Granada & La Alhambra!

10/15 We made it to Andalucia! We found ourselves at the train station early in the morning in Granada, and

Liz & I on the narrow hilly rocky streets

so the first thing we did was hail a cab to our hostel. It was a long drive up very steep, narrow, cobbled roads. The driver dropped us and our luggage off, and then we had a long walk ahead of us. The car couldn’t make it down the stone steps and up the 2 narrow alley ways where our hostel, Casa Bombo, was located. If it wasn’t for being tired and having luggage, the walk would have been scenic and we probably would have liked it. Almost all of the buildings have whitewashed walls, and the cobblestone is just an extra charm. Once we arrived and checked into our 6-bed dorm room, we were really happy that they had free breakfast. The hostel itself was amazing though! It is on top of the hill and from the kitchen window you can see the main attraction of Granada, the Alhambra, looming across the mountain tops. It was a fabulous view and a really great location up in an ancient part of the city. Considering it was a hostel and not some expensive hotel, I feel like we got a really good deal! The first thing we did was get directions from the workers, and we began the trek down the mountain/hill to head towards the city center. It was a bit of struggle getting there as the streets aren’t necessarily labeled, and are so narrow that you have to backtrack and squeeze against a wall any time a car comes by.

View from our hostel kitchen- Casa Bombo!

We may or may not have gotten lost and spent a lot of time roaming the city… but regardless, we finally found the signs pointing to the entrance of the legendary Alhambra! We had to climb back up another mountain/hill to get to it though. In the cold morning air and the slightly higher altitude, we were all getting out of breath. Along the walk up we were hassled by some elderly ladies begging. They held some sort of weed-like flower and basically would try to shove it into your hand. If you took it, then they would aggressively harass you for money. They are tricky manipulative people! Liz got slightly assaulted, but after the ordeal we learned to cross our arms and walk the other way whenever we saw their kind again!

We were told by the people at our hostel that since we didn’t buy our entry tickets to La Alhambra in advance, it might be sold out. Luckily, since we got there right when it was opening, we were fine. We waited in the normal line (not for tour groups thank God) and were able to buy our tickets to see the entire complex. Unfortunately the earliest admittance time was full, so we had to wait until our 2pm entrance time. Since we only had one day in the city, we were grateful to get in at all! We then walked back down the large hill (ugh!), and had an early lunch (for Spaniards that is) at the base of the mountain. We had a fabulous view of the Alhambra up above us, and enjoyed some tapas and sangria, naturally.  We started walking around exploring the city on foot, with no set itinerary. We ended up finding some historical signs, and did an impromptu walking tour in which we got to see several centuries-old buildings and learn more about the history of this exotic and Moroccan influenced Spanish city.

Lunch with a view!

Granada's City Center

Finally, the time to enter the Alhambra was drawing near. We then made the arduous trek back up the steep hill/mountain towards the entrance. We turned in our tickets and the sightseeing began! To fill you in, the Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex originally built  in  889 AD, and then was later converted into a royal palace in 1333. Here is a brief history from my tour book:

“The Alhambra's Islamic palaces were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain and its court of the 

Nasrid dynasty. After the takeover from the Catholic monarchs in 1492, some portions were used by Christian rulers. Another palace was built in 1527, and was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was rediscovered in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Arab-Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century Christian building and gardens. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the inspiration for many folk songs and stories.”

The complex itself is huge, so with maps in hand we set out to see as much as we possibly could. The first thing we toured was the extensive gardens and mazes. The view from this area was incredible, and we took a crazy amount of photos. We then headed towards an area with fountains, and toured the more Christian-architecture area. Eventually, we ended up in the palaces that have the Muslim architecture. The wall carvings are engraved into the stone, and are so detailed and intricate. It is truly amazing to see. I had been here before in 2007, and I am so happy I had the chance to come back. This place is truly a feast for the eyes. After having been to Morocco, I then realized that the buildings there look exactly like this place! It is definitely an icon of southern Spain and Andalucia. We got to see the Courtyard of the Lions, and all of the other key points of the structure. By early evening, we had done tons of walking and were pretty tired. We said goodbye to the beautiful Alhambra, did some souvenir shopping, and since our feet hurt we hailed a cab from the entry and headed back to our hostel.

Intricate Carvings

Palace in the Alhambra

Julia in front of the gorgeous walls

View from Mirador San Nicolas

After freshening up, we tried to do a walking tour with our hostel. Since we were the only ones who signed up though, it was canceled. Despite this, we did it on our own! We saw the historic sights of the old gypsy caves and hideaways, and learned a lot about this extremely old part of the city. Around sunset, we made our way up to a spot with an insanely breathtaking viewpoint. Called Mirador San Nicolas, it is the best spot to watch the sun set in the whole city. A couple was having their wedding photos done there, and we took a lot of fantastic photos. Once the sun was almost totally gone, we decided to do even more climbing for the day, and climbed the bell tower of a little church that was behind us. Once again, an amazing view! Once we had our fill of one of the best views I’ve ever had in my life, we decided to walk back down the narrow roads in search of a dinner restaurant. After much debate, we ended up choosing a Moroccan restaurant. It was very authentic with neat decorations and a hookah lounge. Liz and Julia had never had Moroccan food before, and they loved it! Overall it was a very busy day, and when we laid down in our bunk beds, we fell asleep instantly. 

Typical Moroccan food in Granada!

Market, Beach, and a Long Train Ride

10/15 Early in the morning, Bárbara returned to the apartment from her weekend trip to Santander. I introduced her to Liz and Julia, and we went and had breakfast at our usual little cafe below our piso. I was happy that my friends could finally meet my roomie- she is pretty awesome after all! After that, she was off to work at the ISA office. The three of us American ladies then headed into the city center to finish our final day of touring Valencia. We took the 10 minute bus ride to the Plaza de la Reina, and then I led the way down the scenic side streets. Soon, we were at the Mercado Central. This big market is inside a beautiful historic building, and you can buy all the fresh produce, fruit, or even alcohol you could ever want. It is frequented by locals who buy their food fresh every few days, so it is a fun authentic-feeling experience for a tourist. We spent about an hour looking at all the different stalls, gaping at the chopped off pig heads, debating what certain fruits were, and then Julia purchased a small souvenir bottles of sangria. After that, we walked across the street to check out the medieval silk market building, or Lonja de la Seda. Since I have already been inside multiple times, the girls felt bad making me pay admission, and so we just admired it from afar. From outside you can still see the gargoyles and architecture, so the only thing you really miss is the inner courtyard.

Ham, ham everywhere!                                  

 After the girls took their photos of the famous main room of the Lonja, we decided it was time for a break. This was clearly a moment for some cocktails. We sat down at an outdoor stall selling the local signature drink- Agua de Valencia, and the girls have their first taste. Contrary to its name, this drink is not water at all. It is usually made with champagne, orange juice, vodka, and gin. Drinking this before lunch was definitely a good decision

Agua de Valencia!

After taking the bus back to the piso, changing into our swimsuits, and packing snacks we bought at Mercadona, it was finally time to head to the beach! When I initially planned this day for us, it was late September, and the weather was much hotter. I didn’t realize the drastic temperature drop would happen early October, and so it was a bit cold for us to be going. Naturally, none of the locals would be at the beach, and upon seeing us in swimsuits would think we were crazy. Despite this, it was around 70 degrees farenheit, so to us, it was perfect! We waited for the yellow bus that runs in front of my apartment once every hour, and then finally we were on the way to Port Saplaya! Once we arrived, we walked around the adorable and colorful port town. I was excited for them to see all the shops, but to my surprise the place was a ghost town. I guess it was “too cold” for all the beach shops to be open anymore. Cutting out losses, we still admired the buildings, and then headed onto the sand. We laid out our towels and had about 30 minutes of good sun, then the wind hit. The wind made it feel like it was 60 degrees, and so of course we were cold. That did not stop us from taking photos in the ocean, and from climbing the giant rope jungle gym in the sand. Yes, we were the only crazy people on the whole beach, and yes some local guys were pointing and laughing at us, but who cares! We still had a great time, and the girls had their first “swim” in the Mediterranean.

Climbing the rope on the "cold" beach

Julia at Estacion del Nord- Train Station of Valencia

Once we started shivering, we decided it was time to head back into town. We had some dinner and then started packing up our belongings for the 9 day journey ahead of us. With 4 people and several large suitcases in the little piso, things were a bit cramped there for a bit. Once we were all packed, we hung out and watched trash tv- Gandia Shore (MTV Spain’s version of Jersey Shore). Around 10:30pm, we hailed a cab and lugged our suitcases to Estacio Nord. Our overnight Renfe train to Granada (southern Spain) left at midnight. It was the first European train experience for Liz and Julia, so they were pretty pumped about this. They also got to sit together, whereas I somehow ended up alone in a different car and sitting next to a woman who reeked of cigarettes. I did not suffer alone though! We all had our crosses to bare on this train, haha. We all took some Tylenol PM, but thanks to a suspicious looking lady that Julia thought was trying to rob them, and my seat-mate smelling and then being replaced by a large man around 3am, none of us got much rest at all. It was a long, uncomfortable ride and the time did not pass quickly. When we arrived in Granada around 8am, we were cranky, but relieved.