Granada will always have a special place in our hearts. The winding cobblestone streets, painful to walk on for hours on in, but just too quaint and reminiscent to ignore! Our airbnb apartment was in the heart of the Al-baycin, the old Arabic quarters, where our eyes were charmed with greenery, bougainvillia, churches and smiling faces.
Granada is a city of hills. Seven hills to be exact. The city perches above and sprawls between them. Like the rest of Andalusia, the weather is nothing short of incredible. Mild, beautiful and with the Sierra Nevada close by, cooling winds pervade throughout much of the valley. Granada was by far the highlight of our trip. For several reasons but the most important of which (as all Andalusian travellers will know) was the Alhambra – a 14th century palace of the Nasrid Emirate of Granada of Moorish rule. Our views on the Alhambra are not unique – it’s an incredibly awesome place that everyone should visit. In terms of Islamic architecture, we rank it close to our experiences in Iran, Turkey and elsewhere in Muslim world.
So, this trip happened as a result of Batoul's ability to skillfully scower the internet to find the best travel deals possible. We've never travelled to Europe before. Yes, we know, we've been missing out for the longest time. Our usual shenanigans take us out to Asia and the Middle East, but this time around, we were looking for a more politically stable vacation where we wouldn't have to keep watch for curfews and AK-47s. More on one of those trips here.
It’s unimaginable that in such a rugged, imposing and gregarious environment there could be anything living. Mecca has this very in-your-face-personality. A relentless sun bears over mountains, dust and sand. Barren is a generous word. But there are birds. Always. They flutter over the Ka’aba endlessly throughout the day and the night. Perched sometimes on its edges, they stand forth and move about. Small, insignificant amongst the throngs of worshippers and pilgrims whose faces are weary and anxious, desperate to catch a glimpse of the Ka’aba and to embrace it’s black façade.
