Almería, Andalucía [Part III of III]

First of all, apologies for the hiatus! Christmas happened, etc, etc, etc…
Moving on now to my last visited destination – Almería!

The province of Almería is located at the far Southeastern corner of Andalucía, where there’s plenty of sunshine and very little rainfall. A combination of canyons, rocky mountains, caves and dry desert make up the physical geography of this province. In fact, thanks to this intriguing landscape, Almeria became the filming site of several Hollywood ‘Wild Wild West’ type movies back in the 60’s to the 80’s (including 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade').

Almería is also blessed with a number of nature reserve parks & unspoilt beaches (such as Cabo de Gata – Nijar) that are home to various species of wildlife, flora and fauna. Almería’s natural terrain, mild Mediterranean climate and clear waters make it a great place for outdoor sports such as hiking, mountain biking and diving. Find out more here and here.



I on the other hand, visited only the capital city of the same name, due to time constraint and did none of that outdoorsy thing. Interestingly, when I spoke with some people before my trip, I gathered that Almeria City is not particularly attractive. I tried not to be influenced by the opinions but I must admit that after driving around the city and checking out the main plaza, Cathedral & maritime walk, I found it a little lifeless for a Spanish city (well probably it's the holidays anyway and the people have all gone to Granada perhaps!). Having said that though, sometimes less crowd actually makes it more appealing, no?


Above: Paseo Maritimo along Playa Ciudad Luminosa






Above: Along the beach - 'Playa Ciudad Luminosa'


Above: View from my hotel balcony.
The Christmas tree marks the start of Rambla de Belén street which stretches down on the left.
Visible on the top right is the lighted up Cable Inglés structure which was built as a loading bay for transporting iron ore from train to vessel. It extends out into the sea.


Above: La Rambla de Belén, one of the main shopping streets in the city. It is a stretch of pedestrian walkway occupied by a long row of stalls selling all sorts of wares and foodstuff in the evenings. This is probably the main place where the locals hang out.

One attraction not to be missed though, is The Alcazaba, the 2nd largest Moorish fortress in Andalucía after The Alhambra. Despite that, entrance is free and I didn’t have to wait in line! Although it lacks the majestic appeal and the intricate architectural details of THE Alhambra, it sure has an understated charm of its own – lots of greenery, small fountains and streams of flowing water everywhere, as well as excellent panaromic views over the city & harbour.

The Alcazaba was built as a fortress on a hill overlooking Almeria back in 955, when Almeria was an important Moorish port. Further extensions followed on the site after it fell under the hands of the Christians in 1489.








Above: Puerta de la Justicia or Gate of Justice, the main entrance of the fort






Above: The well kept gardens of the Alcazabar Complex – this area used to be occupied by houses & small roads


Above: Connected to the Alcazaba is a fortified defensive wall (the Muralla de Jairán) that was built in the 11th century which descends a ravine and climbs up linking to the adjoining hill - Cerro de San Cristobal on the far side.


Above: Torre de la Odalisca


Above: Due to earthquakes, parts of the Alcazaba had been heavily damaged and reduced to ruins. These are what used to be the Arab baths.


Above: Torre del Homenaje, built as the residence for the fortress governor


Above: The Alcazaba resident cat. Cats are everywhere this part of Spain!


Above: Casa del Alcaide - The Governer's House


Above: The parade ground outside the Christian Castle


Above: View of the city and harbour from The Alcazaba


Above: View of cave houses in the hills from The Alcazaba

With this post, I wrap up my recent Andalucía trip and also the year 2009.
I hope it had been wonderful for you as it had been for me, and let's hope it only gets better.

Here's wishing you all a Happy 2010!!! See you next year ;-)

Besos xoxo

Inside the Alhambra, Granada, Andalucía

The Alhambra has got to be the most visited monument in Granada (possibly even the whole of Andalucía). My experience visiting it is the most unique among all the other Spanish attractions that I’ve ever been to. Besides the pure beauty of the architecture, this unique experience I’m referring to, is also about a tiny piece of paper - the Alhambra entrance ticket.

Personally, I’ve learnt that if you’re visiting especially during the Spanish holidays (as it were in my case) or any peak season, the safest bet apart from booking a tour is to buy your tickets online in advance, collect them from any Caixa points and turn up at the Alhambra at least half an hour before the stipulated time on the ticket. You will be denied entrance if you're late or too early! If the General visit tickets are sold out at the entrance (only 30% of the tickets for the day are sold on site & 70% are for advance online purchases), you can try the Evening tickets or the tickets for just the Garden visit. Our tickets were purchased online in advance by a thoughtful Spanish friend, thankfully!

When I arrived there around 7.30am, it was still a little dark and freezing cold and we first needed to figure out which of the various, long snake queues we should join. At 8am as the gates started to open, I was suddenly reminded of the feeling I had when I first visited Disneyland. There was an air of excitement and anticipation in the crowd (& possibly relief from finally being able to get some sort of shelter from the cold outside). At last! I am IN the Alhambra!



Following that was a 15min walk from the main entrance through the huge compound to the Palace, just in time to get in a short line for the 8.30am time slot. *Yay!*

The literal translation of the name Alhambra from its arabic roots means red fortress, possibly due to the orangey hues of the buildings. It sits on a strategic site on top of a hill with a commanding view over the city of Granada. Built since the 9th Century, the Alhambra was first only a fortress for military purposes and from the 13th Century onwards, residential palaces, mosque, public baths and the Generalife gardens were added on the site by the Nazrid rulers, and the walls reinforced with several watch towers encircling the compound, protecting it. Through the works of the architects, it is said that the Alhambra is the physical realisation of the description of Paradise in Islamic poetry.

Over time, further changes have been made on the site, which includes the addition of the Charles V Palace in Renaissance style and the Church of Santa Maria.

Above: Patio of the Gilded Room



Above: At the Gilded Room


Above: The Comares Palace, as seen from the Court of the Myrtles.


Above: One of the doors of the many halls that surround the Court of the Myrtles.

Above & below: The Palace of the Lions – my favourite place in the Alhambra. This area consists of a patio in the center surrounded by galleries with many beautifully decorated columns. Some of them are false arches only for decorative purposes.

Above & below: Hundreds of vertical prisms adorn the ceiling of the Hall of the Abencerrajes, resembling stalactites hanging from a limestone cave. This feature of the architectural design is known as Mocárabe.

One of the main challenges of the architects of the Alhambra was to cover every space with intricate design elements. Hence many parts of the interior are adorned with repeated interlacing decorative motifs and subtle details of Islamic poems, inscribed in classic calligraphy.

Above: The Hall of the Two Sisters - truly beautiful with the exquisite plasterwork on the walls, the soft lighting and the sound of water from the little fountain jet.

Above: A closer look at the details on the wall of The Hall of the Two Sisters


Above: The boxed up fountain in the Patio of the Lions - one of the most popular fountains to look out for. There were supposed to be 12 lion statues under the basin, but they weren't there, which was quite funny...

Above: Patio of the Wrought Iron Grille

Above: Daraxa's Garden. The fountain's border is supposedly decorated with Islamic poetry.

Above: View of the old Albaicín district from the Palace

Above: Alhambra resident of the feline kind

Above: Palacio de Carlos V (Charles V Palace). Added only in the 16th Century, it is a square building with a circular patio in the center. Frankly it appears as a stark contrast to the intricate Nasrid Palaces next to it.

Above: The circular patio within the Charles V Palace.

Above: The Iglesia de Santa Maria, constructed in the 17th Century replacing the Mosque which was once there.

Above: Part of the Alcazaba fortress and watch towers

Above: Up on Torre de la Vela, the most symbolic watch tower. The bell used to be rung to warn of danger amongst various different reasons and somewhere along the way, it was believed that any young single females who rang it would be spared from spinsterhood.

Above: The Alhambra post box

Above: In the gardens of Generalife

Despite having to wake up at ungodly hours and standing in line waiting in the cold, I'm really glad I made it!

More to come, one of the more understated provinces of Andalucia...

Granada, Andalucía [Part II of III]

Ever since I moved to Madrid, I’ve been constantly told by many about the beauty of a city south of Spain called Granada. I made the trip spurred by its seemingly amazing ability to captivate the hearts of everyone who’s been there. Now that I’ve visited Granada, I couldn’t agree more. If you can’t find it in the sights and sounds, you’ll certainly feel it in the air!

Granada City in Andalucía is the capital of the province with the same name. It got its name from the Moors who invaded Spain from North Africa in the 8th Century, thereafter spreading Islamic culture and influences all over Spain. This cultural invasion continues to be strongly felt especially in the Andalucían region, its long lasting impact leaving Granada not only with a distinctive flavour, but also one of the most impressive ‘jewels’ of the Moorish legacy - the Alhambra, a Moorish Palace and Fortress. Since 1984, UNESCO has declared the Alhambra, Generalife and Albaicín quarter of Granada a World Heritage Site. Check it out here.

Today, Gran Vía de Colon, a wide north-south axle runs down the center of the historical city like a huge scar, separating its old quarter on the east from the newer part on the west. In the west is where you can find the archetypal attractions of a Spanish town – churches, the cathedral, plazas, shopping district & the tapas trail.

A mosque used to stand at the site now occupied by a cluster of important buildings - The Royal Chapel, The Cathedral, Church of The Sagrario and The Merchants' Exchange.


Above: The Capilla Real, or the Royal Chapel, built in the 1500s, is where the remains of King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella are buried.


Above: The front of the Cathedral

**Note >> The open space in front of the Cathedral is where several gypsy fortune tellers like to hang around. They first approach you by handing out 'free' sprigs of rosemary plant and then offering to tell your fortune, taking their time and holding you back until you get the hint and give them some token.**


Above: Sculpture of a water carrier and his donkey, with the tower of the Cathedral behind it.


Above: Street musicians, strumming their guitars to beautiful Andalucian music.


Above: Arabic calligraphy

Above: Truly appealing to your senses, small shops line the streets offering traditional Arabic craftworks, incense and confections, creating a perfect blend of rich visual, alluring scent and sweet taste.


Above: The NH Hotel at Puerta Real, the crossroads of the city’s shopping zone.

Above: The Fountain of the Battles at Puerta Real Square – a popular venue for outdoor celebrations.

At the east side of Gran Vía, you can find the old Arabic quarter of Granada city, at a district called Albaicín. Built on a hill, it bears the typical characteristics of an old town – with steep, narrow cobbled stone streets and lots of tiny nooks & crannies to explore. The way to fully enjoy it, is to walk into its labyrinth without a map.

Above: Carrera del Darro, a recommended walk along the river Darro (or stream as it appears to be), by the hillside where the Alhambra sits.

Above: Looking up from Paseo de los Tristes, along Carrera del Darro, you’ll see the imposing Alhambra, looking majestic here with the sun rays beaming down from its back.

Above: As you wander deeper and climb higher into the maze of Albaicín, turn back and you’ll almost always find an attractive view of the Alhambra showing up between the gaps.



Above & Below: Houses with a touch of Arabic influence

Above: Located at the highest point of Albaicín, Plaza de San Nicolas is the place to enjoy the magnificent view of the Alhambra and the snow capped mountains.

Geographically, the city of Granada lies in a unique position at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (which literally means ‘snowy mountain ranges’ in Spanish). It’s a popular winter sport destination for skiers and mountain climbers from all over Spain and has the highest peak (Mulhacén) in continental Spain at 3,478 metres. The Sierra Nevada reputedly has a relatively long ski season (mid Nov – mid Apr) plus the air temperature here tends to be warmer compared to some other mountain resorts, due to its southerly position.

It really is quite surreal to see snow capped mountains knowing that not too far away, there is the Mediterranean Sea, glistening under the sunny blue sky. Hence it is commonly said that one could go skiing followed by sunbathing at the beach within hours ;)

Above: Scenes in Albaicín

Above: The Puerta Elvira, one of the largest and oldest remaining city gates, marking the entrance to Elvira Street, which is famous for food and entertainment.

More on the Alhambra of Granada, to be continued…