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A front passed through overnight, bringing a light rain and crisp morning temperatures. Nevertheless, bright sun and clear blue skies greeted us in the morning. Started the day with a pastry and a walk through some of the old city. Wandering the narrow shaded alleys of the Alcaiceria…the old Moorish silk market…it was easy to imagine shoppers following these same step centuries ago. Today, the tiny shops are crammed floor to ceiling with colorful trinkets…mostly with the feel of "tourist quality", but who knows, these could be artisan crafts from Morocco for all I know. Still, the colorful fabrics, varieties of leather, and dull-gray metal jewelry are a sight to see.

Entered the Royal Chapel, the burial place for Isabel and Ferdinand…the Catholic monarchs who united their kingdoms to create Spain…and most importantly for this visit, they retook Granada and the Alhambra…the last stand for the Moors on the Iberian Peninsula. The chapel is located off of the cathedral. It has an enormous high altar, but the Royal Chapel is dominated by the Italian marble tombs of Isabel and Ferdinand and their daughter and son-in-law Juana and Philip. (Philip was called Philip the Fair…how cool it that. I think I will use 'John the Fabulous' from now on and see if it sticks.) A narrow set of stairs take you just below the floor to peer at the simple lead coffins of the monarchs.

From the tomb of the conquering monarchs, we headed up to see their prize conquest…the mighty Alhambra…a sprawling complex perched high above Granada. The climb was steep-but-shaded. The temperature drop made the walk tolerable. While we awaited our alloted time to enter the ticketed portions of the complex, we toured Charles V's Palace…or at least the captivating interior…a two-level, circular courtyard with marble columns.

On to the main attraction…thr Palacios Nazaries…the Moorish palace. This the must-see Moorish sight in all of Spain. The rooms are covered with intricate stucco patterns, punctuated with pinpoint-windows of light. Water runs throughout the complex…you can imagine the water entering thru aqueducts above the city and flowing through many tiny diversions to feed fountains and pools and winding channels. Unfortunately, in the palace, many of the water features were dry…some for restoration and some (most likely) because there are just so many people. And this is where the wonder was lost. We had just come from Sevilla, where the lush Real Alacazar enchanted us…and the Alhambra just seemed crowded. Ah well…it was still beautiful…but perhaps next visit, we will do a nighttime tour…when most of the tourists are long gone. Till then…

A dusty walk through the imposing 13th-century Alcazaba fortifications at the tip of the Alhambra, and a hot walk up through the center of the complex…and we were feeling rather overwhelmed. What a wonderful surprise when we entered the Generalife…with its summer home, tiered gardens, and (most importantly) fountains. Water…water everwhere. Even a staircase with banisters of running water…awesome! THAT was what I wanted. 🙂 As if to say "here is more water", as we were returning to the city along the Cuesta del Rey Chico a gush of water exited the walls of the Alhambra…done running through fountains…back into the Darro River.

We dined on a long plaza along the Darro under a vine-draped canopy. Tapas as we viewed the well-lit Alhambra against a pitch-black sky. Drinks and wonderful loungy music at the cozy El Rincon de San Pedro with the sound of rushing water over a fall just below.

The alarm rang early…too early…but nothing a couple of lattes couldn't handle. Pleasant morning temperatures and a sweet light breeze made for a leasurely walk around the cathedral and along the outer Alcazar wall. Shopkeepers rolled out their displays of fans and flamenco dresses, postcards, and pottery. Picked up a small antique tile from the 1880s in a tiny shop outside the cathedral…used my (very) broken Spanish to communicate with the elderly shopkeeper.

The street in front of the hotel was closed for a bit. Preparations for a short civic celebration for the return of pilgrims to the cathedral. Apparently they rented 30,000€ per week houses along the way…not quite the "visit the flock and find God" kind of pilgrimage-of-old.

The train station was busier than we had seen so far. Something was up. Tourists were joined by news cameras and protesters (we think). Several trains were listed as cancelled, while others (including ours) were delayed. Still, we boarded without incident…two facing window seats for the 3 hour trip through Andalucia.

Graffitti once again quickly transitioned to rolling hills of olive trees…lots and lots and lots and LOTS of olive trees. (The local tap water must shimmer with olive oil.) This leg was on a medium distance train (versus the high-speed AVE lines), so stops were frequent in smaller towns with "real" people. Caught up (finally) on my blog. Spotting a corral of donkeys… awwww, with two frisky baby donkeys… ain't that a kick in the head (go Dean-o). A tiny, dusty soccer field… vacant in the hot afternoon sun. San Francisco de Loja pronounced with a soothing "fran-thithhhhh-co" Spanish Cindy Brady lisp. New houses with satellite dishes…old houses with cows.

Arrived at Granada's sleepy train station on a sleepy cul-de-sac with a hoard of travelers and nary a cab in site. A slow trickle of cabs cleared the group bit by bit…and somehow we were last 🙂 nothing else was sleepy. We passed busy city streets until we hit the narrow cobblestone lane in front of our tiny, historic, Spanish-style hotel. Just five rooms in the hotel…each with a balcony overlooking a babbling stream and the next-door church. A slight head-tilt upwards reveals a bit of the Alhambra… high above… tempting us. Our room has a signature feature we've noticed in southern Spain…enclosed second-story half-balconies jutting out over the street… ours is done up in dark wood, black iron, and wavy windows. They open so you can peer at the sights all around. How cool.

From our home on the edge of the historic Albanzin…the old Moorish section of the city, with its twisting single-lane steets and steep walkways weaving up the hill. We visited a popular perch overlooking the old city and the Alhambra high above. From this vantage, the Moorish palace and fortress look truly massive…an imposing complex of stone building covering a craggy hill. Mountains in the distance still holding onto their snow. The flat plains of Andalucia lay to the right. The scene reminded us both of a scene from Lord of the Rings. A guitarrist played up-tempo tunes and drifters/hippies sold handmade metal and leather jewelry. We visited the overlook twice this aftenoon to find the right light. Truly breathtaking.

Ducked inside the Iglesia de Santa Ana across the street from the hotel. Cool and dark and quiet, the 17th century church had its very own Weeping Virgin…not everyone can take first place.

Decided to embrace the Moorish influences in the town and dine on a sweet and savory mixture of dishes. Chicken backed tender in a tajin with plums and nuts. Couscous with chicken and raisins and sweet onions. Creamy hummus. A yogurt-based desert topped with honey, nuts, and cinnamon. And Arabic coffee with heavy whipped cream. What a wonderful meal… unexpected and new.

Midnight by the time we finished dinner. Had an after-dinner Alhambra beer at Six Colors. Packed full of late-night locals. Lady GaGa and Madonna were paired with quirky Spanish tunes. When we left at 2am, the streets were still teaming with women in hip fashion and men in stylish suits…just gearing up for an even later night. For us… bedtime… to the gentle rumble of tires on the cobblestones beneath our window. .

Italy will always have a special place in my heart, but Spain is certainly a wonderful second. Layers of cultures, friendly people, creative food, a sunny climate, late-night dining and long strolls. What's not to love! We are having such a wonderful, inviting first trip to Spain that its hard to imagine we will not return…soon.

We spent the bulk of the day at one location…one sumptuous location…the Real Alcazar. This is the oldest in-use royal palace in Europe…basically a 14th century makeover of a 10th century Moorish palace by a Catholic monarch. The building and its walled gardens are a feast for the senses. The eyes are captivated by colorful tile floors, towering mosaic walls and elaborate ceilings. The ears are entranced by slow trickling fountains, tall trees blowing the the breeze, and hundreds of nesting doves cooing to their mates. The nose picks up the sweet scent of hundreds of citrus tree flowers, the pungent bite of scattered falled oranges, and freshly watered soil. The skin tingles with the transition from warm sunny alcoved gardens to cool palace rooms to damp royal baths.

We wandered for hours, and circled around to take it all in again.

After hours wandering and staring and interpreting, we indulged with a couple of beers on the roof terrace, watching the swallows swoop overhead for late afternoon insects. The perfect time to try (in vain?) to catch up on some blogging. Or to stare at the carefree birds and have another beer 🙂

Our pre-dinner stroll was through Maria Luisa Park…the site of the 1929 international exposition. The Plaza de Espana and several other remaining buildings anchored the ends of long pathways with dozens of tiny gardens and features. A dozen or so parrots (or some long-tailed green birds) circled together overhead. Old fountains sat dry.

We ended the day with a late tapas dinner, a night time walk, and drinks on the roof. Rinse and repeat…with pleasure.

Awoke to Jeff's iPhone alarm clock…an adorable (adorably funny…sorry) sound clip of neice Mia saying "twinkle little star!". Sure beats the jarring noise my phone makes!

Headed off to our first of three stops for the day…the Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija. (Passed dozens of designer fashion and shoe shops…smiled fondly for Sherie 🙂 The Palacio is the early 20th century mansion-turned-museum of the late Countess of Lebrija. Clearly an independent woman, she married at 49, widowed at 50 with no kids, and set off on a solo around-the-globe shopping spree soon therafter… picking up antiques and artifacts, china and furniture, paintings and tile from all corners. The ground floor is famous for its collection of Roman mosaics…many of which are installed as regular-use floors in the mansion, and yes, we got to walk on them. The Countess didn't hesitate to move a wall to accommodate the shape of her "new" floors. Shelves loaded with ancient archeological fragments. China from China…as well as Europe…with one set only the second in existence with the other at Buckingham Palace. A pricey painting from the Dutch master Bruegal. And who doesn't need their own private chapel with a glittery altar…perhaps for those days the chef makes sinful desserts?

On to the Catedral de Sevilla, past the pack of Gypsy women outside the gate offering twigs of rosemary. The cathedral is the 3rd largest in Europe behind Rome's St. Peter's and London's St. Paul's. (Ooooo, we have completed the tri-fecta!) Built primarily during the 15th and 16th centuries, portions pre-date the main construction (the 12th century Moorish mineraret (now bell tower) and exterior courtyard/patio) and portions we're built for centuries to follow. The caverous Gothic interior is filled with glittery church-stuff, including beautiful stained glass and an impressive 65-foot-tall golden high-altar. Workmen feverishly polished all things silver for some upcoming celebration (including hand-carried "floats" topped with silver statues). Local hero Chistopher Columbus' massive and somber tomb drew a snapshot crowd.

A warm afternoon walk past the Lamedas de Hercules (Jeff dubbed them the "pillars of Hercules)…four marble pillars anchoring either end of a huge oval plaza. (Our theory is this is the site of the city's former Roman circus… something to research.) Visited the small Basilica de la Macarena and its famous altar with the Weeping Virgin. This towering display glitters to entertain the eyes, but draws you in to stir the soul. Its difficult not to sit in silence and stare.

Left the Macarena…and spent the remainder of the day humming that incessant song! Circled a portion of the old city wall and returned to the hotel via a LONG river walk. Spotted a bridge by Calatrava (Maybe? Probably?) Joggers and sunbathers and skateboarders. Rockclimbers scaled the undersides of arched stone bridges.

Another wonderful late evening. Mojitos on the rooftop as the sun set. Our first paella for dinner. An evening return to the Pillars of Hercules, which transforms at night to a hotspot…with dozens of restaurants and bars…overflowing with cheery locals. We walking until we felt like the last people on the streets. It will be hard to say goodbye to Sevilla.

Began the day bright and early with the royal Alcazar and its walled gardens. The building itself housed tapestries and mosaics. A highlight was the tower…not a high tower…just high enough to provide interesting views of the gardens and the city. The gardens were beautiful, with tiered pools and foutains. A historic gravity-fed irrigation system ran throughout the entire garden…bricked trenches that carried water to every corner. Watched gardeners move metal "gates" that directed rivers of water into specific gardens…sunken to absorb pools of water for deep irrigation.

Visited the only surviving synagogue predating the forced-conversion of non-Christians by the Catholic monarchs. A tiny gem…the synagogue was primarily one room with mosaics and inscriptions. We learned that this one of only three surviving synagogues in Spain from that era…the other two in Toledo…which we had visited days before.

Time to leave Cordoba. Ducked into the Mezquita courtyard (free) to wander the rows of orange trees. Watched a row of trees getting their morning soak with another gravity-fed irrigation system that fed deep roots. Took a breezy walk to the train station.

The AVE train zipped us to Sevilla in less than 45 minutes. Dropping further along the Guadalquivir River, we passes dry grasses and squat orange trees. The monitor read 250kph. Hibee to Sevilla.

Arrived at the perfectly situated EME Catedral Hotel…aptly named for its next-door neighbor…the cathedral (duh). A glass of perfectly-chilled light red Spanish wine while we waited for our room. And oh what a room…an oaisis of tranquility. Sophisticated yet comfortable. Comtemporary yet functional. Lunch (tapas) in the Santa Cruz neighborhood.

Visited the city's historic bull ring (and museum). One of the oldest in all of Spain. Upwards of 20 thousand spectators turn up every Sunday in May and June (and a special show for Easter) to watch 3 matadors fight 6 bulls. I'm pretty sure I would not want to watch a bull fight, but the ring was fascinating. Things I learned…this is certainly a sport, but it began as practice for fighting enemies in the Middle Ages. Every fight is 20 minutes…in precise 5 minute stages. the matador makes the bull dip its head so tha he can jump over the horns to make a precise kill into the heart. There are specific rules for what can happen in the shadowed and sunlight parts of the oval ring. If a bull performs well, the matador clips one of its ears; if it does very well, both ears: and an exception fight…off goes the tail. The meat is sold at market. Truly fascinating.

A bird pooped on my head as we left the bull ring. Gracias.

Walked along the Guadalquivir River under a canopy of trees. Crew teams and kayakers zipped by. A rag-tag band of young trumpters "practiced". The cool afternoon breeze felt wonderful. Spotted an iced coffee.

The hotel's soothing rain shower washed away the days grime and soothed aching calves. Calming music on the cd player. Fully refreshed, we had dinner in a cozy coutyard in the Santa Cruz neighborhood. No tapas tonight…tried some recommended dishes…pork and veal. Spanish wine from Castilla-Leon.

By 1am the streets finally start to get quiet. Tossed a Euro to a guitarist playing soothing tunes outside the cathedral. Mojitos…wonderful mojitos…cool refreshing mojitos on top of the hotel overlooking the cathedral…amazing. (Kim…these mojitos need to be on your to-do list 🙂

Achy feet trundled off to bed.