2013 Adventures, Boarded the Cruise Ship!

[dgbg100106]

I noticed a distinct difference in the writing style. And the fact that you kept referring to yourself in the third person was a little off putting.

The Alhambra looked like an impressive facility. Did you get any kind of tour where they explained what the various courtyards were used for, or did they know that information? Or was the whole tour in Spanish?

That's one thing I love about Europe, you can just grab a bottle of wine, some snacks and enjoy them in a park somewhere. Here you get arrested for that!

Is Blue the lighter healthier dining option on the ship? Everything looks nice and seems rather light.

Alison,

I have been so busy with the job and everything, that David started writing things for our journal, and I was stealing some of his write ups. I know I would have given a lot more detail in the write up and facts about things, but I just did not have the time.

Back when I was thinking giving up on this one, I thought I was only going to give photos, but a little write up could be done. I am trying so hard to get this finished before I leave for the next one, BUT i really do not think it is going to happen. Just don't have time, and then all this work from home stuff does not help, b/c everything I do has to be documented for the Govt, it is just a PITA....

But if you can live with David writing up some of the stuff, I will continue.

The tour was all conducted in English, BUT it was more little tidbits of information and lots of free looking around. The inscription craved into the walls, arches, and ceilings repeat the same sayings over and over again....
"There is no victor but Allah" – is repeated hundreds of times on walls, arches and columns. Isolated words like "happiness" or "blessing" recur, seen as divine expressions protecting the monarch or governor honoured in each palace or courtyard. Aphorisms abound: "Rejoice in good fortune, because Allah helps you," and "Be sparse in words and you will go in peace."

We always love sitting in a park watching the others... But a bottle of wine seems to make it even better...

Blu is the Spa restaurant, we were staying in the Spa suite, so we got to eat in the Spa Restaurant, but yes it is a lighter, healthier version of the restaurant. The main dinning room is traditionally a french restaurant, with heavy sauces and lots of butter.

 

[dgbg100106]

Very nice tour! You got some great pics!

Thanks!

 

[dgbg100106]

The stone work at Alhambra is absolutely stunning! I can't imagine being the person working on the ceiling/walls, if you mess up there's no erasing.

I forgot to mention, that $37 ticket must have been the bargain of the century!

And how did they just discover all those fabulous ruins 30 years ago? Were they covered up? I can see how the first set might have been, but the theater looked quite big and protruding in the sky?

Yes, the stone work was amazing! I can't imagine if you made a mistake, off with your head!

The TOT ticket for $37 was the bargain, the others paid $150 for a bus ride and 2 hours at the monastery. !!!!

They showed pictures of the landscape before they found them, it was covered with an apartment building. The forum and theater were below ground level, when you walked up to it you were at the very top looking down. So it was just filled in at some point and built on top of. Weird I know, when I think of the one in Rome and how tall it is and how you could not miss it, to think this one was covered up is amazing!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Alhambra was beautiful. You know I was having some mixed feelings while I was there, and I was trying to be open minded.

It is a UNESCO world heritage site, and the largest contributor (money wise) to UNESCO is the U.S.A., so it is my tax dollars being spent to fix up this site, and then it is very anti USA. With our economy, and the general state of our country, I think it is a shame, that we spend our tax dollars on places, of tourist interest, in a place that does not like American's. While we have people starving and freezing to death!

OK enough of my rant, I will stop now...

Australia is the same.

 

[dgbg100106]

 

[Pinkocto]