The Alhambra

There should be music playing as a background to this post.  The Andalucía Suite has a part called the Alhambra and you should be listening to that while you look at these photos.  If I were really good at this, I would make it happen.  You will just have to hum something I guess.We have planned to meet with the Cooks to see the Alhambra since we started the mission and it finally happened this past Monday.  We had such fun seeing them, seeing this beautiful complex of buildings, and best of all, they brought a package from home.  Rod now has a supply of chapstick and I have new photos.  Whoo hoo! 
The Alhambra (red castle) started life as a fort on the top of a hill in the 9th century.  It got added onto over the centuries ... by the Nasrid emirs in 13 &14th centuries, then the Christian kings took out and added various buildings.  Washington Irving wrote 'Tales  of the Alhambra' while staying there, and helped increase interest in it which lead to it being declared a National Monument in1870.  (I think this country has socks older than our national monuments.)  It has been heavily restored  as per the guide book. That is all the history I am giving you.  You will have to look up anything else you want to know yourself.



The first pair are Cherie Cook's parents, then her. Their friends are next then us.  Her sister and hubby were trying to get something uploaded and missed the photo op. Ted took the photo

The gardens were most impressive, especially as it is almost as hot and dry there as AZ

Generalife is supposed to be a corruption of an Arabic name.  It was the 'small get away' palace.

Apparently even the original had gardens and fountains but water was used sparingly then. 

Hat Hair!



This view of part of the complex also shows how much higher  it is than the rest of the city.

The books describe the exterior of the buildings as plain while the interior is ornate, and fragile like man.
There is one part called the gate of the Architect, the Architect being the creator or Allah.  The Arabic script is part of the decoration and is usually prayers to Allah, but some of it is poetry or praise for the current ruler.

 

I loved the old fashioned broom.

You gradually move up the hill and look back on the tops of the trees you just photographed.

They use this venu for musical productions.



I keep getting intrigued by 'tunnels' of foliage.   

We passed a shop where he was doing the marquetery as we watched. 

Yes, we bought a beautiful box.

But it is a 'transformer' box.  Soo cool.

Rod was totally intrigued by these cutouts in the roof of the 'baths'.

He is trying to figure how and where to put some in our house.

This is the residence built by the Christian Kings.  It has a museum but we didn't take the time to see it.

Seems like a friendly lion.

 

 

Well, I had to get a 'modern building' in somewhere.

A star shaped tower!  Sooo beautiful.

I don't know if this is the same tower, I didn't think it was the same place, but they are both star shaped.  They almost seemed like stalactites.



That is wood up on the ceiling folks.  It looks like it was assembled like the marquetry of the boxes.

Note that they didn't use animals in their designs.  Maybe to avoid idol worship?

Most of the walkways are covered with these pebble mosaics.

This is probably how it looked originally, with color in the background.

Does this remind you of something?

This is the courtyard around the lion fountain.  Stunning!

I thought about trying to spout water too, but...



Talk about tessellation.



We were getting pretty tired at this point, not to mention hungry. 

So we headed back to the Cook's car.

We discovered they were parked 4 spaces away from us even though we arrived about 20 minutes before they got there and met them at the entrance.  I swear we were separated at birth or something.  They gave us the care package.  Thanks again Kids!  We sure do love you!

And since we love you, I will save the afternoon's photos for next week.  I really did cut out about 1/2 of them. Take good care of everyone and give the babies a hug from us.