Alhambra et al: Granada Day 2 (26 Aug 2013)

Our prime mission on our second day in Granada was of course the Alhambra. You don’t go to Granada and not see the Alhambra … but first we ventured out for breakfast and, not surprisingly, ran into a bunch of our tour group already enjoying their coffee and croissants (or whatever). Anyhow … it was then off to the …

Alhambra

What can we say about such a place? You probably all know that the Alhambra was the last gasp of the Moors in Spain, and was built in the 14th century. Some of you – like my Mum – may know of it via American writer Washington Irving who visited in 1829 and wrote Tales of the Alhambra. There is a monument to him, but near the entrance we didn’t use. Here are the main sections we visited:

The Generalife (pronounced, roughly, “heneraleefay”)

Generalife, located at the top of the complex, is the summer palace and is famous for its gardens which, despite its being late summer, were still in gorgeous bloom – crepe myrtles, morning glories, roses, zinnias and dahlias, oleander, bougainvillea, and so on. It’s particularly famous for Cypress Alley (Patio de los Cipres), Canal Court (Patio de la Acequia), and the water staircase (escalera del agua). We started off this section with most of our tour group, but we gradually split up as people went at different paces. For most of the rest of the time it was us and Len’s ice-cream buddy Lynne (from Brisbane). This section of the Alhambra is beautiful … cool, colourful and peaceful.

The Alcazaba

Then, down the hill we went, past various features, including archeological ruins and Carlos V’s palace, to the Alcazaba. This is the original fortress section of the Alhambra, and dates from the 13th century. It is dry, austere and yellow – a stark contrast to the Generalife with its white building, green trees and colourful gardens. The highlight of this section – besides the beer stall at its entrance where we reconnected with some of our group – is the Watchtower (Torre de la Vela). It’s a bit of a climb – but nothing like the big European cathedral towers – and the view at the top, of Alhambra and Granada, is well worth it.

Palacios Nazaries (Nasrid Palaces)

Nazrid is the jewel-in-the-crown of the Alhambra, and the bit that requires a timed ticket. You have to line up at least 15 minutes beforehand to get in. Cyra impressed upon us most carefully before leaving us at the entrance that we must not miss our time. So, obediently, most of us turned up at the queue around the same time and waited nearly half an hour in the heat for our turn to go in. Lisa (ANZLitLovers) did the same visit in October 2010 and was so cold she rushed into the nearby shop to buy a scarf. We were so hot we nearly rushed in to buy fans!

It is an amazing place, though unfortunately some parts, such as the Hall of Kings, were closed for restoration. A major feature of the palace is its decoration. There’s low relief stuccowork, gorgeous ceramic tiles in all sorts of geometric patterns, and mocárabes (which some call stalactite work and others call honeycomb. Honeycomb seems better to us, but neither is quite right). As Evan and Hannah know, Sue’s mantra is “less is more” but somehow the profuse decoration in these buildings worked beautifully. Now we just need to learn a bit more about the iconography to know what the different shapes and designs mean.

The palace contains all sort of rooms, colonnades, and courtyards with pools and fountains. According to our Michelin travel guide, when Granada fell, Boabdil, the last Nasrid king, handed over the keys and went into exile. His mother apparently said:

You weep like a woman for what you could not hold as a man.

Who wants a mother like that!

Palacio de Carlos V and the Jardines del Partal

Our second last stop was Emperor Charles V’s Palace, commissioned in 1526. According to Michelin again, “it is one of the most successful Renaissance creations in Spain”. The guide goes on to say that while it initially looks very simple compared to the Nasrid Palaces “its grandeur becomes apparent, in its perfect lines, its dignity, and its simple plan of a circle within a square”. We can agree with that.

The Jardines del Partal, next to this palace, comprises gardens, more gorgeous pools, towers and views over Granada, and an oratory.

Monasterio San Jeronimo

After a bit of a siesta – we love this Mediterranean tradition – we headed off to the Monasterio San Jeronimo which Cyra had recommended. We think we’re the only ones of our group to go, but we’re glad we did – despite the sudden, unexpected, rainfall. It’s a 16th century monastery which, among other things, houses the tomb of Gonzalo Fernandez de Córdoba. The church is highly decorative – Renaissance to 18th century style. The monastery has peaceful wide colonnades and an orange orchard as interior courtyard. We spent a lovely time there, talking to a German tourist, a Hungarian-born resident, and an older local man.

Mini tapas crawl

The day ended on a mini tapas crawl with Cyra and half our tour group, the rest having taken up Cyra’s recommendation of an Arab Bath. We went to two bars and, along with wine, had tapas of artichoke, guacamole and, most interestingly, a “fusion” dish comprising a take on Italian arancini flavoured with squid ink and served with a slightly sweet-edged calamari ring. Cyra is great. She’s vegequarian but knows and loves her local foods and wines.

Three-word-game and the slideshow

LEN: Tapas, Backstreets, Abstract
SUE: Gardens, Beauty, Tapas

and the slides…

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and the videos…

The Alhambra water garden