Granada, 08/2007

One of our stops was Granada and the palace of Alhambra.

The following are a few pictures of this picturesque complex built by the Moorish monarchs. It is a palace/fortress overlooking the city of Granada famous for its ponds and gardens. Later Charles V  added a Renaissance palace - Palacio de Carlos V.

Alhambra comes from the Arabic word 'Al Hamra' which means the 'Red One' - a reference to the red clay of the region. The building of the fortress goes back to 9th century.  It was the home of the last ruling Muslim dynasty. 

Generalife borders Alhambra and houses some of the most beautiful gardens of the era.

Alhambra and Generalife

The central pools of Generalife		The waterways alongside staircases	The Courtyard of the Myrtles
	Court of the Lions	The Baths	Honeycomb vaulting in the Moorish palace romms	The Wine Gate
		AnneMarie and JP in the gardens of Alhambra	The "Water Garden" in Generalife
	View of Alhambra, and the Palace of Carlos V, from Generalife		View of Alhambra from Generalife	The courtyard of the Palacio de Carlos V

 

And here are a few examples of the flowers cultivated in the gardens

		Tamarisk	Soucer Magnolia

The convent of San Francisco in the Alhambra complex is now a Parador that gives respite from the heat and the sun to those who are willing to spend the extra Euro!

Washington Irving, the American writer, spent a long period in residence at the Alhambra.

Views of Granada from the Alhambra

Our trip was completed with a flamenco night

where the music was lively	the singers were good	the dancers included : the young		the old
the one in between	a granny	...and a lonely male