The Rain in Spain

“the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain”

My Fair Lady : book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.

It had been raining for several days, and not just on the plain. Southern Spain was experiencing some of the worst weather in 50 years, and we were in the thick of it.

We dismounted the motorcycles and made a half-hearted effort to tour the grounds of the Alhambra Palace, but our soggy clothing, wet leathers and soaked boots forced us to abandon the idea and return to the road. We needed to make for the shelter of our sleeping arrangements that were still miles away.

It was a shame to miss one of the highlights of the trip. The fortress and palace complex is an amazing example of Muslim and Christian architecture and artwork, beyond the beautiful stone work of my rainy day image above. Constructed by the last Muslim monarchs, the palace complex survived damage inflicted by fighting between the Moors and Christians, French forces in the Peninsula War and an earthquake. Extensive renovations and repairs by architect José Contreras began in 1847 and future generations have continue the work through the 21st century.

Someday I will return to Granada to the sharpen my blurry memories of the beautiful gardens that were obscured by a rain spattered windscreen.

The Alhambra Palace complex is an UNESCO heritage site and is located in the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. (Image: digital capture, cropped and adjusted for exposure.)