. Segovia is synonymous with the cochinillo asado (or cochinillo Segoviano), or for Filipino, the Spanish lechon. So almost all restaurants had it in their menu. The slab of roasted suckling pig they brought to my table complete with its drippings and mashed potatoes on the side excited me despite being a recent pescatarian that time (you can't be in Spain and not eat jamon, chorizo, etc.). Its crispy skin enveloped the tender and elegantly flavorful meat that I'd say tasted way better than the Filipino lechon (sorry!). It was one sure perk from eating meat again and to date has been the best roasted pork I've ever tasted. Even the ones served by Spanish restaurants in Manila like Vask do not come close to it, Of course, our menu del dia included a postre: the Ponche Segoviano. The most famous of Segovian desserts, I liked the blended taste and texture of Spanish bizcocho (sponge cake), almibar (or arnibal in Tagalog), crema and mazapan. It was time to burn those calories and walk back to the Plaza Mayor to enter the Catedral de Santa María de Segovia. Its design was rather considered as outdated when it was built, being of old Gothic style in the mid-sixteenth century which makes it one of the last cathedrals of this genre built in Spain and in Europe. The city surprises you with beautiful corners, like the aqueduct peeping in from a street, "El Mirador de la Canaleja" showing a panorama of the city, and the castle offering different vistas of Segovia. It was one pleasant day of heritage revisited, food discovered and culture experienced.
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