Day 9 - (June 5) - Malaga/Alhambra/Granada

Today we docked in Malaga at 8 am. Malaga is on the Costa del Sol, a southern region of Spain. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, with a history spanning over 2,800 years.

The Phoenicians were the first to establish a settlement in Malaga, around 770 BC . They established a trading ot and called the city “Malaka.” The Greeks followed, establishing a colony in the city in the 5th century BC, which lasted for several centuries. In the 3rd century BC, the Carthaginians took control, followed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. The Romans expanded the city, building an aqueduct, amphitheatre and other impressive structures. Malaga became an important port and commercial center under the Romans. The Visigoths took control in the 5th century AD, followed by the Moors. The Moors greatly influenced the city, introducing new architectural styles such as the famous Alcazaba Fortress and the Gibralfaro Castle.

In 1487, the city was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella during the Reconquista. Malaga became an important center of the Inquisition, which saw many non-Christians persecuted and killed. The city experienced a period of decline during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Today, it has a thriving modern economy and is a very busy port. It is the birthplace of the famous 20th-century artist Pablo Picasso, whose legacy is celebrated at the city's Picasso Museum.

We didn’t spend any time in Malaga, unfortunately, because we wanted to visit The Alhambra, a medieval palace and fortress complex in Granada. Granada is 80 miles northeast of Malaga, which means our excursion was well over 8 hours for the day.

We left at 8:30 am, arrived in Alhambra around 11 am to meet our guide. We had a walking tour for the following 2 ½ hours. We only saw a portion of The Alhambra, which is a very impressive complex.

It originally was designed as a military fortress with the first recorded history of the site dating back to 889 when Sawwar ben Hamdu sought refuge there during civil conflicts. It sits near the top of Al-Sabika Hill, also known as Granada’s red hill. The hill “embraces” the Darro and Genil rivers, which means it guides the rivers’ flow through the landscape using valleys, canyons and basin networks to create basins of the water as it travels downhill. Rather than stopping the water, the terrain dictates the river’s path, eventually shaping the curves and valleys around the water’s flow. Anywho, the hill marks the last edge of the Sierra Nevada.

BTW, the most southern ski slope is near here on Mulhacen, which is 11,414 feet. It is the highest peak in peninsular Spain and the entire Iberian Peninsula. It had snow on it.

The Alhambra means “Red Fortress” in Arabic, and it was built primarily in the 13th and 14th centuries by the Nasrid Dynasty or kingdome. It served as a lavish royal residence and the last stronghold of Islamic rule in Western Europe until its capture in 1492. The Nasrid Kingdom respected the old Roman roads and towns, expanding them and founding new settlements. Historians say that by the 9th century, some buildings were already being constructed on Sabika Hill.

It was during the Nasrid Dynasty that the Alhambra experienced its most glorious period of construction and expansion.

The first place we visited was The Generalife: The Gardens of Paradise. It was the recreational residence of the sultans. Its gardens reflect the harmony between nature and Islamic architecture. It was very symmetrical and included tiered gardens with fountains. It was beautiful, peaceful and, yes, a bit of paradise.

On our way to the Nasrid Palaces, we passed the Palace of Charles V that was built by Emperor Charles V after the conquest of Granada. It was a HUGE building with a monumental façade featuring classical elements (Renaissance footprint). 

Then we arrived at the essence of the Alhambra.- the Nasrid Palace complex that represents the splendor of the Nasrid dynasty in al-Andalus. The very impressive 14th century constructions featured the most beautiful carved marble and wood, with harmony of the spaces and how light and water were used in the designs. The palace complex was the residence of the sultans, and they are considered to be one of the greatest works of Islamic art in Europe.

They wanted to create paradise, and, well, they might well have done so with the baths, gardens and all the wine they are said to have consumed. 

The Nasrid Palaces are divided into three main sections, and we visited each of them. The Palace of the Lions – which is the heart of the Alhambra – was most impressive because it has its Patio of the Lionsa fountain with 12 marble lions. We also went into some spaces with dramatic domes and elaborate Arabic inscriptions.

I asked about how many people and how many years did it take to do the intricate carving on the marble (which was every wall in the complex) – the guide said it took 5-7 years to complete the carving and probably thousands of people (most likely slaves) did the work.

It is very impressive. We were both dead tired by the time we got back to the bus, but then the guide took as to the city center of Granada. In the 13th century, Granada became the capital of the Emirate of Granada under Nasrid rule, the last Muslim-ruled state in the Iberian Peninsula. It was conquered in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs and progressively transformed into a Christian city over the course of the 16th century. Our guide insisted on walking us to a market but we ducked out at the first sidewalk café, ordered beer and wine just to sit for a while. Odd thing, the waiter kept bringing tapas to our table that we didn’t order. When we told them we didn’t order it, they explained that it was complimentary for sitting with them for a while. Nice custom, if I say so myself.

We didn’t get back to the boat until nearly 6 pm, so we missed a presentation on Gibraltar (our next port) and an hour with Jose doing some kind of croons show. Anywho, we went to supper – tried a restaurant that we forgot requires pants, and neither one of us were in the mood to change out of clothes so we went to the buffet. Went to the living room for an hour to hear the Santana guitar player then wandered over the Cabaret Lounge to catch the end of the British Invasion program by Azamara staff. We weren’t up late.