Date: April 18
Location: Day 100 – Malaga and Granada, Spain
Next Port: Gibraltar, UK, April 19
Quick Summary: We made a very special trip today to Granada and the Alhambra, Spain’s most popular attraction. We traveled through many olive orchards and the springtime countryside.
Report: We docked early today in the working harbor of Malaga, Spain on the Costa del Sol. Malaga is part of the province of Andalusia and is nestled between the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea. It is also the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. After breakfast, we joined our tour group for a quick tour of Malaga, a pleasant port city with ancient streets and beautiful villas. We then started our 80 mile journey to Granada and the Alhambra.
After a brief rest stop, we rode into Granada, the capital of Spain under the Muslims during the 11th century. This city reached its pinnacle during the 15th century when the Christians re-conquered it under the rule of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. King Carlos V later constructed the beautiful palace and also founded the University of Granada. We were dropped off for a “Kodak moment” to take panoramic pictures of the city and of Alhambra from afar.
We then enjoyed a delicious sit-down lunch at the beautiful Alhambra Palace Hotel overlooking the whole city of Granada from the hill named Assabica. From there we made the 20-minute walk to the Alhambra where we met our special guide for the almost three hour tour.
Alhambra, also known as the “Red Castle,” was created originally for military purposes. This Moorish citadel was begun in the 1240’s and once comprised a complex of houses, schools, baths, barracks and gardens surrounded by defensive towers and thick walls. Today only the Alcazaba (the original fortress) and the Palacious Nazaries (the Royal Palace) remain. Our first tour stop was to the magnificent palace with its (as described by Fodor’s), “endless, intricate conglomeration of patios, arches and cupolas made from wood, plaster and tile, lavishly colored and adorned with parquetry and ceramics in geometric patterns topped by delicate, frothy profusions of lacelike stucco and ornamental stalactites.” It was spectacular. We also learned that it was here that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand gave their final approval to Christopher Columbus to search for the New World.
Our next tour stop was through the Generalife Gardens, a former summer residence featuring lovely patios mixing Moorish and Renaissance features. Fountains, flowers and cypress hedges combine to make Italian style terraces “fit for a king.”
We then visited a workshop on the grounds for a demonstration of the making of wood inlays used in the ceilings and walls of the palace. The craftsmen today sell table tops, wall hangings and jewelry boxes that are truly beautiful.
Karen found a book store to purchase a copy of “Tales of the Alhambra,” written by American author Washington Irving while he was a guest at the Palace in the late 1820’s. Karen has been enjoying comparing travel descriptions of the countryside then by horseback and mules to the air-conditioned luxury buses we traveled in today. She is also looking forward to reading about the lives and experiences that happened in the places we visited on the grounds.
On our way out of Granada, we passed by the gypsy quarters, the cathedral and the Royal Chapel. The cathedral was built over a large mosque and was the first Renaissance church in Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand built the Royal Chapel during the 15th century to house their tombs. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit inside.
It was a long day and we were glad to return “home” to our ship in time for the last 20 minutes of a special performance of local Flamenco dancing. It was a nice ending to another very enjoyable day in Spain. We had dinner in our cabin which was very nice!
Karen
Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:
picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise
Photos of our visit to Granada and Alhambra have been added
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