mark prior photography

A National Geographic Expeditions trip through southern Portugal and Andalusia (in Spain). A number of UNESCO World Heritage sites were visited and fabulous food and wine consumed.

The spectacular high altar (on the right) and one of the alcoves next to it.
Looking down the aisle of the Church of Santa Maria towards the high altar at the far end. The doors of the southern portal are on the right, behind red banners, and to the left are some of the confessional doors.
A view of the cloisters from inside the courtyard.
A view through the arches of the arcade to the courtyard and the far side of the cloister.
A monument including Henry the Navigator leading more notable people from Portugal's golden age of exploration.
Lisbon is very hilly and so there are a lot of view points looking across the city to various landmarks.
The magnificent Coats-of-Arms Room. An octagonal dome with the coats of arms of the king and Portuguese noble families and below that walls decorated by blue and white azulejos.
A very narrow room with an ornate wodden ceiling, painted squares on the walls containing a dove and a tiled floor.
Some dramatic lights hanging in the MAPA restaurant of L'AND Vineyards.
A small fountain stands in the centre of the cloister of Colegio do Espírito Santo at the Universidade de Évora. The Pátio dos Gerais is partially grassed with pebble based paths between the buildings. Two sides of the cloister are visible, both of which have colonnaded arcades while the bulding in front also has a colonnaded gallery.
Looking towards the stage of the Roman Theatre of Mérida from the back of the theatre.
The marble columns on the stage of the Roman Theatre of Mérida.
A quick drive by of the Tower of Gold on the way to Plaza de España.
So many azulejos! The balustrade is covered with them as are the steps on the bridge across the canal.
Four bridges cross the canal at the Plaza de España, each named after an ancient kingdom of Spain, this one is Castille. The surrounding building is reflected in the canal.
Always look up as the beautiful design work isn't constrained to the floor and walls but even the ceiling is covered with ornate designs.
Beautiful geometric design azulejos.
A beautiful courtyard within the palace. A small reflecting pool down the middle with sunken gardens containing orange trees on either side.
Trying to focus on the artistry and execution of this geometric design.
Looking at the details on the top of one of the columns that is part of one of the archway entrances to Salón de los Embajadores.
The magnificent golden dome within the Salon de Embajadores. Under the gilded dome, high on the walls, are balconies allowing the scene below to be viewed without the observer being seen.
A different view of the Salon de Embajadores. This time concentrating on the amazing plasterwork on the walls.
A rectangular pool with green water and reeds at one end just outside the palace. There is a red wall behind it which looks like it has lost its grotto and sculptural decorations some time in the past. An unknown woman in a white dress is walking around the other side of the pool. The pool is edged with the ever present tiles.
Some reeds are reflected in the water of the pong. There is a scuffed cream coloured wall behind, a line of tile work and then the light green water of the pool.
Walking the grounds of Generalife. In the foreground is a garden containing palms, flowering shrubs and roses and behind is the square tower of Convento de San Francisco.
The exterior of the building is square but once you come inside you find a massive circular open space inside the two story building.
A beautiful circular wooden ceiling in a woven pattern with a metal centre piece.
Arabic script within the plasterwork and edges with green and blue tiles.
Looking down the pool in the patio with the building at the far end reflected in the pool.
A fountain in the centre of a courtyard with 12 lions around the base of the bowl.
The srar shaped Sala de los Abencerrajes from the outside. The roof is capped with teal and white capping tiles while the rest of the tiles are brown. The windows below the cupola have a lattice pattern.
The interior of the dome has gold ribs with gold stars on the teal panels. Stained glass windows encircle the dome with more below them. Below the windows is a balcony with paintings on the wall. There is a lot of gold ornamentation.
Sun setting on Alhambra. A view from Mirador de San Nicolás in the old Arab neighbourhood of Albaicín. The Sierra Nevada mountains are in the background
The ornate architectural ceiling of the Villaviciosa Chapel featuring intricate ribbed cross-vaulting and intersecting arches.
When the building was a mosque it would have been worshippers facing the Mihrab but now tourists queue to admire this fabulous piece of architecture.
No expense or technique spared to produce this outstanding piece of architecture with vaulted ceilings, double arches, false windows and an arched Mihrab.
The immense prayer hall required a lot of columns to hold up the inlayed wooden roof. The columns were topped with double arches painted with red stripes.
Latin text overlaid on the pillars is located in the Capilla de San Clemente still has fine lines under the text to ensure the text is straight.
Suddenly as you get closer to the centre of the building it turns white and the ceiling lifts high above the columns.
The ornate white and gold dome of the cathedral attempts to compete with the surround mosque complex.
A close up of the top of the red and white striped double arches and white and gold trim of the wall above.
A section of the hall with columns recycled from Roman temples and buildings.