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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 2898 |
10th March 2017 Hiking - Walking: Alhambra Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Sunny and hot :) Max Speed: Distance Covered: Friday 10th March – Sightseeing walk - Alhambra **** - sunny and hot! Nice night in our spot just two miles down the road from the ski carpark at Sierra Nevada and woke to yet another bright sunny day which turned out to be our hottest day so far with temperatures in excess of 30 degrees!!! I did my exercises but Mag didn’t fancy it so gave the inside of the van a real sort out. Our plan was to head down to Granada to visit The Alhambra for our dose of culture but first I wanted some postcards so drove back to the end of the road where there were some kiosks and it was heaving. The small carpark was full with cars and coaches bringing kids up for some sledging on a tiny piece of snow, but the hire huts were doing a roaring trade in expensive sledge hire and an enterprising North African was selling gloves, sunglasses and bum sledges! We couldn’t believe the locals- it must have been 20 degrees + and they were dressed in full winter gear while we had shorts and t-shirts. Postcards purchased, they were crap but cheap, three for a Euro:) we drove the scenic windy route done to the outskirts of Granada and soon picked up the Alhambra signs - a walled citadel from the 12th century with palaces and fantastic gardens – It is a UNESCO World Heritage site! The large carpark was the first stumbling block as we tried to work out the cost before getting a ticket, it was 1 Euro for 1 minute then 0.02 of a Euro a minute after that. We gave up and got a ticket anyway. Then it was follow the crowds down to the entrance trying to avoid gypsy heather sellers and men selling selfie sticks. Next problem was trying to pay, there was a queue for tickets but these had been reserved and cash only. We found the machines you could pay by credit card and took the most expensive option allowing us entry to everything for 30 Euros!!!! :( With temperatures now pushing 30 degrees we entered the walled city following the crowds up past beautiful gardens all set out with box hedge and planted with a bright array of flowers which looked lovely against the clear blue sky. We soon realised that we had been given a time of 5 o clock to visit the Nasrid Palaces and when we saw the long queue we were relieved we would be long gone by then! We passed the large Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra and as is the Spanish way it was locked. Then on to the Alcazaba, one of the oldest parts and the military area of the complex. The best part was the Torre de la Vela a large watch tower which you could access by a narrow stone stairway for magnificent views of Granada and the snowy Sierra Nevadas:) We then passed through the beautiful shaded Jardin de los Adarves, the wall walk garden where I slipped off my shoes and cooled them in running water from an old drinking fountain:) I then visited the best toilet I have ever been for a pee in with wall to wall marble! We crossed the courtyard to the Palacio de Carlos V an impressive square building from the outside with a huge circular middle supported by loads of columns – this was full of art galleries which we passed on. We were getting a culture overload headache and wanted to find some where shady for our snacks so missed the Baths of the Mosque by entering the Palicio de Yusuf lll because you couldn’t get back out without a long walk. Again, the garden was amazing with running water and large ornamental ponds giving lovely reflections of the Moroccan style buildings. There had been cats everywhere scrounging titbits off the tourists but the seat we found was sadly cat free so we shared our snack with a flock of tame sparrows:) We had finished the lower section and exited through more lovely gardens set with vegetables, walking up to the Generalife section. This area includes the lower gardens, Palace of the Generalife and upper gardens. It was constructed to be the recreation area of the Kings of Granada, where they escaped from the official routine. It was full of noisy but lovely fountains and a water stairway with buildings covered in North African fancy plaster work like we had seen in Morocco. It was 3.30 now and we were in desperate need of a cuppa in a nice spot so headed back to the van, paying for the carpark on the way, 6.50 Euro (goodness knows how they worked that out!!). We checked the map and decided to head back toward Sierra Nevada and take the small white road towards Guadix. Again, we passed some beautiful mountain scenery with streams, vibrant blue lakes and gorges but struggled to find a suitable spot as there was nowhere to pull off the road:( Nearly back on the main road we found a little pull off in an area of red rock which smelt lovely when we disturbed the thyme growing all around. We even had views back toward the snowy peaks we have enjoyed so much over the last week:) We had a nice hour or so enjoying a welcome cuppa and reading outside in the still hot sun when a shepherd walked past with his flock of a hundred sheep dutifully following munching on the hoof:) The sun disappeared with no nice sunset tonight but a lovely full moon. Chicken curry, left over from last night for tea – so quick and delicious too:) Now heading back North as can’t face the trek to Tarifa! Photo Gallery Here |
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