As there are so many wonderful photo opportunities in Granada and I am at the mercy of local bandwidth, I have broken up my offerings to show as much as I can. Below please find some of the scenes of the Alhambra which include the Lujans of Minnesota and your humble servant.

In the patio de Leones:

From the gardens looking at the Alhambra with our guide

By the reflecting pool outside the thrown room

If you have but one palace to visit in your life, come to Granada and visit the Alhambra and it’s gardens, the Generalife. There is nothing like it in the world for its beauty and it’s majesty. We were blessed with wonderful weather for our visit which was helpful with the extensive grounds and the crowds.

Occupied by the Moorish rulers for nearly 400 years its continuous improvements and strategic location allowed it to serve as both a fortress and a palace. The Alhambra is a building which reflects pure architecture of Islam as well as the teachings of the Koran about self. The outside is plainly unimpressive. Brown and red clay stucco and windowless.

Once you enter, it is an assault on the senses. Your eyes are entertained by a dazzling array of colors of tile, flowers, and intricate lattice work of plaster.

Your skin is cooled by mountain breezes channeled through windows and passageways as well as a running system of fountains, you smell the jasmine, roses, and incense, and you are entertained by the sounds of the fountains and running water. (Of course we were also assaulted by the sights and snarls if a million tourists but let’s stay positive shall we. )

After our morning walk we had the usual wonderful European breakfast and a short break before our guided tour of the highlights of Ronda. We toured the cathedral with its highly unusual all female last supper.

And the altar dedicated to the phases of Saint Mary’s life with its 18 kilograms of gold leaf.

Later we toured the bull ring and had some fun learning of the ancient art.

We got up early with our guide to see the sun come over the mountains to shine on this jewel of a city. It was quiet and deserted which made its cavernous presence even more amazing.

The air was cool which was a welcome change from the 100+ we were experiencing earlier in the trip.

Later in the day we enjoyed a guided tour where we discovered the many famous writers and directors that have enjoyed time in Ronda. The Orson Wells walkways are in honor of the film based on the Hemingway nivel Death in the Afternoon.

Group shot

The gorge formed by an earthquake that split the mountain and caused a deep lake to rush through.

Arrived at the Parador in Ronda after trying unsuccessfully 40 years ago.

Almost 40 years ago I was with friends and we tried to drive to Ronda from Malaga over Christmas break from our studies at Middlebury in Madrid. The road at the timé winded up through the mountain with no guard rails and trucks passing us and coming down the hill. It was too scary and we never made it to the town of Ronda. Today in an air conditioned bus on much better roads, I made it to Ronda. X

Another of the amazing towns tucked away in Spain due to its strategic location and defendable terrain. The town is split by a gorge several hundred feet deep it is today a tourist attraction swarming with Sunday visitors from Malaga and other towns. X

We arrived in time for lunch ( life is all about timing) and this evening we will have a walk about town. We will spend two nights in the Parador before we move on to Granada and it’s treasures. Group shot from the gorge. X

Having bandwidth issues in the hotel. Pictures are meant to be inserted at the Xs. Will try later to send separately.

The Parador In Carmona is of recent (1976) construction but on ground occupied for 5000 years. We had a tour today by a very passionate resident who put the history of Carmona in perspective. It was situated on the aRoman road along the south of The Iberian peninsula. Occupying the strategic high ground and the only road, it was an amazingly rich town for the taxes it collected. It boasts an original Roman gate in and out that are still standing and most of the land is still owned by the original 6 families from the 16th century. If anyone is interested there are many houses for sale here for very low prices but the restoration costs will likely be in the half million neighborhood.

If the cities continue to get more beautiful each day we will be in Shangri La soon.

As each of these cities served as the capital if its world at different times, one must understand that they all have been amazingly important. Today we visited the famous Mesquita de Córdoba, the Córdoba mosque. It is the second largest mosque in the world. I recall from my graduate school course that the continuous repetitive arched in the mosque were designed to demonstrate the continuous and enduring presence of God. The mosque was constructed over hundreds of years and under a number of califs beginning in the ninth century. It’s art and construction are still impressive today.

One gets into Córdoba by crossing the Roman bridge. It has been restored and is now only a pedestrian bridge so that generations after us will be able to enjoy it.

Today’s group shot on the Avenida denlas Flores with the bell tower in the background. The original minaret is inside the bell tower.

The Christian conquest in 1288 both preserved the mosque and defiled it by placing a gothic cathedral in the center. As our guide explained to us quite expertly, although the construction of the church does destroy the lines and the continuum of the arches, it’s presence is likely what saved the mosque for us to see today.

Our purpose in staying in Carmona is its magnificent parador. One of the finest on the Iberian peninsula, it’s location on a commanding hill makes it historically important and today its location allows us to spend three nights here with day trips to Sevilla, Córdoba, and Granada. The view from my room:

It will be impossible to include all the photos of Sevilla. There are so many treasures. We walked the old city in 110 degree heat to focus on the principle locations in world history. Situated miles inland along the Guadalquivir River, this spot has been occupied for all of human history. It is the launching place for Magellan and Columbus as well as the port that received all the gold and silver from the new world. It is also a center of art boasting names like Surburban, Velazquez, The Barber of Seville, Carmen, and modern film like Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, and even Game of Thrones.

Decorated in the Mudejar style it is a curious mix of the Muslim and the Christian. We visited the oldest continuously operated palace in Europe in the Alcazar, occupied since the 12th century.

Among other sites, we visited the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world and the grave of Columbus.

We had a long travel day today from Evora crossing the Guadiana river into Spain. We stopped to see some of the best preserved Roman ruins in Merida. Established in 8 BC, the town of Merida was a retirement community for Roman Legions. At its peek it was a town of 40,000 Romans and support that has a classic Roman Bridge, aqueduct, amphitheater, forum, temple, and collusion. It is an amazing site surrounded by a modern city of 60,000 today.

We continued to Carmona where we will stay at one of the oldest and best preserved Paradors in Spain. We will stay here for 3 nights doing day trips to Sevilla, Cordova, and Granada before we move on to the mountain town of Ronda.