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We settled in a lovely old (circa 1600) hotel called Casa del Capitel Nazari and went for a walk around town. We stopped for a tapas lunch at Plaza Narzari and to keep folks cool, all the outdoor umbrellas spray mist over you every 30 seconds - very nice! The old part of Granada is very beautiful - many lovely squares, fountains, ancient laneways (these used by Moor spice traders). There's a big fountain with Christopher Columbus getting financial backing from Queen Isabella. 1492 was a big year here - not only did the Queen finance Columbus, but it was also the year they kicked the last Moors out of the Alhambra - making all of Spain Catholic. At first the large Muslim population - and the resident Jewish traders - were tolerated, but later on the next King, demolished all the mosques and built Christian cathedrals over them. Sigh. We walked all over town, and everywhere we stopped for a drink, we were please to find that free tapas was included. I ate so many olives, cold mashed potatoes with corn, etc. that we didn't even bother with dinner!
Saturday we spent 7 hours exploring all there is to see at The Alhambra. What is still preserved from the Muslim rulers is almost too beautiful to express. The intricate workmanship in the detail of the walls, wooden carved ceilings, and other Islamic details everywhere is mind-boggling. There are fountains and water channels everywhere, with peaceful gardens. We took lots of photos from the ramparts looking out over the valley and the city of Granada. Everything was stunning.
After a short rest we went out to dinner (Spanish time 10 pm). Had a lovely meal and home to crash.
Sunday we trucked out to the bus station to buy tickets to get to Tarifa tomorrow - no train connections or car rental drop offs there! We'll see how the bus trip goes. We then caught a minibus up the hillside across from Alhambra - to Sacromonte (the Gypsy suburb) and from there we walked to the St. Nicholas lookout in the Muslim quarter. We had lunch at a brilliant restaurant looking over to Alhambra. The weather is a gorgeous 28, sunny, and with such beautiful views, it was a meal to contemplate our blessings and what a fantastic holiday we're on.
Tonight we have booked a 2-hour session with massage in a restored Muslim bath house. Water was so important in their culture - and they had special rooms to move through cool and warm water, then steam. I'm looking forward to it!
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