August 8 to 10, 2015
We are on a train to Barcelona. Our Camino Andalucía will be interrupted for five days while we visit Barcelona. Then we will return briefly to Andalucía to visit Toledo before we fly home. We loved Granada. The heat and humidity caused us to rest in the middle of the day, but that was probably a good thing.
On Saturday, we rose early and took the city bus to the Alhambra. It is an amazing experience! There are lovely gardens, many waterfalls and pools, a fortress and a Palace. The structure was built by the Moors and was taken over when the Spanish "liberated" Granada in 1492. The grounds were built roughly in the 8th to the 10th century. We got the audio guides but all the yapping about dates went by me because I was transfixed, once again, by the never ending beauty of the place. There were times when I was standing on a third-floor patio nor by a pool when I could just imagine being a Moorish princess, or even a servant.
On Saturday, we rose early and took the city bus to the Alhambra. It is an amazing experience! There are lovely gardens, many waterfalls and pools, a fortress and a Palace. The structure was built by the Moors and was taken over when the Spanish "liberated" Granada in 1492. The grounds were built roughly in the 8th to the 10th century. We got the audio guides but all the yapping about dates went by me because I was transfixed, once again, by the never ending beauty of the place. There were times when I was standing on a third-floor patio nor by a pool when I could just imagine being a Moorish princess, or even a servant.
- One of the pools and fountain
- A window detail
We spent six hours exploring the grounds and the structures. Of course, if there is anything to climb, we cannot resist. So we climbed the highest towers in the fort. Though there are majestic views of Granada from dozens of spots, this one was the best.
After our exhausting romp around the Alhambra, we went home to rest. There was a stage set up in the plaza in front of the hotel. Upon inquiry, we were told that every Saturday there is a musical concert from 8 pm to 12 pm. So we knew we wouldn't be going to sleep early. Everywhere in Spain, we had heard American rock and roll. They seem to play it on all the stations even though all the talking parts of the program were in Spanish. It is a little weird.
So, we thought we would hear some rock and roll. I mean, we didn't expect the Rolling Stones or anything, but just a band playing rock and roll. The band started setting up at about 7 pm. When they started playing a small crowd had gathered and began dancing the polka to Spanish polka music. lol, I would not have believed it if I hadn't heard it with my own ears. But it was fun to watch. The music varied between polka and swing music, the stuff that makes it easy to twirl around the floor. By 9 pm the plaza was packed. There were three rows of chairs set up and people from 8 to 80 were swaying and twirling.
The next morning we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast. We spent the morning walking uphill through the gardens and forest that lead up to the Alhambra. On the way, we saw a statue of Washington Irving. I thought, 'What the heck?' Why do they have a statue of an American?' Well, it turns out Irving spent a lot of time in Spain, as well as other parts of Europe and wrote a book about Spain. Who knew?
It was hot and humid again, so we returned to our air conditioned room for a brief respite. That evening we went to explore the Albayzín which is the Gypsy/Moorish quarter with shops, tea houses, and narrow winding streets. Shortly after we entered a young man inquired if we wanted marijuana. I couldn't figure out what it was about us that caused him to pose that question. ; ) Maybe it was the purple haired on one of us and the blue/green hair on the other one of us.
We climbed through the winding streets until we came to a place with another breathtakingly beautiful view of the city. Leea was navigating this trip, she put away the map and took us down a very steep way as the pathway kept shrinking until it was barely wide enough for a person to fit through and we could hear people in their homes eating and arguing and stuff people do in their homes. It was a little sketchy to say the least. It was very exciting in an "I wonder what the headlines will say when they report our fate" way.
We finally returned to the marketplace and ducked into a tea house, complete with hookahs, for some tea and crepes. Then we returned home so we could get to sleep early and be well rested for the long day today. Note to self, do not drink tea in the Albayzín if you want to sleep anytime in the next eight hours.
After our exhausting romp around the Alhambra, we went home to rest. There was a stage set up in the plaza in front of the hotel. Upon inquiry, we were told that every Saturday there is a musical concert from 8 pm to 12 pm. So we knew we wouldn't be going to sleep early. Everywhere in Spain, we had heard American rock and roll. They seem to play it on all the stations even though all the talking parts of the program were in Spanish. It is a little weird.
So, we thought we would hear some rock and roll. I mean, we didn't expect the Rolling Stones or anything, but just a band playing rock and roll. The band started setting up at about 7 pm. When they started playing a small crowd had gathered and began dancing the polka to Spanish polka music. lol, I would not have believed it if I hadn't heard it with my own ears. But it was fun to watch. The music varied between polka and swing music, the stuff that makes it easy to twirl around the floor. By 9 pm the plaza was packed. There were three rows of chairs set up and people from 8 to 80 were swaying and twirling.
The next morning we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast. We spent the morning walking uphill through the gardens and forest that lead up to the Alhambra. On the way, we saw a statue of Washington Irving. I thought, 'What the heck?' Why do they have a statue of an American?' Well, it turns out Irving spent a lot of time in Spain, as well as other parts of Europe and wrote a book about Spain. Who knew?
It was hot and humid again, so we returned to our air conditioned room for a brief respite. That evening we went to explore the Albayzín which is the Gypsy/Moorish quarter with shops, tea houses, and narrow winding streets. Shortly after we entered a young man inquired if we wanted marijuana. I couldn't figure out what it was about us that caused him to pose that question. ; ) Maybe it was the purple haired on one of us and the blue/green hair on the other one of us.
We climbed through the winding streets until we came to a place with another breathtakingly beautiful view of the city. Leea was navigating this trip, she put away the map and took us down a very steep way as the pathway kept shrinking until it was barely wide enough for a person to fit through and we could hear people in their homes eating and arguing and stuff people do in their homes. It was a little sketchy to say the least. It was very exciting in an "I wonder what the headlines will say when they report our fate" way.
We finally returned to the marketplace and ducked into a tea house, complete with hookahs, for some tea and crepes. Then we returned home so we could get to sleep early and be well rested for the long day today. Note to self, do not drink tea in the Albayzín if you want to sleep anytime in the next eight hours.
- Albayzín tea room
We got up early. Had to take a bus to Antequerra to catch the train to Córdoba to wait four hours to catch the train to Barcelona. We bought our tickets late and the direct train from Granada to Barcelona was sold out. But we are excited to be going to Barcelona. We both love that city.
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