‘Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada’

‘Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada’ Poet, critic, and literature historian Francisco de Icaza never spoke truer words. This phrase came to life this past weekend during my visit to Granada. ‘Give him alms, woman, for there is nothing sadder in life than being blind in Granada.’ 

 Not only was I struck by the natural beauty of this city, as it is located approximately 2067 feet above sea level, in a valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with a glacial river flowing though it. Also the coast is located only 45 miles away from the city center, making it perfect in the summer and winter.  But the beauty of the buildings and streets and sky and people captured my spirit. At times, I couldn’t breath it was so gorgeous. My pictures and words don’t do this city justice, and I can only hope to translate a little of the beauty and magic than I felt and saw in this wondrous city.

Room with a view

Saturday morning we left on bus to Granada from Sevilla. It took about three hours to get there, but the endless view of the olive fields and a quick nap helped it seem short. We got to Granada around noon, and we were set free in the streets until 4:30 when we would meet up for a tour of the Capilla Real. During our free time, my roommate in Granada, Elena and I took to walking around the streets and taking pictures and of course going for tapas. In Granada, with the purchase of a beer, you get a free tapa, so we took our time and sampled a few plates. We felt like we had just about enough time to figure out where everything else was in location to the hotel so we wouldn’t get lost later.

View

We met up with the group and headed to La Capilla Real, or the Royal Chapel.

Granada took the longest to be reconquisted and the last city to be reconquisted by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. And after Granada fell into the power of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain from the Nasrid dynasty in 1492, Doña Isabel de Castilla I, Queen Isabella I and Don Fernadndo de Aragón II, Kind Ferdinand II to be buried there because it was their last victory.

It was built between 1505 and 1517 in the Gothic style. This mausoleum in Granada houses the remains of Queen Isabella I and Kind Ferdinand II, their daughter Queen Juana I, Juana la Loca, her husband Felipe, El Hermoso and Isabella and Ferdinands oldest grandson, Miguel de Paz, Infante Miguel. I wish you could take pictures inside, but Spain is a little touchy about just anyone having pictures of their dead royals. 

Inside, the tall Gothic ceilings arch into points and create the most gorgeous frame of probably the biggest, most grandiose altar I’ve ever seen in my entire life. The sarcophagi of the royals mentioned above sit facing the altar. Juana La Loca, who apparently was a little off her rocker, made her sarcophagus literally 5 inches above that of her parents, and then lifted herself another 5 inches above her husbands. Because she could. I know you are like this girl was a little power crazed, which may be true, but most historians now believe that she had melancholia, severe clinical depression, a psychosis, or a case of inherited schizophrenia. Pick and choose which ever of those you want, it spells out loca no matter the combination. Nonetheless, the sarcophagi are above ground and there are steps to go down below and see the actual caskets of the royals. There is another room connected to that and it has depictions of Christ, the royal scepter and crown of Isabella and her personal bible. It was very interesting to see the caskets and royal things!

Inside a shop

From La Capilla Real, we walked not a block to the Arabic market, The Alcaiceria. This little area is the former location of the Muslim silk exchange and it looks like a little Morocco. There are silks, rugs, jewelry, hookahs, lamps, shoes, and pants, literally everything. It was fun to go in and barter with the men there although they were a little aggressive. But you have to keep the mentality that these vendors aren’t Spanish and definitely not European. They whistled, cat called and constantly told us how pretty we were. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but it was rather intimidating. But we actually found a woman a little up the hill that gave us a better offer, and didn’t hit on us. So we went and bough stuff from her instead.

On the way up!

From the Alcaiceria, we headed up the side of the valley hill to the Plaza de San Nicolas. It took about 15 minutes and was literally, entirely uphill. But the view was unreal. Not only could we see the valley and city, but also you are directly in front of the Alhambra. It was so gorgeous; the pictures really don’t do it justice.

Plaza de San Nicolas 

After the view, Elena and I climbed back down the valley and found ourselves a churros café and indulged. Our adrenaline buzz continued but was then drenched in delicious chocolate. We concluded the night with a bottle of white wine and deep conversations about Spain and our lives here.

Sunday morning, we woke up and grabbed breakfast at the hotel and our group headed to the Alhambra. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Arabic, Alhambra literally means Red Castle, and from the way the red bricks contrast against the green forest surrounding it, you can’t imagine another name for it. It is a fortress, palace and city located in the rocky hills and on the banks of the river in the oldest part of Granada.

Super diet version of its history: Granada was originally ruled by the Moorish the 9^th century, it was established a royal residence with the first kind of the Nasrid dynasty in the 13^th century. Because of the location in the hills, with its grand wall Granada took forever to siege by Catholic royals. And instead of a bloody war, it was reconquested by surrender in 1492. This is one of the reasons the ruins are so intact. There wasn’t any bombing or ramming down walls. 

We started our tour through the Palacio de Generalife that surround the outside of the castle before entering inside the walls of the Alhambra. The gardens were magnificent. Even though it was cloudy and misty, the flowers smelled wonderful and everything came to life with the shine from the rain. Jannah is the Islamic concept of Paradise, translated, the shortened version means garden. The key elements of this garden or Paradise in Islamic idealism is flowing water, shade and exuberant foliage. With no pumps used, all flowing water you see in pictures is from the Sierra Nevada and its water flow. I easily would call this place paradise. It was absolutely break taking.

We made our way to the Alhambra but not before stepping inside the Museum of the Alhambra. We didn't go into any exhibits, but its a wonderfully build building. The outside is a square and the inside is completely round. Very cool contrast. 

 As we walked around, we came into the Alhambra and saw the remains of the city. We then entered the royal’s residence. I wish I could explain everything I saw inside, and its function in the past and so forth, what I do remember, I will label. But I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life. It was detailed, and easily the most magical thing ever and I was in a dream the entire time. 

After leaving, we headed to get lunch at a local falafel place and got pastries for the road at the pastelería that claims to have the best pastries in Granada. We headed home that evening, in a dream like daze of Moorish magic, Granada pastries and thoughts of God.

Thank you to my amazing parents, who helped a girl get to Granada. I can’t wait to take you one day.

This week is nice just getting a hang of classes and life here for the next two and a half months. I’m working with a little boy on Tuesdays teaching him English. And we head to Córdoba this Saturday for another excursion! Paris is in one month, and I’m also looking to go to Rome for a couple days, maybe alone right before Christmas!

All my love xoxoxox