Granada

Double-post Sunday turned into double-post Monday, which has now turned into triple-post week.  I’ve got lots to share, so here’s hoping I can catch up on three weeks worth of adventures!  

fun fact: granada means pomegranate in Spanish

I’ve been dying to visit Granada since forever. I can’t tell you how many people insisted I visit Granada (including Maddie, who so kindly sent me a “best of” list- perfect!).  So with high expectations, I boarded the CIEE bus Saturday morning (October 1) and headed up to the mountains.  We arrived at the hotel for an early, huge buffet lunch, and then met our guides and walked to the Alhambra.  Ángel was my guide this weekend, and I’d heard he was quite the “silver fox”.  Whether or not this is true (a little short for me, but I get it), he’s an fantastic guide.  He teaches history and film at CIEE, so he’s really cool and knows a ton about, oh you know, everything.  The Alhambra is stunning.  It was built during the 1300s by the Muslims as a palace/fortress/complex.  Granada was the last Muslim hold out during the Christian Reconquest, and the Muslims surrendered peacefully.  The Christians kicked the Muslims out, and moved in.  Physically, the Christians didn’t make many changes, so the majority of the Alhambra as well as Granada has a Moorish feel.  Ángel calls it the swan song of the Muslims in Spain The Alhambra is incredibly well-preserved, and the details are numerous and insanely intricate.  How they built this place so long ago I will never understand.

the money shot

close up of some of the plaster-carving details
and tiles.  This basically covers the whole
place

not great quality pic, but this is a carved wooden ceiling.
these were in most of the rooms

this is a ceiling.  probably the most impressive part,
at least for me. 

the famed fountain

This is the Court of the Lions.  Impressive, right?  Unfortunately, the fountain and patio are being renovated, so we didn’t get to see it.  Normally, there’s a fountain with 12 lions as its base.  We did get to see the lions, however... standing in a circle in some room.  We weren’t allowed to take pictures (I considered “accidentally” leaving my camera on and “accidentally” taking a picture, but security was very intimidating), but now I have a reason to come back.

this is what it normally looks like.  Gracias, Google!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJF90kUJVwIf3vE4KvdfYwzLlYv4h1B1GNWztd38qysUWT9Oxu6oWMIas-PXSKMRxum4Jfdr0Uw1Drzmd21Enext2EO8T8AjCNLROwsUyTJJn2RtTZK4zJpfuor7j3abnEe_51WAmARIlo/s400/palacio+de+los+leones.JPG

After walking through the Alhambra, we walked through the gardens to the Generalife (note: not pronounced “general life”).  It’s a summer palace only a short walk away through the gardens of the Alhambra.  

the Generalife, as seen from Alhambra

a walk through the gardens

From the Generalife there are incredible views of the city and Alhambra. 

there she is!

After the tour, Ángel dropped us off in the middle of town to explore on our own.  I found some friends and we made our way through the city: Calle Elvira, a street lined with Moroccan markets and tea houses, then to the Catedral de Granada

along the river (which was more streamy than I expected)

house hunters international- I've found my
future house.  it's at the foot of Alhambra

We watched a beautiful sunset at the foot of the Alhambra, and then wandered back to the city center.  Granada is one of the few cities where they still serve free tapas with drinks,  so we take a break for tapas- tostada with jamón and tomate, and a lesson in Korean from Kelly (I’m coming back trilingual). When we arrive at the center, it’s kabob time (one of Maddie’s many excellent tips).  I was imagining  grilled meat on a stick, but it was more of a pita/gyro meal.  Quite a tasty way to end the day.

adventuring americanas.  photo borrowed from the Kelly Cho

After breakfast in the hotel the next morning (hallelujah they had cereal!) we head to Albayzín, an old hippie Muslim neighborhood on the hill next to the Alhambra.   Ángel took us through the winding streets lined with white buildings, a few churches and a mosque, ending our tour of the barrio at the Mirador de San Nicolas, where the best view of the city is:  

Albayzin

there she is, again

kelly and libbey and I at the Mirador

Then down to the city to visit the Capilla Real, where los Reyes Católicos (Isabel and Fernando, whose marriage united Spain in 1492), their daughter (Juana la loca) and her husband (Felipe el hermoso) are buried.  It’s very beautiful with lots of ornate details, and we even went into the crypt to see the tombs (but no fotos, por favor).  

but here's the outside of the Capilla Real

After a stop at a Moroccan teteria to try some African tea and a multicultural experience (another tip from Maddie), it was back to the hotel for lunch and the bus to Sevilla. I returned dead tired, which I've learned is a sign of a successful trip.  

Sra. Nurse shared this quote with me (translated into English): Give him alms, woman, because in life there is nothing like the pain of being blind in Granada (Francisco Alarcon de Icaza).  The beauty and history of Granada have been inspiration for writers and poets and travelers, and now I understand what all the fuss is about. 

one more look at the city

Hasta luego, 

Marion