Cruising to Almeria 🚙 🇪🇸
In December 2018 we agreed to house sit two beautiful terriers in a lovely fishing village called Agua Amarga.
Where is Agua Amarga? It’s in the province of Andalucia on the Almeria coast, in the Cabo de Gata-Nijar natural park, with a population of just 400. This place is amazingly quiet. Has some nice coffee shops and local restaurants. Not a lot of those sometimes loud tourists, no we don’t belong in that category LOL.
While its name translates as Bitter Water, this laid-back beach town has excellent Mediterranean cuisine, good independent boutiques and trendy bars. But most of them were closed while we were there haha.
Best time to visit is May-October, but we were there over the Christmas period and we loved it. Quiet Peaceful and Tranquil. [The capitals are on purpose]
So many great walking trails. The feature picture above shows Fabian walking through the peach orchards at sunset.
And for us happy little campers, there is a small Motorhome campsite, just on the left as you drive into town.
Ok that’s enough about Agua Amarga, this blog is about the Moorish Fort in Almeria.
https://www.andalucia.org/en/provincia-almeria
Walkabout in Almeria
Yes you’re getting a history lesson and if you think it will bore you boo hoo… you can bypass my commentary and just look at the pictures!
Almería, thanks to its strategic location on the Mediterranean, has been home to different civilizations throughout its history.
There is evidence of a very special prehistoric culture in Almeria Provence. Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Greeks exploited the province and traded up and down its coast. The Romans, who settled here in the 3rd century BC, transformed it into a Port City on the Mediterranean and dominated the area until the later arrival of the Visigoths (early Germans) in the 7th century. The Arabs created the current capital in the 10th century, and from here they ruled over one of the most important taifas (kingdoms) in Muslim Spain. Arab influence was the most significant, as they remained in Spain for almost eight centuries. Amazing yes?
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And a Walkabout in the Alcazaba 🏰
This fortress-palace, whose name in Arabic means citadel (prisoners in their own fortress, stronghold) is one of the city’s most popular places to visit considering its history and beauty.
With the Roman Theatre and the Aduana Customs Building, this special corner offers the chance to observe Roman, Arab and Renaissance culture, all within a few yards of each other.
This was taken right at the top of the fort 
Fabian on Alcazaba Fort walls 
Fort guard towers 
The great Walls Surrounding the Fort
Trusted House Sitters 🐶 🐱 🏠 – Supports our Travels
Fabian and I have been members of Trusted House Sitters since 2015 and have travelled to such places as Spain, Portugal, France, Thailand, Australia, Ireland and England. Why did we join? Well, that’s easy, we love to travel, we love our furry friends and we get to stay in some beautiful homes and villages absolutely free. We live like a local and all we have to do is love our house owners’ animals while they travel worry-free. So would you say that we are happy? Yes, we love it and we just love the people that we have met so far.
Lets Continue our Walkabout in the Alcazaba 🏰
Defensive window 
Looking over the reconstruction areas 
The stone arches are still looking good 
One of the many courtyards
According to Arab historians, the fort/palace was built between 1057 and 1063 by a Muslim King.
They transported material for its construction from the nearby Roman Theatre.
The Almoravids (North African Muslim tribes) in 1092 and the Almohads (Ditto) in 1146 reached Málaga. In 1279 the city was conquered by Muhammed II Ben al-Ahmar The second ruler of Granada) and became part of the Nasrid kingdom.
The renovation of the building on its rocky base gave it a markedly Nasrid (the last Muslum Dynasty in Spain) appearance. It combines its defensive purpose with the beauty characteristic of an Arab palace and is organised around rectangular patios and spaces around gardens and pools.
According to the traditional architectural tenets of Granada, the rooms attempt to combine the play of light and shade that the Arab master builders achieved so well.
The entrance to the fort 
Just one of the many cannons 
Fabian in front of one of the old fort doors 
View over Almeria Town and Harbour from Alcazaba Fort
Motorhome Holidays Yippee 🚐
Hiring a motorhome just like the one in this video is a great idea for travelling around England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland or even Europe, just like us eh!. We are very aware of the social distancing issues and follow all the rules and advise given.
Almost at the end of the Moorish Alcazaba Tour
The building’s military components make it one of the most important Muslim works in Spain today. Despite its machicolations (floor opening for dropping stones and tar etc on the attackers), turrets, arrow slits and battlements, perhaps its most effective defence was its location, overlooking the city and bay.
In its day it was surrounded by a neighbourhood that no longer exists with latrines in every house and its own sewerage system, proof of the high level of civilisation achieved at the time.
Fabian at the entrance 
The entrance walkways are quite long 
After the walkabout in the fort, it was time for tapas and wine.
It was restored several times and most recently in the 20th century but there is still ongoing work which archaeologists carry out alongside the viewing tourists.
Remains of the Roman walls lined with red stucco appeared and small cisterns carved into the slate and used for making garum (the fish paste made by the Romans) were found during the first archaeological dig. There is also a dungeon where Christian slave girls were locked after working during the day.
We ended our visit to the Alcazaba with a late lunch at a restaurant just outside the Fort. Our lunch consisted of local tapas washed down with vino of course. In this part of Spain the tapas come free with the wine. Happy days.
Now lets wind this up this blog with a little Goodness 😇
When I feel a little low I ask myself what are my thoughts at this moment? They are usually anchored in some sort of memory, and often tied to some core belief. Something someone said or did to us and we believed them.
So anxiety steps in. At a fundamental level there are only two feelings, Fear and Love. Every other feeling you have is linked to one or the other. GOD gives us a free will, [yes I say GOD but you can call him/her whatever you want] and with this will, you can choose which way to think… from fear based or love based.
“We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.” John Lennon
