A Spanish Diversion - Granada

Getting to our accommodation in Granada was a bit of an ordeal. The AVE (fast train) from Barcelona to Málaga left us at a modern station (Antequera-Santa Ana) in the middle of nowhere before we transferred to a coach for the last hour of today's trip. 

Antequera-Santa_Ana Railway Station

Reason for this arrangement - the line to Granada is being rebuilt (to a hign standard that will most likely support an AVE service in the not to distant future). The Spanish economy might be struggling but they know how to invest in productivity generating infrastructure.

3,150m Archidona Viaduct - the longest on the new AVE
Antequera - Granada line under construction

So the plan on arrival in Granada was to drag our bags the relatively short distance from the station to our Airbnb accommodation. Problem was the published address was incorrect so after a flurry of real time email correspondence with our Spanish (only) speaking host we dragged our bags another 2 - 3 km down to Calle Reyes Católicos in the hottest part of the day. Despite following incorrect information (honest) you will not be surprised that the Skipper was not too popular ☺.

The Albaicín district of Granada where we stayed retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past.

Albaicín district of Granada

The highlight for us (and every visitor to Granada) was the visit to the Alambra. Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located on the hills overlooking the Albaicín district. Originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by Granada's Moorish Emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar.

Alambra at night

It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by the Sultan of Granada. After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Palace of the Lions

The Alambra is also noteable as is the location where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition.

Christopher Columbus received by King Ferninand and Queen Isabella
on his return from the New World in 1493.
Chromolithograph 1892 - Everett Collection, New York

After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the buildings occupied by squatters, Alhambra was rediscovered following the defeat of Napoleon, who had conducted retaliatory destruction of the site, the re-discoverers were first British intellectuals and then other north European Romantic travelers.

Palace of the Lions Garden

It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well-known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and surrounding gardens.

Overlooking Albaicín district

Palacio de Generalife Gardens

Carlos V Palace

That's it for now.

The Skipper

A Spanish Diversion - Barcelona (part 2)

We have a couple of pics to share that were taken on the final day in Barcelona.

The Barcelona Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica was built on top of the foundations of the early Christian basilica. The works began in 1298 and were almost finished mid-fifteenth century.

Barcelona Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica 

In the late nineteenth century, the Barcelona industrialist Manuel Girona Agrafel offered to cover the work of the facade and its two lateral towers. The work was carried out according to plans that already had drawn in the fifteenth century. The construction of the dome was finally completed in 1913.

Crypt of Santa Eulalia

Chorus

The cathedral has a Gothic cloister in which thirteen white geese live in memory of Saint Eulalia who was thirteen years old when she was executed during Roman times.

Gothic cloister and resident white geese

I have never seem a cathedral with so many Chapels each as richly decorated as those on either side.

Cathedral showing some of the Chapels in the background

A magnificent pipe organ has pride of place above the Portal of San Ivo though sadly the presence of a small electonic organ in the Chorus suggests that it only gets played for special occasions.

Organ

The District of Sants-Montjuïc features the very impressive Plaça Espanya including the Palau Nacional which is the Museum of Catalan Art at the tip of Montjuïc.

Placa Espanya with Centre Comercial Arenes de Barcelona (former Bullring)

The main attraction of the Plaça Espanya is the Palau Nacional which is the Museum of Catalan Art at the tip of Montjuïc (the etymology of Montjuic is the " Mount of the Jews " supposedly medieval Catalan and motivated by the existence of Jewish cemetery in the mountains). 

We were advised that the best time to appreciate its beauty is at night when illuminated with the Magic Fountain in front. This incedibly generous water display was built for the 1929 Great Universal Exhibition. Sadly we missed the Magic Fountain show but have a photo to illuistrate what we missed.

Magic Fountain / Waterfall location (at sunset)

Magic Fountain show at night

Waterfall operating below the Magic Fountain

That's it for today.

The Skipper

A Spanish Diversion - Barcelona

Barcelona from Mount Carmel

Our first destination in Spain is the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona - full of history and extremely popular with locals and visitors.

Carrer de Ferran

The district is characterized by narrow cobbled streets with tall old buildings,

Dining areas in every available outdoor space and square.

Dining in Plaça de Sant Miquel

Many front entrances lead immediately onto the street (on account that the street is too narrow to have a separate footpath) so it is important to look right and left before stepping out through the doorway.

Typical Gothic Quarter street

We have arranged to stay with Airbnb hosts Samuel and Esmeralda. Their place is just a few streets away from Plaça Sant Jaume - a landmark city square in the Gothic Quarter and home to the Town Hall and the Palace of the Generalitat.

Plaça Sant Jaume

The Palace of the Generalitat (General Council) is one of the most cherished symbols of Catalan nationalism and one of the few medieval buildings in Europe which remains the seat of government for the city.

Palace of the Generalitat

Just a short walking distance from our "home" is the extremely popular Rambla dels Caputxins
(La Rambla) which runs through the Gothic Quarter between Plaza de Catalunya the heart of the city and the old port.

At the old port is the celebrated statue of Christopher Columbus (considered by some experts to have been a Catalan).

We watched the setting sun from the highest point and lookout - Calvary in Park Guell.

Popular lookout - Calvary

View to the coast from Calvary, Park Guell

The park is named after Eusebi Güell, rich Catalan businessman. In 1900, Güell commissioned close friend of the modernist architect Gaudí to turn the land at the foot of the mountain into an exclusive residential complex in the style of an English garden city.

Monumental Precinct

Access the highly popular monumental precinct is restricted to a maximum of 400 people every half an hour to try to ensure the conservation and maintenance of this most fragile and frequented part of the Park.

Park Guell entrance

Each year in August the streets of Barcelona's Gràcia district come alive with a week-long fiesta. Gràcia was an independent town until the late 19th century and even now the community is small and tight. The people are exceedingly proud of their roots, they don't say they come from Barcelona, they say Gràcia.

The area is popular with artists and a generally bohemian crowd, it also has a high ethnic population and the highest concentration of foreign restaurants in Barcelona.

Themed street decoration

Gràcia is well-known for it's festival which is held for 5 days in August and sees the locals competing in street decoration (they take it quite seriously). The results are usually spectacular, and at night the festival comes alive with drinks stalls and stages of live music of every variety.

I couldn't help avoid reflecting on the comparison between this community focused happy, safe and family friendly environment and the life threatening culture of inner Sydney where we've got to have laws to stop alcohol fueled people killing innocent bystanders. Is Australia still the lucky country?

Decorations all made from recycled materials

Today's highlight was our visit to the celebrated landmark - the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia. Described as the expression in stone of the Christian faith this ongoing construction site features both Gothic and Byzantine architectural styles that was commenced and continues to be inspired by famous architect Antoni Gaudi.

Plaça de la Sagrada Família

Gaudi's commission to design this temple commenced in 1883 and continued until his death in 1926.

Sagrada Familia construction site

Basílica de la Sagrada Familia from the air

Tonight's tapas dining experience at the Cerveceria Catalana - amazing!

The Tapas and Salad selection

however there were many other temptations during the day including

That's about it for now.

The Skipper.