The word Alhambra means "red walls" in Arabic. The Alhambra stands on a high, Al Sabika hill above the River Darro. Its reddish walls and rugged ramparts suggested a place bristling with defences but there was a real contrast with what we found within. The gardens were almost domestic in the careful patterned way they had been laid out and the beauty of the interiors, the stone and wood carvings, the carved stone the languid trails of water had such delicacy and beauty. The Alhambra sprawled itself in an irregular collection of buildings like a fur stole, across the shoulders of the hill.
Originally designed as a military area, the Alhambra became the home of royalty and of the court of Granada in the middle of the thirteenth century, after the establishment of the Nasrid kingdom. The first palace was founded on the site by king Mohammed ibn Yusuf ben Nasr, who was also known as Alhamar.
Throughout the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the Alhambra became more fortress like with the building of high ramparts and defensive towers. The military area or Alcazaba housed the barracks of the royal guard. The medina or court city, housed the Nasrid Palaces and the homes of noblemen who lived there. The medina also included the palace built by Charles V which was built after the city was taken by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492.
In the Charles V palace there was a display of the sculptures of a famous Spanish sculptor, Juan Cristobel and as with the visit to the Picasso exhibition, it was wonderful to see the brief historical video of him working on the plaster models that were finally cast in bronze. I think his most famous sculpture was the equestrian statue of El Cid. There was also a cultural exhibition of the antiquities of Andalusia that spanned a thousand years between 1013 and 2013. So many of the exhibits had fragments missing but they had been reconstructed with infinite care so you could see the original shape, but with only the authentic parts coloured as they would have been. There were textiles, metalwork, timber carving, terracotta, mosaic work and weaponry.
The buildings of the Alhambra were interwoven with garden elements like courtyard gardens and reflective obols and fountains, but just as important to the palace were the surrounding orchards and gardens, which was where the Granadine kings relaxed. This was called the Generalife. It was amazing how many elements of the Alhambra gardens were echoed in our Parkville garden. The Alhambra has the cliveas, azalea hedges, the ficus climbing on the walls, the dwarf box hedges, the violets and ivy, the rosemary the roses. We even have the brickwork, the lion head water fountain. With thoughts of coming back to a lot more hot weather and the thought of putting up the tent pergola, we were inspired to buy as a souvenir of our trip a lovely brass and glass Moroccan/ Andalusian lamp to hang from the centre of the pergola. On the way back to the apartment we walked through the Moroccan street stall near the Sultan restaurant we visited for dinner yesterday, and found a lamp we liked. I tried to haggle and the price came down a little but in the end I just wanted it and so I got it.
At about three o'clock we were both feeling tired and footsore. At first we were disappointed as the only food and drink we could find was from dispensing machines, and even they were refusing to accept both our notes and coins. As we headed for the gardens we came across a restaurant and "cafeteria". It was so stylish and modern and warm inside. We had a great lunch of boccodillo topped with goat cheese and a savoury jam. We also had a pastry parcel filled with chicken and raisins. Both were based on Nasrid recipes. As our feet were quite sore and needed further rest we sank back into the plush chairs and also ordered coffee. If this was a cafeteria experience, then there should be more. In the next room in the restaurant there were expensive tour parties having a three course meal with wine and lots of posey chit chat. We had just as good a time at a fraction of the price. As we were leaving, impressed and happy, and commenting that the place looked as if it were renovated to a standard rather than a price, we noticed that it was one of the Michelin awarded establishments! No wonder.
The Alhambra was more a series of buildings rather than a single edifice and one of the buildings we discovered in the gardens was an ancient Arabic bathing area. The purification by washing is an integral part of the Muslim worship rituals and so this area must have been religiously significant but I think there must have been some hedonistic element too as the baths looked to be places where you could lounge and let the day's heat and worries be carried away.
I still remember Dad working at the Alhambra cafe in Spencer st all those years ago and coming home after finishing two or three jobs and with his pockets stuffed full of hamburgers. It was because of his hard work and dedication to his family that days like today were possible. I think he would be happy to know we were here today and thinking of him with gratitude and love.
It was another good day. The knees are starting to complain so it's probably just as well that we are nearing the end of our expedition through Spain. Tonight it's out to dinner after a bit of a rest (and Johnny has work emails to deal with) then off to Cordoba by car for the next two days.
