Battuta, the Beach with some Immigrants and Gypsys Thrown In
Sometime ago they built a tramline up here, hoping that it would bring tourists up from the beach… it didn’t work. The imposing castle tower, once clustered around for protection, long ago lost its luster to the inviting sea that shines in the distance. Back in 1350, Ibn Battutah spoke of a mighty mosque (whose minaret now forms part of the Santa Maria la Mayor church) and thriving neighborhood, each long since emptied out. But as locals and tourists flock to the shore, the sound of flamenco meshing with riffing ouds echoes off the whitewashed walls of Velez. These ancient Arabic lanes are filling up once again with North African immigrants, who pick the fruit that grows so easily in this valley and also the Roma who sell it. The uneasy-feeling truce makes for interesting strolling and if you’re on your way to Granada, forget the four lane highway and enjoy the song.
#architecture #history #smalltown #coast #castle #getaway #church #medieval #muslim #flamenco #mediterranean #islam #mosque #immigrants #offthebeatenpath #tower #culturalcrossroads #islamicarchitecture #gypsies #gitano #minaret #roma #fortification #arabic #spanishhistory #northafrican #ibnbattutah #atalaya #islamicspain
Originally published on Trazzler
