In the evening I took a walk through the Albaizín area of Granada. This is a World Heritage listed area of Granada that retains many of the Moorish buildings. Whitewashed walls fronted narrow winding streets. No doubt it's become even more trendy in the years since; I see names of restaurants on maps.
From the Albaizín you can see Alhambra. Note the Moorish influence in the name of the residence Carmen de Alhamar.
I noted that people in the south had on the average darker complexions than in the north. I also saw gypsies in the streets. Many played musical instruments for donations.
Back in the main city I found a pizzeria and had a frutti di mare pizza. It was the thin crust original variety. Walking around the block I passed the Japanese girl from Cuenca. I debated with myself whether to introduce myself. I turned around and caught up with her near the cathedral. Turned out G is Korean and travelling for a few months in Europe. The Asian she spoke to in Cuenca was another tourist who had asked her a question. We had a long conversation over café con leche and sherry at Plaza de Campillo. We agreed to go together to the Sierra Nevada the next day. Turned out by pure coincidence she was also staying at Hostal Gomérez.
Throughout the day I debated with myself whether to attend the Pat Metheny concert. From the bus station timetables I saw that I could come over from Sevilla for the concert and catch an early morning bus back. The last straw was that the concert was not in the Congress Hall but in the Palacío de Deportes (Sports Arena) and I had no idea where that was in relation to the bus station. So I gave up that idea. (Now in 2013 with the aid of an online map I see that it's about a couple of km out of the centre, and there might have been night buses or it would have been walking distance if I had to.)
The title is special because I am visiting Alhambra, one of Spain's top attractions. Despite neglect, and modification, well-intentioned or not, it is one of the best preserved remnants of Moorish architecture in Spain. The name means The Red One.
Due to the rain, I slept well and had to be roused by my alarm clock. For breakfast I had hot chocolate and a pasta which are not noodles but a pastry. They are also called pasteles.
It was a tiring climb up the hill. But the alternative was to wait for a bus, and I was determined to beat the hordes.
From the outside the citadel doesn't look extraordinary, in fact it appears dilapidated.
A view of Granada and surrounding hills from the ramparts of the alcazaba (citadel).
The Torre de la Vela (Tower of the Flag) was where the flag of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic reconquerors of Spain, was raised when Granada was taken in 1492. The morning was cold, a stiff wind was blowing and it was slightly overcast, but fortunately not raining.
On a wall near the ramparts is an inscription of lines by Mexican poet Francisco A. de Icaza: Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada (Give him alms, woman, for there is nothing in life like the pain of being blind in Granada). This refered to the visual glory of Granada in its golden age. As far as I know it was just a poem and not part of larger work such as a play.
Portico and sculptured garden.
The Palacio de Carlos V, a European addition to the Alhambra.
In the Moorish part of the complex, I was impressed by these honeycomb panels.
Everybody takes a frontal view of the Court of the Myrtles. Mine's a slanted view.
Closer view of the mosaic and intricate stonework.
Speaking of mosaics, the ground was paved with black and white pebbles, common throughout Iberia.
The Court of the Lions with fountain supported by those stone lions.
A closer view.
The Palacio del Pórtico.
The gardens are in the Generalife part of the complex. There were sculptured gardens and roses. The water jets were delightful. Moorish architects extracted every bit of energy from gravity. Pools higher up fed fountains further down.
A garden with more water jets. Birdsong descended from the trees and I enjoyed the ambience on a bench.
Also in the Generalife were hungry feral cats. Most of them were wary of humans, but one consented to sit on my lap and be stroked.
The rest of the day will be in another post.
