Columbus' Go Ahead

Just like I never realized how much happened in Berlin, I also never knew how Granada was such a big deal. Granted it all centered on Columbus and Isabel so it isn't as diverse as Berlin but for me it is another "history coming alive kind of place." This is where Columbus got the go ahead to sail, the last stand of the Moors, and this is where Ferdinand and Isabel are buried.

I know I'm a nerd but I love learning on our travels. I love that when our kids study that I can show them a picture of the place where Columbus got his contract signed and that I saw the box he sold to finance the voyage. More than anything the way I'm able to retain knowledge after seeing things makes me think travel is just so much more important. Even with my pregnant brain I can give you a much more thorough explanation of the Reconquista.

The biggest Granada sight is La Alhambra which is the original Moorish palace that then the Spanish of course built a bigger palace attached to when they finally sent the Moors back to Africa.

We had to get up really early for our ticket time but it was well worth the 6:45 alarm after our 12:30 bedtime. The detail in the wood and plaster work is amazing in the palace. And then the rest of the property is where the 2,000 residents lived and in it are more than a few gardens which are a great mix of plants and walls which makes it Joshua's favorite garden of Europe.

One other pretty amazing thing the Moors did here was develop a water system that keeps fresh water flowing to all the fountains, the gardens, the palace and the commoners area. Everywhere you walk you can see and hear water flowing through the paths they made.

Overall well worth the early morning and the admission price and the carrying Ehren on our back (not a stroller friendly place - for that matter most of the old city of Granada is NOT stroller friendly).