Granada, Spain 8-23-09

On Monday we took a 5 hour bus back to Seville, rested for a night, then took a 2.5 hour train to Granada in the morning. On Tuesday we pretty much just rested and didn't walk around the city too much. Wednesday we managed to make it to a restaurant to grab lunch, then exhausted ourselves and had to come back to take naps... which last the whole night. Finally on Wednesday we started to get our energy back and made it out to a market called the Alcaiceria, had some lunch, took a nap, then went on a tapas tour of 4 different tapas restaurants and then called it a night. Productive day, right? I really don't know what disease we caught, but it really is draining all of my energy away.

Granada is a very cool city to walk around. Cute and small, restaurants and little shops everywhere. But, the best part is that pretty much any restaurant you go to, you can order a 1 Euro cerveza (beer), sangria, or tinto de verano (similar to a sangria but with lemon soda in it, it's delicious!), and when you order the drink they bring you a tapas for free. With each round of drinks you get a different snack ranging from tortellini, to bbq chicken, to potato salad, gazpacho, sausage on a stick, chips and dip, bread with different spreads.. really the tapas are endless. And it's funny because as a customer you aren't allowed to ask for a specific tapas, they always say it's a surprise. So, it's been a lot of fun to check out different restaurants, order drinks, and see what food surprise we get.

On Thursday Chuck and I were starting to get our energy back and we went for a little walk... which turned into a 2 hour hike to the top of the city. Earlier Chuck saw a palm tree at the top of the city and said, "I want to get to that tree", my mistake was thinking he was joking. But, yup, we made it to that palm tree. And then had nowhere to really go. Usually the only reason to hike to the top of the city is to visit the Alhambra, which is a huge palace and fortress built in the mid 14th century for the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain. But, in order to visit the Alhambra you have to walk up this massive hill, wait in line, and hope that they don't run out of tickets before it's your turn in line (they only give out 500 tickets each morning). By the time Chuck and I made it to the top of the city it was around 3pm and there was no chance tickets would be left. Instead, we walked into a garden and enjoyed the shade and breeze the garden had to offer. Once inside the garden, Chuck spotted the city wall up another hill. This wall was built to protect the city. Well, I'm sure you can guess where Chuck was hiking next. Another 30 minute hike and we were at the tippy tippy top of the city. I'm still not positive if I was so exhausted from hiking up the mountain or if I was tired because I was still a bit sick, but I was so happy to see a marble slap in the shade because I had the nicest 20 minute nap.

On the walk back we were pretty much pushed down the hill by gravity and I was so happy to see my hostel bed in an AC room after hiking in the sun for so long.

The hostel we're staying in is called Funky. It's a pretty nice place, has AC, wireless internet, breakfast in the morning (pretty much means first class in the hostel world). Every night the owner of the hostel cooks a huge meal or paella with a ton of seafood, or a dish with rice, meat, and tomato sauce. And for 1 Euro, you can have the best sangria in the world. The owner has definitely mastered how to make sangria. I have no idea what he puts in there.. but I heard there are a lot of things... red wine, whiskey, rum, vodka, soda, sugar, lots of fruit.. sounds pretty gross, but tastes Amazing!!

On Friday we toured around the city a bit more, stopped at a couple markets to get some fresh fruit and then came back to the hostel and corralled together a group of 10 to get some gilato. This gilato shop right around the corner has the most scrumptious looking ice cream flavors, each with decorations in them depending on their flavor. I got a raspberry, strawberry, blackberry berry mix and also stratchella, which is like vanilla with chocolate chips, but much better!

Saturday morning we woke up at 6am and walked up the mountain to get the the Alhambra. Our group of 4 was determined to get there early and purchase tickets, so we hiked up pretty quickly with a mission. We arrived to find a long line for the cash line, but had heard insider information earlier that there was a credit card line with less people. We found it and were the first in line. An hour wait and the door were open for business. Once inside, the early wake up call and hike were completely worth it. The Alhambra is located at the top of the city and has some incredible views of everything, the houses, roads, landscape. It was gorgeous up there. Not to mention the elaborate and decorative designs of the walls inside the structure of the Alhambra. Every wall, ceiling, and doorway was made with love and care and I'm sure countless hours of labor. I couldn't stop taking pictures. Before leaving we picked up tickets to a flamenco show that would be performed later that night.

After a long nap and shower at the hostel we got ready for the flamenco show. Apparently we were in Granada at the right time, because this Flamenco show only performs in Granada one month out of the year and is world renowned. Our group took a taxi up the mountain this time and found our seats in the outside auditorium. Mine and my friend Georgia's tickets were in the very back of the theatre, so we walked to the front row of seats and waited by the wall until we heard the announcement that the show was about to begin (in Spanish). We had second row seats and were pretty excited about it. Pictures and video weren't allowed during the show and Georgia actually got scolded by an usher because she tried to take pictures. But, it was hard not to because of how gorgeous the costumes in the show were. Long colorful dresses and the best flamenco dancing I've ever seen!/heard! Two hours of professional singing and dancing and the audience rose to their feet in applause. Fantastic show, I'm so glad we went. The entire walk back we kept talking about the costumes and what we thought the storyline was about (since it was all in Spanish). The guys thought the girls in the show were hot and the girls kept talking about how good looking the guys were.

On Sunday we had a lazy day and walked to a local pool. On the way back we stopped by a tapas restaurant and enjoyed the treats. For the rest of the day I worked out my arrangements for Valencia. The tomato festival is on the 26th of August, but the two days before are constant celebrations. I found out in order to get to Valencia from Granada I would have to take a 6 hour train to Madrid and then a 3.5 hour train to Valencia. Trains are a better option for me since I bought a train pass for the month so the trains are practically free, but Chuck is taking a 7 hour bus that leaves tonight. I haven't really figured out exactly where I'll be staying tonight, but I have a few possibilities up in the air. Unfortunately, everything is so expensive in Valencia now because of the festival, but I'm crossing my fingers I find something for less than 30 euros a night.

I'll let you know what happens!!

pictures from Granada:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2869259&id=2006596&l=7c5c786adb