Granada has a population of 300 000 people, 50 000 of which are students! The result is a hip, funky vibe and fantastic opportunities for people-watching from every corner cafe and bar.
Our hotel is situated down a funny little alley which is covered with graffiti, but once you step behind the heavy wooden door, you enter a beautiful oasis with rooms overlooking a garden courtyard. In many ways the city is the same - sprawling and frenetic, with old moorish-style whitewashed houses clinging to the hillsides, but then you turn a corner and come across an absolute gem of a view. The Sierra Nevada rises up behind the city, and I'm constantly taken aback by the snow-capped peaks that backdrop the green, olive-covered, hills surrounding the city.
On Tuesday we took a bus tour of the city and saw many of the famous sites, including the Plaza Isobel La Catholica with the statue of Christopher Colombus presenting his plan to sail to the New World to Queen Isobel, and Granada's bull ring.
We spent our evening moving from one tapas bar to another. The fun thing about tapas is that you only have to chose what you want to drink - the barman decides what you'll eat. I'm not entirely sure what most of the dishes were, but they were delicious! I've included a picture here of the barman slicing the jamon serrano, or cured ham that is so prevalent here. Also, R. was very happy to stumble across a small bar selling San Miguel beer on tap - and soon made friends with the barman!
On Wednesday, we spent the better part of the day touring the Alhambra complex. From the streets of Granada, the Alhambra, meaning "the red one" in Arabic, appears as a large, sprawling military fortress. And this was its primary purpose for much of its existence. However, the rough exterior conceals the grandeur within. The Alhambra consists of four main parts, the Generalife gardens, the Alcazaba, the palaces of Carlos V, and the Nasrid Palaces. 7000 visitors are allowed through the Nasrid Palaces each day, and on most days the tickets are sold out before the crowds even arrive!
We began our tour of the complex in the gardens of the Generalife, made our way down to the Alcazaba for some of the most beautiful views of Granada, and ended our visit with the Nasrid Palaces, which are truly spectacular with intricate carvings in marble, arches, and courtyards.
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| Where's Wally? |
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| Waiting in line to enter the Nasrid Palaces... |
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| The Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada in the background... |
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