The trip from Seville to Granada was by car via the town of Ronda. Unfortunately our driver was not up to the normal Gourmand Breaks standards. He dropped us off at a square and told us we would be picked up again in a couple of hours. From there we were on our own. Granny wasn't up to walking too much so we ambled down to a park like area that overlooked the gorge. It was quite a spectacular sight. We took our time and then wandered back into the square and had some lunch. That was our Ronda excursion.
After our Ronda stop, it was on to Granada. At the suggestion of our good friends, David and Terry Mishalove, we arranged to stay in the nicest room of a very nice small hotel with a good view of the Alhambra. I was really excited about visiting Granada as it is the home of the Alhambra and the one place I remembered as being truly amazing when I was here 66 years ago. Unfortunately it turned cold and rainy. On the plus side, it wasn't raining hard and when our guide picked us up for our tour of the Alhambra it stopped and was just COLD!.
The Alhambra is a complex of buildings built over a span of about 500 years primarily during the Muslim era of Spain. We only saw a relatively small portion of the complex but what we did see is very beautiful.
<== Palace of Charles V
Nazari Palaces ==>
At one time the Gate of Justice was the main entrance to the Alhambra.
The court of Myrtles, named that because of the myrtle bushes on both sides, has a magnificent pond fed by water sources at each end of the pond.
Below are three pictures of the Court of the Lions. Considered to be one of the most beautiful spots in the Alhambra, it gets its name from the fountain surrounded by 12 lions that spit water.
The interior of the Alhambra is equally as amazing as the exterior. There is a variety of different styles and artistry throughout the complex. Intricate tile work, paintings, different textures. The few pictures I have below, only show a glimpse and don't really do justice to the beauty of this incredible place.
Two of the paingings in the Hall of Kings.
Last stop on our abbreviated visit to the Alhambra was the Palace of Charles V. On the right is a panoramic view of the spectacular courtyard.
