Granada #5

Apart from the Ahlambra the other area of significant historic interest in Granada is El Albayzin - the city's old Muslim quarter which sits on a hill across the valley from the Ahlambra. It is a maze of narrow, winding lanes and whitewashed houses. The Albayzin and the Alhambra were both declared World Heritage Sites (UNESCO) in 1984.

I climbed up through El Albayzin my first afternoon in Granada. Later I went on a walking tour. I usually avoid tours of any sort but this one was led by a young man called Juan who was both charming and informative. I can find Spaniards quite abrupt (this could be partly the language issue) and certainly loud (especially the women!). Juan was softly spoken (but clearly audible) and gentle.

One of the things I learnt about in Granada was the process of blending the Moorish or Muslim and the Christian styles of building. Christian conquerors appropriated Muslim buildings - sometimes destroying, sometimes rebuilding or adapting. But many buildings reflected a hybrid heritage. 

The photo of the dog reminds me - I have seen lots of dogs in the Spanish cities. Especially in the evening, the locals walk their dogs - often very small breeds, some of them not much bigger than a large rat! These small dogs look like mechanical mutts, their little legs going flat out in their excitement to get around all the city street smells.

Ceiling in the old baths. Great skylight

Juan

Granada #2

Right now I am on the move to catch a bus to Cordoba - so only time to download a selection of photos from my five hours at the Alhambra, a visit undertaken in cold, windy RAIN I should add!! I had been so hyped up to anticipate almost unbearable heat that, although I had a waterproof and umbrella, I took neither with me when I left the hostal in the early morning dark. Of course in winter the Sierra Nevadas that form a backdrop to Granada are snow clad. Hehe - that'll teach me.

My main impressions of the Alhambra? The significance of water - as a scarce commodity - and the featuring of water in decorative fountains, pools, water courses, drinking fountains, bathing complexes and as an integral part of the magnificent gardens. The superb craftsmanship; as always no doubt, the many poor slaving away for the rich few. The wonderful tiling. The gardens - not just floral and formal but the wooded areas too. The exterior simplicity of the Moorish architecture which belies the richness within. Views through windows, partial views, latticed views. The elegance and lightness of the interiors - a pleasing contrast with the more ponderous gravitas of western buildings. 

All this at a time when western Europe was just recovering from many centuries of obscurity.