(Revisiting unpublished posts from 2011) The water of the Alhambra

(Again, I never really finished writing this post, but I am enjoying revisiting memories of Jess's and my trip to Spain in 2011)

Yesterday's scorching afternoon did not portend great things, but it was our assigned time to visit the Nasrid palaces, so off we went. Sweaty, hot, and frustrated, we finally got into the palaces after an hour and a half of confusion and sun-induced misery. Within moments of entering the palaces, our bodies were cooled and our nerves soothed, and the effect was amplified upon our first sight of water. It is hard even for one who understands the basic physics at work to fully comprehend the great cooling power of running spring water through the corridors and gardens of a sun-drenched stone palace. The water ran into courtyard pools, through stairwell aquaducts, down garden bannisters... water brought the Alhambra to life. Even the winding walkway up the wooded hill to the Alhambra was lined with a waterfall-fed stream of cold water that Jess and I soaked our feet in after the long day of walking.

Fountain:


Pool:


Sideways photos of a pool:


Sideways photos of a stairwell railing water slide:

Water running right down the middle of a stairwell into a pool:


Sideways view of water running down the middle of a stairwell:

Not running, but another route via which the cooling water could flow:


Sideways photo of one with water:



A garden fountain:


A very long fountain (you'll notice that this was my favorite type):












Sideways view (sorry):


And, here, I really just did my best to get everything in one photo: