21-23 Sept - last days in Spain - the other J

Mijas and Granada, and the Alhambra

First up useless trivia. Granada is named after the Spanish word for pomegranate, which was brought to Spain hundreds of years ago and which has a very lovely flower.

Granada is on three rivers which when the snows melt in the mountains are really something to see when they flow through the city. I don't have a photo because it is Autumn in Spain, therefore the wrong season.

MIJAS.

Pronounced "me.hass" is a beautiful little village in Southern Spain, which is one of those places which make you think "if I won the lottery etc." it's one of those places where no photos however professionally taken do the place justice, it has to be seen live in "surround sight and sound" to really appreciate it. However, I hope some of my humble efforts will give you some idea.

The Alhambra

People usually call it the Mosque of the Alhambra, but really it is/ was over time been a: Mosque, cathedral, palaces, fort, sometimes all three. In reality it was the size of a small town

I think I mentioned before the importance of gardens and fountains to there people. In this venue these features along with the cool shady court yards, and avenues of trees an be seen to their best advantage. 

It took hours in the warm sun to track around the Alhamba, and the long cool Sangrias at the  end of the trip were very welcome. But for me this was one of the must sees in Spain. It was well worth it. I hope you like the photos

LAST DAY GRANADA, LA MANCHA, MADRID.

The last day was a really lovely day going through the county side 

After a few hours on the road we pulled off the freeway into a little town called Peurto Lapice. Most of the houses are still painted white and blue like those in Mijas, which were the old Hapsburg King's colours.

Being Sunday, it was market day, when the townsfolk come together in the market place. Some people come to eat together, others to show off their vintage cars, whilst the town's competition cycling team, go into heavy training in the local bar. You get the feeling that the training lasts for aboutntravel half an hour, whilst the post training recovery in the bar, lasts about two!

LA MANCHA 

Land of Don Quixote, and The Man From La Mancha musical, was just as we imagined it. High plain, fairly baren, and full of windmills 

In Madrid we had the last night dinner party which got to be a bit rowdy.

LAST MORNING IN MADRID BEFORE FLIGHT TO LONDON.

Madrid to London.

We spent the last morning in Madrid going to the Prado art gallery again. I think Julie enjoyed it, and we mastered the Madrid bus system.