"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity..." --John Muir, 1898

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Days 13 and 14: Return to Madrid and Flight Home

Back to Madrid by train for my final day in Spain before flying home.  I rented a room from a grandma and grandpa who spoke no English and had thick Madrileño accents.  Communicating was an interesting experience!  I made a final walk around town before turning in early: the Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, the royal palace...

After 28 or so hours of travel, I arrived in
Albuquerque, New Mexico where I spent the night before driving the four hours back home.  Those two weeks went by quickly!



Day 12: Puente Viejo, Bullring, Wandering in Ronda


Puente Nuevo
I set out this foggy morning on a hike down a country road to some trails leading to the base of the Puente Nuevo, or New Bridge.  The bridge spans a rocky gorge and the Guadalevín River.  The bridge divides Ronda into the "Old Town," where I stayed, and the "New Town" ("new," as in, it was built after 1485).  After a bridge that was built here in 1735 fell after six years, this "New Bridge" was built from 1751 to 1793.

Medieval wall and cliffs near the
Puente Nuevo.
I walked beside more of the ruined medieval walls and gates down to the gorge where the Puente Nuevo towered above the water and the city of Ronda perched on the cliffs above.

After the hike, I walked around town for a while, bought some groceries, and had lunch near a monastery.

The Bullring
I visited the bullring in Ronda.  Ronda is known as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, and the bullring is the "first great Spanish bullring".  The bullring also had an interesting museum.  I can't say I completely understand the fascination with bullfighting, but I have a better grasp of the culture.

I spent the rest of the day wandering the town, visiting parks, enjoying tapas, helado, and the sunset on my final night in Ronda.

More images from the Day


A country road I hiked on to get to Puente Nuevo.

A gate in the city wall near the Puente Nuevo.

Poppies along the hike.

Ruin of house near the Puente Nuevo.  There was a lot of water on the trail  to the bridge, flowing through little aqueducts and over old building foundations and rocks.  It was so green on this trail that climbed under a canopy of fig trees.

Another view of the Puente Nuevo and cascade.

These climbers' rungs led from the bottom of the gorge to the top .  There were
scores of them.
Upper level of the bullring stands.

Poppy in the morning sun.

Old timers enjoying the view.

Day 11: Ronda

On to Andalucía and the white hill town of Ronda.  I saved this small, picturesque town until last to enjoy a respite from the chaos of the cities, something I've regretted not doing on past trips to Europe.

Overlook to the whitewashed
houses in the New Town.
I arrived in Ronda after about 3 hours.  The
grand-
motherly lady at the hotel was kind to me, speaking slowly and deliberately, and praised my attempts at speaking her language.

A tower along the city's wall.
After a nap, I strolled the streets of Ronda until dark, walking on and beside the medieval walls of the city, inside ruins of towers, through ancient gates and over cobblestone streets, always with the beautiful countryside and mountains in view.

Sunset in Ronda.
I ended the evening in the midst of a surprising sunset, overlooking the valley below the town and the mountains in the distance.




Click here for the next day...


More images from the Day



View from a parapet above the Almocábar Gate in Old Town.

Archway from part of the old wall near the Almocábar Gate.

A view to Puente Viejo (Old Bridge).

Evening view of the countryside with the Gate of Philip V at the top right.
This gate was the entrance to the walled city for centuries.

View to the whitewashed houses from the city wall.

Old Town perched on a cliff near the Puente Nuevo.

Sunset and gazebo on one of many overlooks.


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Day 10: The Alhambra

Courtyard of the Myrtles in the Palacios Nazaries.
After a delicious (and too fattening) breakfast of churros and hot chocolate (more like hot pudding) in the Plaza de Bib-Rambla, I caught a bus up to the Alhambra, the Moorish palace/fortress of the 13th and 14th century with an incredible (sordid, cruel) history, later to become a symbol of the defeat of the Moors by the Christians in 1492, the end of the Spanish Reconquista.  This is truly one of the greatest sights in Europe and has become one of my favorite places I've visited in Europe.






Entrance to the Alcabaza fortress,
the original Alhambra.

Reservations need to be made well in advance (I made mine a month before leaving).  The Alhambra is an experience.  It is a fascinating, jaw-dropping, thought-provoking place that pictures could never do justice.  It makes one ponder the beauty and cruelty of mankind in the name of religion and ideology.  I visited several sites there: the Palacios Nazaries (palace), the Alcabaza (fortress), Generalife Gardens, and the Palace of Charles V.



I made a final walk up to the lookout at San Nicolas to see the grand view of the Alhambra again.  It was 9:30 at night and still not dark.  The overlook was alive with energy; men were singing over visceral guitars while onlookers gathered around, shouting, singing, dancing to the music.  Would-be flamenco dancers, as in a trance, gave themselves up to these traditional rhythms.


More Images from the Day


Detail of a ceiling, Palacios Nazaries.

Embellished doorway, Palacios Nazaries.

Courtyard of the Myrtles, Palacios Nazaries.

Detail of Ceiling, Palacios Nazaries.

Arches in Courtyard, Palacios Nazaries.

Doorway outside Grand Hall of the Ambassadors, Palacios Nazaries.

Grand Hall of the Ambassadors, Palacios Nazaries.

Detail of arch near Courtyard of the Lions, Palacios Nazaries.


Courtyard of the Lions, Palacios Nazaries.


Arches, Courtyard of the Lions, Palacios Nazaries.

Ceiling of the Hall of the Abencerrajes, Palacios Nazaries.


Detail of a ceiling, Palacios Nazaries.
Arched doorway from the Hall of the Abencerrajes, Palacios Nazaries.

View to the Alcazaba fortress and Palacios Nazaries from the Generalife Gardens.

Courtyard in the palace of the Generalife Gardens.

A wall of the Alcabaza Fortress.

Wall of the Alcabaza Fortress as seen from a tower.  The palace
of the Generalife is the white building in the background.
Presumed quarters of the commoners of the Alcabaza Fortress.

Overlooking the quarters from the high tower, Alcabaza Fortress.


Looking toward the Sierra Nevada mountain range from the high tower, Alcabaza Fortress.


Pillars in the courtyard of the Palace of Charles V.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Days 8 and 9: Granada

It was a long train ride from Madrid to Granada.  


Late afternoon I did a self-guided walk of Granada's Old Town.  I walked through the Alcaicería (originally a Moorish silk market), around the cathedral, the Royal Chapel square, Plaza Isabel La Católica, through Plaza Nueva, down the Paseo de los Tristes that parallels the Darro river, then continued up a long hill of winding cobblestone streets to the Albayzín (the Moorish quarter) and the Mirador de San Nicolas, an overlook with spectacular views of the Alhambra, the ancient Moorish fortress and palace--the main attraction in Granada.

The next day I visited the cathedral.  The fa­çade was striking, but the interior was grey, cold, and unmemorable.  I can't show you because, as they say, "no photo."

The owner of my hotel gave me a great map of the city and showed me a lot of places that were "must see," good restaurants, unique neighborhoods, etc.  I spent a good part of the morning walking east of town along the river.

Back to the heart of town, I visited the Royal Chapel.  Again, no photos allowed.  The crypt of Ferdinand and Isabella, heroes of Spain, are here below the carved likenesses of the king and queen based on their death masks.  The coffins are quite plain considering their lavish surroundings on which, according to the guidebook, the famous royals spent a quarter of their wealth.  I was certainly fascinated.  Some well-preserved artifacts and fine medieval paintings are displayed here as well.

More Images of the Day


Church of Santa Ana (once a mosque) on the Paseo de los Tristes.

Looking down a road leading to the Mirador (overlook) de San Nicolás.


Looking down another road leading to the Mirador.
Door in the Albayzín neighborhood.

The fortress of the Alhambra, late evening, from Mirador de San Nicolás.

The Alhambr palaces, late evening, from Mirador de San Nicolás.

Graffiti near the Albayzín.