New Year 2017 – 2018

December 2017 ended with a fabulous evening in Nerja – an impromptu visit to a small Italian on the seafront ended the year with a fabulous meal, fillet steak in a gorgonzola sauce made fresh for us and ended with home made tiramisu could not be topped!

Our New Years eve dinner!

We returned to our hotel, headed out onto the balcony, snuggled up with our duvets on the sunbeds and star gazed before watching the fireworks at midnight, aided by a bottle or two of cava!! Truly memorable.

Bright New Year moon.

La Alhambra 4th January 2018

We left Almeria and headed 300 miles south to the Marbella area and settled into our next camp. But before we did, we spent a day in Granada and booked onto a wonderful trip to the Alhambra, a mountain top village dating back 600+ years, made up of walls, (remains of) houses, walled gardens, fortresses, and several palaces, one for winter and the summer palace, which is further up the hill in the cool shade. When we arrived at 8.30am, the city of Granada was shrouded in low cold cloud, which didn’t burn off until mid afternoon. On arrival, the temperature was 5c and it got up to 13c! It was so cold and damp!! However, the palaces were beautiful, the architecture amazing and the views stunning, well worth the cold! Lots of photos to follow!!

We learned all about the history of the buildings, most are restored to show their glorious colours and arabic patterns, but several are left as they have been found.

Old Roman building outlines in the grounds.

The monastery is now a 5* hotel.

Manicured gardens showing ancient trees.

Internal rooms are well maintained and show the opulence and space that Kings and their wives and hareems would have had.

Symmetry in the structures was very important, as was water to cleanse the body and soul.

Fountains and flowing water everywhere.

The views from the Palace was amazing despite the winter cloud.

This picture shows the City walls, going up the hill to a church.

Finally, after a warming coffee break, we took a walk to the Summer Palace, another symmetrical building full of covered pergolas, water fountains and ponds and covered walk ways which ooze coolness and calm.

Finally we spent a few hours in Granada city, having a late lunch and looking at the Citadel (from the outside) and wandering through the city.

Cats, beautiful friendly cats everywhere.

The citadel and square.

Leaving Granada, we catch sight of the Sierra Nevadas, which are half an hour away, and spot the snow capped mountains.

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