Saturday. No processions scheduled for today, and rain is predicted for most of it. We anticipate just hanging out most of the day until Rachael notices that the weather is supposed to be dry for the next few hours. One of my regrets about our long stay here is that we still haven’t made it up to the Alcazaba, only an eight minute walk from our hotel - or really see much of the town at all, since we’ve mostly been out of it on bike or on foot. I was hoping that we’d get some sort of break in the weather before we leave Monday morning so we could make it up to castle hill, so we leave almost immediately. I haven’t even had coffee or breakfast yet, but we’re not waiting around for that.
Walking down our street toward the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation. It’s just turning eight, and just on the chilly side still.
It doesn’t take long for us to get our first real sight of the Alcazaba. It’s been visible from the distance from various points around the city , but this is our first close up unobstructed look. We’re immediately impressed, and anxious to get up inside before we lose our window in the weather.
Our first view of the Alcazaba. As impressive as it looks from here, we’re only seeing the nearest corner of what is a huge, sprawling, multi-walled complex.
We arrive at the ticket booth at just before 8:30, just as the first employee is arriving. We’re turned away though because we’re too early and the site won’t be open to the public until nine. So with some time on our hands we turn back down and then follow the perimeter of the fortified walls around to the west. Eventually we come to a dead end there too though.
My plan is to turn back and head up to the entrance after stalling around somewhere for a few minutes. That won’t work for Rachael though - because one, she doesn’t tend to stand still for long; and two, she’ll be hungry and in need of facilities soon and won’t really enjoy wandering around the sprawling Alcazaba complex while she’s experiencing a calorie or bladder crisis. So she continues walking down the hill and back toward town, with the plan that I’ll meet her back in the room in an hour or two.
We get a fine view west toward Aguadulce from beneath the west wall of the castle. It looks like we’re getting a substantial break in the weather this morning.
I follow Rachael down off the hill, but quickly fall behind because I’m such a crappy walker now and because attractions along the way capture my attention. I make it back to the stairs below the fortress about ten minutes before the site opens and just sit on the wall and wait, enjoying the sun. Behind my back the first visitors of the day start climbing the stairs - but I can see them all queuing up at the top, waiting for the magic hour. No sense joining the small crowd, when I can just sit here in the sun. Finally I see some movement so I head up as well. When I arrive I’m just waved in. There’s no admission charge today, either because it’s a holiday or maybe because there never is.
Looking across the waterfront, I was surprised to see there are a pair of cruise ships in port, new since we first arrived. I wasn’t aware that Almeria is a significant cruise port. Some come here to see the city and Alcazaba of course, but maybe the main draw is a day trip to the Alhambra - Granada is only a two hour drive away on the expressway. (And thanks, Jacquie, for pointing out that these are of course ferries to Africa, not cruise ships.)
Jacquie GaudetLiving in a city visited by cruise ships, those don't look quite right. They're ferries, and leave Almeria for various destinations in Morocco and Algeria. Reply to this comment 7 months ago
Scott AndersonTo Jacquie GaudetOh, of course. I didn’t look closely enough and forgot this is a ferry port also. Thanks for pointing it out. Reply to this comment 7 months ago
The lower cliffs are perforated with small caves and doorways. Rachael said she passed by some of these on one of her walks, and I see that the upper middle one has a letter R on the inside - so maybe she was here with a can of spray paint.
I looked this way first because I was drawn in by the palm tree and its shadow. The more I looked though the more I liked the whole composition. I can’t figure out what that long crenellated building is though. Something to figure out the next time we’re in town.
So, about the Alcazaba. Like the other significant moorish Alcazabas os southern Spain (including the ones at Malaga and Grenada), this was originally developed as a walled fortified sector of the city. Construction on this one began in 955 AD on the ruins of a still older fortress, and grew to include not only walls and towers but also squares, houses, and a mosque. It was the seat of the local government, commanding the city and the nearby sea.
As usual I took my standard approach to sites like this, wandering around in ignorance with the camera looking in wonder at one arresting site after another but with pretty limited real understanding of what I’m seeing. If we ever come back to Almeria it would be worthwhile to sign on with an English speaking tour guide, but this approach actually works quite well for me.
I’ll assume that you’re more or less like me then, and just show you what caught my attention. If you want to know more, I’m sure you know where to look.
This is a huge, sprawling complex. The part I’m exploring is the principal fortification on the seaward side, but there must be a wonderful exploration to be had across there as well.
This reminds me of a setting in the Alhambra. It must have been quite elegant in its day. It’s not in the same state of preservation or restoration, but as compensation I have the site almost to myself this morning.
The ruins are riveting, but the cats are charming. This one stood still while I took several shots of him, and then followed me when I walked into the cistern.
I wander through the complex for about an hour and a half, but when the sky starts to look gloomy and menacing I decide it’s time to head for the room, remembering how suddenly conditions changed yesterday. Up until now I’ve had the entire place nearly to myself, but on the way out I pass three tour groups just entering. Earlier is always better in sites like this.
On the way back to our room I detour slightly and pass by the Ayuntamiento, the city hall. The relatively modern city hall is impressive, but I especially like the beautiful arcaded Plaza Vieja (Plaza of the Constitution) that it faces on. During the Muslim era from 1000 to 1500 this plaza housed the souk (market). Almeria is really an impressive city, and one we’ve only scratched the surface of even though we will have stayed here eight nights by the time we finally leave.
I’ve been lucky to have my hour and a half up here, but it looks like the window is closing.
Entering the Plaza Vieja through a gateway beneath city hall. Opposite it is the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation, which we saw from the front at the start of this morning’s walk.
Rachael’s back in our room when I return - fortunately, since she has the only key to the building. She won’t be here long though, and not long after my return she heads off again, wanting to see more of the city while it’s still dry out. She heads straight to the Rambla and gives it a more thorough look than when she buzzed through it earlier.
Not long after she’s back we head out again, to the restaurant we’ve booked for the day. Like every other spot we’ve eaten this week, it’s filled to capacity and we’re glad we’ve claimed a space for ourselves.
It’s raining when we leave. Rachael has an umbrella she bought this morning, but she hands it over to me because we’re going our separate ways here. She’s only walking a few blocks back to our room, but I’ve got a wet mile ahead going over to the bus station to validate that we can get our bikes on the bus to Granada Monday. But that’s a story that can wait another day to put down. This is a good spot to stop for now.
