Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Spain, Portugal & Morocco - Part 4


Friday, April 30  Tangier to Costa Del Sol, to Granada, Spain
This morning we left Tangier, Morocco and crossed the Straits of Gibraltar to mainland Spain, again.  We then took a scenic drive thru some of the Costa del Sol's famous seaside resorts to Malaga and then Westwards to Granada, Spain.

Saturday, May 1  Granada and Madrid, Spain
This morning we headed up the hill overlooking the city of Granada and took a tour with a local guide of the Alhambra Palace, a summer palace built by the Moorish kings.  We wandered thru the Alhambra looking at the mix of Arabic architecture and the newer European additions.  It's  architectural beauty, beautiful ceilings and gardens are well worth the time.  The plaster work is what gets the most attention as it is very beautiful and very extensive.  But there is also extensive tile work, too. 
The gardens surrounding the Palaces are also extensive.  The Arabs made a very comprehensive irrigation system to keep the whole place watered and green.  This irrigation system is amazing in itself.





This afternoon, we drove into the heart of La Mancha, famed for its castles and windmills.

We will be staying overnight in Madrid at the Praga Hotel, again.  This is were we first started our tour.
We find ourselves going back for tapas at the tapas bar on the street down from the hotel. 


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