Granada

We made the 2 hour drive from Cordoba to Granada through the Spanish country side, stopping for a tour of an olive oil factory on the way. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (the originals, not the ones in California), so I got a view of snow covered mountains for the first time since January. Our first day, we went on a walking/bus tour of the city, and got some awesome views at this overlook of the city.

We were in Spain for the start of Holy Week, or Semana Santa, and one day got caught in the middle of a parade. The city streets all shut down for about two hours, and multiple bands marched in the parade. One of the strangest sites were large groups of men dressed in red, blue, and white robes, with tall pointed hats that came down over their face. While it looked like KKK garb, this is a sect within the Catholic Church in Spain that assumes this dress as a mark of penitence during Holy Week. Their wives, mothers, and sisters followed, dressed in black with veils over their faces. Then came the floats. Different ones are featured in the parades each day during Holy Week. We saw a large float honoring the Virgin Mary, carried by hand by the men in the pointy hats. It poured as we waited for the parade, but as the bands began to play, the sun peeked through the clouds, giving us a lovely rainbow. 

The largest attraction in Granada is the Alhambra, a fortress and palace built in 889. Built by Muslim rulers to highlight the power of al-Andalus, it was also used by Christian rulers after the Reconquista in 1492, namely Charles V. The complexs of the Alhambra is massive, encompassing gardens, the summer palace, the main fortress, many towers, three inner palaces, and an abundance of fountains. It is a prime example of the beauty and detail of Islamic architecture that made al-Andalus the envy of every European ruler. The Alhambra has even been a candidate to be added to the 7 Wonders of the World. We started with a tour of the extensive gardens, which were designed to be a full sensory experience, including smell, sight, and sound.  The summer palace itself is massive, incorporating intricate mosaic and stucco work, reflecting ponds, and giant arches. The image below, the iconic image of the Alhambra, is inside the second palace in the main fortress. The Alhambra is truly the most beautiful building I've ever seen, and is a testament to the mathematical and aesthetic perfection of Islamic architecture.  

In the heart of the city sits Granada Cathedral. First, we visited the the Royal Chapel, where Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand are buried. We then went into the main cathedral. While Seville's cathedral is bigger square footage wise, volume wise, this cathedral is is one of the biggest in the world. The vaulted ceilings go up forever, and its stark while appearance make the cathedral seem endless. The center of the cathedral is decorated with paintings of Jesus and Mary, flanked by two giant golden organs. It was quite a site to behold, and many in our group said it was the most beautiful church they'd ever been in.

Granada is the birthplace of flamenco dancing, so no trip there would be complete without attending a flamenco show. Our guide took us to an authentic gypsy show, performed in their caves in the mountains. Rather than a scripted dance routine, a live band plays and each dancer gets up in turn and improvs for 10 or so minutes, truly dancing to the music rather than repeating learned steps. It was a fabulous show, filled with fire and passion, and gave us a true taste of flamenco's roots within the gypsy culture.