Granada

After 4 days in Madrid, we moved onto Granada, by train, and making good use of our Tarjeta Dorada, for 4 days.

For those interested in the pilgrimage ways, Granada is on the Camino Mozarabe.  Some pilgrims begin this way from here, though it is waymarked from Almeria, and those beginning in Malaga would bypass Granada.  This is a city full of history, and particularly its long history as a Moorish city, before the reconquistition.  

Granada has many claims to fame, but one of the most well known is that this is where one is able to tour the UNESCO world heritage site of the Alhambra.  The Alhambra is one of the best preserved sites of historical Islamic architecture,  and consists of both a fortress and a Palace.  Along with this there are magnificent gardens, fountains, and quiet pools of water.

We were told that you have to buy tickets months in advance, but seeing we had no idea that we would end up in Granada, we hadn't done so!.  We were advised to keep checking the website in case tickets were released and, long after Carol was asleep on our first night in Granada, I managed to secure tickets to see the gardens.  At least that was something to see!  Then, on the advice of our delightful hotel receptionist I checked the website at 1.00am (apparently the board may release tickets after midnight, but I fell asleep!), and managed to secure tickets to the Nasrid Palaces.  

A visit to the Alhambra includes a visit to the gardens and the palaces.  The Palace is like no western style edifice, and sits on a hill overlooking the modern city of Granada.  By saying modern, I mean medieval or older.  The Alhambra is ancient, building starting between 1238 and 1358, with much of the extraordinary internal decorations in the Nasrid Palace being attributed to Yūsef 1, who died in 1354.  The whole complex was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984.  I will leave it to you to read more if you are interested - just search for Alhambra and you will find plenty.

After returning from one of our exploratory walks we came across a very large brass band tuning up and watched the subsequent parade to and from the church. 

We took one day to make a day trip to the nearby town of Ronda, a two hour train ride away.  We especially bought direct train tickets, but were thwarted by the after affects of storm Laurence.  We only got half way and had to change to a bus, then coming home it was repeated, except we had to wait for over an hour for the train to arrive after the bus delivered us.  This was due to flooding on some tracks, and landslides blocking others, and trains delayed or cancelled across the region.  Travel of any sort was chaotic for over 24 hours.

Ronda sits on a plateau, with beautiful views out across the valley.   It is quite famous for an old bridge that spans a deep ravine which divides the two halves of the town.  During the civil war it was estimated that around 500 rebels met their end by being thrown into the ravine.  

Orson Welles, who spent time reporting on the Spanish Civil War, referenced these incidents in his book For Whom the Bell Tolls.  Another person with strong ties to Ronda was Ernest Hemingway who had a love of bull fighting, and a strong friendship with a local bullfighter, Antonio Ordóñez.  His ashes are buried in Ronda, and there is even a street named after him.

The bull ring in Ronda

After four nights in Granada, Carol and I then set off for Cordoba for four nights.  But that story is for the next post!