Windmills on a Ridgeline
On the highway between Granada and la Alpujara, near Lecrín, I think.
Windmill
A close-up of some of the windmills. And the incredibly blue sky. We had very nice weather the whole time we were in Spain.
Oil Mill
A co-operative oil press on the side of the mountain, near Lecrín, again.
Olive Groves
Looking Southwest, down the valley from the olive press. Olive groves across the valley, windmills faintly visible on the second ridge (in the larger version -- click on the photo!).
Mecina
In la Alpujarra. The buildings in front are the begining of Mecinilla, a second village a few dozen yards downhill from Mecina, where we stayed. The rest of Mecinilla is to the right of the photo (and down a bit lower). The village in the background is Ferreirola. The terraces are olive and almond groves. Almonds were in bloom when we were there, olives were ripening.
Mecina
Another view of Mecina from farther away. Above and to the left of Ferreirola is Atalbéitar, and at the far left of the photo is the edge of Pitres.
Río Bermejo
From the road between Mecina and Ferreirola, looking up the valley between the two villages.
Río Bermejo Valley
Looking down the valley below Mecina. In her defense, Brynna is talking to her mother, who walked in a different direction from the village.
Wash-Out!
Heavy snow and then rain created many problems on the roads. Here half the road washed away (on the road between Mecina and Ferreirola). It is hard to tell in the photo but the post in the middle of the photo is actually about 20 feet above what's left of the side of the valley.
Acequia
Irrigation works above Mecina, fed from a cistern in the ground above.
Jean-Claude in His Kitchen
Jean-Claude Juston runs l'Atelier, the bed and breakfast in Mecina that we stayed in. He is an incredible vegan cook and a font of information about the region, cooking, and quite a few other things. He made our stay wonderful.
l'Atelier
The front door. And above that, the snow door. And to the right of that, our bedroom window. The bit of building above the walkway to the right of our window was a walk/crawl-through to the next apartment (now boarded up). The door for that was about 3 feet high. These buildings date from before Ferdinand drove out the Moors in 1492. (Actually, some Moors took refuge in la Alpujarra and were pretty much left alone for 150 years, so the houses in the village may be only 350 years old instead of 500 years old.) The ceiling/roof constuction consists of chestnut beams about 8" in diameter with smaller poles (about 2.5" in diameter) across those, and then big pieces of slate on top of the smaller poles, with smaller slate above that, and then clay packed down above that. In modern times, people put plastic sheets on top of the clay and more clay on top of that, but Jean-Claude says this still leaks somewhat.
Our Bedroom Window
From the inside. You can see one of the 500-year-old (or 350-year-old) chestnut roof beams overhead.
View from the Snow Door
Looking across the neighbor's balcony and across the valley toward Ferreirola.
Alpujarran Villages
Bubión and Capileira with the Sierra Nevada behind.
Capileira
Río Poqueira Valley
Below Pampaneira (and Bubión and Capileira).
Mileposts
On the way back from shopping in Órgiva.
Church in Órgiva
Trevélez
Trevélez is Spain's highest village, and is the third highest in Europe. Famous for artisan hams and for trout fishing in the river that runs through the village. (I think people fish above the village.) And that's the Sierra Nevada above Trevélez
Trevélez
Looking up the road to the part of the village that is the highest in Spain.
Artesania del Jamón
Actually, everywhere in Trevélez is apparently an artisan ham producer. According to the man in a tourist information place, even the post office has hams hinging up drying in the mountain air.
Trout Stream
I don't remember whether this is the Río Trevélez or whether it is a stream that joins with the Río Trevélez just below the village.
Trevélez
We had a picnic lunch (huddled against the wind) at this scenic overlook just beyond (and looking back at) Trevélez.