Granada and the Alhambra

I had wanted to see Granada and the Alhambra for years, last April I finally persuaded my husband to leave his bike for a long week-end. Granada is about a two hour drive from Aguilas along quiet, jam free autovias, a far cry from out packed motorways.The closer we got to Granada the more mountainous it became until at last we saw the snow capped Sierra Nevada rising up behind the city.
     We found the hotel on the outskirts easily but had to drive around it twice before locating the entrance to the subterranean car park. The traffic in and around Granada is pretty scary and I wouldn't reccommend booking a hotel in the old centre, (even though it's undoubtedly picturesque), unless you have nerves of steel and a good sense of direction - or (possibly) Satnav.
     When we reached our hotel room I found that in the short time that it had taken us to walk from the car park and check in my camera had vanished. I will never know if it fell out or was taken from my bag.Not a good start for me, but I suspect the husband had a job to suppress his joy - I do spend an inordinate amount of time taking photos. (All the ones in this post have been supplied by the net or kind friends).

 

     We walked into the old part of Granada. Granada is a city best experienced on foot. The light was clear and bright, the sky azure, the sun blazing and we could just glimpse the snow sparkling on the mountains behind the impressive bulk of the Alhambra.

     After a lunch of tapas in a tiny square we found the church of San Juan de Dios. Inside in common with so many in Spain the amount of gold covering the altar, backdrop, ceilings etc is stunning and almost mesmerising in its effect.(This gold was brought from South America in the 16th century and its extraction from the mines caused immense suffering to the indigenous inhabitants of these countries.) Biblical images are present in intricate carvings, soaring ceilings and massive paintings. 

     A few paces along the street we went into the monastery of Los Jeronimos built at the beginning of the sixteenth century. It was even more laden with gold and every bit as impressive as the previous church. I wanted to buy some postcards on the way out as a souvenir but the only ones they had were going mouldy. The churches in Spain are partly funded by taxation so maybe that's why they don't have the gift shops etc so common in English cathedrals and abbeys.

     It was a glorious afternoon when we emerged into dazzling sunshine and we found ourselves alone in the shade of the cloisters. Wisteria wound up the pillars, flowers abounded and we breathed in the heady perfume of the heavily laden orange trees which edged the cloisters. As we sat in this heavenly spot the sound of nuns chanting within drifted out to us on the still air. Is chanting derived from enchanting? It was one of many magical moments that we experienced in Granada.

  

   We continued on to the Royal hospital founded by the Catholic monarchs in 1503 and currently incorporating, (as the guide book mentions), the seat of the Rectorate of the University of Granada and the Central University library. It is a beautiful building with a large sunlit and very pretty inner courtyard.What the guide book doesn't mention is, that the exquisite sixteenth century frescoes are peeling, the plaster is coming off the walls and there is an air of neglect. More surprisingly the authorities have chosen to house a genito-urinary and drug addiction clinic in this unique and historical site. I guess it might make the appointments more bearable!



     All Spanish cities feature fountains and running water but in Granada it's an art form. There can be no part where you can't see, hear or touch it. The river bubbles round the city flowing beneath the red granite walls of the Alhambra. Every square, and there are many, has its own fountain sparkling in the sunlight. There are lots of little water drinking fountains in the streets and the water is icy cold and refreshing - we drank it all day.

At sunset we walked through the beautiful ancient area of  the Albaicin, its narrow streets packed with shops selling goods from nearby North Africa. We walked up the narrow street up the hill to view the sunset . We did this with dozens of tourists. Buses and taxis carried others to the same view point, horns honking,they whizzed past at an alarming rate. There was plenty of space at the viewpoint. Excited people were everywhere taking photos and there were a couple of buskers adding music to the atmosphere as everyone waited for the sun to set and its rays to illuminate the citadel walls of the Alhambra with its backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. It was a beautiful sight and a fitting end to a great day.
My next blog in three weeks time (the week-end 20th October), will feature the Alhambra which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the world. If you're enjoying this blog please recommend it to your friends - I have almost reached 1000 'views' by people from places as diverse as Croatia, Bangladesh and recently a large number from Sweden! Thank you all for taking the time to look at it,
Mi proximo blog en tres semanas, (el fin de semana 20 octubre), sera sobre el Alhambra que es sin duda uno de los lugares mas bonito en el mundo.Si te gusta este blog recomendar a tus amigos por favor - !casi 1000 gente lo ha leido! Gracias por leerlo
Best Wishes 'til the next time/ hasta el proximo,
Cathy