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NEW! 29.04.2005: Eric's photos from Spain.

CORDOBA

	I didn't really get any pictures of Madrid; the weather was bad, but here is Atocha train station the day we left for Cordoba.							Eric with our baggage in the urban jungle of Atocha train station, which as you probably remember was bombed in 2003. That was a different part of the station, though.
	We headed to Cordoba, where the weather improved. Our hotel was just up this street lined with orange trees.							Orange tree.
	Balconies in Cordoba.							Typical Cordoban street; this one lay between our hotel and the Mezquita, massive mosque/cathedral, which you can just see at the end of the street.
	Pretty windows on this building next to the Mezquita.							Typcial white cubical architecture.
	Roman bridge across the river Guadalquivir.							Arch leading into the plaza in front of the Mezquita.
	Close-up of the inscription on the arch that says something about Catholics.							Eric outside the Mezquita.
	Beautiful old church and a lovely yellow crane.							The future of Spain's construction industry is questionable.

THE MEZQUITA OF CORDOBA

	Decorations adorn the outside of the Mezquita.							As you pass the gates into the courtyard ...
	You are assaulted by chanting women thrusting rosemary at you ...							At least I think it was rosemary.
	In any case, the courtyard of the Mezquita was beautiful ...							With its cool tower ...
	Its gangly Spanish students, who always tour York in huge groups just like this ...							Its stone fountain ...
	It's trees and built-in irrigation system ...							And its cool tower.
	It was difficult to get good photos inside the Mezquita because it was dark. Flash photography was allowed but in such a large space it doesn't really help.							I had a tripod with me, but tripod photography was mysteriously forbidden. Bastards. Anyway this gives you an idea of what it was like.
	The columns and arches were very striking. 950 or so remain standing from the time when the Muslim ruler of Andalucia built this great mosque.							15th century Muslim Cordoba was the largest city in Europe and a great intellectual and cultural center.
	It required an equally great mosque. Muslim decorative schemes are generally abstractions of natural shapes and include passages from the Koran.							The effect is at once powerful and yet somehow easy on the mind, because you don't have to interpret the symbolism if you don't want to. Of course, if you read Arabic, the writing would change the meaning of the decorations.
	This is from one of the chapels built into the mosque after the Christian reconquest of Andalucia. The naturalistic and fairly literal representation of the figures of Christ and his apostles ...							... has a noticibly different effect to the abstract decorations of the last few photos. But when this is done well, as it is on the ceiling of this chapel, the effect can be stunning.
	Still, I think there is something to be said for the delicacy and simplicity of aesthetic effect generated by abstract Muslim decorations.							Plus, you gotta love all them tiny little tiles. Hoo! That must a took forever. This is the Cathedral built into the center of the mosque after reconquest.
	And here is a photograph of a strange mechanism whose purpose I could not decipher, although my guess is it had something to do with bringing up well water or ringing bells.							The Cathedral built into the center of the mosque.

BUS RIDE TO GRANADA

	The bus ride from Cordoba to Granada was good, and empty. Here's Eric looking at the olive trees.							They were very nice buses.
	Jaen province, shown here, produces 33% of Spain's olive oil, 10% of the world's oil.							You can see how they achieve this volume of production.
	We both liked this tower on a hill...							...above one of the towns between Cordoba and Granada.
	More views of fields, hills, olive groves (olivares) ...							... olive trees (olivos).
	Another cool tower on a hill ...							... and more olives (aceitunas)!

GRANADA

	Most of the photos I took in Granada were of the various parts of the Alhambra complex that dominates the city. I took these on the walk up there.							This is the old section of town, the Albayzin.
	Looking up a narrow alley.							You wouldn't believe the way people drove around the tiny streets.
	When we got onto the towers of the Alcazaba you could see that this was actually a sports area for children.							But from ground level it was a very curious building. Looks a little like a prison. I love the wall mounted lamps.
	There are stray cats everywhere in Granada. These fellows seem to be distant relatives of the late Shebaka.							Other types of wildlife also abound in Spain.
	Bridge over the Rio Darro.							Fantastical spaces beneath the towers of the Alhambra.
	Towers, hills and trees.							Etcetera.
	My eye was constantly drawn up.							Until we finally had to start climbing.
	Feels like home.							Eric scans the horizon for Christian hordes.
	But the city provides the crusading invaders with excellent cover.							Olive trees and strong towers.
	Door ... but to what I do not know.							Dog on the run.
	Cascading stream.							Tower windows.
	The track leading up to the Alhambra passed under these arched bridges which you have to cross to enter the complex.

THE ALHAMBRA OF GRANADA

	The Alhambra is a huge complex containing various gardens, palaces and fortifications. The main things we looked at were the Alcazaba fortress and the Palacios Nazaries, both of which are shown extensively here.							However, as is the case with the buildings in this and the last photograph, there were so many buildings, I'm not sure of the history of them all.
	Fantastic mosque you could see from the Alhambra.							There were lots of ruins of buildings such as this. I like the tile floor.
	Not sure why this hotel was so named.							Well, there's no need to be so defensive.
	There were plenty of people out touring on a beautiful spring day.							Palace of Carlos V, 16th century, the best and biggest Christian building in the complex.
	The architect studied under Michelangelo.							It contains two museums, one of artefacts, one of art.
	The entrance to Palacio Carlos V is dead ahead, Eric.							The open interior courtyard is circular, with columns and gorgeous.
	The older Muslim architectural details certainly have their charm, though.							Especially the not particularly decorative defensive structures of the Alcazaba fortress.
	This was the last real foothold of the Muslim rulers of Spain. When the Christians took Granada they were pretty much finished.							Clearly taking such a place was not easy.
	Imagine the power of possessing this fortress in the days before artillery or aircraft.							The symbolic value alone must have been immense. No one could go about their daily business without noticing your fortress looming above them.
	The views were fantastic. I picked out sites to zoom in on, like this church.							Houses and courtyards and terraces.
	Another church in the distance.							And the Cathedral, another massive symbol of power in a country where the symbolic nature of power symbols seems to stand out more than other places I have been.
	Looking North, the area shown here has been occupied by gypsies for hundreds of years, and they still live in cave-homes cut into the hillside.							To the South East, the Sierra Nevadas are snow peaked despite the warmth down here at 2,400 feet.
	Here is a better view of the mosque pictured earlier.							Gardens below the Alcazaba fortress.
	Not sure what this is, but the Sierra Nevadas rise in the background.							Towers and white buildings and hills in the distance.
	Looking out a window in the Torre de la Vela, tallest tower of the Alcazaba. The foundations visible are those of a dungeon.							Being the tallest tower, the Vela provided some great views of--I mean--for the local populace.
	This bell used to toll to issue orders controling the irrigation system of the valley.							Granada from on high.
	Next we toured the Palacios Nazaries.							Sumptuous palaces of the Muslim rulers of Andalucia.
	One of the most important architectural sites in the world.							Also containing some of the world's most viewed goldfish, considering 6,000 visitors a day pass through here during the summer months.
	For those of you not interested in architecture this section might be boring.							But we are talking about some supremely fine architecture here, so please bear with me.
	These palaces were constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries.							They are intended to show off the great power, wealth and cultural richness of the Muslim rulers who had them made.
	They are incredibly lush buildings. Every space is laden with decoration, yet the level of detail does not annoy.							What impresses me is the way their makers harmonized design elements both large and sweeping, and small and intricate.
	From a distance the columns of the Palaces produce bold rhythms and supple forms.							Up close they are intimately embellished, and fascinating to explore.
	This is a space intended to delight and impress its viewers at any distance.							Fountains and water courses are used to create an otherworldly feel, perhaps to remind one of the reward of heaven.
	Many of the Arabic inscriptions read 'There is no conqueror but Allah'; a statement intended to engender humility in its reader, not hubris.							While honeycomb vaulting in the ceilings seeks to draw the eye up, to remind the viewer of spiritual matters.
	I find it fascinating how the palaces blend the worldly and the spiritual. They are potent symbols of earthly power, of wealth and rule.							At the same time they seek to remind the earthly powerful of their place: mighty on earth, low in the face of God.
	Carved panel in a huge door...							... the iron bolt is at least two and a half inches thick.
								Klismos chairs are an essentially Greek form, but they look damn fine under the arcades of the Palace courtyard.
	Supports of the arcade.							Column detail.
	Carved wooden ceilings.							Arch detail.
	Excellent tile work.							Windows.
	Outside the Palaces in the Partal gardens.							Time to sit and reflect.
	Spanish girl fetches stray cat.							Stray cat licks paw.
	Eric ignores a pretty lady.							One of several trees very popular with lovers.
	Build up levels beneath the Generalife gardens, another part of the Alhambra complex.							The lushness of spring in Andalucia.
	The streams and the trees and I sign off.

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