andalucia. and the cosmos.

tarifa:
tarifa, spain, is the southern-most city of europe. touching the straits of gibraltar, it is essentially the central dividing point between costa del sol and costa de le luz (coast of the sun, and of light, respectively). being one of the windiest coasts in the world, it is no surprise that it is a major kite-surfing capital. that surprised us nevertheless, for we didn't realise just HOW windy it could get on the beach. grains of sand can be driven into a frenzy and fling themselves against you stinging your feet.

but let that not put you off...the sparkling azure waters are gorgeous, and it has a magnetic goa-esque charm to it. our hotel was 6 km outside tarifa, so we had the peace and quiet that we sought, and hip-and-happening excitement when we wanted it.

dolphin-watching was clearly the highlight of the trip for me. actually, they call it whale-watching, though we didn't see any whales. frankly, whales leave me feeling quite cold...even killer whales don't inspire me much. but dolphins...aaah, they're something else. i'd watched a program on them years ago, and had since then desired to see them in the wild. and this was my lucky day...not one, not two, but many. they swam in twos, threes and fives, almost racing alongside us. some even seemed to be performing for our pleasure, as if enjoying the attention. i had hoped to hear their sound, but nope. guess that's a bit much to hope for when you are one one of three ferries hectically looking for and circling around dolphins!

granada:
whatever you may have heard about the alhambra, it is hard to imagine its actual beauty...its an absolute must if you ever visit. it gives you a real feel of islamic spain. the alcazaba, or fortress, though enchanting, doesn't come close to the casa real, the royal rooms. islamic mastery over geometric architechture is evident in the interiors of these rooms. the intricate designs are unlike any other mosaic-work i have seen. these are beautifully blended with arabic inscriptions all over the walls. often, the same line from the quran is repeated - 'there is no conqueror but god'. the arches are carved with unbelieveable detail and symmetry, applying the concept of stalactities to highlight the interplay of light as it streams through the meshed windows. honestly, i could go on...you really have to be there to feel it.

the albaysin, the old muslim quarter, was interesting but not spectaular. the route to get there is fun, though. you have to climb up wide steps of uneven large pebblestones (can pebblestones be large or are they then called something else?) along curving lanes up to the top, and along the way you pass enchanting arabic tea houses, complete with hookahs, islamic furniture and art. once you reach the top (the mosque has been replaced by a non-descript church), you find yourself on an open terrace that overlooks the rest of city and one side of the alhambra. if you are lucky, as we were, you may chance upon a bunch of old (maybe failed) flamenco singers and guitarists, merrily doing their thing, with the appreciative audience clapping away in the spanish style to encourage and support the singing. GREAT fun. there's something so exciting about stumbling upon a spontaneous, indigineous performance involving a random group.

had the chance to catch a 'real' performance as well. set in the alhambra at night, all lit up, it was a wonderful experience. originally, flamenco involved only singing and clapping, i believe. the guitar was introduced soon after, and only later, the dancer. quite the opposite of what i'd thought. to me, flamenco was unimaginable without the amazing foot-work and hand movments of the dancer, and the clapping. also, traditionally, the songs were always about lamentation and sorrow, though in different contexts. the introduction of more cheerful content is recent.

the white villages - grazalema and zahara de la sierra:
away from the coast, in the central-south of spain, a number of little villages dot the undulating scenery. these villages are full of white-washed homes and buildings, along narrow curving streets. very pretty when you approach them, they stand out as pristine white dwellings against the blue sky and the green hills, sometimes looking quite imposing if percehed atop a hill with a fortress. once inside, they feel like any other little town. so they are perfect to drive through.

BUT!!!
if you are vegetarian, please carry your own food. it isn't too much of a problem in tarifa...thanks to new-age bars and restaurants and increasing interest in vegetarianism. but villages and granada...fruit and pizzas zindabad!

though completely disjointed from the rest of this post, i can't not mention an overwhelming moment that occured before the trip. when the cosmos waved to us.

and so
the cosmos waved
the dolphins played
and all is well with the world.