Enchanting Gardens of La Alhambra

Let us enter the enchanting gardens of the La Alhambra full of arabesque influences from the former Muslim Rulers of Southern Spain. Located on top of a mountain overlooking the City of Granada, the Muslim Emirs in Spain built it as a fortress in 889 then converted to a Royal Palace in the 1300s. La Alhambra is a testament to Islamic genius in Architecture, design, gardening and engineering during the Moorish era in Spain. It is now preserved for everyone to discover and appreciate. It is designated as a  UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although we visited last October during the Fall, the gardens are timeless as you will discover in our mini-tour here.

We discovered nooks with splendid views of pools and of Andalusian buildings with Islamic influences. 

Moorish poets described La Alhambra as  a pearl set in emeralds for all of the white buildings and green woods around it.
Everywhere was just so lush, refreshing and so full of different colours from the flowers and plants. 

Whilst wandering around, we heard cascading water from the fountains.
The water from the fountains sparkles under the sun.

Just wander around, don't be afraid to get lost and you will discover wonderful gardens and great views of Granada. 

 The Moors planted Orange trees, roses and myrtles.
The Duke of Wellington donated English Elm trees in 1812 planted all around the palace complex creating a dense wood park.  

Islamic influences are carved all around the walls and ceilings of the Palaces.
Look into any door and window, there is always a surrounding view of the White buildings of Granada. 

The huge hanging tree on the left side has a tale about it. In the story, one of the reigning Sultan's wife was caught with her lover in this part of the palace gardens. They kept this tree branch because it was the only witness to the lovers' rendezvous in the garden. 

A perfect design of a typical Andalusian Building painted in White with arched balconies and a water garden completing the whole scene.

Don't you think this is a perfect symmetry of design?
With the green hedges on each side, the emerald pool in the middle reflecting the Islamic Building around it. 

The Court of the Lions Fountain distributing water on all four corners of the Palace that helps to cool down the around the palace. 

The Rose Garden with the view of white buildings of Granada, the clear blue skies and Andalusia.

Everywhere in the La Alhambra was so fragrant and refreshing.
It's a place full of beauty.
With the mixture of all the elements of Islamic design, Spanish influence, cascading water fountains
and lush gardens all around it.
Truly enchanting in every way.

I wish you all a sparkling weekend with lots of sunshine!

Read more »

Sweets Tour of Spain

Madrid's Plaza Mayor and display of sweets in the Patisseries around Madrid.
In Madrid there are chocolate truffle balls, yemas, almond and honey pastries and custards.

I have travelled all over Spain for many years that I just recently realised that I have accumulated a collection of  various photos of Spanish sweets and confectionery from different areas of Spain. Since I love sweets and comes from a family who loves different cuisines, I cannot resist taking a photo of these beautiful, colourful and delicious sweets displayed in Spanish Cafes and Patisseries. In my opinion, Spanish food and sweets are always under rated as Spain is always eclipsed by other European countries like the United Kingdom, France and Italy in tourism, in food, wine, shopping, culture and the arts. But when you get a chance to visit Spain, you will discover the rich and deep history of the country, its cultural heritage both Spanish and influenced by the Moors, its different geographical areas plus its variety of delicious food, wine and most of all these desserts. Come join me in a short tour of Spanish sweets from Barcelona, Madrid and to Granada in Andalusia. 

More baked sweets from Madrid. The empanada are like baked pies with fillings. The Huesos de Santos  combine the almond marzipan with sweet egg yolks in the centre. The Meringues are your common meringues made from egg whites. There are also the fried sweet honey balls called buñuelos.

Toledo

 A model of Toledo Cathedral all made from Marzipan. 

Toledo is a town near Madrid that combined the Spanish and Moorish cultures both evident in the architecture and also in the cuisine and desserts. The Moors actually brought the olive oil to Spain. Most of their fried desserts are traditionally fried in olive oil.  Toledo's speciality is Marzipan which is made from peeled, grounded almond nuts and sugar. The nuns in Toledo are the famous bakers in town. In the above picture, the nuns master skills in baking were celebrated on this display in a local Toledo patisserie.

Local Toledo sweets from Spanish cookies like the Paciencias de Anis, Vanilla wafers and Toledo's version of Yemas made from egg yolks then coated with white sugar. Yemas is the common confectionery in Spain commonly made from egg yolks. But I discovered that every city in Spain have their own versions of the Yemas. 

Segovia

View of Segovia town and Cathedral. For me, Segovia is such a romantic and beautiful town to walk around and discover its architecture. Declared by UNESCO in 1985 as a World Heritage City. Visit the huge baroque Cathedral, the Aqueduct, the Alcazar from which you will discover some Moorish architecture and also the view of the Castile countryside. Then try their famous Cochinillo Asado, a suckling pig so tenderly delicious, it melts in your mouth. 

Then for dessert,try the famous Yemas de Segovia which is on display and available all around Patisseries in the town.

Granada

In the southern City of Granada in Andalusia, hidden in these White painted buildings are more Spanish sweet delights.

We saw and tasted many different fruit tarts and palmeras covered in chocolate or just plain.

Barcelona

Here is Barcelona, in the Northern Catalan region, we discovered  abundant chocolates and different nuts in the St. Joseph Market which the local patisseries combine to make craquer (lower left photo). The local patisseries bake the chocolates whether white, milk chocolate or dark chocolates combined with usually large almond nuts to make the round cookie like shape. 

In this Barcelona patisserie, I remember seeing some ensaimadas topped with sugar and cheese (Spanish version of the French Brioche), polvorones and more yemas.

The best place to eat sweets, have some Spanish hot chocolate, teas and Spanish coffee, is Caelum, Latin for Heaven. In this Cafe, all of the sweets are heavenly produced by monks and nuns from all over Spain. Even the Menu is divided into Monastic Sweet Temptations and Monastic Sour Temptations. Caelum is located in Barcelona's Gothic quarter at De la Palla 8. Never miss visiting this place and bring home some Monastic yemas and polvorones. The polvorones are usually produced during the Christmas season. A polvoron is a crumbly shortbread made with milk, flour, sugar and grounded nuts. We consider a polvoron more as a candy like confectionery rather than a traditional shortbread cookie.

Guess what these sweets displays were made from?
A storefront display of sweet delicacies made from towels in a Kitchen Store in Barcelona.

I would like to share this best description of Spanish Sweets from Caelum Barcelona:

In the end, all the cakes and wines have a sacred air and every soul is collected in a chamber which Paracelsus called 'olfactory chamber.' Meanwhile, in monasteries are producing high quality wines with healing spirits made by wise monks that pray silently and keep their secret recipes inside the walls. And with three salves, one Our Father and the grace of a hand, a miracle which is dreamed by the Mother Superior is taken to the kitchen. Sweet pumpkin gives you blessed glory...

May you all have a sweet weekend!

Read more »