Granada & The Indisputably Grand Alhambra
I recently visited Granada, Spain. There I experienced the wonders of Alhambra and the frustrations of overt opinions.
Granada
A city in the south of Spain, home to Alhambra
Alhambra
A grand fortress, conquered over and over by clashing ideologies
Let's get to it.
I spent a whole day exploring Alhambra. It's one of those places that's exciting at first, then becomes daunting as the expanse sets in. Eventually the mind gets overwhelmed and struggles to process the experience. It's unfortunate, like getting full by the fourth plate of a fantastic 12-course meal. There's simply too much to digest.
Transients back at the hostel discussed Alhambra with contempt, called it "OK" with smug indifference. This just pissed. me. off. Alhambra is not an uninspired superhero movie. It's a remarkably detailed complex that has survived several centuries. It is undeniably magnificent.
Let's jump forward.
While reviewing the trip's photos at a coffee shop in Madrid, a loud American girl and her Spanish friends sat near me. The girl asked her friends how to say "Excuse Me" in Spanish, what "corazón" means, and said the only phrase she knows is "si, se puede" because of a Disney Channel original.
She proceeded to share her opinions about coffee, how she absolutely hates Starbucks but loves the coffee at McDonald's. She explained how coffee in the U.S. is expensive because it needs to be imported, then took a sip of her cheap Colombian roast.
She broke from the conversation to take a picture of her food so she could review it on Yelp; she gets free stuff because she's a frequent contributor.
Let's go way back.
Many walls in Alhambra are inscribed with poems touting its wonder. My guess is that impressing people meant more than a positive review from anyone with an email address.
Over the centuries, conquerors of different nations and ideologies have reclaimed Alhambra as their own. These new overlords resided there and built new structures as displays of influence for future generations. There must be something to it. I'd say it deserves at least 4/5 stars.
Now, something sweeter than an online rant:
