Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-07-20
spring that VIC might realize its

AS well as liked the scenery of
| Ronda we could not larry and our
next stop was at Grenada, the home
of the Alhambra and the pride and
boast of Spain Most OF the way
from the depot to Washington Irv-
ing hotel is under leafy bower, tall
trees on each side that meet over
head and although our first view was
under cloudy skies we could imagine
what it would mean on hot day A
charming place, Il boulevard indeed
| This hotel is quite apart from the
town proper and near the historic
ruins, consists of two buildings one
on each side of narrow street built
in the Moorish style of architecture.
We arrived at Grenada late one
afternoon and the next morning
took quite walk before breakfast;
thus you see we keep up our old
habits of early rising. We saw
some of the cottagers at their morn
ing's work. Nearly every other man
we met was a pretended guide look
ing out for job. There were the
men and women with their vegetable
carts and also vendors of brio a-brac
peculiar to the place, and not the
milk man appeared but the goats
themselves, driven along the way
and MIXED at the doors! each goat
furnished nearly one gallon, sur
prising quantity; but the hour ar
rived when with the best guide of
six that were found at the hotel we
started for the historic ruins, that
have been so often and so well des-
cribed that only few lines from my
pen will be necessary.
On the hill side quite above the
Alhambra proper amid gardens,
among green hedges and terraces
one views the towers and gray white
walls of the Generaliie, like a pal
ace built for fairies whose wa!lshave
witnessed scenes told in song and
story. This was really the summer
palace Of recreation for the ladies'
and we did not learn that the gentle
men were exhiled from the place.
Here among vines and flowers, I'M
der sheltering arbor and arcade and
within the sound of murmuring
fountains they spent most of their
summer hours returning to the Al
hambra for dining and sleeping.
The garden is well kept and is one
of the most interesting survivals of
the Moorish period resembling with
its terraces. grottoes, water works
and neatly trimmed hedges an Ital-
ian villa, Our first steps were
through walk shaded on each side
by huge cypress trees, this was
charming indeed and differed much
from the ordinary avenue Thence
to a court surrounding a miniature
lake and this shaded by myrtle,
orange and other gigantic cypress
trees, one of these latter over 600
years old, said to have been planted
by Boobdel's wife Fatima. The old
approach placed this palace in direct
communication with the Alhambra.
On the north side is an arcade OF five
moorish arches and beyond portal
with three arches, both afording fine
views. \ long series of steps as
cend gradually at one side, and
over murmuring water and under
luxurant shade it must have been a
| sylvan retreat in midsummer.
The buildings on the east date
from the 10th century. The west
side is bounded by portico of is
pointed arches, a middle door lead
ing to a chapel. One room contains
portraits Of Spanish sovercigns since
Ferdinand and Isabella.
Much Of the interior work of the
palace is dilapidated and half spoil
ed by repairing. White wash covers
some of the magnificent ornamental
ton, but enough Of the original re-
mains to tell of its primitive beauty
and to render it monument of the
talent and taste Of its builders. The
decoration is indeed fine and when
we come to know that it is, and al
ways was stucco, the wonder is that
any of the original remains.
People generally speak only of the
Alhambra proper, but this Moorish
gem of a palace with its courts, gar
dens and arcades is to me one Of the
pleasant memories of Spain, and how
easily one could half expect to see
some Andalusian beauty peering at
one through any of the arches and
you can but conjecture the disap-
pointment that followed the general
decay of the spot once given to mer-
riment. From here to the Alham-
bra which is almost an object of
desolation to the Spaniards; what
legends have descended with it;
here the Moorish kings dwelt in lux
ury and styled it an earthly para
disc and here they made their last
effort for dominion. This was a
part of a fortress whose walls and
towers wind around hill and over
look the city and Ikea mockery they
seem, although once capable of shell
tering 10000 men As regards the
exterior Of the Alhambra there
seemed to be no regular plan and
little grace of architecture, merely a
mass of towers, turrets and para
pets; and from the exterior one
could not dream Of the beauty with
in. The last royal residents were
} Philip 9th and Queen Elizabeth of
Parma in the Is century. Their stay
was transient. Then the halls became
solitary and soon went to ruin, foun-
tains ceased to play and gardens
were destroyed and by degrees the
place became filled by lawless pop
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