Friday 17 October 2014

Autumn in Andalucia


You are going to see fantastically blue skies and a sandy beach in a minute.  So just to prove that I'm not kidding, here's a conker tree.....j u s t about on the autumnal turn.  And evidence that it is doing the autumnal seed dropping exercise.....

 But I can't show you the conkers.  Because some silly souvenir hunting softie brought them back with him to try to grow a Chestnut tree all the way from the Alhambra.  I so hope they take!
So this is Granada in early October.  Beautiful architecture, not so busy as I suspect the summer months were, but still basking in glorious soak-me-up-and-make-me-healthy sunshine.  I loved it. Oh the romance of the place. It's not on the coast line, but north east of it, and quite high up.  Indeed the road signs have you travelling toward the Sierra Nevada, and Granada is home to a fair few snow sports shops.  



I don't think I'd get sick of it.  A land where Autumn means the pomegranates ripen, shadows are long and coffee and cake are to be eaten outdoors watching the world go about it's business and wondering why trainers the world over need to be so erm, well hung.










I'm not foolish, I know a city at altitude and with a backdrop of Sierras is going to have a winter, and probably, some very cold ones.  But oh, to have a blue sky autumn and hang on to the greens and golds for as long as possible.  Bliss.


We did, in mid morning Granada, fidn ourselves stepping into sunshine to avoid cool shadows cast by spectacular architecture.  More pictures of that to come if you're interested.  But I really wanted to show you how beautiful Autumn is..because since I've been home, it's been grey and wet and its hard to see the beauty through the gloom.  


I don't expect you can experience the distant haze during the summer..it creates wonder in the lens of your camera, adding dimension depth and mystery to the scenery. Well, I think it does. And I can't hep but wax lyrical.  It was lyric inspiring.  Yep, Mr Dunnit was coughing at my inspiration too by the time I'd been through these pictures.  It's OK.

And then, as if the first notes of Autumn in higher Andalucia weren't enough...here's the colour to be found on the coast.  Not a season or a million miles apart.  No 24 hours and a couple hundred kilometres.  You can see why I like Spain can't you - I don't even have to make a decision about a favourite season...I just have to turn around! 

 This was Fuengirola.
And this beauty was planted right outside our apartment. Why didn't I stand back and take a picture of the bed full of these floral birds?  I have no idea.  Over excited as usual!

I don't know if it's mis-placed or not, but because I'm still smiling over these pictures, I'm going to link up with Annie at Friday Smiles. If it's all too braggy and in-your-face for you - sorry.  You may have find another blog.  I do this quite often.
Have a lovely weekend!

24 comments:

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

ah Julia great images indeedy, very smile worthy!!
I have been MIA but back now.. :D

Happy Smiles Day, Shaz in Oz.x
PS and yes we have skies like that too.

French Nanny said...

It all looks like Paradise. Here, in the middle of France, it is still warm - ish! A lot warmere than England, where I've been for the past 2 weeks!

Annie said...

Brag away girl friend...and please keep sharing. I love all of your pics and they certainly made me smile. It really made me feel warm just looking at them....or is it that I'm sat next to a radiator? :-)
Hugs,
Annie x

fairy thoughts said...

Gorgeous photos I love the area too. Thanks for sharing because today the clouds have mostly passed and I can see blue skies.... Not for long though I'm sure .... Hang on to the memories they are certainly worth clinging onto :-)
Janet

shazsilverwolf said...

Wow, Julia, I'm fantastically jealous! I so need a holiday! Thats sort of climate would make Autumn more enjoyable, agreed. Glorious. Love Shaz xxx

Shoshi said...

Lovely photos, Julia. We had a wonderful time when we went, too.

Shoshi

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Brag away, dear friend. It's fine, because I also love it when you show photos of your travels. They are stunning, and I want one of those birds of paradise. Sadly, I bought one a few years ago, but even indoors, it didn't like my cold climate in winter. Hope Mr. D has better luck with his chestnut tree.

okienurse said...

It is beautiful! I think I have posted I have a friend on Mallorca...Bunyola to be exact and he wrote yesterday that he has found us a house/flat for about $90,000 if we are interested...It is so beautiful there who wouldn't be interested but I think my days of living abroad are limited due to health. I do love to go visit though! Loved the pictures!

Helen said...

please please please can I come next time, I promise I'll be very good... the photos are fabulous, and I would never tire of looking at them, so the more the merrier for me!! xx

Sue said...

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing your lovely holiday.

Hope you are looking forward to the weekend.

Elizabeth said...

Fabulous photos, Julia, definitely reason to smile and you clearly had the best of times on your holiday. The bird of paradise flower is stunning. So sorry it is grey and wet down your way. It's been a tad chilly here of late but we still have sunshine and blue skies, for the time being :) Hugs, Elizabeth xx

RosA said...

Lovely photos, gorgeous scenery and it's all very beautiful! EXCEPT those strelitzias (bottom pic) as they have gone feral at the bottom of my garden :)

J said...

Julia you made me feel quite homesick for our sunny garden in Spain.
Granada is an amazing place, it's lovely to see the gardens in bloom, we usually go earlier in the year when they are quite bare.
Jan S

Robyn Oliver said...

Fabulous photos Julia, can see you're having a wonderful holiday - looks so interesting and pretty. Enjoy, cheers Robyn

Monica said...

Sunshine makes everywhere so beautiful.

Nannie4 said...

It's wonderful to have people who allow us to armchair travel. My son and daughter-in-law and my BFF share their travelling with me always and I love it. It's never boring to see and hear about other places, customs, people, climates --- how could it be? Thank you. Love that bird of paradise.
Nann

Ohhh Snap said...

Looks like a splendid time was had : D.

Maria said...

Wow what a lovely place to vacation, those photos look beautiful I want to go now lol...
Do you have a holiday home here?
How long are you here on Vacation?
Have a wonderful time relaxin

Kate said...

Not misplaced at all, enough to leave anyone smiling or is that a grimace of jealousy I see?

Kate

mamapez5 said...

I love your post and I love Granada. I shall be up there again for my sewing group Christmas outing in December. It is much greener up there than here and yes, they do have cold winters. In December we will be able to see the snow on the Sierra between the rows of shops and apartments. It´s beautiful.(Did you know that la granada is Spanish for pomegranet?). I recognise the little stream. We always walk down to it from the viewing plaza of the Alhambra. Beautiful bird of paradise flower too. Kate x

Robyn said...

Lovely just lovely!

Neet said...

Not braggy or in my face at all - just full of smiling writing and beautiful pictures which remind me of those lovely warm balmy evenings that I have missed this year.
Thanks for sharing - love your photos.
Hugs, Neet xx

Monica said...

That pant is a Bird of paradise. Used to have them in Houston.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing those wonderful pictures. They made me smile - and then almost cry at the thought of the weather in Wales at the moment (grey and damp all day today). Have not got to Granada yet. Every trip to Spain has included a wish to go there, and I will get there soon! The beach photo is exactly why I would love to spend more time in Spain. Ali x #40