Yes, I've been to plenty of touristy places with weird - and inconsistently enforced - rules.
I totally appreciate that in a crowded space, protracted tripod fiddling inconveniences other tourists, and I'd avoid doing that on principle anyway. In this instance, as noted, big empty space, not a thoroughfare, very few people in sight, etc.
I recall at the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba (edit - I had misremembered as the Alhambra) they maintained it very dimly lit, low-key lighting - I sat cross-legged on the floor, way out of anyone's way, and used my gorillapod (about 30cm diameter, 30cm high) to try to get a non-blurry, non-flash shot of the ceiling. I was quickly advised this was not allowed. Meanwhile, world+dog was flashing their phones / cameras, ruining everyone's experience as your eyes had no chance to adjust to the lighting. (And also, I suspect, producing quite awful photos they'd soon delete.)
I totally appreciate that in a crowded space, protracted tripod fiddling inconveniences other tourists, and I'd avoid doing that on principle anyway. In this instance, as noted, big empty space, not a thoroughfare, very few people in sight, etc.
I recall at the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba (edit - I had misremembered as the Alhambra) they maintained it very dimly lit, low-key lighting - I sat cross-legged on the floor, way out of anyone's way, and used my gorillapod (about 30cm diameter, 30cm high) to try to get a non-blurry, non-flash shot of the ceiling. I was quickly advised this was not allowed. Meanwhile, world+dog was flashing their phones / cameras, ruining everyone's experience as your eyes had no chance to adjust to the lighting. (And also, I suspect, producing quite awful photos they'd soon delete.)