With a detoured landing in Malaga from Barca, the journey to Granada was elongated by a while. But the drive through the Spanish countryside was an added bonus. Huge estates lined with farms and flat plains, yes yes where it mainly rains, well to thank one Ms Hepburn.
Granada was the coldest in the season, the information board said 8 degrees. Getting out and hitting the streets we first made our way to the beautiful Moorish Palace of Alhambra. The text Alhambra is inscribed all over the intricate molding work of the entire palace. The palace was built by the moors then conquered by the Catholic Church and then again re-used. There is a striking likeness to the Palaces we see in India. From intricate patterns to elaborate workings and a beautiful setting in rolling hills it has all the ingredients that make is striking.I for one became a big fan of the geometric pattern that adorns the main palace and ofcourse the lions court. The court has a fountain of lions in the centre. Several courtyards and gardens make up the conglomerates palace. Orange trees and rose bushes that were in full bloom at the time in the misty air create a quality of wonder. What ultimately made the visit and palace a special is the sudden and unexpected snowfall in the mid-afternoon. Within the circular drum-like courtyard the lovely snow twirled much like a snow-globe.
As it was my first snow-fall its an experience I would not forget and just completely understand why snow-fall is rated so magical. Cause it really is magical, and nothing short of that. The twirling snow was a sight and though repeatedly warned about being careful on the wet cobble-stone path I couldn’t care less and flit around! With snow-flakes resting on my nose and eye-lashes, yes it’s one of my favorite things too Miss Andrew, I took in the breathtaking beauty of Alhambra.
The sweeping views of Granada from the Palace is completely worthy of an emperor. The gardens or jar dins
as the moors called it are quintessentially Spanish with a brush of the brilliant French elements. Parts are well-groomed and parts are au natural.
Lunch at Alhambra, served up really good fare, from the French onion soup to the delicious mocha mousse.
The city is equally enthralling and very focused on retaining the right human scale. The street lights for one set a very modern tone on a very antique background. The whole city seemed much like that, an equal measure of the old and the new. Ale-hop caught my interest first in Granada and consequentially in all of Spain.
The day at Granada was well-spent and armed with a digital documentation of the palace, the architecture of which I plan to write more about and share, we headed out of Spain.
vedasri.co 