Sam & Nico Johnson - Photos - Alpujarras, Spain; Oct. '02

The distinctive chimneys of the Alpujarras. They are an import from Moorish North Africa. Because it is so remote, this area was one of the Moors' last hiding places during the 15th century Christian expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain. On the day the pious people of Granada were burning 80,000 Muslim University books in that city's Plaza Nueva, fleeing Moors were planning their last stand from these high valleys. And the Christians had a lot of history to purge; Muhammad left Mecca in 622, took over North Africa in about 80 years, and then moved on to Spain--known as al-Andalus--which his followers ruled for the following eight centuries. It wasn't until 1492 that Ferdinand and Isabella reconquested Granada!