Spain

Editor’s Note: These photos are best viewed on a high quality display. A tablet will do better than a phone. And displays larger than 24″ will provide a particularly immersive experience; as close to being ‘there’ as possible. Transcendental. Whether seen on it’s perch on Granada’s Sabika hill aga…

History is merciless. Yes, Toledo’s Alcazar (Arabic: al-qasar, meaning palace-fort) is like no other. And the cathedral? Well, just look at it ... Yet, it is hard to escape the feeling that these landmarks are now mere trophies, like medals on an old, worn uniform – vague allusions to an illustri…

The image of the Alhambra you will encounter most frequently – or almost exclusively – is a close-up on top of the Sabika hill. This is the view from the Mirador de San Nicolas, a popular vista point in Granada.‌ And why not? It’s a stunning sight. H…

You grow in a land to which you are a stranger, we are alike in our distance from home May the rain clouds water you and nourish you in exile Abd al-Rahman ibn Muyawia – the founder of Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain) – was a gifted poet. He penned these verses when he

Yes, Seville is beautiful ... .. but it is more than just a pretty face. In al-Andalus, it was the second city after Córdoba. Writing in “Kingdoms of Faith”, Brian A. Catlos notes about the Alcázar (palace-fortress) of Seville: Pedro the Cruel developed a fascination with Arabo-Islamic culture ..…

I was going to do a combined post on Ávila and Segovia but was (pleasantly) surprised to discover a large number of usable images and so each will get its own post. Both are quaint, medieval towns in the Castilla y Leon region northwest of Madrid. Since much of my

(This post is in some ways a follow-up to Ávila. Make sure you check that post out before reading this.) Segovia is a really pretty medieval town in Castilla y Leon, just outside Madrid. The aqueduct is, understandably, the main attraction. The Alcazar (Arabic al-qasr, meaning palace-fortress) is…

I read a ~500 page book on the history of Spain and it didn’t mention Madrid once. That’s wild. To be fair, the focus of the book is the history of Islamic Spain. Then again, Madrid was founded by Emir Muhammad I of Cordoba. In fact, the word ‘Madrid’ itself

observing lands and people through photos

observing lands and people through photos