Spain: Granada & Alhambra

ARAB DISTRICT

We had a fascinating day in Granada experiencing the narrow streets of the oldest neighborhood in Granada, the Albaicin. It existed and was inhabited before the construction of the Alhambra. After we went on to the Alhambra, both the lovely outer gardens and then into several of the palaces.

View of ancient wall around Granada from high point in Albaicin

With our experienced guide Bianca, we took a cab to the highest point in Albaicin. Here we had a view of the remains of the ancient wall surrounding the city and in the distance quite far away the outline of the Alhambra. It sits up high and when one is closer, you can see its fortress-like thick walls and multiple towers.

Carmen or grape lattice
House with stained glass
Narrow Albaicin street

We then meandered through a maze of winding streets bordered by the high white-washed walls of Muslim homes. Our guide knew just how to thread her way on these confusing streets without meeting any big tour groups. She noted that the Arabs kept their homes private, with usually no outside decoration, while high walls kept out intruders or lurkers. To provide shade over the inside courtyard, they put grape vines on a horizontal lattice called a “carmen.” More elaborate patios would have plants and possible a water source in the center and include tiles in some fashion.

After the conquest by the Catholic monarchs, although it was specified as a residence for Muslims, Christians began to create neighborhoods here as well. The Christian style of decoration was different; they added special stones around their doors or facades or added coats of arms to denote their status or degree of wealth.

Status could be read by which way the helmet faced, if the eyes were open or closed, and also how many keys were on the shield. Here only two and overall a person of lower rank. This is on the facade of a building that is now a hotel.

Elaborate stone designs on sidewalk

THE ALHAMBRA

Alhambra gardens and structures

I knew that the Alhambra was a famous Muslim palace, but I didn’t realize that it was a whole little city apart from Granada that included gardens, crops, and a water supply that made it self-sufficient.

It’s so peaceful in these gardens, one can see why family may come for an outing.
Thick walls and a path outside the palaces

Its towers and high walls were for protection, and a series of emirs and rulers lived within these walls and palaces.

Palace arches showing plaster work

The complex was begun in 1238 by the first Nasrid emir and founder of the Emirate of Granada, the last Muslim state of what is now called Andalusia (then Al-Andalus.) Later rulers added significantly to the royal palaces during the 14th century.

Mosaic tile along wall
Mosaic pattern detail
Plaster designs

With the Christian Re-conquest of 1492, this site became the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella and was where Christopher Columbus received their support of his expedition. In the early 1500’s, King Charles V added a new Renaissance-style palace which was never finished and left to ruin. In 1812, alas, Napoleon destroyed several parts of the complex, so that only three palaces remain.

Palace collonade & reflecting pool
Fountain with 12 animals around it

The Alhambra is such a vast complex of buildings and patterns that it is a challenge to portray it even simply in a few photos. Below are a few details seen in the palaces.

Decoration on column
Intricate ceiling work
Finely done patterns on a wall

Later, the Alhambra became an attraction for the British and the Americans and other visitors including Washington Irving. While here, Irving wrote his short story collection, Tales of the Alhambra, published in 1832.

EVENING FARE

After a full day of exploring with lots and lots of steps and staircases and only seeing a portion of the Alhambra, we were ready for something to eat. We found the last table outside against a wall at Humo cafe.

We tucked into some delicious beef empanadas, fries, and a tasty artichoke, and then, along came a religious procession of clerics and others plus a band playing “Onward Christian Soldiers” as they marched. We wondered if it was a special saint’s day as a big float was part of this parade. Made for a most interesting evening!

Fancy float in the processionw

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Spain: Granada Glimpses

ARRIVING

The scenic drive from Cordoba to Granada took us past groves and groves of olive trees for miles and miles. And up and down and around the mountain’s curving roads. The entire time was not quite two and a half hours. And then, suddenly, we were in a big city again, more Barcelona-like than like Bilbao or Cordoba.

Couryard and upper level, Palacio de Santa Paula

I don’t usually comment on the hotels we stay in; so far they all have been great. But this one is exceptional. A blending of a former convent from the 16th century and a grand house from the 17th century, Palacio de Santa Paula is an elegant piece of architecture. Our room is on what one might call the balcony level overlooking a courtyard, or patio as it would be called here, open to the sky. Comfy chairs around the perimeter invite you to read, relax, or nap, while images and icons are reminders of its past as a Catholic cloister.

I love the peachy, coral color of the walls
Yes, it was a convent

Drinks and lunch or dinner are served on the open patio level outside or in the lovely El Claustro restaurant indoors. Tiles and arches are almost everywhere. On the patio floor are inset stones commemorating various sisters who lived here in the 1600s.

BOTANICAL GARDEN

I like the arches on the gate and those on the peach wall outside

The hotel is centrally located in the old town. We walked around the area just exploring what was what. We happened upon the university with a botanical garden and noted students enjoying a break in one of the many sidewalk cafes.

Café scene with students

The botanical garden is small and obviously designed for study. I took note of some of the plants, including a large bamboo bush, thinking of my sister Ann, who would have fun seeing the variety. Most were not blooming except for a pink trumpet flower and one with small purple flowers. There are a few benches at one end, making it a quiet oasis apart from the city’s bustle.

Secluded gardens
Intensely purple flowers
University botanical garden

DISH OF THE DAY

We opted for lunch at our hotel and tried local dishes new to us including a Spanish omelet or tortilla. It is actually more like a potato omelet, but shaped like a discus. Tasty! Lunch was so good that we decided to “push the easy button” as one of my friends would say, and have dinner here as well. We enjoyed some of the best food we have had this trip. It’s hard to decide what we liked the best from tomato and basil to marinated trout to cod confit to dessert.

In my opinion, the tomato with basil hummus was simply sublime! Chunks of tomato lightly dressed with micro greens and sitting atop an intense thick basil cream. I happen to love basil, and it was perfect late summer. But the prettiest dish was probably my pink trout in a yellow sauce with purple micro greens adorning it. So, I guess, two dishes of the day!

Tomato and basil cream
Marinated trout in a sauce with citrus and other flavors

Next up, a visit to the Alhambra.

Note: Photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Spain: Complex Cordoba

WHY CORDOBA

Street with flower pots, Jewish Quarter

When we arrived here yesterday and took a short walk in the old town, we saw large group after large group of tourists (not Americans, but Spanish, Asian, and others) following the voice or the flag of their guide. The town was busy and, so seemingly touristy, we wondered why Cordoba was on our itinerary. Today we got the answer.

CORDOBA’S LAYERED HISTORY

H10 Hotel on main square, formerly 20th c. home of a count who sold it in 2016

Cordoba is a city of 325,000 people in a largely agricultural area. Olives, wheat, artichokes, and pistachios are just some of the crops grown here; this was apparent on the drive from Bilbao when we passed endless stretches of mostly brown fields and almost no small towns.

In its distant past, Cordoba was much more important, had a population of a million at its peak, and was the capital of its region. It has history as a Roman city and then an Arab one and then one dominated by Catholics and the church.

Sidewalk stone work
Mustard facades & flowers
Facade in Arab style

For a brief period, Muslims, Catholics, and Jews all lived together peacefully. The Jews were then required to convert to Catholicism or leave, and the Catholics were in power. Many Jews left, but some stayed, changing their names, giving up the overt practice of their religion, but still retaining some skills and interest in fine embroidery and the craft of silver filigree jewelry.

JEWISH QUARTER AND ARAB COURTYARDS

We spent the morning hours with guide Miriam who began our tour in the Jewish Quarter in the old town. For the first hour or so, the streets were quiet and mostly empty. We learned that many tourist groups visit for just a few hours and don’t stay overnight.

We ambled down narrow streets, admired walls decorated with colored flower pots, gazed longingly into beautifully planted interior courtyards, and visited an ancient synagogue.

Large courtyard with pots
Interior, ancient synagogue
Maimonides, 12th c. Sephardic rabbi

We stopped to pay our respects to philosopher lawyer Maimonides whose statue graces a tiny square near a larger one with his name.

MOSQUE TO CATHEDRAL

Layers & layers of arches in the Cordoba Mosque

Cordoba is likely unique in the world in having a mosque that became a cathedral. Today, residents here say, “I went to mass at the mosque.” Originally in the 6th century, the basilica built here was Christian; with the arrival of the Muslims in the 8th century, the building was divided and used by both groups. In the 10th century, the reigning caliph added a new minaret and began the expansion of the mosque with several new sections. At this time, Cordoba and the Umayyad Caliphate, in particular, had power and influence and began to replace Damascus in importance in the Muslim world.

In the 11th century, the caliphate in Cordoba was dissolved, and in the 13th century, the mosque building was re-dedicated as a Catholic Church. The first modifications included a royal chapel (1371) and then in the 16th century, a bishop ordered that the transept be built, in essence, creating a Christian cathedral within the structure of a mosque. Our guide summarized it by stating that for 500 years, it was a mosque; for 800 years a Catholic Church. As a very large mosque, it was able to accommodate 40,000 Muslims at services.

Bell tower of mosque
Close-up of columns
Gothic church elements

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is an amazing building and certainly was the high point of our visit to this city. Named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984, today it hosts both daily and Sunday masses.

Christian icons
Ceiling detail
Massive pipe organ

Our visit also happened to occur after a weekend religious processional; the oversized “floats” from that parade were on display this week only in the cathedral. They tell the story of Christ from birth to crucifixion.

One of a series of massive floats on display

RELAXED LUNCH

As a treat, after many rounds of pinxtos, we dined at Arbequina, a lovely restaurant in a nearby hotel. We started with a local dish of fried eggplant with miso and Parmesan cheese which the Chief Penguin selected and really liked.

Fried eggplant
Scallop dish
Sea bass with ponzu

Then he had scallops in a wine, mango, dill sauce with roasted corn, while I savored paper-thin slices of cold sea bass with pickled onion, ponzu, and tiny red berries. These dishes were all fairly light.

We indulged and shared a slice of Gorgonzola cheesecake which was topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a scattering of popcorn. Different, not particularly sweet, and very good!

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Spain: Sculpture in Bilbao

One of the fun things about walking around Bilbao, particularly along the river promenade, is seeing the sculpture works and the different styles of bridge that link the two parts of the city. Here are a few we enjoyed as we strolled along the Nervion River.

Sirgueras, Dora Salazar, 2020

Sirgueras are women who pulled boats along the estuary using a rope. They were fairly common in the 19th century in Basque Country, so this sculpture is a tribute to these women. This is the most prominent sculpture along the river and I was struck by it.

Commeration of the Day of the Sea, 1981

Commeration Dia del Mar marks the importance of the sea and the river to life in Bilbao and is also a reference to Spain’s national day, also associated with Christopher Columbus and celebrated on October 12.

Ovoid Variante by Jorge Oteiza, city hall, Bilbao

We walked along the river on the opposite side of this sculpture, Ovoid Variante, which sits more or less in front of city hall. Oteiza was one of Spain’s most noted sculptors whose last work was completed around 1959.

Puppy, Jeff Koons, 1992

If any sculpture is emblematic of Bilbao, it’s probably this terrier puppy which sits nest to the Guggenheim Museum. We happened to be here the day they were changing out the flowers and were able to watch some of the process from our hotel window. There’s a wire frame underneath the plants, and they change them twice a year in October and May to reflect autumn or spring. I imagine it’s especially striking when the flowers are in full bloom and brightly colored. It’s the sort of sculpture that just makes you smile!

Tall Tree & The Eye, Anish Kapoor, 2009

The Chief Penguin and I saw an exhibit of Kapoor’s work in London some years ago. He plays with form and objects, and here there are 73 reflective spheres that reflect images of the city around it and the museum walls nearby. “The Eye” refers to what the viewer him or herself brings when gazing at the work.

Puente Zubizuri

Puente Zubizuri is the “White Bridge” in English, and it’s in the Basque language. It’s a pedestrian bridge across the Nervion River and is also known as the Calatrava Bridge (after the designer, Carlos Calatrava) or the Campo Volantin Bridge. It opened in 1997 and has an unusual curved walkway. We didn’t cross it, but I found it most attractive.

Commuter bridge near the Guggenheim

This dramatic red arched bridge, Puente de la Salve, connects Bilbao to the suburbs, and now links to the Guggenheim underneath it. It was created in the 1970’s and is an unmissable landmark. Its official name is the Princes of Spain bridge.

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)