John: Sunday In Naples. Our first day.

This was the view when we woke up

Even though it was still raining the view was like out of an SBS Italian movie. All it needed was the Nino Rotta film score to swell up and it would have been perfect.

We had a wonderful first day. As the day progressd, I got the feeling that Naples can be either breathtakingly lovely - or revolting. Sometimes within a minute or two of each other. 

First came a walk through the streets to get the furnicular railway. It is often said and written if you want to get a good idea with what is wrong with Italy go to Southern Italy. Worse still, if you want to know what is wrong with Southern Italy, go to Naples. Following are some photos of the city in all its shabbiness. There is rubbish everywhere (it is rumoured that a certain illegal enterprise has a contract for the (non)collection of rubbish) and every wall is covered in graffiti. The streets are narrow and its cars vs pedestrians. However, there is a certain ironic humour to it. The street sign translates to 

Paradise Alley

Yet as I said before, this place can take your breath away. How about this for an aerial view of the city 

After we caught the fernicular railway we arrived at a monastery that had more beautiful views.

The monastery itself was quite beautiful. A couple of things did catch my eye. In a room full of paintings of the Maddona these paintings were also hanging. I've never seen paintings of the Maddona looking quite so attractive with auburn hair. On further Google search the artists work were hanging because he was a painter from Naples. Whoever the model was she must have been quite a girl, because she seems to have turned up again as Saint Agatha. While I'm on the subject of good looking women turning up, Jule found a car to match her hat!

Also even though we were in a monastery in Naples in Italy, I'm sure I have seen those arches depicted in the wood carving somewhere - Córdoba perhaps?

Back down on ground level again it was time to go and get something to eat. I mentioned earlier the rubbish. Earlier in the day a gentleman was making a gallant effort to clear away the rubbish from the front of his property. He was using a broom. He must have borrowed it from a witch because it was made from about half a dozen twigs. This evening some people had discovered a big empty rubbish bin (about half the size of a St. Vinnies bin) right on Main Street. So what do people do when they strike what must be like gold in Naples. They empty what appeared to be a whole car load (I'm not kidding) of empty bottles into the bin. 

We also knew we were back in Italy because of the way people drive and park "No rules is road rules" is the rule here. If you drive past a parking spot, you reverse back down the street at about 80kms to grab it. As for parking, just leave it where it is convenient. If it parks a couple of people in and blocks off  half the street cutting it down to one lane ... whatever!

To finish this entry how about this as an inspiration for the new Toorak fashion, kind of like I wrote earlier - beautiful and revolting together. Jule eating a beautiful plate of antipasto, right up against a wall of disgusting graffiti.

John: Cordoba, a new favourite city.

Despite having been there a couple of times, Córdoba has still mainly meant to me: it being the birthplace of one of my favourite flamenco guitarist and the site of the Islamic mosque.

Each time before, it's been a quick trip round the Mosque, then back on the bus to go somewhere else. This time because Jule decided we would go on a private tour, I saw parts of Córdoba that I had only read about, or didn't even know existed. Having done the grand tour, I can only echo the words of that T.V. character in #96.

"Why wasn't I told!"

THE MOSQUE "THE CHRISTIAN BIT"

All tourists visit the big Islamic Mosque. What I had never seen before, was the "Christain" part of it, which is just over the road. Inter Islamic history and politics as well as Islamic/Christian interactions can be complicated at the best of times, For some reason the "Christian" section still had gardens laid out in the Moorish/Islamic style. As mentioned before, the Moors were desert people, endless sand or rocky wastes, little water, no shade from the burning sun, except for the occasional palm tree if you were lucky. So to them, Paradise after death consisted of cool, lush, shady places with lots of water to quench the thirst and refresh the spirits. The beautiful big red coxcomb flowers and jasmine scents also heightened the sense of calm and tranquility. I'm not really a garden enthusiast, but these were the   best. When you look at the photos the lady in white is indeed a bride.

INSIDE THE BIG ISLAMIC MOSQUE.

Julie has sent you lots of photos so I'll just skip through this a bit quickly. The Catholic Catherdral within the mosque does look an eyesore. A bit like Deamworld in a Greek Temple. Even the Catholic King who authorised it hated it when he got to see it. Apparently a lot of intercity rivalry and conflict had a lot to do with it. If Seville and Cadiz had a cathedral, then Córdoba had to have one too.

THE JEWISH AREA.

The Jewish area was a place I never knew about, until saw it. Unlike the AK waving, hard line psycho Islamist fanatics who grace our T.V. Screens today the Islamists of the Moorish culture were sophisticated, intellectual, and enjoyed many of the daily and sensual delights we like today. Within Córdoba is a Jewish quarter where the man below -Rabi Moses Ben Miamondes - resided.

He was a sort of "Renaissance Man" brilliant at just about everything. I suppose the point I am trying to make here, is that all this was going on while a lot of the rest of Europe was stumbling around in The Dark Ages. 

THE DRIVE HOME. 

The drive home in our rather swishy chauffeur driven Mercedes people mover was also very enjoyable. There were lots of castles

Lots of olive groves

An old railway station that had been turned into a restaurant

and  lots of mountains.

John: Flying to, and arriving in Naples.

The flight to Naples was interesting to say the least. The plane was late, but that is not unusual. As we were boarding a lady who had to be an Italian got half way up the steps then decided to take a selfie making sure she got the crowds of people lined up behind her.

Once on the Vueling airlines plane one flight attendant greeted me in Italian whilst another one asked me if I was OK in Spanish. I thought I really am moving into the Italian way of doing things situation normal "chaotica!" Chaos

Once in Naples we made a deal with the taxi driver for the fare but if we were stopped by the "Politcia" The Police,  the fare would be what was showing on the meter. Apparently "documenti documenti!' "Paperwork paperwork!" Is not liked by anyone, As I have been advised by Italians themselves, there is the correct procedure, and there is the Italian way. I knew I was back in the country of what one writer called "The Friendly Zoo! A place where everyone is lovely and really want to help, but because there is no system or nobody sticks to it ... Nobody really knows what they are doing so they improvise as they go along! I was beginning to wonder whether I was going to be able to tolerate a system where I am told that everything is always "tutti benne!" All good, when it isn't then we drew back the curtains of our hotel room and saw this

Italy you are forgiven.

John: Spain -The End.

I am writing this while waiting from the flight out of Barcelona to Naples.

George Orwell wrote in his book "Fighting In Spain" (During The Civil War)

" I think I would rather be a foreigner in Spain than most other countries"

Looking back over all the times I have ever spent here, I think he is right. I tell you those Italians have got a lot to live up to.

John: more about Granada

More about Granada: De Falla's House, The Arab Uni, A delightful discovery, and when Granada turned into Madrid.

When most people think of Granada, they automatically think of The Alahambra, but there is much more to it than that. For me it was the place where Spanish composer Manuel De Falla lived for a while. Basically he was famous for using Spanish folk music in classical compositions. His most famous piece of music was The Three Cornered Hat. One of the earliest pieces of music that attracted me, and many others I would think, to Classical music. 

Stuart kindly accompanied me on the trip, which basically took us right up to The Alhambra again. De Falla was something of a "fuss pot" but he lived in a very simple life in a simple house.  He was born in Cadiz a seaport, so the house was painted blue to remind him of the sea. The view from his house was always an inspiration. In his time there were no houses or development of any kind. All he saw was the river and the mountains. Behind those he knew there was the sea and Africa. Perhaps some photos with captions best tell the story. What they don't say is that I was allowed to play De Falla's piano. So that means I have played both De Falla's piano as well as Abba's little white one!

The Great Man.

Me with almost obscure statue of De Falla

Photo of De Fella saying that the day was wonderful and Granada was too!

THE ARAB LIBRARY.

The pride of Moorish culture. I heard somewhere that in its time, it held more books than all the other libraries in Spain put together. As well as a lecture hall and living quarters, it had a magnificent prayer room. Again I could snow you with photos and bore you to tears with facts and figures. Instead I'll just show you a photo of the building's intricate carvings and a wooden ceiling. This ceiling was so precisely cut and crafted, that the pieces fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle. 

Intricate wood panelling

Mosiacs. Must be popular because we have copies of these over the flights leading up to our apartment.

More intricate carving.

THE DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE - THE THEATRE. 

Julie and I have found on our travels that if we just wander around and follow our noses we have the most delightful of surprises. On our walk yesterday we found a lovely open air theatre. I can't tell you anything about it because the sign board was only in Spanish. However, as soon as I walked inside it, I thought of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.

WHEN GRANADA TURNED INTO MADRID. 

Like any city in the world, Granada has areas with their own character. This was another "accidental discovery" even though this time there was a specific purpose to the trip, to get to a particular department store, the discovery was still a pleasant surprise. 

Because we are staying in "Arab" Granada, narrow winding streets, white houses, and tiny shops it came as a surprise to walk into a "different" Granada, 

This Granada had beautiful fountains and wide tree lined boulevards; two of the things for which Madrid, Spain's Capitol city is famous.

In my next entry Cordoba becomes a revelation, and I actually rave about a garden!

John: Alhambra Day.

It's almost half past four in the afternoon (just after lunch Spanish time) on our last day in Spain. My only excuse is that because Julie has been giving you a minute by minute up date on Tripcast I have been a bit lazy. 

One day we thought our progress may be impeded by yet another procession. However this time no roads were blocked off. This was a procession for Good Intentions. The participants in the parade march to Church, they pray because they want to ask for God's or the Madonna's interception to help make a family member well or assist them with some other intention. I think Julie told you that we were happy to take a seat to watch, until the seat fee of €7 was requested. We stood back up!

I'm sure you have seen so many photos of the Alhambra you don't need many more. As you probably know it was a palace, fort, seat of government and a few other things as well, when the Moors ruled southern Spain.

Its  conquest by the Christian army, marked the end of the Moors presence in Europe.

"You weep like a woman because you refuse to fight like a man." scolded the last ruler's Mother. 

To be a bit trite for a moment, not only did he lose an Empire, but he lost all those beautiful views!

But then if you look at the photo below and instead of seeing buildings and trees you imagine a few thousand Crusaders getting psyched up for a massacre (quite normal for Crusader "Christians" so I've learnt on my travels), perhaps the wisest option was to turn and leave. 

P.S. Michael and I did climb right to the top. It felt very Game Of Thrones. Also when I look at the top of the castle turret and see the flags flying I know I've done that!

Next blog, a bit more about Granada in general.