A Slice of LIfe
Bill Lites
Day 9
DiVoran woke up this morning feeling sick to her stomach, and with a case of diarrhea, and didn’t want to get out of bed. We couldn’t figure out if it was the water in Morocco or the water during the meal, we had enjoyed the night before, that was causing her problems, but she said she was staying close to our room all day. That was a real shame, as this was the day scheduled for our group trip to tour Granada. After breakfast I checked on DiVoran again, and she told me to go ahead with the trip. She said she had a good book to read, and that she would be fine. As our group boarded the bus for the 1½-hour trip, I was sad because I knew how much she would have loved to be going with us.
Our Program Director gave us a running monolog of the points of interest on our trip thru the Andalusia countryside and the Parque Natural Montes de Malaga National Park. There were ranches, villas, and luxury hotel complexes, (each with a story of its own) as we passed the small towns of Puerto de la Torre, Las Escaraillas, and Castillo de Lachar, before arriving in Granada.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
As we arrived in Granada we were informed that the city is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and was founded by king Muhammad I in the early 13th century. He ruled the Arabic Gharnata kingdom from 1232 to 1273.
Photo Credit: https://www.guidigo.com/Tour/Spain/Granada/
The main attraction during our tour of Granada was a visit to the magnificent Alhambra Palace. This sprawling hilltop fortress complex encompasses the royal palace from the Nasrid dynasty, and overlooks the Albaicín quarter of Granada’s old Moorish city. The Moorish portion of the Alhambra includes the Alcazaba (citadel) which is the oldest part of the fortress. This brilliant jewel of Moorish architecture is a 13th century complex of palaces, fortifications, and gardens. It reminded me of a fairy tale movie set, with its maze of quiet courtyards, serene pools, sparkling fountains, opulent harem rooms and lavish baths. The Alhambra is considered the last remaining example of the Moorish kingdom in Spain.
Photo Credit: https://www.britannica.com/Alhambra-fortress-Granada-Spain
I was amazed at the intricate decorative inlaid tile work everywhere I looked. It was some of the most beautiful and creative mosaic work I have ever seen. I could understand why it took so many years to complete this grand palace.
Photo Credit: https://www.dosde.com/discover/en/tilework-in-the-alhambra/
The Patio de la Acequia at the Generalife and the Alameda de la Alhambra Park and its gardens were beyond description. We were told to stay together as we ventured into the gardens. A person could easily get lost in that garden maze.
There are several beautiful and peaceful courtyards within the Alhambra’s vast grounds, whose pools are supplied by water from the Darro River via a cleverly engineered aqueduct system and the Torre del Agua (water tower). It also supplied the necessary water pressure for the many beautiful pools and fountains throughout the Palace.
I had to stop and have my picture taken at one of the beautiful fountains, with the sound of water peacefully bubbling, to help soothe the tired soul. The entire tour was breathtaking, and I was so sorry that DiVoran had not felt like coming on this tour as I know she, being the artist in the family, would have been enthralled by the amazing beauty and grandeur of the Alhambra, as I was.
—–To Be Continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 64 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is: John 10:10
Old Things R New 