España

By Ellie Pritts

February 12^th, 2014

Breathtaking Beauty

In both 2010 and 2012 I traveled extensively throughout Spain (where I was prior to my “Valley of the Elves” adventure). These are some the highlights from my journeys in Seville, Granada, Valencia and Alicante.

My very first organized excursion was seeing a live flamenco act in Seville. I’d never seen flamenco performed live and I was completely awestruck by the performance I saw. We crowded into a small, dark bar and sat on the floor anxiously waiting for the performance to start. There wasn’t a real stage, just a cleared area in between tables full of people. The dancers were accompanied by an amazingly talented guitarist and a singer, who provided the passionate backdrop for their energetic show.

Above: A peaceful harbor in Alicante, a market in Granada, the stunning scenery in Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences and the view from atop the Alhambra Palace in Granada.

The Alhambra is a fortress and series of ornate palaces which date back to the 9th century. It is by far one of the most impressive architectural wonders I’ve ever seen. The palaces are adorned with beautiful and mind-bogglingly intricate designs carved into every surface imaginable. Although the Alhambra is in Granada, when you’re in it you feel like you’ve been transported to India. It’s really quite amazing and a wonderful example of the rich cultural diversity found throughout Spain.