June 18: La Alhambra

We are on the way home from Granada after a full day of another historical and cultural adventure immersing ourselves in the Arab world. In addition, we had some welcomed soft rain showers which made the day ever so nice. The highlight of our day was our visit to La Alhambra, the last residence of the Moors in Spain before the Reconquista. In the Alhambra we visited the many residences of the various Arab dynasties that ruled Spain from the 11 to 15 centuries, we were wowed by the hand carved wooden, marble, tile and plaster masterpieces that adorned the many rooms. We also toured the Alcazaba, a fortress and soldiers’ barracks. From the high point on the tower, one could easily see the enemy approaching. A stroll through the beautiful gardens of the Generalife was next, and to wrap up our visit, we stopped for a photo op at the rooms where Washington Irving stayed while while writing Tales of La Alhambra. Many of our students had read this book in English class. The Alhambra is truly one of the wonders of the world and is a world heritage sight protected by UNESCO. What an incredible day!