The Mountains Were Calling…
We sailed southward along a steep rugged coastline stopping, as we do, to swim along the way. We ended up in a tiny family run marina in the town of Motril.
Motril began to develop during the Muslim era. In 711, less than a century after the birth of Islam, an army of Arabs landed in the Iberian Peninsula, ushering in a new phase of art and culture in the region. The Muslim era, known as Al-Andalus, lasted for almost 800 years and is a term which designates the Arab and Islamic regions of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. Today, many remember Al-Andalus as a unique golden age, defined by the peaceful and productive co-existence among Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
Settled since Roman times, Motril flourished under the Moors and was united to Christian Spain in 1489. The city became a prominent producer and exporter of sugarcane to other parts of the Mediterranean. Today tourism and fishing have also become main economic activities. Motril was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1489 ending Muslim rule in the region.
Just inland from Motril is the city of Granada in Spain’s Andalusia region in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's known for its medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra, a sprawling hilltop fortress that encompasses royal palaces and the magnificent gardens of the Generalife which is a vast labyrinth of serene patios, reflecting pools, fountains, orchards and gardens. The Generalife was the former rural residence of the emirs who ruled this part of Spain in the 13th and 14th centuries and the garden and its vegetable farms represent one of the few medieval areas of agricultural productivity.
The palaces were made possible by the irrigation engineering in Al-Ándalus. Their system integrated architecture and landscape, with unique hydraulic infrastructures. We meandered around the grounds of this monumental complex where the buildings, the gardens, and croplands blend seamlessly into the forests and natural landscape.
We spent over five hours meandering the grounds of Alhambra. The colors, textures, contrasts and fragrances were a treat for the senses. Everywhere you turn you find beauty. We eventually dragged ourselves away and headed further into the mountains to visit Sierra Nevada National Park.
These things are MASSIVE!
We wound our way up the rocky mountainsides past enormous wind turbines above the tree line. We found tiny villages still utilizing irrigation networks of an ancient Moorish design that has been providing water to the inhabitants for more than 1,000 years, making life possible in one of Europe's driest regions. Rain comes to the Mediterranean in brief, torrential bursts and most of the water is lost as it runs down into rivers and the sea. The genius of this system is that by controlling the flow of the water, whether from rain or snowmelt, there’s less runoff which allows the water time to be absorbed into the land.
The irrigation network built by the Moors across the Sierra Nevada between the 8th and 10th centuries runs through 15,000 miles (over 24,000 km) of Spain’s mountainous provinces. The water management techniques introduced from the East transformed the landscape and agriculture in what was then Al-Andalus. In the newly fertile conditions, the abundance of crops introduced by the Moors flourished; among them almonds, artichokes, chickpeas, aubergine (eggplant), lemons, pomegranates, spinach, quince, walnuts and watermelon.
We have much to learn from these old techniques. This traditional system is efficient and sustainable. As climate change worsens, this water management network will become even more important in helping communities in the Sierra Nevada cope and equitably share an increasingly scarce and unpredictable resource.
In these mountaintop communities we discovered crafters, makers and doers of all varieties; fiber artists, sculptors, artisan food producers and vintners. Once again we wandered aimlessly and unsurprisingly I found all the food shops - and the chocolate factory!
We visited the town of Pampaneira, a tiny village of 300 residents, where it’s easy to get lost in the streets of white houses which are shaded by hand crocheted awnings. There are craft shops everywhere selling colorful textiles and woven jarapas - rugs and blankets which were originally designed as a means to re-purpose old clothing and rags. They were once woven on the looms used by the Arabs to make silk that were left behind after the Moorish population was expelled from the area. Today they are made with thick wool and cotton warp.
Fish curry for dinner.
It was a VERY long and wonderful day! We rambled over 9 miles (14 km) up and down and through so many interesting places. We had absorbed so much about life in these mountains over the millennium. We made our way home and cooked a simple dinner, imagining what life would have been like here hundreds of years ago. We would sleep well tonight.
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