Wonderland

An early (for us) taxi, and off to the Alhambra, Kevin's arm safely in its sling. We told Jemima we were going to Alice's Wonderland, which she got excited about. The complex has different areas, and our nice man at reception suggested an itinerary. So first, the Generalife, the pleasure palace and gardens, reached through a peaceful walk among the autumnal foliage. This was very beautiful, with shaped cypresses and angular ponds creating dramatic gardens - but we got stuck with three separate guided groups bristling with selfie sticks, which undermined the ambience somewhat. Next, the Alcazaba, the fortress, which is what you can see overlooking Granada: big blocks of military fortifications without prettification, but gorgeous views. And past the later, Catholic Palace of Charles V - rectangular on the outside, surprisingly circular on the inside; to the 14th century Palaces Nazaries, the heart of the Alhambra. 

It's timed entry, and we worked our way around the groups, so we managed to have as peaceful a viewing as possible with Jemima in tow - she was entertained by the painted tiles in the floor, the lines between the marble paving slabs, and of course, best of all, the water features, which are what make this place so magical: water channels running down the handrails of a staircase; fountains bubbling up inside entrance halls that then flow out into courtyards; still pools reflecting the blue sky, sharply cut box hedging and intricately carved arches. We were guide-less (choosing not to test Jemima's patience) so I'm sure we missed half the historical or symbolic significance of what we saw, but saw it we did, and you couldn't but appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of it. After three and a half hours of viewing and wandering (and dealing with my lost ticket, which I dropped at some point in the Alcazaba, annoying), we had a slow walk down the hill back to town, Jemima falling asleep in the buggy.

Kevin and I thought we would crown a special morning with a tasty, peaceful (as Jemima was sleeping) lunch. But we made a fatal mistake: the restaurant we had been recommended wouldn't fit a buggy, so we went to the tourist trap opposite thinking, "how bad can it be?!". Inedible is the answer - our worst meal in Spain so far. (It turned out the restaurant had 2 stars on Tripadvisor - that'll learn us...) We complained, paid, and left, main course untouched. Another lovely walk through the scenic Old Town streets, and a stop a bit further on at the foot of the Alhambra's hillside, for a second attempt. Better, if not great. With a view as a bonus.

Then a leisurely walk back to the central taxi rank, via a stop for chocolate and churros (where I lost my sunglasses - extremely annoying, I have to admit I cried; I do hate losing things, especially expensive things, and I do it a lot. It's cheap sunglasses for me from now on). And back to Beatrix, my long-held dream of visiting the Alhambra realised - despite the disappointments of the restaurant and my losses, a wonderful day. Thank you Kevin for making it possible, especially with a gammy arm!

Kevin was doing one-armed photography while I did two-armed Jemima-wrangling, so he takes the credit for the majority of the photos.