Quick Look: The Alhambra, Granada, Spain

Rather than playing catch-up, I’m skipping over the Guggenheim museum and our visit with Brigitte Huet and Ivan in Bilbao for now and jumping into the present: Granada, Spain, where we arrived last night. Just in time for some stunning views of the Alhambra.

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We are staying at the Casa Morisca which is in the old Arab quarter, the Albaicin, just beneath the Alhambra. This is what we saw as we emerged from the taxi from the airport.

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It’s warm here and will reach over 80 degrees F. today. That’s about 20 degrees hotter than in Bilbao. This is hill country with cobblestone pavements, steep stairways and small curving roads cut into the mountains.

The snow capped Sierra Nevada mountains are within a half hour drive, as is the beach going in the other direction.

For now, we are concentrating on getting better sleep, good food — a la food and views from Mirador Morayma and seeing how my knee holds up!

GranadaDay1-4 GranadaDay1-5 This is what we came for! As night descended and our meal ended, this is our view!

GranadaDay1-7Of course, the Moors in Spain and their expulsion along with the Jews in 1492 begins in Granada. This is the symbol for the unification of Spain and the beginnings of the official Inquisition, which extended to all of Spain’s territories — including Mexico — and lasted until 1834.

 

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