October 24-

In about a week my program is scheduled to have us visit Granada and Cordoba, Spain to see the Islamic influence in the southern part of Spain.  We are scheduled to leave early in the morning on Saturday October 31^st and drive to Tangier.  At Tangier, we will take a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar.  The port that the ferry will dock at in southern Spain is called El Jaziras.  From there we will drive to Granada.  Granada actually used to be part of many Arab kingdoms (along with the rest of the southern part of Spain).  The next day we are having a day trip to Cordoba.  While we are in Cordoba, we will have a tour of Medinat Al-Zahra and take a tour of the Converted Mosque, Mezkita.  After, we will head back to Granada.  The next, and final day, we will be going to Alhambra.  Alhambra is a palace and fortress in Granada.  Alhambra was built for noblemen and high-ranking officials in the Arab dynasties in Spain.  I am looking forward to this because there are great European influences throughout Morocco (French in the central and southern parts and Spanish in the northern parts).  However, I am greatly interested in observing and comparing the Arabic influences in the southern part of Spain since Arabic dynasties have extended all the way to the southern part of Spain.