Granada

by annie

After two short days in Madrid, we hoped on a bus for a 5 hour journey to Granada, where we would stay with Brian's friend Juan. Juan greeted us at the city bus stop and walked us to his flat- a three bedroom apartment on the third floor, just near the center of town. Brian and I walked around a steep residential community before making our way to a quaint neighborhood that houses most of the city's 'teterias'- Moroccan influenced tea houses. There we had a late dinner of Moroccan food.

The next day held lots of walking in store. We accidentally took the long, car route to la Alhambra, an ancient fortress first occupied by Moorish rulers before falling into the hands of Spanish rule in 1492. Admission into the palace was steep, so we opted instead for a free walk around the grounds. The architecture is impressive:
Afterward, we walked up to the mirador in the Albaicin, where we could view la Alhambra and much of the city. After more walking, we stumbled upon a cafe with a 5 euro 'menu del dia'- a three course meal consisting of 'salmorejo' -a type of gazpacho, or 'migas'- fried bread crumbs, fish & salad and dessert. Then we relaxed in a teteria, sipping tea and nibbling on free crepes. We walked back to Juan's stopping on the way for groceries and swim trunks for Brian.
The next day, we opted for more walking and tapas. Granada is renowned for free tapas at bars, so we had a beer at a few bars just so we could try the tapas. They varied from cheese sandwiches with chips and olives, pork sandwiches or patatas bravas. We walked back up to la Alhambra to go to a nearby garden. Unfortunately, it was closed for siesta until 6pm, so we passed our time in la Alhambra. The garden was undergoing lots of construction, so when it did open, we didn't end up staying long before heading back down the hill. We then walked to the neighorhood where Brian used to work and saw the outside of the bar! Granada is a beautiful city with a heavy Moroccan influence and hot, hot climate. I was really glad to finally see where Brian used to live after hearing so many stories. It was a short but well spent time in Granada.