Granada, day # 1

Granada is a charming medieval town with a rich history dating 2000 years. It was a powerhouse Islamic kingdom and the grandest city in Spain in the 11th-13th centuries. In late 1400s, Catholic Monarchs conquered and Christianized it (expelling or executing Muslims and Jews and converting mosques to churches). Granada is famous for magnificent Moorish architecture, especially the famous Alhambra palace/fortress of the Moorish Kingdom.

Old Town, where we are staying, is a labyrinth of twisting cobblestone streets and innumerable plazas with fountains and statues, nestled in the foothills of the Spanish Sierra Nevadas. Despite being Christmas AND cold (high's in the low 40's), the town is bustling with crowds of people and families (like Barcelona was, especially at night).

Our hotel is a lovely mediterranean style/adobe complex of rooms, each with a large, private garden patio. We did have a bathroom mystery (What is it? It isn't a bidet. It looks like a toilet bowl with a downward facing spigot and a stopper). We needed counter space, so Charlie solved that problem. In the evening, we wandered Old Town a bit, so below are a few pics. Tomorrow we explore the Alhambra.Read more