I love the way the Spanish people speak their consanants. Barcelona has its own language in Catalon, but the rest of the country speaks Spanish. The 'G' sound in Granada is a soft, almost silent g. With the 'D' in Gradada it is a very delicate 'dth' sound. 'C' is almost a 'th' sound but again a very soft, subtle sould with a hint of an 's': 'ths' in Andalucía. The 'J' of course is silent, we know that from jalapeño, it is just not a hard breathy 'h' sound. Santa Junta train station, the 'h' sound is there but almost silent also.
Andalcucía has been under control of the Phoenicians, Romans, Berbers, Arabs, and finally by Spain. Each of those groups are highly influencial to the culture, art, archicture, religion, food, and music. The Muslim Arabs were in control the longest and Moorish buildings and touches can be found everywhere. Of course when the Christians conquered them, many of their mosques were destroyed or churches built on top of them and minarets were extended higher to form a bell tower.
I spent 3 quick days in Andalcucía from Granada to Sevilla, then further down to the farthest point you can go in Spain, Gibraltar, which isn't Spain at all. But staying in nearby Tarifa, I'm back in Spain again before a bigger journey south.
The name Andalucía is thought to originate from the Arab word Al-Andalus or Vandals but no one can seem to agree about that.
Granada
Also in dispute is the origin of Granada's name.
Like most places I visit, I wish I had more time to see Granada. Legend has it that Granada is named for the pomegranate tree or fruit. You will see the fruit's images on street signs, gates, statues, its flag, everywhere, and you'll even some pomegranate trees. Some of the dishes further south in Morocco will have pomegranate seeds. It makes the tagine so delicious. But more on that in another post.
Everyone comes to Granada for the big site, the Alhambra.
Purchase your ticket and time slot for the Nasrid Palace in advance, but you can enter the grounds and look around a bit before that time. My reservation was for 10:30, but I arrived an hour earlier to explore a little. Another secret, there is a secondary entrance halfway from the main squares in Granada. Go to La Puerta De Bibarrambla.
Featuring Islamic designs and architecture, The Alhambra is one of the last remaining and preserved Islamic monuments in Spain. The Spanish reconquered it in 1492 but did not demolish it, but did replace mosques with churches or built on top of them, a recurrimg theme. They also added their own touches of Spanish Renaissance to areas of the palace.
For food and lovers, I went on a tapas tour, a small gathering. Our guide decided not to go with a distinct plan and we went to some of his favorite spots, Casa Enrique, Casa Colon, and Jaraz. We had Artichoke and anchovies, Tortilla de patatas (not the tortilla we have in the US and Texas, these are Spanish omelettes), Russian salad, Pollo Al Curry with couscous, and pastel de verduras (like a little cake). There were also some olives and bread. Olives and bread are automatically brought to your table at most restaurants here and in Morocco.
And of course with tapas bars, you need wine, beer, and maybe even a vermouth!
Local brewery Alhambra has quality beers. With wine, remember the three 'R's for regions: Rioja (the most exported red wine), Ribera (the most consumed in Spain), and Rueda (dry white wines). When ordering, choose the region then the aging from youngest to oldest: Joven (a few months), Crianza (2 years), Reserva (3 years), Gran Reservas (5 years). Mostly I had Ribera Crianza.
Granada deserves 2 full days to just enjoy the atmosphere.
Cordoba Fail
My quite ambitious plan was to take the afternoon train at 4 pm to Cordoba to visit the Mezquita (Mosque) and Cathedral. But flooding in Madrid has caused track damage and every single train in Andalucia has been badly affected. My train left more than an hour late and arriving in Cordoba at 6 pm was too late to visit the monuments. So it was off to Sevilla on a trains that was also an hour late. I finally reached my hotel by 9 pm in Sevilla, but of course this is Spain. Easily in time for a dinner at 10 pm!
Sevilla
Sevilla is similar to Granada in it's history and moorish influence. Some say it is the center of Flamenco music and dance. I believe there is a small rivalry between the two cities, as the people in Granada claim to have better and more authentic flamenco. I should have found out for myself! But I loved both cities. Easily walkable and each with narrow corridors and passageways that only people and motorcycles can access. I think this also comes from the Arab architectural influence of the medinas with endless passages that can get you lost.
I'm here for the flamenco, history and Alcazar.
It may have been a tourist show or maybe it is just the style in Sevilla, but the flamenco show I saw did not seem as technically proficients as I would have expected. But you can definitely here the Arabic influgence in the singing and chanting during the dancing. Some of the style is nearly like a call to prayer in Islamic mosques and perhaps music stylings of Northern Africa. But the dancing left me a little wanting. A man and a woman barely danced together, each doing several solo dances, going in some circles, using the staccato heal and toe tapping, and then in quick succession, just taking steps to the edge of the stage and raising their arms like voila! The dancing in Barcelona was so much better. So I definitely should have seen flamenco in Granada!
The real show in Sevilla though is the Cathedral, Giralda, and Royal Alcázar tours.
As with historic sites in other Andalucían cities, the Catholic churches would just be built over the top of destroyed or partially standing Moorish and Roman mosques and monuments. The Giralda, bell tower, was once a minaret. The Christians added on to it and put the bells on top. In some instances, you can see the Roman arches at ground level that previously were the top of the structure. Now buried and extended.
The Alcazar (based on the Arab word for palace) did survive in better fashion than did the mosques. So here you see similar patterns and designs as in the Alhambra in Granada. Plenty of beautiful mosaics and artwork in the Alcazar. And also like in Granada, the architecture is a mix of the Arab, Roman, Gothic, and Renaissance styles.
The entire Andalucian area is a fascinating mix of cultures. When traveling further south to the tip of the Iberian peninsula, you are now in Gibraltar, a UK Territory. The Spanish aren't quite fond that this valuable piece of land is controlled by that power.
However, what I found was that people from every nationality both visit and live or work in Gibraltar. Spanish residents included.
Getting to Gibraltar isn't easy. Public transportation can get you there by bus. Several tours exist to get you there on a day trip from Sevilla or Granada. But because I was continuing on to Tangier after, I decided to rent a car for a day from Sevilla. It would also provide me a fun stop to a Sherry distillery in Jerez.
A bit about rentig a car. The official word is you need an International Driving Permit to rent a car in Spain. And also bring a backup pair of eyeglasses if you wear them. The rental agency never asked for the permit, only my passport and regular driver's license, and never mentioned the eyeglasses. So skip that step on your travel prep list.
You can even buy Vermut in addition to your sherry. This was at the Lustau Bodega in Jerez de la Frontera.
My hotel for the night is in Tarifa, where the ferry port is located to sail over the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier, Morocco. It was good to check in mid-day and then head to Gibraltar. But I just didn't time things right. By the time I got there and waited for the shuttle to the Cable Car up the Rock of Gibraltar, it was already 3 pm. I had enough time to ride to the top, look around, get a plate of charcuterie and a beer, then take the ride back down. I still needed to get from La Linea de la Conception, the Spanish city at the border of Spain and "UK", to Algeciras to drop off the rental, then take the last bus at 6 pm to Tarifa. So overall, my travel plans were quite rushed. For this and all other places in Andalucia, take more time and relax. One night hotel stays should be avoided.
It was still great seeing the views even though it was cloudy at first. And I saw plenty of monkeys (or Barbary Apes). They are pretty tame actually. I met some more fun ones later on in the trip. What I missed on the monolith though, were some hiking trails down to the bottom, a nature preserve, and some history of caves that were used in WWII for protection of the area. I guess there will be a next time.
Of course it was clear when I was leaving, of course!
There were some nice scenes in Tarifa back at the home base, but I was refused service when I wanted Paella. Minimum 2 persons! Even if I pay for 2 persons? Apparently so. I was a very unhappy hombre. I'm glad I took some leftover charcuterie from lunch and had that for dinner. So I guess if you want paella, make some friends!
That's a wrap from Andalucia. Next a jaunt across the Mediterranean in to Morocco. A little shaking going on.
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