Top of the Tourist Trail - Alhambra

"How lazily the sun goes down in Granada, it hides beneath the water, it conceals in the Alhambra!" - Ernest Hemingway

Foodie moment

Once again, we found our favourite food in Granada on our last day. Omkalsum serves Moroccan themed tapas which was a unique twist on the norm. For 11 euro we got our choice of 4 tapas of 2 serves each and a litre of beer. The special highlight was the chicken wings tagine.

Cultural moment

You can't visit Spain without seeing a flamenco show. So we booked tickets at The Andalusian Dog. We were first treated to a 2 man show, one amazing guitarist who improvised based on the singer who had a very Arabic influenced style. The dancer was invited on stage and she was filled with passion and energy. The interesting thing with flamenco is that it is the only dance where the dancer leads the music rather than the other way. The dancer dances according to what they are feeling and the guitarist and singer follow her on the journey. You have to watch carefully to see the little signs and signals which pass between them so they all stay together... Really amazing to watch and a great night!

Wow moment

Alhambra is one of the most graceful architectural achievements in the Muslim world, and a great symbol of Granada's 8 centuries as a Muslim capital. The Alcazaba is the oldest part of Alhambra. It is the fortress and dates from the 11th century. The palaces have been lived in by many rulers over the years including sultans and king Charles of Spain. The palaces, gardens and surrounds are opulent and beautiful... fit for a king you might say!

What we learnt today

During our walking tour the guide taught us an interesting fact about why traditionally people drove in the left hand side of the road. It dates back to when people had swords and shields and they would always want their sword holding hand to be closer to the passers by. Because swords were always held in the right hand, people passed each other on the left. Most of Europe changed to driving on the right as a sign of rebellion against the British empire.

Also we learnt that hidden behind tall fences all around Granada are small beautiful gardens. Some of them dating as old as 800 years. You just need to know where to look.