Practical Magic

I went to La Granja de San Ildefonso to visit the Gardens and the Royal Palace. La Granja is located on the other side of the Sirra de Madrid, in the province of Segovia, in the community of Castilla y Leon.
The palace was built by Felipe V, born in Versailles, who was king of Spain and the Indies; and that, as a good Frenchman, wanted to have his own palace of Versailles in Spain.

Upon entering the palace,the baroque style, its ornate decor and chandeliers dupe you, while the mythological paintings of the high ceiling frescoes transport you to a distant era in time… A time in which the people who once lived there walked through spacious lounges and approached the huge windows overlooking the gardens and breathing the fresh mountain air.
Speaking of gardens, the Royal Gardens of La Granja are wonderful for all senses. Made in the image and likeness of Versailles, exude personality, elegance and tranquility. They are sown by fountains whose murmur of water causes you to move even closer to that golden era... A time where only people belonging to high society had the luck to enjoy this wonderful place.

All the fountains are based on mythological creatures, telling their stories. From all of them, the one who impressed me the most was, without doubt, the Fountain of the Baths of Diana (La Fuente de los Baños de Diana), where the legend of the goddess Diana, The Goddess of the Hunt, is told.
It was the last fountain to be build, the biggest consummer of water and the most expensive of all.
Maybe that's the reason why was the King's favorite...
Despite its large size it is not heavy at sight or overwhelming. In one scene you can see the whole story. The goddess Diana, leaving the baths, helped by her nymphs, seems to invite visitors to join them.
I do not remember how long I was looking at the fountain. I think I was trying to memorize every stone, each figure, each point of light, each water dispenser, each form the water made in the air...
I think it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.