Granada

Granada is one of those towns you could easily miss on your Spanish tour......I am just thankful I did not. Granada is not a large town but filled like a "cup running over" with incredible history and to use that old cliche again - jaw dropping sights! Please include it on your bucket list of Andalusia, Spain with Seville! (which is my next post...) I stayed at a small clean Pension (with bathroom) at 25Euros a night, completely central in town and no more than a 5 minute stroll to cafes and the very famous cathedral. You CAN travel European cities on a budget without being a backpacker!
The cathedral is mega huge and in a circular shape; the white interior makes it more impressive as do the TWIN organs in the center of the building! Alcoves surround the central area and the jeweled artifacts just leave you speechless whilst your neck aches looking up at the incredible dome. It is SO large my photos do not do it justice! I was at the top of Alhambra looking down onto the city during sunset when I caught this amazing cathedral building in its golden glory.

But it is Alhambra that is the crowd drawer to Granada, the famous Moorish "red palace/castle" - I say famous but don't worry, I had not heard of it either. Now I can't believe I may have missed this wonder! I am told it almost made the list of the Seven Wonders of the World - It was number eight!! Over a thousand years old the Moors built it, the Arabs and the Spanish added to it and it is now one of the most visited places in Spain or perhaps the world.......locals love to climb up to Mirador de San Nicolås, totally opposite the castle at sunset to watch the pink glow embrace this wonder, the scene is enhanced by the snow capped Sierra Nevadas in the distance. So I just HAD to do the same and joined them for such a sight!


Musicians play and sing in the square and the old "hippie" days are still prevalent up there. The air was so thick with the smell of "grass" to the extent I thought I would just float back home!! But I managed to wander back down through the narrow, quaint ancient buildings and cobblestoned lane-ways, only to stop at a wonderful restaurant that offered a passionate, fiery Flamenco Dance group later that evening. It WAS all that and more! Red shoes banged into the floor, faces were sweating with the talent and passion these people exuded for their dance. My table was right there up front next to the guitar player whose talent was amazing!

On the way home into central Granada the lane-ways led me through the old Arab souks within the city. It reminded me of the Moroccan souks, endless wares being offered by pushy but friendly sellers seemingly desperate to move their stock! You just have to smile and say "No gracias!" But its all fun!
On the third of my four glorious days in Granada I visited Alhambra. It is advised to prebook a ticket online to save standing in the long queues or go very early. There are four palaces within the complex, which makes it all the more difficult to explain. But the very VERY old Arabian part is a mix of utter opulence - ancient steam baths, they call hammams (I had a couple of hammams in Marrakech - imagine getting scrubbed down by hand in a steam room, then loofered and then body mud packed, followed by an hour long massage like you have never had before....get ready........all for about $25) Someone tell me again why I am coming home!!! LOL......XX.....back to Alhambra........a mix of that, private courtyards, pools, arched ornate carved and tiled rooms that leave you gasping........all looking over Granada. I will not try to describe anymore but add a few pictures that hopefully give you a sense of this history........






After this complete day of historical, visual and breathtaking overload I finally left the building starving hungry and found the most delightful restaurant outside the grounds. The sun was shining through the vine covered pergolas. I ordered an incredible seafood, avocado and fruit salad (12 euros) accompanied by a local glass of vino tinto... .. what a day!! Time was slowly running out for my visit. The last day was spent visiting the Granada bullring, it was hot, and on exiting the bullring I discovered some horsemen outside with the most fabulous horses with braided & beaded manes. A few were albino horses.......just magic..........I ended by last evening with a Moroccan meal in one of the restaurants within the souks and then wandered down the Plaza Neuvo to have a paella and sangria for lunch and gaze up at unforgettable Alhambra......such a small town with so much "wow" factor!






Finally after a mind boggling four days in this magic corner of paradise I wandered down to the railway station to catch the train back to Olvera......I sat back and gazed out of the train window at the beautiful and endless Spanish olive groves........

Ain't it great to be alive and free!!