TURNING 50 IN THE ALHAMBRA

The writer Alexandre Dumas is quoted as saying; " The only pleasure greater than seeing Granada, is that of seeing her again."

That is exactly how I feel about the Alhambra.

I was immeasurably fortunate to visit the complex 10 years ago, when we were travelling with our children.  The Nasrid Palace complex & the Generalife Gardens in particular, made a dramatic impression on me.  The Gardens exemplified the concept of 'garden rooms' & were so relaxing & peaceful, that I felt they were the embodiment of tranquillity.

Whereas the beauty & intricacy, not to mention the craftsmanship of the plasterwork in the Nasrid Palace inspired my own textile art work.

With these rich memories, it was only natural that when asked "where do you want to be for your 50th birthday?", my answer was "the Alhambra"....since we were going to be in Spain anyway!!!!!

We started our day in the peaceful gardens of the Generalife, or Yannat al Arif as it was originally called.  It was established in the 13th century as a kind of retreat for the Nasrid royalty, who lived in the Alhambra Palaces at the time.  It was also here, that they could speak of confidential matters without being overheard! Why, you ask? Because of one of the most impressive features of the gardens, the use of water.  The sound of water dominates, providing a soothing ambience & a sense of privacy!

Each water feature is central to each garden 'room'...

...and reached via patterned pathways made of black & white pebbles.  This was only one pattern, of many!  Hedges lined the pathways & contained within their boundaries...

...the most exquisite flower beds.

These gardens made me think of my Dad, who has spent many hours of his life creating beauty through gardening.  This in turn made me think of the team of gardeners employed here & the constant effort demanded of them to maintain such exquisite standard. Their efforts are SO appreciated!!

Following a blissful hour in the Generalife, it was time to walk over the former moat, through the arch in the ancient fortification walls & into the Alhambra itself.  the complex has had a variety of 'owners/conquerors' in it's time. Originally built by the Nasrid Dynasty, then conquered by the Catholic Monarchs Isabella & Ferdinand, passed down to their grandson Charles V who made his own mark on the place & later even taken over by Napolean!! Writers & artists have been in residence, inspired by it's beauty & now...it is a national treasure, which millions flock to each year.  There is plenty to see, but my absolute favourite part is what remains of the original Nasrid Palace.

 

I have taken over 300 photos of the wooden ceilings, the plaster work & the tiles which decorate this exquisite Palace. ( Alas, I wont share more, because they are taking an age to download). The unknown artisans whose skills & craftsmanship went into the creation of this gem of Islamic architecture, were inspired by the images of Paradise revealed to them in the Koran. It certainly is a Paradise for this textile artist & a wonderful place to mark my half century!!