Granada:
Caught the sunrise at Mirador de San Nicolás. I was trying to get a sunrise picture of the Alhambra, but the direction of the light in the mornings weren't good for pictures. I decided the lighting during sunset would be better, so I ended up coming back again for sunset since it would be last night here. Granada, Spain.
Sunrise at Mirador de San Nicolás. It's always magical to see the sunrise light up the town. A shot of Catedral de Granada in the morning. Granada, Spain.
Breakfast at Piononos Casa Isla. Two traditional piononos with a coffee. A pionono is a pastry named after a 19th century pope called Pio Nono. The bottom part is a thin roll of pastry in the shape of a cylinder with syrup and the top is toasted cream. Granada, Spain.
Breakfast at Piononos Casa Isla. Simple tostada con tomate (toast with tomato). Granada, Spain.
After breakfast, we headed over to the Alhambra. We bought tickets to enter the Nasrid Palace at 1:30 p.m, so we decided to see the rest of the Alhambra before then.
The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada, Spain. The Alhambra, in Arabic, means "the red," possibly named for its reddish walls. The palace was mainly built between 1238 and 1358 in the reigns of Ibn al-Ahmar, founder of the Nasrid dynasty, and his successors. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The Alhambra was built on a plateau, in a strategic location, overlooking the entire city. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The Alcazaba is the fortress and is the oldest part of the Alhambra. On the left is the Watch Tower, Torre de la Vela. On the top is a bell that was used to indicate to the farmers when to water their fields at night or to notify the town of danger.
The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
This is the Arms Square (Plaza de Armas), located in the Alcazaba. It contains a cistern, a bath area, and foundations of Arab houses for the inhabitants of the fortress. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The gardens located in the Generalife, a leisure place the Kings of Granada went to in order to get away from the official affairs of the palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The Patio of the Irrigation Ditch (Patio de la Acequia) located in the Generalife. A channel carries water from the irrigation ditch of the Alhambra and divides it lengthwise. There are two patios on either end. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Generalife is considered to be outside the city and is located on the slopes of the Hill of the Sun (Cerro del Sol), from which there is a view of the city and the valleys of the rivers Genil and Darro. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The open hallways in the Patio of the Irrigation Ditch with it's walls adorned with interlacing patterns. Generalife. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Patio of the Cypresses (Patio de los Cipreses), located in the Generalife. The central pond is surrounded by a myrtle hedge and in the middle is another little pond with a stone fountain. The cypresses are located in the veranda. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Inside Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra. Baroque altarpiece. The building was completed in the 17th century and was built on the site of the Royal Mosque of the Alhambra. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Inside the Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra is a dark painting of Jesus on the cross. I couldn't find who painted it. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Charles V Palace (Palacio de Charles V). Renaissance-style architecture. The palace is a square with an inner circular patio. Charles V was an emperor and constructed this palace as his residence to be as close as possible to the Alhambra. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Inside the Nasrid Palace. The arches to the entrance of the gilded room. The outside arch is on a marble capital from the 12th century. The arches are decorated with mocarabes and latticework. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The colored tiled panels are a recurrent motif in the Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
A closer look at the details. Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Looking up at the ceiling. Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
The Court of the Myrtles (Patio de los Arrayanes). Myrtle bushes surround the pond. Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Decorative inscriptions in the Hall of the Ambassadors. The Hall of the Ambassadors is where the throne was and where official receptions took place. Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Columns in the patio of the Palace of the Lions (Palacio de los Leones). Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Ceiling of the Hall of the Abencerrajes. A dome of mocarabes rests on eight pendentives of mocarabes. A pendentive is a spherical triangle which acts as a transition and allows a circular dome to sit on a square base. Mocarabes are an elaborate ornamental Islamic architectural decoration. Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Arches in the Hall of the Abencerrajes (Sala de los Abencerrajes). It was believed that the knights of Abencerrajes were beheaded here. Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Inscriptions in Daraxa's Mirador (Mirador de Daraxa). Nasrid Palace. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
After the Alhambra, we went to get tapas and wine at Taberna la Tana. Granada, Spain.
The best morcilla I've had yet. Taberna la Tana, Granada, Spain.
Not sure what this was called. Eggs with garlic and red peppers in olive oil. Taberna la Tana, Granada, Spain.
Went to catch the sunset Mirador de San Nicolás. The Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the back. Granada, Spain.
In a plaza a little further down from Mirador de San Nicolás were a lot of people just hanging out with some local music. Granada, Spain.
The little touristy shopping streets of El Albaicín with hookah bars. Granada, Spain.
