So its back to Spain for a short visit of seeing new places and new cities. And a trip back to Benicassim to say good bye to all my friends there.

Jean picked me up at Murcia airport at 9 PM in a crazy rain storm. We are off to Granada for 4 nights to see the city and the Alhambra. Jean had made all the arrangements and she also did the driving to get there and home. Thank you Jean for getting all this planned for us. The hotel was great and everything went as planned.

The history of the Alhambra is linked with the geographical place where it is located: Granada. On a rocky hill that is difficult to access, on the banks of the River Darro, protected by mountains and surrounded by woods, among the oldest quarters in the city, the Alhambra rises up like an imposing castle with reddish tones in its ramparts that prevent the outside world from seeing the delicate beauty they enclose.

Originally designed as a military area, the Alhambra became the residence of royalty and of the court of Granada in the middle of the thirteenth century, after the establishment of the Nasrid kingdom and the construction of the first palace, by the founder king Mohammed ibn Yusuf ben Nasr, better known as Alhamar.

Throughout the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the fortress became a citadel with high ramparts and defensive towers, which house two main areas: the military area, or Alcazaba, the barracks of the royal guard, and the medina or court city, the location of the famous Nasrid Palaces and the remains of the houses of noblemen and plebeians who lived there. The Charles V Palace (which was built after the city was taken by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492) is also in the medina.

The complex of monuments also has an independent palace opposite the Alhambra, surrounded by orchards and gardens, which was where the Granadine kings relaxed: the Generalife. - http://www.alhambra.org/eng/index.asp?secc=/alhambra/history_alhambra

The Alhambra was one of the few must see places for me this year. I was not disappointed. I can't even begin to describe it but hopefully the photos will convey some of the beauty. The mosaics and stone work was amazing and considering that each was done by hand I could only imagine how many hours of work went into building this magnificent palace. Seeing some of the rooms from the 14th century makes one think about what we leave behind. In 600 years will your home still be standing?

The gardens in summer would be spectacular. Even in spring with no colour except green and brown I could envision what the gardens would be when they are in full blossom. I have taken a few ideas home with me.

Jean and I eat great food, lots of walking and lots of shopping in Granada. The city itself is pretty amazing as well and I really enjoyed just wandering around. Jean did most of the shopping as I am still travelling with one small suitcase. The weather held for us yet all around this area of Spain there was flooding and torrential rains. It was cold enough to need my winter jacket that my brother gave me before I left Canada. Imagine needing a winter jacket in the south of Spain in March!

So I'm off for the other must do on my list. The Las Fallas festival in Valencia. I'm going to meet Joyce and we will spend 4 days wandering around. We met at the Pueblo Ingles program where we were both volunteers. Joyce is a professor at Ryerson in Toronto and she managed to arrange to come to a conference in Spain. The fact that Joyce loves Spain was a huge bonus for her.

Take care of yourselves and be good. I am missing you all and particularly missing Australia and one Australian in particular. See you soon.

Tove