The Famous Patio of the Lions
Comares Court and its Tower
The mocarabe edging in the archways, and the patterned tiling on the walls
The detailed stone carvings within Nasrid Palaces
Breathtaking views of the Albayzin region, from Alcazaba Watch Towers
The fruitful gardens of Generalife
Views of Alcazaba from Generalife
The Day Before: Sunset views of The Alhambra from our Play Granada Segway Tour
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The Experience
| His Perspective Spain is a country with a rich history, and in the southern region of Andalusia, it is possibly at its richest. Seeing the reign of different cultures and religions has left an intriguing mixture of people and places. None more spectacular than The Alhambra. The Alhambra has always been on my 'to do list'. With over a thousand years of history built with in it, trying to sum it up in a paragraph is impossible. From the Generalife gardens, through the Alcazaba, Charles V Palace and the Nasrid Palaces, it’s a display of amazing architecture. The audio tour is an absolute must, otherwise you miss out the history behind everything. For me, the intricate detail used in the interiors and ceilings, and the mathematics involved in the structures were the most fascinating, but it’s also hard to go passed the Patio of the Lions, which is the most famous area of The Alhambra. Under the intense summer sun of Granada, it was a long day of walking, with crowds everywhere you looked. Despite this, The Alhambra was still awesome. It delivered on its promise as one of the great historical sites of the world. If you can make the journey to Granada for The Alhambra, then do it. It definitely epitomizes the phrase: Travel broadens the Mind. | Her Perspective The hype was crazy! Booking tickets to enter this UNESCO heritage site, is through Ticketmaster and you select timeslots and dates as if you were buying seats for your most favourite artist’s sold out show, including losing out on your timeslot if you hesitate! (We highly recommend booking months out!) The day we arrived in Granada we were looked after by Play Granada who took us out on a Segway tour around Albayzin (old Arabic district) and Sacromonté (the gypsy quarter). The cobblestoned, windy, uphill roads were perfect on a segway, and the height meant that we saw the most spectacular view of The Alhambra. The most perfect was from a lookout right at the top as the sun began to set. The palace gleamed for us. Our appetite was whet, and we were hanging out for our well hyped up show the next day. The show, is an architectural masterpiece, that wows on every corner turned. It’s important to note that Islamic Art never uses representations of living beings, but instead use geometric patterns focusing on repetitive symmetry. I loved the intricacies of the Nasrid palace décor showcasing stone and wood carvings, and colourful patterned tiles on the walls. One of the pronounced details is the mocarabe, which are stalactite work that hangs off arches and windows. And when you look past these details and look out the windows, on one side is the perfectly groomed gardens with colourful fruits, and the other side views of where we were the day before, beautiful landscaping views of Albayzin and Sacromonte. Sometimes, when things are so hyped up, they disappoint. This was not one of those times. |
The Brand
His Dark Blue H&M Polo
His Perspective Polo's seem to be a dying item in my wardrobe. Gone is the need for loud solid colours that seemed to be the norm for polo's, as is the idea that it’s OK to pay through the nose for a little guy on a horse or a blue and red flag on the chest. So this is a nice addition from H&M. I'd not been thrilled by their stuff recently, but depending on the country you shop in, you can get some good pieces. Polo plus polka dots, and not a little horse in sight. Good choice. | Her Perspective You find some hidden gems in H&M Man, like this one - I am in love with this polo. I like the tailored look, teamed with some roughness. Some polos can look too preppy, but this one has a certain edge to it. The dark blue, is well, dark, and broody and the small symmetrical polkas remind me of the repetitive patterns on the walls of Nasrid Palace. Tiago’s hair / facial hair is getting so long on this holiday, but the darkness seems to go well with the broody polo. |
The Brand
Her Mango Jumpsuit
| His Perspective It seems like there’s an endless permutation of types of clothing for women. Men? We just have the traditional stuff (except maybe Kanye's skirt), but for women, they're always trying to invent new things (the cape from my last post?). The jumpsuit is another impractical item, but at least it looks cool. This one from Mango subscribes to my ethos of subtle detail. The pattern isn't too crazy, but interesting enough. It seems like it's pretty comfortable to wear too. The only thing it needs now is some practicality. We have the Y-front underwear, what will they work into these? Perhaps a zip? | Her Perspective Jumpsuits are so ‘in’ at the moment, and when worn ‘right’ they are any girl’s best friend! It took me awhile to find one that fit right, some made me look frumpy, look like a tellytubbie or gave me camel toe… ergh. Mango, has done it right! The bottoms are made slim and long (I even have to wear heels with them, these ones are a Mango pair too and so comfortable, with the leather straps and chunky heel), the silky material clings in the right areas and teamed with a slouchy proportioned top with skinny straps, this jumpsuit makes you look taller and leaner. I’m not joking, it’s been 4 months since any exercise or healthy eating since the wedding, and this jumpsuit hides any stomach / thigh problem areas like no other! I love the pockets too! |
