Spain - al-Andalus

The al-Andalus region of Spain is extraordinary in its history and beauty. Our recent visit was a trip offered by our undergraduate alma mater, Colorado State University, with a central hotel stay in Antequera. From there we took day trips to Granada, Seville, Ronda, Cordoba, and Malaga, returning each evening without having to move hotels to enjoy a time of year that was ideal - May temperatures in the mid-70s, sunny days and cool nights, and early summer blossoms everywhere.

I read two books to prepare for the trip. The first was Ornament of the World and the second was The Alhambra. I won't recap either book, but I encourage you to read my summaries for background. The Alhambra was a must see on my bucket list and the primary motivation for choosing the trip. It is considered to be the best example of Moorish architecture with its complicated and exceptionally beautiful design. One can only imagine what it was like to see the Alhambra fully furnished with rugs, art, books, and ornamentation to match the extravagance of the architecture. The interesting issue is that, while the Alhambra is one of the most celebrated examples of the influence of Islam in Spain, it was not built until Islam's influence was actually in decline. As the author of The Alhambra indicated, it was a lament of the loss of the achievement for what al-Andalus had become while the rest of Europe huddled in the Dark Ages. There is so much to the Alhambra and it's hard to choose one image to represent its magnificence, however, the Court of the Lions pictured here literally took my breath away when I first walked into the space.

All of the cities we visited were a treat. Each was important on its own either in terms of history or the uniqueness of its setting. Besides Granada, where the Alhambra is, my two favorites were Ronda and Cordoba. Ronda is the second oldest city in Spain and spans a spectacular gorge in the mountains. It was also the first city to engage in bull fighting, a ritual that has become very controversial among Spanish citizens. Cordoba was founded by the Romans and the bridge into the city still serves as the major pedestrian access passage. Cordoba's Mosque is immense but it's not the size that is most notable but instead it's the fact that the original Mosque was eventually overtaken by Spanish Catholics who built a Baroque cathedral inside it.

The al-Andalus trip was rich and informative, partially the result of good local guides in each city but also because of the preparation for the journey. One of the many good fortunes in my life is that I didn't start traveling until 2005, which is when I started this blog. My travel in 2005 was an intentional experience in learning and teaching, firmly cultivating in me a desire to always prepare for travel, seek to be respectful of local cultures, and work very hard to not be the stereotypical browsing tourist checking off the boxes of "been there - done that." Travel is a privilege that carries a responsibility to prepare, show respect, and draw all the possible learning from the experience.

Al-Andalus is fascinating as an example of a time in history when Jews, Muslims, and Christians lived peacefully together. Perhaps it was the tone set by Abd Al-Rahman, the Muslim prince who fled Damascus when his family was slaughtered. When he unified disparate Muslim groups in the siege of Cordoba in 756 it became a moment in history where mutual needs and the desire to create new knowledge and innovation inspired those of different faiths to put aside their differences. Historians speculate about the why and how al-Andalus fell after only 300 years but there is no question that it stands as witness to the possibility that peaceful inter-faith existence can create a level of shared prosperity and creativity seldom matched in history.