During my last week in Granada we finally got to tour the city’s most important monument, the Alhambra. The hike up to the Alhambra left me breathless but walking through the path of the enchanting forest on the way there definitely made up for it. Prior to visiting the Alhambra, I had learned about its history in my Islamic culture class. It was an amazing experience to see in person what I had learned about in class! The Alhambra was once the palace and fortress of the Muslim kings and was a city apart from Granada. The Alhambra holds rich history and is one of the oldest palaces in Spain. There are no words to describe the breathtaking views of Granada and the Sierra Nevada from the top of the Alhambra!
As soon as I entered the palace I was mesmerized by the beautiful gardens all around and by the sweet smell of flowers particularly, Jasmine. Several fountains are located inside the Alhambra and this is because water was very sacred to Muslims in order to wash themselves before praying. The architecture of the Alhambra is also very impressive the walls are made up of beautiful, colorful tiles with carvings of scriptures from the Koran. The ceilings are a true piece of artwork, they are made to represent the 7 levels of heaven in the Islamic culture. My favorite part of the Alhambra was the Court of the Lions which was built by Mohammed V. It was nice to tour the Alhambra during my class week in Granada because the tour served as a little review for my final exam!
Farewell Spain
As my days in Granada slowly come to an end I can’t help but feel a bittersweet sensation. I’m thrilled to finally see my family and friends after a long month but I’m also deeply saddened my adventure in Spain will soon be over. I’m not prepared to say goodbye to my host mother, who has treated me as if I was one of her own family members and has cooked the best Spanish meals for me. I’m not ready to say goodbye to this beautiful country just yet! I will miss walking freely down the cheerful streets of Granada and everything being within walking distance. I’ll miss the colorful Arabic shops and watching the musicians sing along to their guitars. I’ll also miss getting delicious ice cream after class from the best shop in Granada, Los Italianos. I’ll miss admiring the magnificent views of the Sierra Nevada, the Alhambra, and the city of Granada and feeling inspired by their beauty.
Most importantly I’ll miss my professors who shared some of their knowledge and my classmates for always making me laugh. Studying abroad in Spain has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in life and I hope that one day I can return to visit. It has awoken a desire in me to want to see and learn more about other countries and cultures around the world. Even though I feel like I’ve learned a lot on this trip I realize I’m still not done learning and I have much more to keep learning. My only regret on this trip has been not saying YES more often! I’m truly thankful I had the opportunity to experience this trip and I thank FEA for contributing to my adventure!
