April 8, 2013 – Day 7 – Granada, Spain Cold in the morning, sunny in the afternoon.

April 8, 2013 – Day 7 – Granada, Spain  Cold in the morning, sunny in the afternoon.

Picture 1 - Kathie - Court of the Lions, Alhambra; Picture 2 - Irises in Bloom - Alhambra - Special picture for Bill's cousin Nancy; Picture 3 - Ceiling in Palace - Alhambra;  Picture 4 - Sultan's Garden - Alhambra; Picture 5 - Bill - Alhambra; Picture 6 - Granada from Alhambra

How can we describe the sights, the sounds, the smells, the beauty of the Alhambra?!  Thanks to our Berlin friend Denise for convincing us to come to Granada.  We were waiting for the bus to the Alhambra at 7 in the morning in order to be sure to be able to change our tickets to general admission for our 8:30 a.m. appointment time.  It was dark and cold and lonely on the streets of Granada at that hour, but we made it to our destination and into the ticket line.  We had plenty of time to spare and entered the Palace between 8:30 and 9am.  How beautiful this ancient Moorish relic is!  The entire time we were there I could smell thyme and other spices on the air.  Orange trees and flowers proliferated.  I could visualize the sultans lounging and their women peering through screens.  The Alhambra is such a part of American heritage.  King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella took back all of Spain for Christianity during the Reconquista, and it was here that Boabdil surrendered in 1492; and, of course, it was here that Columbus was commissioned by these amazing Spanish monarchs to find the new world.  We have many, many pictures, but I will only put a few on the blog.  I hope you can get an idea of how incredible the Alhambra is.  We didn’t leave the Alhambra until after 2.  Had lunch on the way back at a nice restaurant – most restaurants offer a menu of the day – two courses along with bread, dessert, and a drink.  If you order the drink first – you get your free tapa.  Bill had salad and pork loin with potatoes and vegetables; I had pasta with a veal stew and potatoes and vegetables.  We haven’t had a bad meal yet.  We took a nap and then went to see the Cathedral.  It’s so hard to describe the churches in Europe.  They are so ornate and beautiful.  Sometimes we get a little burned out, but we are always ready to begin again.  Unfortunately, photos are generally not allowed inside so we have to buy postcards.