Soothing sound of water and majestic views - the palace at Generalife

The Patio de la Acequia - the Water Garden Courtyard

Sunday, November 3, 2019           Granada

In the center of the Generalife is a large palace, with a north and south tower, 

surrounded by a complex of water courtyards - the Patio de la Acequia 

(Water-Garden Courtyard), which has a long pool framed by flowerbeds, 

fountains, colonnades and pavilions, and the Jardím de la Sultana (Sultana's 

Garden or Courtyard of the Cypress). The former is thought to best preserve 

the style of the medieval Persian garden styles.

Topping the North Pavilion of the Salon Regio - the Royal Chamber - with views that are unbeatable

The East wall of the courtyard - originally entrance to the royal residential use and baths

The South pavilion and  West wall - the gurgles of the water fountains offer a pleasant sound for meditations

Inside the Royal Chamber - highest point of the Generalife palace

The Royal Chamber (Salon Regio) is the main room of the North Pavilion, with open Moorish arches, decorated stucco with Arabic inscriptions and a wooden ceiling with inlayed designs. You can see across the ravine and the river to the oldest part of the Alhambra, as well as vistas across the city of Granada.

Gardens and orchards between this palace and the Alhambra complex

Intricate stucco carvings around the Moorish arches, and pierced strap work patterns of the windows above

Looking out across Granada and to the mountains in the north; window strap work at the top

I love the little shell at the top of the arch, and the geometric patterns and calligraphy

Another fountain - water features at every level

The Generalife - beautiful Moorish gardens of the Alhambra

Waiting for our tour to start, we had a little lunch and a visit to the museum shop

Sunday, November 3, 2019             Granada

Granada is situated beautifully abutting the mountains – it even has a ski hill. The city is distributed across 7 hills. Atop one of the is the Alhambra, and its affiliated gardens, the Generalife. We were scheduled for a 1:30 tour, and had some time before we needed to gather to meet our local guide, Gracilla.  We visited the Alhambra museum store and I bought a book, as well as a scarf and some gifts for the girls. It is hard to get tickets for the Alhambra – they allow 300 people per half hour. Our AIA tour guide, Elena, couldn’t get a ticket, so she stayed behind and watched our shopping bags.

A lush, green oasis, a distance from the towers of the Alhambra - a welcome relief from the heat of summer

We started in the Generalife gardens. (If you can’t get a ticket to the Alhambra, you can tour the Generalife, according to Elena.) We crossed the aqueduct that was built to bring the mountain water down to the fortress. From the belvederes of the garden, we had great views of the Alhambra, including the surrounding walls, towers and the central palace.

I was confused about the title of the gardens, which is pronounced hay-nay-rah-lee'-fay. The title Generalife is said to come from the Arabic phrase that means Architect’s Garden. It served as the country estate of the Nasrid rulers, and also as a location for gardens and agriculture, a cool location away from the palace of the Alhambra palaces in the summer.

Even in November, many blooming flowers and a beautiful oasis

Panoramic views of the walls, towers and palaces of the Alhambra from the Generalife gardens

It was the custom of the Muslim rulers in the Iberian peninsula to have large properties called almunyas (vegetable gardens, orchards and farms) for grazing animals, raising food and to highlight their status. The Generalife started across the ravine from the Alhambra and is thought to have primarily been built in the 13^thcentury, building in harmony with the Alhambra expansions of the same time. A Royal Canal, and a series of channels and ponds divert water from the River Darro to supply both the Generalife irrigation and the Alhambra.

The pointed embattlements tower (Torre de los Picos)  and to the right, the tall Tower of the Comares Palace

The gardens had many water features, and still many beautiful flowers in early 
November. The sidewalks were paved with intricate patterns of small black and white cobblestones. There were many trimmed cypress hedges that formed mazes and arcades. All together, a serene, relaxing and refreshing walk.

Fountains and water features are prominent throughout the Generalife

Beautifully tiled walkways made from local river pebbles

The walkways are paved in a traditional style of Granada with a mosaic of local river pebbles: white ones from the River Darro and black ones from the River Genil.

Multiple cypress arches form a large maze in the center of the Generalife

A cool, refreshing spot - most welcome in summer when the temperatures can reach over 110 degrees

Rose trees interspersed with cypress 

Buildings and walkways in the Generalife

Fall colors add beauty to the walkways

Andalusian vistas on the road to Granada

Wheat fields have been harvested

Sunday, November 3, 2019              Granada

We left today at 8:30  and drove to Granada. It took almost 3 hours, with one 

“technical stop” at a large service area on highway. I got a café con leche for 2.60E, but saw a large supply of many Starbucks flavors to go in the refrigerated section.

Sitting in the back of the bus - taking lots of on-the-road photos

I got the "real deal" at the coffee bar - but you could have any Starbucks your heart desires

Granada is in the Sierra Nevada highlands and the drive was inspiring. Elena says that this region is known for it’s olive trees and she was accurate. On the slopes of the mountains we saw many olive trees. We have left the cork forests behind. Lots of windmills also graced the landscape.

Fog and mist in the early morning

Windmills scattered across the landscape

Foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains

Acres of olive trees on the slopes

Granada is situated beautifully abutting the mountains – it even has a ski hill. The city is distributed across 7 hills. Atop one of the is the Alhambra, which is our destination. On the way, we saw the sites of the modern city, including my favorite, more graffiti.

The ants grow large in this region!

Decorating the tower of Granada's science museum

Ample examples of pictoral graffiti along the byways of Granada

The Plaza de Toros famous bullring of Ronda

Ronda's famous Plaza de Toros bull fighting ring

Saturday, November 2, 2019          Ronda

Michael and I took a walk after lunch to visit Ronda's bullring. It was interesting, as there is a museum of bullfighting, with videos and artifacts. They also have a Spanish riding school and we saw some horses in their stables. 

Plaza de Espana, outside our parador, clean and bright after the morning rain

Exterior of the Plaza de Toros in Ronda

Bronze statue of El Toro

Walking on the main street takes you to the entrance of the bullring, as well as external statues and gardens

The matador statue - one of two statues outside the plaza

Doorknocker for the Plaza de Toros

Below is information from the bullring's website:

"Ronda’s elegant stone bullring was opened in 1784, when it was the setting for Spain’s first ever corrida de toros (bullfight). Partly for this reason, and partly because it has served as the ‘home ground’ for bullfighting’s two greatest dynasties, it is considered the birthplace of this spectacle. 

"Ronda’s bullring is also home to a bullfighting museum. Visitors learn the history and customs of bullfighting, as well as view the elaborate costumes worn by bullfighters. Also explored is the role that Ronda’s Romero and Ordoñez families have played in developing the Spanish bullfight.

"The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as champion bullfighter.

The full scope of the rueda - the circle of sand - which is the largest in Spain

Two tiers of Tuscan columns enclose the seats in the bullring

Michael looks right at home

The only bullring in Spain where all the seats are covered - although the arena only seats 5000

The chambers and pulley system for keeping and releasing the bulls

"Many tourist guides will tell you the Ronda bullring is the oldest and largest in Spain, -- in fact the story is confusing. The bullring only has seating for 5,000 spectators, hardly the largest in the world, but the rueda, which is the large round circle of sand, is the largest in the world at 66m, making it 6m larger than Spain’s biggest bullring, the Plaza Toros Las Ventas in Madrid. 

"The bullring in Sevilla is considered older having commenced construction in 1761, and was completed in 1785, compared to Ronda’s commencement in 1779 and completionin 1784, though purists agree Ronda’s bullring should be entitled to the crown since it was first to stage a corrida. However, in May of 1784 during the first inaugural corrida to be held in Ronda’s Plaza de Toros, part of the stand collapsed forcing its closure until repairs could be made.

"Ronda’s bullring is unique in having all of the seating under cover. The stands 

were constructed in two levels of seating of 5 raised rows per level and 136 Tuscan sandstone columns forming 68 arches provide support for the top level of seating and the roof of the Plaza de Toros. The main door is large enough for horses and carriages to enter the rueda."

The stables of the royal riding school

The riding arena

The arena for the Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Ronda, Spain's oldest order of horsemanship

Home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, Spain’s oldest and most noble order of horsemanship, an order that traces its heritage back to 1485, and the year the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella defeated the Moors in Ronda, thus bringing the city back under Christian rule after 773 years of Islamic rule.

While we were visiting the bullring, it began raining pretty hard again, so we returned home by about 4 PM. We had a quiet evening. Michael went to a classical guitar concert, and I stayed home to pack for our visit to Ubeda tomorrow, after a side trip to Granada and the Alhambra.

While we were visiting, the rain returned with a vengeance...

A quiet late afternoon with our view from our parador patio