Paris!

Paris was my favorite place I've visited in all of Europe. It is everything I had heard it to be and more. I was skeptical going there….but I was wrong. We were only there thursday night, friday, and until saturday afternoon. Which is long enough to know that I will want to come back someday and see it thoroughly. Below is a picture of one of the locks that is part of a famous tradition in paris. The tradition is for a couple to write their names onto a lock, lock it to this one bridge (which is now full) and throw the key into the Seine river below. Many a honeymooner has done this, so much so that one bridge is covered in locks and the tradition has moved on to other bridges. I think it is very romantic:).

Above is a picture of about half of the outside of Versailles from the front entrance. It was huge and overwhelming. I've never seen a building that big anywhere in Europe, but it is the biggest palace in the world after all.

If I remember right, the picture below is the room in which the monarchs stepped out onto the balcony to deal with the murderous mob of people below. The whole Reign of Terror bit for Luis XVI and Mary Antoinette. Notice that it is incredibly packed in all of these photos. Unfortunately, it was also stuffed with people who do not have the American notion of personal space. It was about 85% asian tourists, which was kind of surprising to me. The whole time I was like…BACK OFF. I would not recommend Versailles for anyone that has a tendency to get claustrophobic. I don't have that fear and I was stressed the entire time. Perhaps going not going on a weekend day (we went on friday) might help. The silver lining to that is that you feel like a bird set free when you get the gardens of Versailles.

Hall of mirrors. The famous room where the King and Queen of France met other dignitaries, hosted balls, and other important state events.

Versailles also has a museum inside of it as well. It was pretty cool, and significantly less crowded. 

Looking out over the Gardens of Versailles (It goes on for so long you cannot see it's end).

France (or at least Paris) has this awkward tendency to put random pieces of modern art alongside their historical works. It makes no sense and was awkward/laughable to me. 

Eiffel tower during the day. We actually only walked to the first floor (lame I know) but there was a restaurant there and we were tempted. Below is one of the best meals I've ever had in my entire life: ox cheeks. Yes, ox cheeks. To be more specific, ox cheeks with this ham/mushroom sauce on top and mashed potatoes. It was amazing. In Paris, we could not find a cheap restaurant. Though you may pay thirty dollars for a glass of wine and your meal, it is awesome. They don't really give cheap options. Like the night before I could choose duck, some sort of seafood, and different types of steak. When they go out, they must go all out I guess. I loved the food in Paris! The wine was great too. Just be prepared to pay for it;)

Walking through a garden trying to find the Louvre. At the time, I didn't know the building was part of the Louvre.

Ah the Mona Lisa. I did take a selfie with it, but it didn't look good so I didn't post it. We only actually saw 25% of the Louvre (after 6 pm it's free for students…but we only had like an hour and a half since the river cruise was at 8:15). I would love to go back and see it all someday.

A view of the sunset from a window.

The Venus (something). It's the other really famous piece of art housed in the Louvre.

I'm pretty proud of this picture. When we were exiting the Louvre, this is what we walked out to.

That night we took a night cruise along the Seine River. It is the "city of lights" after all. Paris is beautiful at night. Below are some pictures of Notre Dame.

And one of the best things to see in all of Paris, the light show of the Eiffel Tower at night. I tried to post a video, but it didn't work:(. If you see the Eiffel Tower, you have to see it at night. It is breathtaking, almost to the point of tears. It's magical, like Disney World for adults.

I'll post some pictures of London soon, but I'm pretty busy this week with a project, essays, and an internship I start tomorrow!

La Alhambra: The Last Moorish Stronghold

Finally, ISA (International Studies Abroad) took us (the students) to one of the most famous buildings in all of Spain: La Alhambra. The Alhambra sits on top of the mountains that overlook the city center of Granada. Above is just one of many amazing pictures I took while walking UP the mountain through the narrow streets of the Albaicin. Fair warning: take the bus. My shins were sore pretty much this whole week. Now for a short history lesson: the Alhambra was first constructed in the 9th century by the Moorish sultan of the Al-Andaluz caliphate in Spain. Originally, the nobility and the sultan lived in the Albaicin. However, the Albaicin soon became the living quarters of the poor and common while the Alhambra was constructed for the sultan, nobility, and their servants. Historians estimate that several thousand people lived among the walls of the Alhambra; it was like its own city within a city. It is not exactly fair to say it was constructed at that time, since kings and sultans added onto the structure and renovated it for many years, all the way up until the palace of Rey Carlos V (King Charles V) was finally given a roof in the 20th century. The magnitude and impressive nature of the stronghold cannot really be shown in pictures. The seven palaces that make up the Alhambra create a fortress that tells the tale of Granada's history as well as its own. 

Unfortunately, my notes didn't save on my phone from the tour guide so I can only write what I remember. Below is the picture I took looking down on the city center of Granada from the top of the tower farthest to the right in the picture above. Notice, you can see the cathedral below:). I have many, many pictures, but I can't post them all :/. The facade you see of the tower in the bottom left corner is a good example of the restoration process the Alhambra is still in. Places where the walls are falling apart have had some areas strengthened with brick in order to ensure it stays strong. The stone is the original material used for the structure. But from a distance, you can't tell.

I took this picture above thinking of my dad. Its from a balcony area where the sultan probably stood overlooking his subjects in the Albaicin below (those white buildings make up the Albaicin). He probably would have liked to be a sultan and look at his minions haha.  The mountain in the center is where the gypsy caves of the Sacromonte lie. I haven't seen this part of the city yet, but I'm sure we will. In modern times, I think hippies like to live up there.

When you first enter the ticketing area for the Alhambra, you have the option to buy joint tickets for the building and the Generalife. The Generalife is the sultan's summer palace and its gardens. Below is a picture of the modern gardening that connects the two structures. In the Generalife, there are many flowers and plants in a beautiful garden with water features. In the center of the palace (That hollow square structure that is so popular in Spain), lies a garden that has the plant types of the original garden during the time of the Sultan. Archaeologists and botanists worked together to dissect their findings of the plant material in the garden in order to construct it like the original.

 

Before the Alhambra was rediscovered by Washington Irving (yes the actual writer…weird I know), it was a place full of gypsies who took refuge within its walls. Below is a picture of the Jardín de la Sultana (The Queen's Garden) because of the famous story surrounding it. According to legend, This ugly tree (that is now dead) was the secret meeting place for the Sultan's wife and her lover. When the Sultan found out what his wife was doing, he had the man killed. Notice the roses in the picture, there are roses EVERYWHERE in the Alhambra. Since the gardens are so prominent in the structure, I'd recommend going in the summer so you can see it all at its peak.  

The aqueduct below is part of the very important hydraulic system of the Alhambra. Since it is a ways away from the river that runs through Granada, engineers and architects had a problem to solve. All throughout the structure there are little ruts where water runs through. They also had a donkey pull a wheel around to feed water to the whole structure.

This is a staircase you wouldn't have wanted to take back in the medieval times, since it leads to the dungeon of the Alhambra;).

Below is part of the ruins of one of the earliest palace structures. The Alhambra is made up of seven, but the living quarters are mostly ruins.  This is a part of the housing area for the military. It also contains another interesting architectural nuance, that little hole is inside of the rock slab they used for beds. The palace is up in the mountainous area of Granada, so it can get cold. In the winter they would stick coals inside of those holes in order to keep their beds warm. 

Ah, the palace of Charles V. It looks more like it belongs in Rome, perhaps since the architect was from Italy. This was the final palace to be finished because Charles V built it to commemorate the conquest of the Catholic Monarch's of Spain who ended the Islamic reign in Granada. His grandparents were Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand ("Los Reyes Católicas"). Unsurprisingly, the Moorish inhabitants of Granada did not take the extreme taxes they had to pay in order to be Islamic very well. Their taxes were what Charles was using to build the Palace. They rioted against him in Granada, and it became too problematic for him to finish the palace and live there. Throughout the centuries following the death of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, the King of Spain was focused on being the Holy Roman Emperor (the leader who controlled the largest amount of land in Europe and was chosen by the Catholic Church). Hence, many of the kings traveled all throughout their empire. After that, the Napoleonic Wars terrorized Spain. They lost their freedom to France and their buildings were decimated. Part of the Alhambra was burned by the French. Hence, It wasn't until the 20th century that the roof was finally complete, which was nearly 400 years after the palace construction had been started (And we think Oklahoma roads take forever to finish). On a tourist note, there is an art museum inside of the palace as well.

Pretty cool looking archway as you enter the courtyard between several of the palaces of the Alhambra.

I'll be honest, I don't remember which palaces these were. But the detail is incredible, like nothing you have ever seen.

Here is the pool that is in front of the Ambassador's Room, where Isabel and Ferdinand, plus the Sultans before them, met with other diplomats. It is also where Cristobal Colomb (Christopher Columbus) met with Queen Isabel to request funding that lead to America's introduction to Europe and the major period of colonialism in Europe. So why the big pool? Its not just because it is pretty. No, water was a sing of wealth and strength in southern Spain and the middle east. Since there is very little water, the Sultan was showing his wealth and power through grand displays of water.  

Here is the most famous area in the Alhambra: Court of the Lions (patio de los liones). It is a grand example of middle eastern architecture, which used plays of light to seem like the gardens in Paradise. My boyfriend told me today that he learned in his History of Architecture class that Christians did it first in Constantinople, so I don't know. However, according to the guide, it is an example of middle eastern architecture. The Alhambra was built by muslims, jews, and christians often working together. Hence, its not fair to say that the Alhambra is an islamic piece of architecture. 

A problem that was faced in the Alhambra was damage from seismic activity. You can't see it in my pictures, but the rooms are covered with tile mosaics and the very detailed plaster moldings. When an earthquake happened, it broke some of it off the walls. In order to help the problem, layers of lead were built into the top and bottom of pillars and support structures throughout the Alhambra (not just in this picture) in order to give it more flexibility. That one was for you Mitchell, you better have read this. 

Fun fact, the lion fountain above was also a sundial for the sultans and each lion is slightly different.

Below is a beautiful ceiling inside one of the rooms. But I never saw an ugly ceiling in the whole structure. It can almost give you a headache really, I mean EVERYTHING is covered with intricate designs. 

In the days of the sultans, if you were lucky enough (or perhaps unlucky enough) to be beautiful you'd get to sleep here. It was the bedding area for a concubine.

Finally, there really are flowers everywhere. It was one of my favorite parts. The roses are some of the most beautiful roses I've ever seen in a garden. 

Well, tomorrow I leave for Paris and then London. Ahhh! My roommate and I are so excited! So I'll post about that trip when I get back;).

The Cathedral and El Albaicin: The Oldest Barrio in Granada

¡Hola!

It has been a long time, but it's been busy here! Since I've done a lot of things without blogging about them, I'm just going to conjoin some of them to save time. So a couple weeks ago the group I'm in toured the Albaicin and the Cathedral of Granada. The Cathedral of Granada is shown above. In my opinion, the outside is the prettiest part. Unfortunately, the Cathedral was renovated back in the 18th century to be more "modern" (such a tragedy). So most of it is not original. Fun fact: It is still unfinished! Many cathedrals around Spain are unfinished because the Spanish government would give money and then revoke it for some other cause. For example, the Cathedral in Malaga is unfinished because the government revoked the money in order to financially support our revolution against Great Britain. Below is a picture of the alter inside the cathedral.

My favorite picture of the cathedral is of the dome. It is very pretty in a way that kind of reminds me of France and Mary Antoinette. As you can see, the pillars and walls throughout the cathedral are white with some gold accents. The best cathedral I've seen (so far) in Spain is in Toledo. Toledo is amazing.

Historically, the Albaicin is very interesting. It is the oldest barrio (neighborhood) in Granada. It is the original settlement of the moors. The moors came from northern Africa and were islamic. The pictures below are of the ruins of a mezquita (arabian bath house). Water in the mediterranean and middle east was a sign of wealth. Spain is very dry, so to have random fountains and pools in your house or governmental building is to show personal or communal wealth. Ablutions are also a huge part of the Islamic religion, hence, bath houses were central for their society. 

These two pictures below are of the changing room. The Roman columns are from the 8th century. Many people do not know that not only was Spain part of the Ottoman Caliphate (hence why ISIS believes that there are islamic rights to it), but it was also a province of Rome. There are many Roman ruins throughout Spain. Back to the baths. men went at night to bathe while women went during the day. There was a cold and a warm room that you also entered once you had bathed. There was a hydraulic system that had a boiler to heat the water and a donkey pulling a wheel to transfer it. The boiler area can still be seen there today.

The pictures are below are in the heart of the Albaicin. The houses are all white washed buildings that line narrow streets in order to keep them cool and secure. Back in the day, it made it easier for soldiers to catch thieves if there was less space for them to escape. They are VERY expensive. Only the wealthy can live here. The starting price for a carmen is about 1 million euros (keep in mind they're small as well). This barrio predates the Alhambra, and the construction of the Alhambra began in the 9th century.

This is a typical carmen in the Albaicin. Carmenes are white washed houses which have jardínes (gardens). These are some of the houses history nerds dream of having. The word carmen comes from the root of grapevine, referring to their gardens.

It seems that in much of the western world, you can get water for free (NEVER order just "agua" at a restaurant in Spain, say "agua del grifo" and they'll give you the free tap water…which is good here since they have so many mountains.) Anyways, below is one of the many locked cisterns that housed the collection of agua for the ancient Albaicin. You had to pay money for any water back then since there was very little rain in Granada (even now, still true).

Say you want to live it up when you come here, stay at a hotel in the ancient district. How about eat lunch gazing at the Alhambra and the mountains behind it? It only cost you about 100 euros a person. Enjoy! ;)

Though that seems outrageous, keep in mind a lot of the rich and famous/general wealthy desire to live here. It is a beautiful city nestled at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and full of historical relevance. The last picture I leave is of the most expensive house in the Albaicin with its overflowing garden. Notice, it is not huge, but it is beautiful and antiquated! The next post will be about the Alhambra (we saw it two days ago!)