A dreamscape: Cortijo Balzain

"Balzaín is a white country house protected by its old chestnut trees, its paths lined by walnut trees and the small water canals flow with the countryside peace. A spring brook, born among the rocks softly murmurs a song of things and memories. And the almond groves on the slope and the high topped pine trees, give the lanscape a sentimental and delicate enviroment." 


-P. Ferrer, Jesuit Mountaineer 1971

To see the terracing up close is a phenomenal sight. On each terrace lies neat rows of Almond trees.

The 1000's of Almond trees that surround Cortijo Balzain are just about to bloom

Cortijo ("place consisting of farm buildings and cultivated land as a unit") Balzain held a lot of intrigue for us from its website. Only 8k from Granada but billed as a country refuge complete with animals for the kids to see, we went for it. 

The 'farm' (it would likely be considered a ranch in the U.S.) actually sits plum in the middle of a U.N. declared biosphere. The biosphere is really the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas (yesterday's hike was only a 10 minute drive) on up through the peaks- a gem of a location. What really grabbed our attention was the idea that it had been a complex of 17th Century buildings that had been restored for rural tourism in an attempt at preservation. They've succeeded.

It's a trip to read that your 'house' used to be a 17th Century sheep shelter and giggle about the house up a dirt trail that looked interesting and upon a further read used to be the pigpen (we lucked out I think!). The complex itself saddles a beautiful rift and outcropping that has crescent after crescent of terracing. There is no doubt that you are standing on land that has been used for centuries. It looks well. . .old. Not old in a worn way but ancient because it's simply a winner of a spot. 

The sun is blinding all day long. The trees are amazing for climbing (anyone who knows Gigi knows she's a climber. This is a kid that climbed atop our roof in Tucson when she was 4. . .no; her parents didn't sanction this). We keep losing track of her and find her in a tree.

It's stunning and the trees aren't even in bloom. Traces of what's to come are everywhere.

Can you guess what fruit that is? It begins with a P and they are not peaches. First kid-friend to guess correctly earns a Spanish souvenir.

The sheep pen we were assigned (it's a lovely restored stucco structure) has been great. It's definitely been big enough for our pack of seven. The walls are thick stucco, the roof timber with cane (it so reminds me of Tucson).

This giant 'fork' on the wall has become a family joke-Baby-O says it's for a giant (we've been reading too much "Seven at One Blow"). The pitchfork is carved from one piece of wood and if you imagine the ceilings are about 11 feet high you get the idea.

Just behind our 'casa' is the birth of a spring. If you look closely you'll see the rocks below are submerged in water. Check out the Moorish exterior design (see the Moorish 'keyhole' design?) with the Virgin of Balzain presiding inside. No wonder shepherds chose this place. We're glad we did.

Speaking of shepherds J had a journal entry about them.

"Do you know how hard it is to shave in public? Well, I guess you haven't been a shepherd. If you were a shepherd you wouldn't have a bathroom. Therefore, guess what you wouldn't have? A mirror!

There was only one and only one mirror on the farm and guess where that was? On the front door!"

It's been an understatement to say that we're learning something new everyday. The British philosopher Bertrand Russell said, "A certain amount of boredom  is. . .essential to a happy life." I wouldn't say we're bored by any stretch of the imagination but what we seem to have acquired is TIME. 

Tombs & Street 'Art'

Isabel and Columbus.

Yesterday we saw the tombs of Isabel and Ferdinand (Isabel is the Queen who gave Christopher Columbus the money to sail to the 'New World'. He died believing he had found India---in fact, he had 'found' what was to become the United States along with some other places along the way).

Look at this stamp celebrating the 400th anniversary of Isabel agreeing to 'sponsor' Columbus on his voyage. Columbus Day is sure about more than a school vacation!

Seeing King Ferdinand's sword (Tip was broken, handle was small- small hand?) and Queen Isabel's crown was memorable. Isabel and Ferdinand spent 1/4 of their riches building the Cathedral where they lie buried; if you've been following along you won't be surprised to find out they built it on top of where a Mosque had been.

There was a LOT of gold and the ceiling is as soaring as the building is wide---it's gynormous. They put a rush on it but it still took nearly 200 years to finish (with The Plague happening in between). The Cathedral was soooooo giant that it was freezing! Sorry. No interior shots, my hands were deep inside my pockets. It's worth taking a second to see what it looked like, you can here. Our good friend, Tio Frank, who has traveled the world declared once that the Granada Cathedral was the coldest he'd ever visited- we concur!

Below was the highlight of our Cathedral trip for Baby-O and frankly for me too--- Catholic art is not the most uplifting at times.

This fellow was perched up in a niche on the outside of the Cathedral. 

Here's what he did (sorry for the finger!):

We also had our first encounters with the Roma, or Gypsies- they arrived in Granada in the 15th Century. They were all around the Cathedral 'offering' sprigs of Rosemary for a 'recuerdo de Granada' or a souvenir (I was having trouble spelling this word and found out it's French for 'memory'). Gigi had a great strategy. She kept her hands in her pockets.  

We'll post on our sheep pen hotel and our favorite restaurant Patio Andalus next. We're going on a hike in the Sierra Nevada's today. 

Miss you! Gigi is excited to Skype into Miss O's birthday party later.

Granada with Kids "The Red One"

"A most picturesque and beautiful city, situated in one of the loveliest landscapes that I have ever seen."
  -Washington Irving (author, "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" & "Rip Van Winkle")

Irving was describing the city of Granada where The Alhambra, "The Red One" (named for the color of the mountain on which it is built) is located. The Alhambra began as a military outpost in the 800's and stands today as the world's finest and best preserved examples of Arabian palaces. 


It is a fortress, a palace, and a small city all in one.


Sometimes only pictures can tell the story.