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- Nov 8, 2021
- ☀️ 12 °C
- Altitude: 767 m
- SpainAndalusiaGranadaSacromontePalace of Charles V37°10’36” N 3°35’24” W
The Alhambra
November 8, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
The Alhambra, which was mainly built by the Moors in the 13th century in the hills overlooking Granada, is the main reason we have travelled to Andalusia this week. We booked our visit here weeks ago and as Colm would say, quoting his favourite show, Callan’s kicks , we are excited to ‘get it done’
The booking and entrance is strict - our passports are scanned when we enter. A Japanese tourist next to us has forgotten his passport and although he is part of a guided group he is refused entry. Our neighbour, Hilary back at Plym’s house told us that this rigid system was put in place a few years ago because some of the staff at the Alhambra were on the take at the gates.
We plan to spend the whole day inside the complex and we come prepared with sun cream, raincoats and a picnic. Unfortunately we have underestimated the cold morning temperatures here at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is 3 degrees when our be-sandalled feet walk towards the Nasrid Palaces.
As we wander through the palaces, each of us with our own audio guide, I am overwhelmed by the beauty in front of my eyes and by the cold in my bones.
There are stunning rooms followed by courtyards and fountains followed by more stunning rooms with spectacular floors, walls and ceilings. The detailed plasterwork is incredible.
By the time we are outside in the gardens at the other side of the Nasrid palaces the day has warmed up and we spend a wonderful few hours wandering along the tower walk and up to the Generalife Gardens and Palace. After a picnic lunch and a pick-me-up coffee we visit the Alcazaba military fort and finish off our time here with a run around the circular palace of Carlos V.
It is just after four when we pull out of the car park and we decide there is still enough day light to get up to the Sierra Nevada ski resort for a pre-season reccie.
We wind up the road for 40 minutes until we are more than 2000 metres above sea level. The resort town is largely closed and there is just the tiniest dusting of snow on the ski slope. The views are beautiful and we are excited about getting back here in a few weeks when everything is open.
On our way back to our Andalusian residence in Plym’s house we break our journey 10 minutes from home in a town in search of dinner It’s 7 o’clock in the evening and no Restaurant is open yet in Durcal. This is not the first time we have been caught out with the Spaniards late dining hours - We will never last until the earliest opening time of 8pm, so we head for home. One wrong turn later and we deep in a warren of impossibly narrow streets. We ignore google when we see the street she is proposing we go down, we think we might get wedged between the buildings or at least shear off our wing mirrors. We are wrong not to do as we are told and we spend 40 minutes going in circles, reversing and driving down one way streets until we are finally out. We got Durcal done and we won’t be doing it again.Read more