After our delightful stop in Mijas, we were on our way to Granada.
We checked into Hotel Vincci Albayzin and then had time to have lunch before we went off to the Alhambra.
We were delighted to have another balcony and to be centrally located on a pretty street.
We cut through a department store and found a nice restaurant
and had a delicious lunch as you can see. Spanish salads with cheese and olives and nuts as well as vegetables were great with me.
Back to the hotel and off again on the bus to the Alhambra.
Blossoms out
and we began our tour...
I was very excited to visit the Alhambra. Built first as a fortress on Roman ruins then as a Moorish palace in 1333 by the sultan of Granada, when Spain was reconquered in 1492, it became the palace of King Ferninand and Queen Isabella. In 1526 a new palace was commissioned by Charles V but never completed.
Above you can see the courtyard of Charles V, reminding you of a Roman coliseum.
View looking down. We visited the most recently built part first.
And as I write this I feel a bit overwhelmed trying to remember and put my pictures together with information I can remember and find.
It certainly is a place I wish I could visit and linger in again.
We toured starting at the most recent construction and travelling back in time.
The number of people allowed in at a time is strictly controlled but there were still a few too many people for me!
I loved again the tile work-doesn't that look like a tulip below?
always such intricate work done so long ago...
These windows remind me of the Maharini's palace turned into a hotel I once stayed in in Jaipur.
You can see why Isabella and Ferdinand took this palace over when they finally had Spain all under Spanish rule again. This is where Christopher Columbus convinced them to find a western route to India.
Such beautiful work...
The reflecting pond in the Women's Palace.
Below is the Court of the lions which has the Fountain of the Lions, an alabaster bowl supported by 12 lions who would each spout water hourly. An amazing water system...
Not only did Washington Irving write the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, he also wrote about the Alhambra and is honoured here.
You get some rather amazing views of Granada.
I found a cat sunny itself.
It was wonderful visiting the Alhambra but I wish there were a few less people. I met someone who actually stayed in the American Hotel on the grounds there which might be kind of neat.
All Holy Week we had been hearing about the religious processions and seeing them on the news so finally in Granada we were going to have the opportunity to see one. Here you can see people lining up. We had to get off our bus and walk over to the hotel because the streets were cordoned off.
We were of course very fortunate because we could watch the process right from our balcony. But in case you think it is warm in Spain in March, I remember we were wearing our jackets to do so.
We were thrilled! Those men in funny outfits are called penitents. Apparently the Ku Klux Klan copied their outfits although there is not other connection.
And just to give you a taste of it… here's a video.
Here is one of the two floats that are being delivered to the cathedral. There are men underneath carrying this. They take turns doing so. These are heavy.
Our next event was a Dine Around evening, where we had a choice of three restaurants. We really enjoyed our choice.
What a busy day! We would have loved to have gone up to the cathedral and maybe caught more processions but we were a little tired and off to Valencia early the next morning. We would have loved more time in Granada. It is just another magic city, one to which I would love to return.
Good night, Granada!
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