Mortil & Granada, Spain
A person can speak of the Alhambra in terms of its fabulous history, or in terms of its historical and religious importance, or its aesthetic appeal. Quite simply, the ornate and many-roomed palace represents a combination of piety and poetry in stone, a visually appealing architectural statement that embodies the best of Spain's Moorish heritage, an 800-year era that ended only in early 1492, the same year that the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella bankrolled Columbus' search for a shortcut to India. We docked this morning in the port of Motril, located on the southern Coast of Spain, and took buses to Granada for a day packed full of activity. This included not only the walking tour of the Alhambra palace and gardens but also the nearby Alhambra Palace Hotel for lunch and the chapel in which Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. We returned to the National Geographic Endeavor in the late afternoon and set sail again on our voyage of discovery. During the night we roughly paralleled the southern coast of Spain en route to our next destination.
A person can speak of the Alhambra in terms of its fabulous history, or in terms of its historical and religious importance, or its aesthetic appeal. Quite simply, the ornate and many-roomed palace represents a combination of piety and poetry in stone, a visually appealing architectural statement that embodies the best of Spain's Moorish heritage, an 800-year era that ended only in early 1492, the same year that the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella bankrolled Columbus' search for a shortcut to India. We docked this morning in the port of Motril, located on the southern Coast of Spain, and took buses to Granada for a day packed full of activity. This included not only the walking tour of the Alhambra palace and gardens but also the nearby Alhambra Palace Hotel for lunch and the chapel in which Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. We returned to the National Geographic Endeavor in the late afternoon and set sail again on our voyage of discovery. During the night we roughly paralleled the southern coast of Spain en route to our next destination.
