11-13-2022

 

 

Position of the ship at 0700 – note Funchal in lower left corner (and disregard Casablanca)

 

Up early to get the bus to Granada.  Malaga (our port city) was having a marathon run starting at 9, so the buses had to get out earlier than usual.  We left port at 7:30 for a 2-hour drive to Granada.  The Andalucía countryside is very beautiful.  We drove through mountains with many groves of oranges, almonds and olive trees which were neatly kept.  About halfway we stopped for a break at a truck/bus stop at 1578 feet above sea level (Paul got to use his altimeter app).

 

We arrived at the Alhambra (2503 feet above sea level) at 9:30 and proceeded to walk around the gardens.  Immaculate!  Roses and bougainvillea, zinnias, acanthus, spirea, cidonia, weigela, cockscomb, tamarisk, candytuft, ampelosis, amarant, wintersweet, rockcress, firewheel, karkspur, wisteria (to name a few)  and amazing trees – cypress trees that reached to the sky and formed a hall through which we walked.  The hedges looked like they were shaved instead of trimmed; they were so green and sheer with arches cut out for us to walk through.  Water was everywhere running, ponding, fountaining, reflecting.  At 11 we entered the palace complex.  

 

                                                                 the entrance

 

Hedges

Cypress tunnel

Water water everywhere

The Alhambra is a series of palaces built by successive rulers from the earliest moors (889 AD) to the Catholic Monarchs in early 1500.  The Alcazaba is the old fortress; the Nasrid palace is the height of Moorish architecture (and the most breath taking) and the other places around the complex that we only touch upon.  The venue was not overwhelmed by a lot of tourists although one might call it crowded in places.  Generally, we were able to see everything, take pictures, ask questions (of our very competent guide, Pilar) and be amazed at the quality of the thousand-year-old workmanship.

 

A nice leisurely bus back to the ship where Pilar gave us more information about Andalucía, a flamenco lesson on how to use hands (pick and apple, eat an apple, throw the apple away).  We shoved off shortly after we got back bound for Funchal.

 

(12,067 steps for those of you who are keeping track  )

Passed Gibraltar at 21:37

                                                the rock of Gibraltar is the dark bit

                                                the Viking Jupiter is the blue dot at 9:41 PM