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August 2003
Andalusia - Granada
David Aaronson2005-09-28 19:43:50
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Granada is definately part of the serious tourist track through Spain and rightfully so. The Alhambra and Generalife take an entire day to visit, and that's probably all you'll get there because tickets are rationed on a daily basis. Granada is basically the highlight of Moorish history in Spain concentrated onto a couple of hills which rise above the town. Behind the hills are the Sierra Nevada which are apparently snow-covered through much of the year (although not August when we visited).
We arrived at dusk, checking into our hotel, showering once more in case of lingering tomatoes (see La Tomatina page) and then heading out into the Albayzin for dinner. The Albayzin is the hilly maze-like Muslim quarter of Granada. The first couple streets in from the main roads are filled with tea-rooms, Islamic bakeries and souvenir shops. Once you get past that it's a relatively quiet labyrinth of unnamed alleyways and stairs connecting them. It took us awhile to find our target restaurant, El Agua, but it was worth it. The food was excellent (Spanish-style fondue).
And here is the reverse view, from the Alhambra looking down at the Albayzin (1). Most of the greenery visible here is actually in courtyards inside residential complexes. From the streets and alleys within the quarter, one can only see the outside of buildings and never very far at one time. The Moorish city of Baeza to the north of Granada was reconquered by the Christians in 1227 and the occupants moved here. Albayzin is a corruption of the Arabic referring to residents of Baeza.
We had purchased tickets for the Alhambra and the Nasrid Palace before we came to Spain, so the next morning we headed up to the entrance. There are tourist buses that make this drive from various points in Granada, but it's not a bad walk if you have the time (although it is mostly uphill). This is the gate-entrance to the grounds of the Alhambra (2).
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See photographs from:
Spain Gallery
