Flamenco in New York

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL

AT THE 

MECCA TEMPLE

aka

NEW YORK CITY CENTER

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/sets/72157642131701433/

Ever since I had seen the dome from the room in Hilton NY during an APPNA Meeting I had an interest to know about the building and go inside it.

Mecca Temple

It is a fascinating story. Build by the The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, later simply called Shriners, build it in early 1900. This was an offshoot of Freemasons, who felt inspired by the Middle Eastern and Moorish art and customs.

Two Americans Walter Flemming, a physican, and William Florence, an actor, wanted to create a branch of Masons with more fun and purpose in mind and less of rituals. Florence, on a tour to England was invited to a party arranged by an Arab diplomat. He got inspiration from that and on coming back floated this idea.
Today the most obvious contribution of the Shriners are the Hospitals. They are headquartered in Tempa Florida.

There is a story that they used to have their events in Carnegie Hall but were evicted as they smoked cigars too much. They later bought this piece of land, just south of the Carnegie Hall. The Muslim influence reflected in the Shriner rites and dresses. Fez is their head gear. Similar influence is heavily reflected in the architecture. You see Andalusian horseshoe arches, and various Islamic Motifs in the inside. The auditorium was built to earn extra money for concerts and shows. 

The Center Stage

ES SELAM ELEIKUM

اسلام عیلکم

Later during the Depression, they were unable to pay the mortgage and the Bank foreclosed on them. Later the City took over the building as a lot of back taxes were owed.  

The rumor is that the building was to be demolished but the mayor, F LaGuardia came up with the plan of converting it into NY City Center. Now it is a major venue for dance performances.

Then came the information in the mail for the Flamenco Festival. This is an annual event, held in this center for the last decade or so.

I watched Flamenco for the first time during our trip to Seville in 2012. More on that  at http://ghareebkhana.blogspot.com/2012/10/seville-alshabilah-of-andalucia.html

There I learned about the Roma people. Believed to be originally from Punjab or Rajistan in India they eventually found their way to Spain and rest of Europe. These Gypsies, as they are called, developed this unique form of art which is reminiscent of Indian and Middle Eastern music. 

This was a four day event, and Sunday was the last day. It was good to be out on a nice day after a long wintery and snowy spell.

 

Zoha and I attended the performance by Eva Yerbabuena. 

The show was titled Lluvia ie Rain. It is the story of a person born on a gray day of pure melancholy. She explores isolation, loneliness, heartbreak, ignorance and acceptance. It was a Ballet Flamenco, and had all what flamenco has to offer: the long dirges reminding of either aazan or a lonely song of a desert-man, the dance, the guitar, the drums, the hand clapping, the castanets and the quintessential stomping of the feet. 

A video clip  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn3hzMx_88Y

As mentioned by Barclay.

Created by Yerbabuena, a choreographer as well as the virtuoso dancer most people know, Lluvia, meaning Rain, is a full-evening flamenco drama featuring a cast of five dancers and an ensemble of superb musicians and singers.

Like flamenco itself, the production of Rain traverses an intense range of emotions. It begins with a somber street scene in which Yerbabuena and her dancers thread their way through an unseeing crowd conveying a mood of melancholy and isolation. It concludes with a blindingly passionate signature Soleá and an audience jolted into awareness of the great La Yerbabuena’s magisterial qualities.

I wished I had known the language; it would have added a lot to the experience. Still the rhythm, the movements and the music made my day. I can now understand why many non-Urdu-knowing people can enjoy the music of Nusrat Fateh Ali

------------------------------

References:

• http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/MeccaTemple.html
• http://www.shrinersinternational.org/Shriners/History/Beginnings
• http://www.thebarclay.org/events-details.asp?n=explore-events&n1=&n2=&refId=466B6716-3029-4479-A839-08C48A399E68
• http://ghareebkhana.blogspot.com/2012/10/seville-alshabilah-of-andalucia.html

The Alchemist by Paublo Coelho

First edition cover

A dear friend of mine was planning to go to Spain. We exchanged some notes and he wanted me to read this book. In a few days the book arrived in the mail.

I had not heard about the book or the author before. My child had. The book has been sold more than 30 million copies. It has the Guinness World Record of being the most translated book by a living author.

The original book is in Portuguese and the writer is Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian. Traveling through Andalusia, he found his calling to be a writer. He never looked back.

What a book! It is easy and quick to read. It reminded me of the Tales of Alhambra by Washington Irving. http://ghareebkhana.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-legends-of-alhambra.html  Old folklore stories retold by Irving talk about the lives of Andalusians. Long after the Moors were gone, there was still a fascination with them. They were thought to posses secret powers, left hidden secrets and had the power to converse with nature at a different level.

This book, the Al Chemist, takes that fascination to another level. It takes a young ambitious Andalusian shepherd, Santiago across the sea to Tangier, and then ultimately to the Pyramids.

Santiago, a shepherd by choice, wants to see the world. He loves to read books but is full of innate wisdom and learns from the nature and surroundings. He longs to see the girl he saw once and spends the whole year to get back to her. On the way destiny takes him on another path. He stumbles into a fortune teller and a self proclaimed king. He is told that he has to find his personal path and a hidden treasure is waiting for him at the Pyramids. 

Taught to watch for the signs and omens, he embarks on a journey which takes him to far away lands, where he has failures and successes. He experiences closely the realities of life, learns from his own intuitions, masters new trades, helps others find their personal paths, travels across the desert, earns the trust of Arab chieftains, and finds the love of his life in Fatima, a girl of the oasis.

Although being sought by a fellow traveler, it is Santiago who wins the heart of the the Al Chemist, a bicentenarian living in the oasis,  who knows the art of turning lead into gold. The Al Chemist is convinced of the boys earnestness of desire, accompanies him through rest of the turbulent journey, and ultimately helps him reach the Pyramids, where the boy has to find his hidden treasure alone.

It is here, that he finds out the true meaning of treasure. It was always within his possession. He just have to go back and get it.

Highly symbolic, it tells the story of a relatively modern time, just one hundred year old, in a language of early post-Moorish era. 

It is the story of finding one's calling and as it says, when you are about to realizing your Personal Legend, the whole world conspires to help you.

You feel like you are reading a tale out of Arabian Nights, Alif Laila,

The popularity of the book tells me that in this day and age of artificial wisdom, there is still a longing rustic stories told in the simple language of heart.

Reading it took me back to my trip to Spain.

You can read more about that in my series of posts searchable under the heading.
http://ghareebkhana.blogspot.com/search?q=spain

Barcelona

For Slide Show click here

The first time I heard of Barcelona was in 1971. I was ten years old and the first Men's Field Hockey Cup was being played in this Spanish city. The name had a musical ring to it. Those were the romantic days of Pakistan Hockey, Tanvir Dar and Rashid Junior. I remember sitting close to the radio and getting excited on the penalty corners of legendary Tanvir Dar.  Pakistan already had Olympic Gold and Asian Cup at that time and had something like a Triple Crown with this victory. Champions Trophy did not exist at that time.

Pakistan somehow managed to be in Semifinals, beat India and then defeated Spain in the finals. This was the last good news in Pakistan before the civil war in East Pakistan would end the year on a most painful note.

Fast forward to 2012.

Our trip to Spain ended with Barcelona.
We had to rent two cars from the AC Marriott Seville to the airport. It is the same road which we had traveled two days back on the way back from Granada. The ride to the airport was 35 Euro each car, a separate amount was added for the telephone handling.

Barcelona looked like a different country from the rest of Spain. Large, cosmopolitan and vibrant. It felt somewhat the same when I went to Karachi during my second year medical college trip from Multan. Large, bustling, diverse and vibrant. People seem to speak a different language and indeed they do. Majority speak Catalan, although everybody understands Spanish.

Hespera Towers is an elegant hotel, it was the best hotel during our stay. Tipu had perhaps arranged for an upscale hotel as the last stop on our tour. The only drawback was the distance from the city center. It is at the end of a subway train line, and takes about half an hour each way.

We had two nights to stay there and enjoyed every bit of it. The city of Barcelona, for the visitors, revolves around two men. Gaudi and Picasso, a gay conservative architect and a womanizer communist artist, . The two famous landmarks ie  the Guadi's place, Park Guell a Utopian community he tried to built at the northern end of the city and the world largest cathedral, still in the making, Holy Family Cathedral, is Sargada Familia are the everlasting gift of Gaudi to the city.

Park Guell reminds one of Disney, a sort of its predecessor and an actual community. The houses, the park and the community center, all idealistic.

Sargada Familia:
Once built it will perhaps be the largest and longest continuously built church in the world. Started in  1882 it will perhaps finish in 2026 or so. It is a 20-21st century masterpiece. We did not have the time to get inside.   It combines the old Gothic style church building architecture with the modern Gaudi concepts of environment. Many of the statues include the four seasons , the farms, vegetables and the flowers.

There are three facades, each with a theme of its own. Nativity for the Birth of Christ, Passion for the Crucifixion, and The Glory Facade for the ascension to the Heavens.

Nativity

Passion:

One of the controversial statue is the Naked Jesus, For close up check here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7911098734/in/set-72157631361600476/lightbox/

The Ramblas:

But the heart of Barcelona is this mile and a half long strip on foot from to. If you have not gone anywhere in the city but take the walk down and up the Ramblas, you have visited the essence of the city. It is one of those stories where the once the worst part of the city gets turned into the most colorful sites. It was the draining pipelines of the city wall and were renovated to form a walkway around it and here it is.

We got off at the station Catalunya. Coming out in the open, there is a big central garden full of fountains, statues,  pigeons and people, Placa de Catalunya.

 A very lively place.
Ramblas is one of many streets which start or end up here. It is like a big circular center. All big stores are here, FNAC, Zara,El Corte Ingles. Cafe Zurich is a nice place to have coffee. We had Saleem's birthday in Hard Rock Cafe here on the second day.

Walking down the Ramblas is traveling through Barcelona in full color. You see everything city is famous for. People of every color and creed, with kiosks lining the boulevard, jugglers playing, artists painting, beggars begging, musicians and dancers performing and onlookers ogling.

Fountain of youth known as Fountain of Canaletes is just south of Catalunya. Legend says that a drink form it ensures a return trip to Barcelona.

Farmers market, La Boqueria is an interesting place. I bought dates from an Asian vendor.

At the end of it is once again Columbus. His towering monument, where he is looking at the waters. Although it was here that he returned from his first trip to the New World, but the future successes in the Americas meant less importance for Barcelona and more for the western ports like Seville  for the future returning vessels.

Beyond the monument is the large shopping area in the Waterfront..



Next day we took the bus trip of the city and it took us to the Gaudi city. This is the architect's own version of a Utopian place, It is on a hill and on looks the city and the Holy Family Cathedral  the most famous art piece of Gaudi. One of his tiles reminded me of Multan.

Picasso's life had quite a few years of Barcelona, His house is now Picasso's museum in the old city. It was a long line and we could not go in there. At the end of that corner is the church of sailors ie Santa Maria Church.

Many Indians and Pakistanis in here. From cab drivers to street vendors. I did not find much of us in Andalusia.

And the next day we left Spain for Geneva.

Sweet memories. Words of Iqbal on his way back from Spain say it well.

ہسپانیہ تو خون مسلماں کا امیں ہے

 مانند حرم پاک ہے تو میری نظر میں 

پوشیدہ تیری خاک میں سجدوں کے نشاں ہیں 

خاموش اذانیں ہیں تیری باد سحر میں 

غرناطہ بھی دیکھا مری آنکھوں نے و لیکن 

تسکین مسافر نہ سفر میں نہ حضر میں 

دیکھا بھی دکھایا بھی سنایا بھی سنا بھی 

ہے دل کی تسلی نہ نظر میں نہ خبر میں 

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References:

1. http://www.asian-women-magazine.com/pakistan/hockey/barcelona-world-cup-1971.php
2. Rick Steve;s Spain 2012
3. http://www.allamaiqbal.com/

Cordova, Once There Was

For slideshow click here.

Lying within the wrap of  alwadi alKabir the river, is the pearl of Cordova. The seat of the power, knowledge, wisdom, and wealth of Muslim Andalusia. Where sages pondered, poets wrote, nightingales sang, and beauty walked.

While Granada was the second lease on Muslim rule in Spain, the zenith of Moors and Islamic Spain was Cordoba. This was the center of Muslim Spain.  It was here that the Berbers captured in 711 and made a provincial capital of the Damascene Ummayad Caliphate in 716. Later when the Banu Abbas massacred the Bani Ummaya,  the lone survivor, Abdur Rahman I escaped to al Andalus. He founded the Emirate of Andalusia, Amarat-al Andalusia in 766. Much later, when there was a threat of Fatimid invasion of the Iberian peninsula the Ummayads declared a separate caliphate of their own Khilafatul Qurtuba, under Abdur Rahman III in 929. Perhaps this was the first and only time when the world had three caliphates, Abbasi, Fatimi and Ummayah. It was perhaps the second time that an Umayyad  declared a parallel caliphate in the presence of an existing Banu Hashim caliphate. First one would be Amir Muawiyah.

One of the seven gates of Cordoba, Puerto de Almodavar



The rule of Bani Ummayah (the Emirate and Caliphate combined) lasted for three centuries. As usual, the downfall of the Banu Ummayah was none other than the infighting and the futile wars of succession.  In 1031, the caliphate denigrated into several city states taifas.  The warring taifas, under threat of a Christian invasion, asked their co-coreligionists in Marrakesh, the al Murabitun, Almoravids for intervention, who complied. They were face covering puritanics,  the most famous being Yusuf Bin Tashfeen. He reestablished the formal relationship with Baghdad calling the Caliph Amirul Momeneen  he chose for himself the title of Amir ul Muslemeen.  He lived for more than a century. His successors were succeeded by even more conservative al Muwwahids, Almohads. For reasons un-researched by me, they moved the capital away from Cordoba to Seville.  Decisively defeated in 1212 by a coalition of Catholic kingdoms the Almohads retreated to North Africa leaving al Andalus to feeble taifas to defend for themselves. Qurtuba finally succumbed to the Catholics in 1236. After its fall to the La Reconquesta  the city slowly lost its name, fame and population. It got reduced to become and still remains a small provincial city. Although from time to time it has tried to be the political or cultural capital of European Union.

Cordoba was the worlds most populous city at the turn of the first millennium with the population around half a million at that time. After Baghdad, which had a population of about a million (much later in 1258) when it fell to the Mongols, Cordoba was perhaps the most glorious Muslim capital in its history which fell to the Infidels.  (Delhi was about a hundred thousand in 1857)

No matter what the revisionist historians claim about the pre-Islamic legacy of Cordoba, the golden age of Cordoba was under Muslims. Similarly, the pinnacle of Muslim rule in Andalusia was none other than Cordoba.

It was here in Cordoba that the Jewish 'Golden Age' flourished. The Umayyads of Cordoba were magnanimous enough to realize the potential of the diversity and used it to their advantage. There was a conducive atmosphere for art and education. Artisans, writers, thinkers and scientists flourished. Jews, and some may claim that the Christians themselves, never had it better under any other rule.  Yes, the Muslims made sure no church tower was higher than the mosque minaar, but the nurturing environment led to the human development space which created the giants like Maimonides and Averroes.

The city is within the curve of the river, al wadi al kabeer,  now known as Guadalquivir River.



We were able to have a full day tour to Cordoba from Seville and back. It was to be on a Wednesday but was cancelled due to an event in the Mosque/Cathedral and we went there on a Friday.

The tour guide was a friendly guy. The tourism industry in general have smelled the roses and mastered the art of providing seemingly objective information to the tourists. They do not hide the atrocities of the Christian rulers and are able to explain and elaborate upon the Moorish rule and culture. In fact this is their main sale item and they do cash it well.

THE THREE NECESSARY STOPS:
Like everywhere in Spain, Cordoba has at least three places to visit. A house of worship which is almost always a  mosque turned into cathedral, a military/royal place in the form of a fort an Alcazar and Juderia, the Jewish quarters repopulated and always a lucrative real estate. It was perhaps their wealth and the lack of a security guarantee through Moors (after the fall of Granada in 1492) which made it very tempting to throw them out and have their property and houses seized.

ALCAZAR:



The Alcazar in Cordoba is now a beautiful garden with long rows of flowers and hedges, and the monuments.

There is perhaps no place in Spain without a mention of Christopher Columbus and the Christian Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand. Cordoba is no exception. A monument in the Alcazar reminds us that out of many conversations Columbus held with the monarchs pleading to have a trans Atlantic voyage sponsored,  one was in Cordoba.




Cordoba has another important connection with the New World. It was the money of the expelled Jews of Cordoba, confiscated in 1492 after the fall of Granada the same year, which  made the Columbus voyage sponsorable. As per our guide, the Discovery of America is much more indebted to the loss of coexistence in Spain that we much think of.






SPANISH INQUISITION:

This was the Spain's Catholic Monarch's response to the diversity they inherited from the Muslim. In certain areas the Jews and Muslims were already ordered to convert and there were suspicions that the convertees ie the  conversos  were secretly harboring their original faith. So these summary courts were held, where the confessions were obtained, usually by torture and force, and people were summarily punished. Many ended up in being killed or burned alive. One of the areas of Alczar was allocated for Inquisition. Now it is converted into a church and a museum, where some old Roman relics are displayed.



______________________________________





PATIOS OF CORDOBA:
The patio rooms and windows of Cordoba are famous for their elaborate decoration. A custom adopted from Moors, who had a habit of having a small garden within the courtyard, as a constant reminder of Paradise, the Cordobans vie with each other to excel in the annual competition they have in spring.









THE SYNAGOGUE  LA SINAGOGA:


Built during the Christian era, this is a unique example of changing time. After the fall of Muslim Cordoba in 1236 and the eventual expulsion of Jews in 1492, their stay in the city was a mixed bag. In the later part of Muslim rule under the Almohads the life of Jewry was difficult and many including Maimonides fled, The Christians rule brought with it some tolerance for Jews and they were welcomed for their financial resources. It was in that time that the synagogue was built. Its work is essentially Moorish, done by the Mudejar (Muslim artisans) and has four walls of work. Later, when the intolerance led to their forced conversion and ultimate expulsion, this was converted to a church and one sees the Cross over the Star of David.



ANDALUSIAN HORSES:

Cordoban horses are also known as Pure Spanish Horse. They are different from the Arabian horses, a bit stocky, compact and thick maned. America was conquered by Spaniards on these horses. The Native American thought of the man mounted on the horse as one big scary creature and were awed by them.



Next, the Sages and Lovers of Cordoba, and then The Masjid-e-Qurtuba


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Reference:
Rick Steve's Spain 2012
http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm
http://www.ghadar.in/gjh_html/index.php?q=node/35
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition
http://imh.org/history-of-the-horse/breeds-of-the-world-by-continent/europe/andalusian.html

The Legends of Alhambra

"Give him a coin, women, for there is nothing worse in this life than to be blind in Granada.'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/sets/72157631361023114/

Two days from now, on January the 2nd, will be the five hundred and twenty first anniversary of the Fall of Granada. On this day in 1492, Abdullah Mohammad the Twelfth,  Boabdil left the city as the last ruler of Muslim Spain. 

Granada it is, the ultimate tourist attraction in Spain. More than eight thousand tourists a day, and unless you have bought the ticket months in advance, you cannot see the Nasrid Palace. Yes it is the  Nasrid Palace we mean when we say and speak of Alhambra. Not so big in size; in fact not big at all. 

The beauty of Alhambra is not the size, on the contrary it is the economy of space. Moors knew they have not much space on the mountain top to make it big. The geometric illusions make it look a lot bigger than what it is.

And the water. "Alhambra is decorated with water: standing still, cascading, masking secret conversations, and drip-dropping playfully". 

Spaniards were and still are fascinated by the legacy of Moors. They were believed to have power of the occult. There are stories of hidden treasures left by Moors with spell cast so that once the Moors come back, they can reclaim them. It is more or less what we grew up listening to the stories of hidden treasure buried somewhere in the houses and havelis Hindus left. It is perhaps the psychological impact of a race whom one always has apprehensions about and one builds myths about their unnatural powers and undue advantages.

All this is expressed the many tales and fables about Alhambra and its surroundings. Spaniards were really 'enchanted' by the beauty and the charm of the palace. They had to believe something magical about it. There are numerous tales, well archived by Washington Irving and the like, in Arabian Night style, about the Moors hiding in the caves,  for centuries only waiting for the right time to strike back.

Most of these tales conveniently describe Moors as cunning and evil magicians, their women beautiful and wide eyed. They usually end with the victory of the good (Christians) over the evil (Moors). These are all fascinating stories and Irving has masterly narrated them.

There is a story of an astrologer Ibrahim ibn Abu Ayub, son of Abu Ayub Ansari, who mastered the art of living for ever, but only in his old age, so he has to live for ever as an old man.. He travels to Granada, then ruled by Tariq Bin Zayad's lieutenant Abu Hazen. The astrologer helps the king through magic to foresee  the enemies and defeat them preemptively. Eventually the twain end up fighting with each other over a Christian princess and Ibrahim claims the prize by putting a spell on the princess and taking her along with him under the Gate of Justice. They will remain there until the hand carved in the Gate of Justice reaches the key inscribed into it. see below 

Then there is the almost Saiful Malook  like story of Prince Ahmed Kamal who is kept away from women right from the early life by his father as he was told that he will fall in love really badly. Kept in the tower of Generalife Gardens, he is told about love by a bird in love, a dove. He comes to know of a Christian princess Aldegonda in a far away land and is smitten with the unseen love. Then with the help of a wise Owl and a conniving Parrot he runs away and finds his way to Seville, Cordoba and ultimately to Toledo where he wins the hand of the princess in a Soyember like feast. King, the father of the princess, does not agree and Ahmed Kama runs away on a magical flying carpet attributed to the King of Kings, the fabled King Solomon. It all ends well when the king finds out on reaching Granada in revengeful pursuit that his daughter is now the sultana of Granada.

Then there is the story of Zayda, Zorayda, and Zorahayda, the three daughters of Al Hayzari, the Left Handed king of Granada. Their mother was a Christan princess who died soon after giving birth to the triplets. Al Hayzari was forewarned by sages that something will happen, so he kept them away from public eye as they grew up. The overprotective father was unaware that his daughters fell  in love with three Castillian princes who were prisoners in Granada. In the end the girls plan to run away, by climbing down a rope out of the palace. The youngest one falters and is left behind. Her her soul still haunts the palace, until a Christian comes to rescue her and relive her desperate spirit from the eternal mourning. It is eventually done by a girl who is a descendant of the same prince who were to marry Zorahayda.

Then there are stories of ordinary men finding hidden treasures in Alhambra after striking a lucky charm here and there.

These stories inspired the treasure hunters to find and dig in various places; none has been found so far, except what I consider as the gold mine, mentioned in the end of this post.

Walking through the rooms of Alhambra, one is constantly reminded of these fables which only a century ago may have seemed almost real.

The Alhambra Palace can be divided into three sections. if not four. The tour really takes you through in that sequence. You enter by the outer quarter where the common man was heard for any complaints or official business, the second is the place where the royals met the royal and elite guests, and the last is the private quarter area, which leads to the fourth section, the private gardens.

GATE OF JUSTICE:
It is where the entrance to Alhambra was from the old fort. It is mounted by a dome with has the shape of a hand on one side and a key inscribed on the other side. There is a story that once the hand reaches the key, the treasures of Granada will be revealed.

MEXUAR: As the main entrance of Alhambra is closed by the ill fated decision of Charles V when he chose that spot for his personal palace, now one has to enter through the side door ie the Maxuar.



It has some christian influences, but you start seeing what you will see for the next three to four hours. Endless geometric mosaics, wood ceilings, stucco 'stalactites"  ceramic tiles, molded-plaster walls, and filigree windows. The hallmark is the nine thousand plus times repeated phrase of Wa La Ghaliba illala. 

COURTYARD OF THE MYRTLES:The Maxuar leads into a small courtyard which through the side door takes you to the most picturesque place, the Courtyard of Myrtles. The still pond with the reflection of the palace in it, doubles the dimension. 




BARAKA ROOM:
In fact it is Baraka  room ie for the divine blessing, but as in Spanish the work barka means ship, it is now called the Ship Room. It's ceiling is like an upside down hull shape , so the name ship. 


GRAND HALL OF THE AMBASSADORS:
The main room is the Hall of the Ambassadors. It is here the King would greet the guests. The way it is placed, high up in the palace, the guest would have a magnified impression of the size of the room and its grandeur. Through the windows in the walls, one can see the deep valley down. It is this room where the last Muslim king Abdullah "Boabdil" signed the Granada treaty, closing the last chapter of Muslim rule in Spain.




COURTYARD OF THE LOINS:
Through the other end of the Myrtles one enter into the private quarters. Here is the fabled Courtyard of Loins. It is one of the wonders of the Palace. It is fabled that the fountain was a gift by Jewish subjects to the King. It has twelve loins, perhaps depicting the twelve months of the year or the twelve Jewish tribes. At each hour the water would flow out of the mouth of one loin. When the catholic monarchs took over, they dismantled the fountain to find out the way it works. They never figured it out and could not reassemble it again. There has been various theories about how it worked but no one can found it out. Now after a long while the fountain is working under a new engineering plan, but it is still not clear if it is the original way.



There is a section in the palace detailing the UNESCO research about the fountain and the various theories about how it worked.

It is the courtyard of the Loins where the most of the Pakistani movie Gharnata is set. It leads into the Hall of two sisters, a cool place for the Harem members to rest. On the other side is the Hall of Abbercerrages where it is famed that one of the king killed many members of the family to get the line of succession to the other wife's children.

THE WALL POETRY:

Perhaps there never was a monument more characteristic of an age and people than the Alhambra; a rugged fortress without, a voluptuous palace within; war frowning from its battlements; poetry breathing throughout the fairy architecture of its halls.

Most of the inscription is all poetry. The poems are as if the walls of the palace are talking to the visitor and describing the atmosphere. Mostly praising the king.




All these charms and stories of hidden treasures of Alhambra seems to be realized now by the Spaniards of today. The amount of revenue generated by the relics of Moors all over the Spain, and specially in Alhambra tells me that the hidden treasures have been revealed and Spaniards for generations to come will reap the benefits of the infidel Moors they successfully and ruthlessly drove away from a land they called home for almost eight centuries. 

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References:

1. http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/i/irving/washington/i72a/part41.html
2. Rick Steves' Spain 2012

Driving in Spain

Driving in Southern Spain could be that exciting, I did not realize. A chance difficulty created an opportunity to drive a bit longer.

Going a bit into details, it runs like this:
When we arrived at Marriott AC Suidad in Seville on a Tuesday, the front desk know-it-all Allejandro handed us the message. It was from the tour company. The next day trip to Cordoba was cancelled as there was an 'event' in the Mosque. They had arranged Cordoba on Thursday but that was the day of our already-booked ticket to Alhambra. That could not be changed. The whole Andalusia plan has to be rearranged which took the next few frantic hours, included a change in driving plan. Originally we had Avis rent a car Thursday from the airport and go straight to Granada. Now we had to hit the road earlier on Wednesday and go to the coastal trip a day ahead, reach Granada on Thursday, come back the same day to Seville and go to Cordoba on Friday.

It was impossible to change the Avis contract. It was costing us another $400. Allejandro told us of a rental car facility in the city. It was Seville Motors, next to the fountain dedicated to Seville Poets, Funte Generation del 27.  The office was full of spaceships posters and a Beatles tour poster. (Many of the English songs played in Spain restaurants are from 60's and 70's) Mr Altagracia was an interesting man; chain smoker like every second person in Spain, he was very cordial. The deal was not bad at all. It will be 44 euro a day and will have to give a deposit of around 370 Euros, GPS will be extra 30 Euros for three days.  That will be the highest price we would have to pay in case of anything going wrong. We returned the car at the same dial for petrol as we receive with no credit for less use. We will pick the car the next day and return it on Saturday morning, before leaving for Barcelona.

When we finally returned the car, the security money was added back to the credit card, "retribucion" as he called it. He also retributed one day of GPS as it did not work. He just took my word for it. I asked if I can get any credit for the gas tank, I got it a quarter full and returned it more than half, he said there is no devolusion  for that.

The next day car was ready for us. Colt, red all set to go and I realized it is stick shift. I had not driven stick shift before, except a few tries on friend's cars back home in Pakistan. I really learned how to drive in the USA and have always driven automatic cars. Mr Alta Gracia graciously hid his displeasure, made a few calls, and after another thirty minutes we had a foxy Colt and the daily rent went up to 77 euros.

This delay would cost us a few things later that day. First, we lost our way back to hotel, where we had to go to pick up the kids. In fact we lost the way quite a few times. GPS was tricky and one has to know how to use it. It was the same one as one gets on rental cars in USA.

Roads are wide and highways are fun to drive. There are ample places on the way to stop for gas and food, except when you really need it.

On our way south to Gibraltar, I realized that although the gas was all full in the first car, the second car which we eventually took with us had its gas at only one quarter. I had to go out of the highway and search for a gas station. Those were a few tense moments, but ultimately got a gas station in a rather remote town off the highway.

Gas is very expensive in Spain, perhaps it is everywhere in Europe. The scenic drive south towards Jerez and then towards Gibraltar is full of mountainous villages with white roof tops. Many are known, I later found out, for their off the road tourist attractions.

Gibraltar: photo album


Gibraltar can be easily missed on the highway unless one looks for it. We were warned about it in the tour book of Rick Steve, but did not realize who true it was. Gibraltar has snubbed Spain's effort to get it back from UK. Even when UK was agreeable with that, the Gibs (as they call themselves) voted against been annexed by Spain. So Spain makes sure that it is not given any special status. Even Mr Atla Gracia in Seville was a bit amazed why we wanted to go to Gibralter. 'May be one hour or so to have some shopping' is what he said.

When ultimately you get the exit, you drive another half an hour into Gibraltar. The best view of the rock is on the way to Gib. A tall cliff overlooking the Mediterranean. At the border, they checked the passports and let us in.

It is a long strip of land, a hilly place and all the way at the end is the cable car to the top of the cliff. Our delay at Seville cost us here, as the cable trips close at around 5 pm and we were just pass that time. Eventually found a place to park the car and had a stroll down the Main Street. That is the main shopping street, open only to pedestrians. Saw a lot of Indians storekeepers ie Pohoomull, Alwani, Paaram Anand, Vijay etc (none of which we had seen in Spain) and many middle easterners.

Although it is somewhat a short trip to UK while travelling in Spain, things are more like Spain than UK. Although there is a large banner celebrating the golden jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, stores deal with dollars, pounds and accept euros like the rest of Spain. Driving is also right hand drive like Spain, and not like Britain.

Haleema had lost her sunglasses so we bought then at Vijay on Main Street; had pretty steep prices.  We had food at Pizza Hut and had tea at the Square Cafe in the Casemates Square.


Costa Del Sol:
Driving on the highway along the Mediterranean in Spain is one of the best scenic routes. Sea on the south and mountains on the northern side. Beaches all along studded with small towns. There are two parallel roads, one near the sea level, a sort of local route which takes you through scenic winding roadways through all the sea towns, and the other at an elevation, a highway, much faster with better scenes on a bigger canvas. Usually a pairing town is up inland along the highway. When you drive you realize that they do not call it the Sunny Coast, Costa del Sol for nothing.

It is mostly populated by North Europeans, many Britons, and they have a mixed British Spanish accent. The most famous city along the line is Malaga, another is Marbella . We had planned to go to Nerja, half an hour further.

It took a while to get out of Gibraltar as it was the end of the day and many were leaving. By the time we were back on the highway on our way to Nerja it was close to sunset. And then the GPS stopped working. Perhaps it was the hilly terrain or the battery ran out, whatever, it was a pretty uncomfortable situation. We were assuming that it will show up on the road signs, but it did not for a long time. I think unless it is the next big town, the sign does not show up. Temperature in the car started to rise when we left Malaga behind and still there was no sign of Nerja . We had to get out of the highway to get a human contact to confirm we were on the right way. It was at the exit of Benagalbon, we found a gas station. It was locked up at night, as you see in Bronx and Harlem, and all the negotiations are through the double glass window. Yes, we were in the right direction. I bought a large area map, something we should have had all along. One of those things we tend to forget now that all-knowing GPS is available. One fails to acknowledge the importance of the old time map.

As most of the coast line was driven at night, we missed the appreciation of scenic route. We were able to make up for that the next day, when we traveled to Granada from Nerja. Breathtaking scenes further east up to Motril and then drive up north through Sierra Nevada Mountains to Granada on Highway A44.

Nerja: ( nar-kha) photo album
It is a small town, which claims itself to be Balcony of Europe. Although in Andalusia, this has a different feel than rest of Southern Spain. It is mostly populated by Northern Europeans. These small towns have a festive atmosphere which lingers on late into night. You walk up to the 'Balcony of Europe". It is on a bluff, jutting into the sea, built on the site of a former fort which was destroyed in Earthquake.


The Nerja castle was a part of the lookout system in the centuries after the Muslims were sent back into the sea. Pirates attacks from the Muslim North Africa picked up after the Christian Reconquista. These lookout castles were built within the sight of one another all along the coast. These places which were beyond the tightly security zone of Gibraltar. They are also favorite spots for illegal immigration and drug runners coming in form Africa.

We were able to get into Hotel Plaza Cavana, which is right in the middle of the courtyard which leads into the Balcony of Europe. I did not realize at the time of booking that they would offer a rebate if we mention Rick Steve's name. I did on checkout and they did honor that. One more thing to thank Rick Steve for.

Nerja was where the home situation was most tense during the trip. It was end of a long tense night drive, and busy two days ahead of us. One day to Granada and the next to Cordoba. Kids did not have the time they need to absorb, contemplate and write. But all this also gave an opportunity to interact in a way we have not done for a long while: tense situations, and dealing with all as adults.

Granada To Seville:
The next day, on Thursday, after finishing the tour of Granada, and having a sumptuous dinner at Hotel Guadalupe overlooking the Alhambra parking lot, we drove in to the night to Seville. It was a full moon night, and although we lost our way one more time, it was rather a straight highway. Some road signs were in Arabic pointing towards Algeciras aka Aljazeeratul Khizra.

This would have been a common route in the eleventh to fifteenth centuries, when Granada survived after the fall of the rest of the Muslim Spain. Seville was the seat of the kings in southern Spain and that would have been the final way the Christian Monarchs would have traveled down the victory lane to Granada.

I could not help appreciate the fact that we, Pakistani living in America, with kids born and raised there, now travelling in the middle of a full moon midnight, on an almost empty highway in the middle of Andalucia, and feeling no fear or apprehension. I wondered I could not  have done that in Pakistan; or if had done that, would not have felt safe at all.

 It is a testimony, but testimony to what. Globalization, security or a paradox. Societies which have come to term with their past, and are able to look forward, are able to feel secure and let others feel secure. Whereas when insecurities abound, one feels threatened in one's own home.

Granada next, and then Cordoba.

The Remains of Seville's Almohad Mosque

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/sets/72157631735443202

Also known as

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See

Catedral de Santa María de la Sede

Imagine yourself in a mosque with a huge expansive space: a three acres big hall, a nave with 16 aisles and 13 bays, with its transept having domes ceiling, a large mehrab facing south, and a minbar on the left of it. Outside the hall is a courtyard, sehn, with many citron trees, cypresses, palms, lemon and orange trees and a central fountain uses for ablution. At the North wall there is a door,with its typical Andalusian arch. On the East side outside the wall is the tallest Minar in the whole Almohad territory, encompassing Al Andalus and Morocco. 

The Minar is so big that instead of stairs it has ramps around it, 35 of them, gently inclined, so that the Muezzin could ride up on the horse five times a day to call the faithful to prayers. 

Abu Yaqub Yusuf must have felt thrilled in having this marvelous building among his earthly achievements. Every Friday prayers his name would be mentioned by the Imam. A captured image of Virgin Mary was somewhere in the mosque as a trophy of a war with the Catholics. 

It served as the Aljamia Mosque of Seville for less than a century as Seville was conquered in 1248. It was then, like all other mosques was consecrated as a church. 

The Mehrab, aka Antigua Chapel:
The conquerors must have viewed the Mehrab as the most coveted place and put a fresco of Virgin Mary, holding Baby Christ in her left hand and a rose in her right hand. The Baby Christ is holding a bird in his hand. This was considered a real blessed spot for the sailors later who went to voyages around the world from Seville. It came to be known as the Antigua Chapel. Columbus got the inspiration form this icon to name the island in the Caribbean after it.

The Minar was such a point of pride for the Muslims that they wanted to raze it to ground before leaving the city rather than giving it away to the Christians. Alfonso X, son of Ferdinand III, threatened to kill all the Moorish population of the city if they did that. Minar was thus retained and made taller as with bells and now serves as the signature landmark for the city of Seville. It served as an inspiration for the Tower of Madison Square Garden II, in New York City, which was later demolished. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madison-square2.jpg

After using the mosque as a church for a century and a half, someone decided to raze it to the ground and built the largest cathedral of the country in its place. It took them a century to build it, the present day Cathedral of Virgin Mary. A few things they did not touch. The mehrab now known as the Antigua Chapel with the Virgin Mary ensconced in it, was left in its place. The Minar, now known as Giraldo was left and so was the courtyard with its outer walls and the door. 

Later on, right next to the old mehrab, the elevated tomb of Columbus carried by four statues representing four areas of Spain, was installed where perhaps once the Mimbar stood and the Imam gave Friday sermons. 

Next to the Minar is the Royal Chapel where you have the open view body of Saint Ferdinand, the king who conquered Cordoba and Seville. You also see the statue of him on the horse taking the city keys from the subdued Muslim King.

Some how I could appreciate this building and the former mosque better than the Cordoba Mosque, which I cover in a different post. Here I could visualize the mosque as a whole in my mind, as to where the dar-o-deewar and the minbar-o-mehrab could be. I could imagine hearing the call of Azaan, the faithful responding and entering through the door, and performing ablutions in the central courtyard; the Caliph walking from the Alcazar right outside the Minar and entering it from the eastern side. 

And then I can fully appreciate the cathedral in its grander as it is build on a large space with the tallest nave in Spain. Its choir, treasury (carrying supposedly Jesus's body parts) and all the different alters. I could see the mosque as a whole and the cathedral as a whole, something one cannot do while in Cordoba Mosque.

I assume it is the least known piece of Muslim architecture in Spain; it houses the largest cathedral in Spain and is the final resting place of two most important individuals in Spanish history, The King/Saint Ferdinand III who conquered Cordoba and Seville, and Cristobal Colon' also known as Christopher Columbus.

Much of what I state here is my imagination and conjecture as there is quite incomplete information available, or at least I was unable to get it so far.

When Almovids took over Al Andalus after the Ummayads and Almovarids, Seville was their regional capital. Their seat of government was in Morocco, same as of Almovarids. Somewhere in early 12th century the rules must have thought of having their own signature mosque. I do not know when the mosque was commissioned and how did it look. Some say in 1172 it was started and  Ahmed bin Basso was the architect There is an inscription which says that the Minar, the Giraldo was completed at the time of the incarnation of  Abu Yaqub Yusuf.  There is one artistic rendition of the mosque in the works of Professor Piechotta.  (on Page 11).  The size of the mosque was about half of the Qurtuba Masjid .

It was eventually destroyed in 1401. Seville was conquered in 1248. Cathedral was built over 100 years 1402 -1506 but as the cathedral was built on the whole rectangular base, it is much larger, it is the largest in the country.

The door which is where you would have entered when it was a mosque; now that is the last point of the visit and one walks out of this, sometimes without noticing the original door. I noticed the door and the artwork on it later at night when Zoha and I were having a cup of coffee on the Calle Alemanes ie the street lining the North wall.

اللھما انی اسالک من فضلک وا رحمتک 

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Reference:
1.Travels of a fifteen century German traveler to Spain.
http://munzerama.blogspot.com/2011/06/munzer-in-seville-hispalis-nov-4-1494.html
2. http://www.depts.ttu.edu/mcnair/PDF/Jessica.M.Gomez.pdf

Seville- Alshabilah of Andalucia.

"Sevilla does not have ambiance, it is ambiance." James Michener

Click here for the album.

Saying goes in Andalusia, "Cordoba has the Mezquita, Granada has Alhambra, but Sevilla has the soul".

You will not know that unless you experience that.

Monuments and historical buildings have their value, but what makes a lively experience is a living city. Nothing gives you more of that in Southern Spain than Seville. Its old city is perhaps the largest of Andalusia. It takes to to a different time zone, to a far away place back in time. A place where the  atmosphere is laid back, nobody is in rush. People are everywhere, even in the hot summer nights, walking on the paseos,  sitting on the sidewalks, on the outside extensions of the restaurants and eating places, music being played at every corner; you think that the time has no intention to rush. 

The best place I liked was on the German Street (Calle Alemondes) outside the back of the mosque's door.  It is like sitting outside the Jamia Masjid, with the restaurants bustling with both tourists and city dwellers, and night is ever young.

Nobody seems to be in a hurry to leave and you may lounge way past midnight on a weekday.

When we reached Seville (called Sevilla locally, pronounced se-vee-aa) in the middle of the day from Madrid,  we had it all chalked out. We will have evening on our own, have a full day trip to Cordoba the next day, rent a car the day after and go to Granada, spend a night there and drive back the next day via Gibraltar   

But when we checked in the hotel, which was a bit far from the city, AC Cuidat Marriott, Allejandro at the front desk had a message for us. Due to an event in the Cordoba Mosque, the trip was cancelled, and the trip company had taken the liberty for booking us on the next day ie Thursday for the trip. That was very nice, but it was a problem. We had already bought tickets for Alhambra Palace, which are bought way in advance for a specific half hour slot to enter the Palace, and cannot be changed, The ideal thing was to go to Cordoba the day after that ie Friday. That also meant to change the rent a car arrangements. It all may sound easy, but not so in a foreign land with a different language where you do not know a single person. 

The next two hours were quite tense, with back and forth emails, calls overseas and a lot of heartburn. The local tour company did not answer phones as they were out to lunch till 5 pm. That is where the availability and readiness of Tipu was a blessing, He was available on the phone,  in Indianapolis, guided  us the right way and eventually we were to able to secure a new trip to Cordoba on Friday, got a new car rental for three days locally and cancelled the Avis rental which was booked ahead of time.

While all this was being executed, we hired a cab to go to old town. It was already too late to visit Cathedral or Alcazar. We had lunch in a pizza place where the gruesome bullfight was being shown on the TV. It is being slowly banned in all over the Spian, it is pretty brutal, and contrary to what I thought it is, the bull is eventually killed by the sword if the fighter has to win. Although it was still hot, one of the hottest days of the year, but the atmosphere in the central area was quite festive.  And then we went to see a flamenco dance show.

Besides a gallop up the Giralda Minar of the destroyed mosque,  covered in a later posting, what will remain with one after leaving Seville are  the  streets of  old jewish quarters, and watching a flamenco dance.

Flamenco:

I had heard that the Roma people of Spain and the rest of Europe have Indian roots, but one cannot be convinced more after viewing flamenco. Claimed to leave India in 14th century or so, perhaps from Rajhistan or Punjab, these nomads, found their way in the Muslim empire ultimately into the Iberian peninsula. One genetic research have linked them closer to my ancestry, they share the same gene pool as the jats of Punjab!!! click here

The art initially started as a combination of voice and dance, later guitar was added, and the latest addition is the stomping of feet. The best place to watch is were you have active participation of the audience. We watched it in a dinner place, which is primarily filled with tourists, and the response from the audience is rather tepid, but it was still good. It was recommended by Allejandro and later found out to be one of the most famous places in Seville, Tablao El Arenal
We got a seat next to the side of the stage, as we were not having dinner and did not get the front seats, but it turned out good. The long dredging sounds of the vocalists, which some say is reminiscent of the azaan,  reminded me of the desert voices like Reshman. Zoha whispered in my ear that this music sounds like what is being played in my car all the times. She was right. It is like the songs of Rohi with a beat of feet thumbing on the wooden floor and hand clapping, enriched by the music of guitar and the moves of the dancers.

Getting lost in the streets: Barrio Santa Cruz

It may have been a desperate place for Jews in the times of Christian conquests, and they were crammed into these quarters, but after their expulsion the area was occupied by their looters, and soon it became the heart of the city. This is now the most prized area of the old city. It became prime real estate. With its small winding streets and open gardens it is the real heart of the city. Plenty to wander and enjoy during the day, and the whole area becomes an open dining arcade after the sunsets. 

The Remains of the Mosque:

The best of Seville was the remains of the Almoravid's mosque. As I had not heard about it at all before we left for Spain, this was a most understated place in my mind. It turned out to be the place which left the deepest impression.

The mehrab, the minar, the sehn and the dar-o-dewaar. mostly retained as original for various reasons.

More on that  later.

Madrid

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/sets/72157631344553438/

There may be many stories about the name origin of the city or the time when it was found. Nobody denies that the river around the citadel was called al-majreet, ie source of water, This eventually let to the later name, Madrid. The citadel was built north of Toledo to protect it from Christian invaders. The ultimate fall of Toledo was preceded by the capture of Madrid citadel in 1085. Five centuries later it replaced Toledo as the capital of the country.

Today it is a modern city and rivals Barecelona in all what a city has to offer. We arrived in the middle of the day in a hot summer August. It was the day of the Eid. The hotel was in the middle of the city. Like many other cities we visited, the center of the city, or the old city, has many streets for pedestrian only. It allowed a lot of space to walk, and the stores are able to attract the shoppers in many ways. It was hot and many streets had covers, large sheets of canvas , connected to each other, and tight roped to the balconies of the second floor above.

STREETS OF MADRID:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903830362/in/set-72157631344553438/lightbox/

On the streets you see people from all over the world, whites, blacks browns, yellows every body. I was surprised to see many Far East Asians. Not many Pakistanis or Indians amongst visitors. There are many vendors from Africa. Many a times I saw them wrapping up their makeshift shop and running away into smaller streets, soon to see the cops following them. Reminded me of an oft repeated scene in the Biutiful, which features Javier Bardem and is a story of Barcelona. 

Street names in Spain are not on a street sign as we are accustomed to. They are written on the walls of the street, ie on private property of houses. Some of them have great artwork.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903869794/in/set-72157631344553438

Most of the sightseeing places in Madrid are thus from the post Muslim era. Interestingly the biggest functional mosque in Spain is here in Madrid. It is a modern building and is in the modern part of the city, on the other side of Retiro Park. I was able to see it only from the outside which in a tour bus the next day.

THE CENTER OF SPAIN:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903831622/in/set-72157631344553438/

One of the main plazas of the city, if not the foremost one, is Puerta del Sol, and our hotel was a five minute walk from that. It is the Kilometer Zero, ie the center of Spain. The centre of the square is always full of activity, day or late at night. Kind of Times Square of Madrid. Actors with still postures, charlatans, and skaters all line up.  You see a singer or a music instrument performer in every street or on every block of the city. I think the change adds up by the end of the day. Although we were warned about the pickpockets a lot, but there is no violent crime.  The entire sightseeing area of city can be accomplished on foot from this plaza.  Keeping it in the middle, Museum and the Retiro park are on east side and the Royal Palace on the West side. both around 20-30 minutes walk each.

RETIRO PARK:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903879718/in/set-72157631344553438/lightbox/

The first day we ventured out east on foot. Prado Museum was closed, by the time we reached, so could not see the most impressive piece of art in Spain, Picasso's Guernica.  Later we found out that many places change their visit times without giving out good notice and until you check it on the websites, you may be in for a surprise. We moved on the The Retiro Park. It is an interesting park. Once it was a royal park but a Charles III which in Spanish means Carlos III gave it away to the city. He is known as the best mayor the city had. It has a pond in the middle where we went for a roving boat ride in the lake opposite the monument of Alfonso XIII. Just like Central Park it has a festive attitude. Many vendors are there lining up to  sell their trinkets. many acrobats and dancers are there, so are musicians. Two buildings next to it, Palacio de Velazquez and Palacio de Cristal were showing exhibition "Collaborating Agents" of Spanish experimental artist Nacho Criado who died in 2010. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903895998/in/set-72157631344553438/

MODERN MADRID:

The next day, after coming back from a day trip to Toledo, we learned to our surprise that a half day bus tour of Madrid is included in our  package. We took advantage of it it took us to places we would not have thought of going. There is modern Madrid on the other side or Retiro Park which wide boulevards and Champs Elise like atmosphere on Paseo de la Castellana. Saw the mosque from the outside on the way, had a drink at Hard Rock Cafe and saw the biggest Spanish flag and Statue of Columbus facing south, not west towards Americas. Perhaps it suited the alignment of the road. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903964078/in/set-72157631344553438/

PALACE REAL
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasirgondal/7903970128/in/set-72157631344553438/

In the evening saw the Royal Palace. They claim to be the third greatest palace, after Versailles and Vienna's Schonbrunn. It is however still a working palace and the King conducts regular business here. The royal family however lives somewhere else. The famous Madrid Peace Conference, not so successful for Palestinians and hugely successful for Israel, was held here in 1991.

Late night was for shopping. Did not know that Desigual and Zara are Spanish outlets.

We are used to acknowledge the European and Arabic versions of the same names ie Ibn Rushd and Averroes, Moses and Musa, Jesus and Eisa etc. In Spain one comes to know yet another version of names, ie Spanish. Charles is Carlos, John is Diego, Christopher is Cristobal, Cordova is Cordoba, Seville is Sevilla and so on.

ON THE ROAD TO AL ANDALUS:
Spending two nights in Madrid, we were ready to move on to the Andalusia, or Andalucia' as Spaniards call it. 
Al Andalus, to which we Pakistanis have no genetic connection but grew up feeling nostalgic about it.