Spain 2

Málaga is a coastal city on the southern coast of Spain in the Andalusian region.
A day trip to Ronda where we first self-guided toured the Plaza de Toros de Ronda, the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain, built in 1784.

Me in the ring 

bullfighter hideout, I think

yes, those would be from an angry "toro" venting some frustration

Roy up in the cheap seats

This is the "new" bridge we drove and then walked across, finished in 1793, connecting the two separate parts of the town.



















Beautiful view from just around the corner from the bridge.

Apparently Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles both spent many summers in Ronda.  Parts of Hemingway's For Whom the Bells Toll are reportedly based in Ronda.  After 1985 when Welles died, his ashes were buried in a well on the rural property of his good friend, a famous local bullfighter.
It was a very twisty road up and back to Ronda; reminding me strongly of the Willits Road back home in Northern California.
Of course Roy looked for birds every chance he got.  He got 60 different species on the entire trip and 10 new ones for his life list.

We got really lucky the next day.  Roy had made excellent travel reservations and plans but hadn't  gone into detail exactly what to see everyday.  A guy working full-time plus can only do so much, bless his heart.   So I noticed in our newly acquired "Andalusia" book that the #1 place to see was "The Alhambra" in Granada.  The Marriott Concierge called for us and there were spaces available on the tour. (three cheers for traveling in the cooler "off season!")
The Alhambra is a fortress and palace complex built and rebuilt several times by Moorish Emirs and Sultans in the early 11th century into the 1300's. Captured by the "Catholic Monarchs" in 1492 then taken over by the Holy Roman Empire in 1527.  Falling into disrepair until discovered by European scholars in the 18th century, renovations are ongoing.  The Islamic architecture and later Christian buildings are stunning and beautiful.

Our Spanish tour guide spoke excellent English

did I mention, it is HUGE!  

Our tour was in English, lasted 5 hours, and we were on our feet the whole time; walking or standing and listening to our guide describe a room or area.  I took over one hundred pictures exhausting my camera battery so it's very hard to choose what to post here.

Our guide told us the Fountain of Lions was a gift from some Jews and the basin is made of alabaster supported by 12 marble lions, each one different, representing the tribes of Israel. The book I bought there doesn't mention that.  Still researching that one.

Fountain of Lions 

Court of the Lions

one side of the Palace of Charles V 

In the Hall of the Ambassadors, or the throne room,  is where Christopher Columbus met with Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand's and received their support to sail to the New World.  Very cool, but sadly, no pictures - dead battery.
In 1829 Washington Irving lived in the Alhambra for a time and later wrote Tales of the Alhambra.

Being a quilter the tile patterns fascinated me.

On to Gibraltar.