Jannah (“Paradise” in Arabic), the equivalent of Heaven in the Christian tradition, is beautifully captured in Surah (“Chapter”) 55 of the holy book of Islam, the Quran. The recurring themes are clearly water, nature, and repose. Continue reading

I am hard pressed to describe the magnificence of The Alhambra. It is my romantic dream of Arabia come to life. The right words still allude me even after having read “Tales of the Alhambra” by American writer Washington Irving (author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle) before our trip in Continue reading

It may be best to start at the end. 1492. The year Columbus sailed the ocean blue. The year the last Muslim ruler surrendered Al-Andalus (Romanized to Andalusia) to the Spanish monarchs; the very same rulers who had sponsored the expedition to the New World. The year the last Arab stronghold of Granada fell. While Continue reading