When you have an evening and a morning in Granada

The Pa-Kua¹ Open Classes 2024 Europe (a yearly gathering for the martial studies school I'm learning from) were held in Malága this year. Considering how close it is to Granada, where the legendary Alhambra is located at, it would have been a shame not to visit the place.

My way there was not without tiny bumps, the first being the glorious 12°C I left at 04:30 from Cambridge (to get the 05:17 train for the 8:30? flight to Malága, because there were no flights for the day to Granada from Stansted). When I got to Malága, it was hot for trousers with boots, but not intolerable. Buy bus tickets from ALSA² online, because the spanish seem to be very relaxed about opening the only booth for bus tickets...

The bus way to Granada is beautiful, passing the Sierra Nevada, countless olive farms - but there were so many clouds, and, escaping the monstrous weather from the UK I was getting disappointed. That was until I got off the bus, and the heat hit me. Eventually I stopped on the street and changed to sandals and a shirt, only to see a pharmacy sign showing 35°C. That's with full cloud cover. Once I changed, it was nice.

A week before I realized I messed up tickets are for the Alhambra admission: the official website is kind enough not to link the non-guided tours, so it's a bit funny to find those tickets. I left buying too late, at which point even the Generalife (gardens) and Alcazaba (fortress) only were out for that Thursday evening planned to go, leaving me with no option, but to visit in the morning. (If you're after the tickets: https://tickets.alhambra-patronato.es/en/ ; Google Maps actually lists the official tickets as well, so that is quite helpful, and I rarely praise Google these days.)

Anyhow, this turned out to be an excellent decision, as Granada is most lively in the evening and at night. I took long strolls on the streets of the Albaicín, and the area of the Alhambra combined with this far exceeded any of my expectations, this place is simply lovely.

It would have been nicer without the car, but this way the steepness
shows a bit — It would have been nicer without the car, but this way the steepness shows a bit PENTAX K-5 II s, 100.0 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

Jesus is watching you PENTAX K-5 II s, 35.0 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 sec, ISO 100 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 35mm F2.4 AL ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

I absolutely love the black and white pebbles for the street, and the
size of whatever flower this is was incredible — I absolutely love the black and white pebbles for the street, and the size of whatever flower this is was incredible PENTAX K-5 II s, 18.0 mm, f/8.0, 1/125 sec, ISO 100 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

I found a spot where nobody came at all at the foot of the Alhambra
with excellent view and scorging heat — I found a spot where nobody came at all at the foot of the Alhambra with excellent view and scorging heat PENTAX K-5 II s, ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

Funny how pictures taken at late afternoon doesn't really show the
impressive beauty of the complex — Funny how pictures taken at late afternoon doesn't really show the impressive beauty of the complex K-5 II s, 48.0 mm, f/4.5, 1/1600 sec, ISO 100 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

It's a bit better in the evening, but something is still
missing. — It's a bit better in the evening, but something is still missing. PENTAX K-5 II s, 53.0 mm, f/5.6, 1/10 sec, ISO 1600 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

I was planning to only see Generalife and Alcazaba, because according to photos, the Nasrid Palaces is overwhelming and would need it's own day. The Generalife, despite having been rebuild countless times, is one of the most serene, gentle places I've visited in my life, and has absolutely incredible, equable energies - especially in the morning, when one has the chance to be alone in some of the spots.

Careful with the morning sprinklers PENTAX K-5 II s, 35.0 mm, f/4.0, 1/200 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 35mm F2.4 AL ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

These lined the path that lead to the main entrance PENTAX K-5 II s, 35.0 mm, f/2.4, 1/20 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 35mm F2.4 AL ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

Just another view on the morning sun K-5 II s, 35.0 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 35mm F2.4 AL ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

While the fountains are modern addition, they do feel like they'd
always been part of the buildings — While the fountains are modern addition, they do feel like they'd always been part of the buildings PENTAX K-5 II s, 18.0 mm, f/8.0, 1/125 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

There's an incredible peacefullness and welcoming feel in the
Generalife — There's an incredible peacefullness and welcoming feel in the Generalife PENTAX K-5 II s, 18.0 mm, f/8.0, 1/80 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

Throughout my sort time I was wondering where the cats are, because I
didn't see any. Apparently they exist. — Throughout my sort time I was wondering where the cats are, because I didn't see any. Apparently they exist. PENTAX K-5 II s, 88.0 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

The birds and the sprinklers change the view a lot. K-5 II s, 135.0 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

One of the classic tourist shots. K-5 II s, 18.0 mm, f/8.0, 1/125 sec, ISO 80 ⋅ smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR ⋅ CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

I'm sure the real Alhambra is incredibly, and one day, when I have the time to stretch the visit into a bit more days, I want to see it. In a single Friday morning, even the Generalife was wonderful and was certainly worth the extra bus from Malága.

PS: In 2007, Loreena McKennit gave a surreal, wonderful concert in the Alhambra. It's on Youtube, and it's worth watching.

(Oh, by the way: this entry was written by Peter Molnar, and originally posted on petermolnar dot net.)