Granada, Spain. Part 1
Aline writes: In September we went to Granada, Spain. Located in the south of Spain, Granada was wonderfully dry and hot, reminding me of beautiful California weather from the moment we got out of the plane. And it’s not only the weather that reminded me of our home; the valley around Granada is also reminiscent as you can see in this picture.
Of course the crown jewel of Granada is the Alhambra, where we spent much of our time. But Granada is more than the Alhambra, as you can see below!
One of the most interesting sections of Granada is the old Moorish area called the Albayzín. The Arabs living here between the 12th and 15th centuries protected their privacy with the narrow streets, high walls, private courtyards, and large squares. It’s quite hilly, as you can see from the pictures.
I really loved it, as it was a wonderful combination of historic decay and yet still a vital living neighborhood.
And it has a spectacular view of the Alhambra, both from the bottom of the hills
and from San Nicolás Square, where we stopped for tapas.
Within the Albayzín is the remains of one of the old Moorish baths, the Banuelo, seen here.
We saw the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried (this really brought my school days back to me: “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue…,”and the cathedral, but no pictures were allowed. I liked the Royal Chapel best, since it was more intimate and historically more interesting. It also had a nice crypt, and I love a good crypt!
Another beautiful 14th century Moorish building, the Corral del Carbon, is one of the oldest buildings in the city, and was used first as a lodging house, and then later as a Christian theatre.
We also went for a city tour, as Granada has a lot to offer besides the Alhambra. Here is the bullring
And some of the beautiful buildings downtown.
Finally, there were lots of cats in Granada, all looking quite healthy. Here is Grommet’s doppelganger in the Alhambra – you could almost swear it was him!
Even the guards cuddled the cats. We ate dinner one night at the Alhambra, and I fed some of my fish secretly to a posse of cats who hovered around our outdoor table.
Speaking of the food, we had some delicious meals: spanish tortilla, fried fish, gazpacho, and yummy sherry. But I have to say it was hard as a non-meat eater - there were limited choices which got a little monotonous after 4 days. The best meals we had were in little cafes/bars.
Finally, I'll leave it to Bill to describe the indescribable - the fabulous Alhambra!
Of course the crown jewel of Granada is the Alhambra, where we spent much of our time. But Granada is more than the Alhambra, as you can see below!
One of the most interesting sections of Granada is the old Moorish area called the Albayzín. The Arabs living here between the 12th and 15th centuries protected their privacy with the narrow streets, high walls, private courtyards, and large squares. It’s quite hilly, as you can see from the pictures.
I really loved it, as it was a wonderful combination of historic decay and yet still a vital living neighborhood.
And it has a spectacular view of the Alhambra, both from the bottom of the hills
and from San Nicolás Square, where we stopped for tapas.
Within the Albayzín is the remains of one of the old Moorish baths, the Banuelo, seen here.
We saw the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried (this really brought my school days back to me: “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue…,”and the cathedral, but no pictures were allowed. I liked the Royal Chapel best, since it was more intimate and historically more interesting. It also had a nice crypt, and I love a good crypt!
Another beautiful 14th century Moorish building, the Corral del Carbon, is one of the oldest buildings in the city, and was used first as a lodging house, and then later as a Christian theatre.
We also went for a city tour, as Granada has a lot to offer besides the Alhambra. Here is the bullring
And some of the beautiful buildings downtown.
Finally, there were lots of cats in Granada, all looking quite healthy. Here is Grommet’s doppelganger in the Alhambra – you could almost swear it was him!
Even the guards cuddled the cats. We ate dinner one night at the Alhambra, and I fed some of my fish secretly to a posse of cats who hovered around our outdoor table.
Speaking of the food, we had some delicious meals: spanish tortilla, fried fish, gazpacho, and yummy sherry. But I have to say it was hard as a non-meat eater - there were limited choices which got a little monotonous after 4 days. The best meals we had were in little cafes/bars.
Finally, I'll leave it to Bill to describe the indescribable - the fabulous Alhambra!
posted by Bill | 10:43 PM
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