Granada

Finally getting caught up! This entry is for Wednesday, April 15, 2009. We spent the day in Granada.

Person:

We took the number 32 bus from the Placa de Isabel la Catolica (with its statue of Isabel giving Christopher Columbus his commission to cross the Atlantic) to the Alhambra. The bus was packed (they have “mini-buses” in Granada due to the crazy streets that don’t amount to much more than vans), and quarters were close. I got to listen to an American family talk while we rode. There was a mother and father and three daughters, aged around 5-8. The father was explaining to his daughters different things that he saw in Spanish (he was fluent), and telling them about the Alhambra, which they were about to see. I talked with them a little, but it was mostly just fun to hear this family on vacation interacting. It made me miss my students.

Place:

The Alhambra was hands down the place for today, though the Granada Cathedral was a close second (one of the most impressive in Europe, which was a big surprise for us). The Alhambra is actually several sights in one. First, there is a fort called the Alcazaba that has been there since the Romans controlled this area (though it has been rebuilt by later occupants). Then there is a magnificent Islamic palace called Palacio Nazaries, ornately decorated with Islamic carvings. When the Spanish regained Granada from the Moors, Charles V built his own palace right on top of the Palacio Nazaries. Finally, there are extensive gardens including the Generalife to wander. We listened to a fantastic audio guide that consisted mostly of the writings of the American Romantic poet Washington Irving, who lived in Granada for a time and is largely responsible for popularizing it as a tourist attraction.This is a view of Granada from the Alcazaba.This shows some of the intricate carvings in the Palacio Nazaries.
This is the Patio de los Arrayanes in the Palacio Nazaries.Laurie in the center of the courtyard of the Palace of Charles V.

Food:

At dinner I ordered the Torre Inferno (Hell’s Tower), which was a hanging skewer of zucchini, red bell peppers, shrimp, and a fish that I think might have been monkfish. It said on the menu to get your camera ready, so just for my loyal blog readers, I ran back to the hotel (only a few blocks away) and got my camera so you could enjoy it with me. The tower was devilishly delicious, as was the sangria.