Four - Granada

Monday March 5

We rose to a bit of a dilemma this Monday morning.  Alayna did not feel well and we had to make a decision - whether to go to Granada or tour the Alhambra another day.   After some debate, Alayna shooed us out the door and we jumped into morning rush hour.  Granada is about a two hour drive from Marbella, through miles and miles of olive and almond groves, extending from next to the expressway, far up the sides of the mountains. 

     The name Alhambra comes from it's reddish walls, which in Arabic means 'red castle'.  The first castle, which was built in the 9th century, soon was converted into a fortress.  The complex had grown considerably over the next 400 years, and entered it's most glorious era - when the Royal residence was established in the Alhambra.     

     The incredible ornate Moorish palace dating from the late 1300’s is one of the world’s great structures.  Impenetrable walls protected it for centuries, marking cultural highs for Spain under Muslim influence, but the pesky illiterate Christian Kings finally succeeded in driving the Moors from the region in the late 1400’s. 

     Use of reflecting pools and the relaxing burbling of running water, as in the handrails of this staircase, amplified light and added a contemplative 'white noise' throughout the complex.

     Beautiful gardens are a highlight of this architectural marvel standing in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada. 

     The architects were all about decorative design over every square inch. 

     Imagine the tedium of constructing this ornate walkway.  Here is a small portion of an incredible labor intensive effort that is found throughout the property. 

     Small stones and pebbles of similar size and shape had to be collected, sorted, and placed, one by one, by talented craftsmen, over many years.

     Catholic monarch Charles V ultimately had portions of the Alhambra demolished making room for a palace, which bears his name.  In some areas, his new construction blocked scenic views over the valley from sitting rooms like this one.  The low window sills allowed persons to rest their arms as they sat and talked.

     Washington Irving's wonderful imagination produced such classics as 'Rip Van Winkle' and 'The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow'.  He traveled extensively through Europe, and lived at the Alhambra for several months, inspiring his book, 'Tales From The Alhambra', published in 1832.

 A simple thing such as a door becomes a thing of beauty within the walls of the Alhambra...

     Since Alayna was not with us, we drove back to Marbella.  Upon our return we were happy to find that Alayna felt well enough to join us for dinner, where we suffered through another routine fantastic fresh seafood dinner, at yet another beach eatery within walking distance of the Marriott.

     You know the rest of the story.  Early to bed, early to rise…

Day One Travel To Iberia

Day Two Marbella

Day Three Mijas

Day Five Gibraltar

Day Six Ronda

Day Seven Marbella

Day Eight Paris

Day Nine Pere Lachaise

Day Ten Louvre mall; in Notre Dame

Day Eleven Ste Chappelle; Le Tour Eiffle

Day Twelve Versailles; Musee D'Orsay

Day Thirteen Louvre Musee

Day Fourteen Musee's D'Orsay, Rodin, Paris Modern Art

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