Tuesday, July 15, 2014
July 14: Cadiz tip
The city, oldest in Europe, is located on a long earthen extension out to sea. The Phoenicians, Romans etc treated it as a strategic military point. The city looks to be built around and over the many subsets of fortress walls. Cadiz also acted as one of the primary cities the Spanish ships from the Americas would return. There are watch towers built within the city to identify returning ships from the Americas.
Monday, July 14, 2014
July 14: Cadiz
On the train to Granada, an Austrian was saying how great his visit was to Cadiz on the coast. Given the temperature is reaching 100 inland, I thought to spend a few days here. Cadiz is one of several cities where the Spanish ships would return from the New World laden with silver and gold.
July 12 : changes through time
Through the years the Alhambra's construction (eg walls) would change to meet the latest in military thought. For example, more rounded fortress walls were integrated to withstand the advent of canon ball bombardment. A whole lot of effort, lives, wealth and creativity went into making Alhambra impenetrable. It is ironic to me the place would fall without bloodshed but due to deception from the Spanish crown of Ferdinand and Isabela.
July 12 : Washington Irving
This American author wrote a book in the 1800s about Alhambra that really gave fame to the place. After many centuries of the Alhambra's construction, Granada was the last Moorish hold out in Spain, the place started to deteriorate after the Spaniards took it over. Washington Irving's writing help draw attention to how important Alhambra was to posterity.
July 12: Alhambra
Below is the first stage of the Alhambra. It was built on a hill overlooking Granada and as a defense against the Christians. As each new ruler came to power, a new stage to the fortress city would be added.
The fortress was designed to be self sufficient, with water carried by a massive aqueduct from the Sierras nearby and food grown within the walls. Water features were designed to both store the water inside yet have the water constantly moving through fountains and cascading structures to keep it from stagnation.
July 12: Granada, Spain
I made the trek from Faro, Portugal to Granada, Spain to see the Alhambra. This entailed a three hour bus ride to Seville, and a three hour train to Granada. Below is a picture of the Alhambra.
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