A good nite´s rest later, Jerry emerged from his nest an early bird. An espresso and cake at the cafeteria across the road didn´t hurt and then Jerry was on his way to the Alhambra & Generalife! For those of you who do not know what this place is, it is a Muslim palace-castle-garden complex stretching across the top of the hill; with imposing views across the whole of Granada City.
Thought that I will be the one of the first few to reach the complex but it seems that the rest of the world conspired against me and this time, there was the usual horde of Japanese tour groups and independent Spanish travellers. Anyway, it was fortuitous that I was forewarned by the hostel reception yesterday that I can simply waltzed through the long queue at the ticket office by using the automated ticket vending machines for credit card payments. Haha, worked beautifully and it was satisfying seeing those waiting tourists wasting their time. Suckers!!
Entry to the complex is a little tricky as the tickets have fixed entry times (morning or afternoon visit). Moreover, there is a stipulated entry time to Palacio Nazaries (the Muslim palace). If one were to miss this entry time, then you might be seriously in trouble since you will have to wait till the afternoon before you can enter. Imagine screwing up your schedule for the whole day, especially if you are on a tight schedule like I am...
So the main entrance is not the only entrance but there are several smaller ones at each of the individual attractions within the complex and the walk there is quite long. Getting mesmerized by the trek through the beautiful gardens while taking pictures is not an option as you can seriously panick as you get nearer to the stipulated entry time and realise you haven´t reached yet!
Soon, I was at the Palacio Nazaries and my gosh, it had one of the most beautiful interiors I have seen - intricate stuccos, beautiful tiling, finely carved wooden ceilings and elaborate honeycomb/stalactite vaulting. In the courtyards, beautifully sculptured stone lions adorn the fountain.
Next was the fortress with various turrets offering great vantage points overlooking the whole city. Great views but otherwise ok. The Generalife gardens were pretty and one can slowly enjoy the sunshine while taking a languid stroll through it, admiring the colourful, symmetrically arranged flora.
Overall, a satisfying experience and the rest of the day was spent walking through the Albayzin across from the Alhambra with colourful, delightful tourist traps selling everything from glass with Arabic inscriptions to scented Arabian tea and various jewelry, Shisha...
Enough of Granada for now. Looking forward to my Seville trip tomorrow - flamenco!!!
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