The
Alhambra... one of the most impressive Muslim palaces in the
entire world... right here in Granada, Spain.
[Something to bear
in mind as you look at all these: The Alhambra
is on this massive hill (the Cerro del Sol), so all the enormous buildings
and sprawling parks you're about to see are all high above the city. It
took us about 45 minutes just to get up the hill.]
Here's
a fully laden Carl complete with Alhambra map and a copy
of Washington Irving's "Tales of the Alhambra" in his back pocket..
I
can't even begin to describe the amazing detail that adorned every
single corner of this place (wait, I just did).
Nestled
at the foot of the Sierra-Nevada, the Alhambra is at once both
a gorgous palace and a formidable castle of war. Well, not modern war...
but back when they used to hack at each other with wooden poles.
Again...
detail... sheeesh.
Faith
looks at the fish in one of the palace's many pools.
...
the place was surprisingly crowded, considering how out of the
way Granada was...
What
did they use this room for? Basketball? It's frigging huge.
A
shot of Faith entering the Court of Lions...
So
named for it's famous lion fountain in the center.
There
it is. Not bad.
Although
it was the numerous highly-detailed columns here that really impressed
us.
"How
come I can't get any frigging reception? I've got one bar..."
Riiiight. Carl admires the craftsmanship while listening to the audio
guide.
Irving
wrote, of the Lion's Court:
"It is impossible to contemplate his scene, so perfectly Oriental, without
feeling the early associations of Arabian romance, and almost expecting
to see the white arm of some mysterious princess beckoning from the gallery,
or some dark eye sparkling though the lattice. The abode of beauty is
here as if had been inhabited but yesterday."
Yeah...
what he said.
Imagine
living in a place like this. I wouldn't know what to pee in first...
