In October our dream finally came true - David and I went to Spain to see two places which we have been mentioning as examples in geometry class how geometry is used in design. (see about math here). Those places are Alhambra and Sagrada Familia (Gaudi), Granada and Barcelona. We actually visited Barcelona first but I want to start with Alhambra because that was a place we always wanted to visit. I just finished to sort through my 1400+ pictures, so here are just a few glimpses.
We arrived in Granada around midnight. Taxi driver took us into Albacin, Granada's Old City, stopped on one-way street, and showed on the left stone paved steps - This is your street, he said. I got out of the car and looked to the right and here it was - Alhambra, lit up at night, and so close.
On our way at night I noticed street lights in interesting geometric shape - cube with cutout pieces. What would be the volume of this solid?
It turned out that we were too optimistic thinking that the end of October will be a low season and there will be no problem of getting into Alhambra. It was still high season and on-line all possible tickets were sold out until November. We walked up to Alhambra in hope that maybe somehow at the end of the day we can get in but at the gate we were stopped by tired and unkind woman who just said - everything is sold out. With millions visiting this World Heritage site every year, no wonder she did not explain us what we can do. I wish she would. But that is an advantage to travel without tight schedule. If anything else would fail, we could stay until the beginning of November when tickets were available on-line. When we told our hosts how our hopes to visit Alhambra failed, they promised to try to help. And they did - it was arranged that we go to one of the hotels and get there tickets for a guided tour. At that point we did not know that you can go to Alhambra early in the morning, wait in line until ticket office opens (there are even two lines - one for cash, one for credit cards). Every day they sell 1000 tickets there. (We used this to visit Alhambra second time.)
And now - here we are - in Generalife. Our guide is talking about two types of fountains we can see - Muslim ones are quiet, Christian created ones can be heard from afar. I am trying to capture this nice double row of parabolas but light is not very good, and we have to move further. Each of us has a headphone set through which we are hearing our guide. At times I am so busy with taking pictures that I cannot see anymore where the group went. It is clear that walking through Alhambra with a group I will never have enough time to see and to take pictures - I am not the first one who wishes to capture everything. There is no time to think what geometric constructions I am seeing - take a picture, at home will be able to study on big screen... By the time we reach Nasrid Palaces, I have a plan - I explain to our guide that we both came here to look at geometry and we need more time and ask can I give the headphones back to him. He understands us and while we are waiting in line to get into Nasrid Palaces, I slip two sets in his bag, and thank him for understanding.
Now we can move slowly, enjoying every step.
It does not matter how many times you have seen Alhambra, particularly this iconic image, entering Alhambra you are becoming breathless by the beauty that surround us - exquisite craftsmanship and imagination.
I am trying to take as many pictures as I can, not forgetting to put camera down and letting the beauty surround me.
When we reach Palace of the Lions, I am overwhelmed - I feel tears streaming over my cheeks - it feels so very personal to be here, in the place I was dreaming about so many years. I turn off my camera and walk around trying to imagine how it was when exquisite ceiling ornaments were still having a color which now has left only traces here and there. Mathematics is no more on my mind.
