LYNN’S SPAIN/MOROCCO
JOURNAL
Day 5, Monday, May 13
Granada
Got up very early and left for Granada—it was our longest drive, took over two hours. Cranky for 3 reasons: no coffee, sleepy, worried about not getting into the Alhambra. Had to circle around quite a bit to get to the Alhambra—saw lots of new Granada, more like Los Angeles than Sevilla but without all the freeways. We got great parking and were able to get in, we thought for noon. Turns out the Nasrid Palaces tour within the Alhambra was at noon—we could have gotten into the Alhambra itself as soon as we arrived, about 10:30. But instead we spent a peaceful hour or so drinking coffee, changing money, wandering around.
Carlos V Palace
The enclosed space of the Alhambra is shaped like a boat with the Acazaba (military quarters) at the prow, castles down the right-hand side. The first area we entered was the Carlos V palace—only the circle-shaped, two-story courtyard, kind of like the Roman arena. We were late for our Nasrid palaces tour but were able to get in anyway. This was a series of palaces and a series of rooms and courtyards within each. Again, as in the palace in Sevilla, Moorish motifs: lacy decorations of plaster, arches, reflecting pools. Who did all that work? Wonderful, talented artisans. It was fun imaging being a member of the royal household floating around in my robes.
Comares Palace
We exited too early through a gate which we count not reenter, without seeing the last palace and without going on the tower walk back to the entrance. So instead we entered the Alcazaba area, which was really like a fort with towers and battlements—it was very hot. From there, as well as from the palace windows, we had fine views.
Alcazaba with Sierra Nevadas in Distance
During this time, we also plotted to get back in the areas we had mistakenly exited too early: begging the guards, climbing over the fence, etc. We tried the former, but they said it was impossible. Philip wouldn’t let me try the latter. We managed to get into the restricted area by going backward on the tower walk (no one stopped us from going in) and into the last palace (Yusuf III), which was but a ruin anyway (just the foundations). I felt vindicated—official channels had said it was not possible to go back in once one had exited.
We debated eating a late lunch/early dinner in Granada, but I won out: go home, shower, eat dinner in Sevilla. The ride out and back was not too memorable—except seeing the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada flanking Granada—pretty impressive. Getting back was a bit of a nightmare in town. We got on the wrong roads, got turned around, found right roads but were forced to go the wrong way, etc. Probably took at least an extra half hour to get back home. It was wonderful after a long, hot day to get into the shower. I changed into a dress (a first and a pattern we were to follow), and we strolled down from Macarena to Santa Cruz. We hit the main square near the cathedral and the palace. We walked back to where we had eaten lunch to seek out a recommended restaurant: Corral del Agua on Callejon del Agua. We had passed right by it on our walking tour. Dinner was chicken for me, pork for Philip—very well prepared, best dinner so far. We ate outside in a vine-covered patio, very romantic. Smelled night-blooming jasmine on the walk back to the hotel. Got back late but packed up for our trip to Morocco tomorrow.