Memories of Spain and Morocco - Alhambra, 1989 October 16

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My tour of the Alhambra had a rough start. A stomach upset from the shrimps I thoroughly enjoyed for lunch on my last day in Morocco kept me close to the hotel for a whole day. That or something else morphed into a terrible cold overnight, when the temperature in the hotel room was far below tropical paradise levels. Feeling cheated of a portion of my holiday, I stole a toilet roll from the bathroom and chose a seat at the back of the tour bus for the two-hour ride from Torremolinos to the Alhambra , a Medieval-Renaissance castle originally built when the area was Islamic.

Out the window, the semi-mountainous terrain was picturesque, except for those places were people on top of the hills treated the steep cliffs as garbage dumps, a strange practice in a tourist-intense area. Shutting my mind to that, I marvelled at the thick vegetation, both trees and bushes. Occasional towns were situated in the wider valleys.

At the Alhambra, we moved from the austere outer walls of a fortress through a strong, heavy gate into a beautiful palace designed for restful peace. Since Morocco, I was used to the design being on the upper part of the walls and on the ceiling. If you are sitting on the floor (on cushions and carpets), your gaze naturally rises. The beige-white walls were carved with texts from the Koran in highly stylized calligraphy or with fruits and flowers on a background of swirling shapes. Many ceilings were intricately carved like multitudes of chandeliers. Because originally Arabic countries were deserts, paradise is conceived as a lush garden, and because the use of the human figure was discouraged, the representation of gardens in art was a form of reverence. Andalusia must have seemed like heaven, since it has such a lush environment.

The extensive gardens for the palace were wonderfully serene. We naturally fell into silence. One reflecting pool made us want to stay for hours. The long pool lined with greenery and benches was perfect for contemplation. The sound of trickling water and soft fountains in the background calmed the mind and spirit.

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Photos

View from Alhambra
High above a surrounding valley

View from Alhambra
Wide expanse of gardens

Passageway in the Alhambra garden
Centuries of people passing through

Court of the Lions
Constructed by order of Muhammad V between 1362 and 1391

Generalife
Granada Paradise Gardens

Reflecting pool
Place of meditation and worship

Loja
Town dating from at least the 8 century

Comments

[Isabel Gibson]

Wow - love the reflecting pool. It makes me think about my backyard, which is just about the right shape. And the functioning fountain from the 1300s - amazing, even if the hidden plumbing had been updated. What a place to live.

[beentouring]

Reflecting pool at the Alhambra palace
The pool and its spiritual feel was the feature I remember the best. Quiet, focused and natural.