Granada

February 2nd
I can’t believe it is already February and tomorrow will mark 3 weeks since we arrived! I also cannot believe the weekend we had. It was absolutely incredible. If you ever have the chance definitely check out Granada. Here is a basic rundown of what we did:

We woke up early on Friday because yes indeed we still needed to pack. We were frantically throwing whatever we thought we might need in our bags while running into each other and holding our heads. We then realized we were packing too much and had to go back through our bags to decided what we really needed which only caused our headaches to increase. We somehow managed to make it out the door but did not leave enough time to walk all the way there so we had to take a taxi. (There was honestly no way we were going to walk with those bags even if we did have time!) Of course finding where the bus was parked was a huge hassle but when we finally sat down in our big blue bus we were all ready for a siesta. However, this was not an easy task and it should have been with the night we had! We went to this really fun little bar for huge mojitos that were delicious and a big group of our friends from school were there. From there we headed to Buddha our favorite disco-techa to dance the night away! Needless to say we were all suffering the next morning, but at least we were suffering together!

Once we arrived in Granada we had a little time to put our bags down, grab a much-needed coffee and then nose around for a few minutes before we were off for a walking tour. Luckily the coffee kicked in a bit because the walk was more of a hike. We climbed this enormous hill to finally reach St. Nicholas Plaza that overlooks the city. It was absolutely unbelievable. We were all huffing and puffing and taking our coats off but the minute I saw that view it literally stopped me in my tracks. The pictures really do not do it justice. It was truly one of those moments where time stops and you are completely aware of the how big the world is and what a little role you play in it. We stayed there for actually quite awhile, although I’m honestly not sure how long we were there, I am completely certain that I could have stayed longer.

Coffee!!

It's the climb (preferably sung by Miley Cyrus)

The Alhambra

Unbelievable

My favorite

A group of my friends

I know, I know. With all the beautiful views why am I taking a picture of the ground? But it was soo cool! :)

Rays of golden light

There were “gypsies” everywhere just milling about, playing with their dogs although you couldn’t tell which dog belonged to which gypsy because they just run around barking before they wander off then wander back. (This description applies to both dogs and gypsies) I could not identify one dog/gypsy pair. If they weren’t playing with their dogs, or their friend’s dogs, they were selling jewelry, drinking, playing with their dreadlocks or mullets, riding bikes dangerously close to you before swerving away or my all-time favorite playing guitar and singing. I watched one dog pee on the guitar case and moments later someone was holding it in their lap. Then again, hygiene isn’t too big for them. However, when they started playing guitar and signing it was actually really cool. One of the guides in our group, Benni, was explaining to me how they improv the lyrics and sing about their life and then another person will just jump in and sing about their life in comparison, contrast or similarity. It’s like a story or conversation and I was really bummed I couldn’t understand it but I suppose it allowed me to be more in awe. After the mini concert we headed back home to get ready for the evening. Walking down the hill was much nicer.

Gypsy (why'a you shrink'a this woman? - Borat, come on people)

Singing under the cross

Walking back down

The whole group that went to Granada

View on the way down

Needing a second jolt mid-day we chose ice cream :)

We got to take nice long hot showers in a full size bath, not our tiny square, and we got to get a fresh towel! It really is the little things in life isn’t it? ☺ Then for dinner we went downstairs for literally a 3 course meal that was delicious and we scarfed it down in pure delight! We then went back up to our room to play some cards and drink a bit before heading out with the group for the night’s festivities. We didn’t really have our “game faces” on because we were soo tired from the night before but we enjoyed the bar we went to. Knowing we had beds with fresh sheets waiting for us we couldn’t resist heading home at a decent hour, especially because we had to be up at 7:45 for breakfast the next morning and we were NOT missing a free breakfast…

Playing cards and having a drink in our room

My only picture from the first night out

Our HUGE room!!! My bed is the single one on the right :) With the bag and clothes on it of course..

Our balcony and yes I pulled that chair over to the windows to people watch. People watching is my best sport. I'm so athletic

View from our balcony

Good morning Granada!

Saturday proved to be another amazing day starting off with a great breakfast that included coffee and juice! (we realized the other day all we basically drink is water or alcohol..) We boarded our blue bus and headed for the Alhambra! I wish I had more knowledge on the history of the palace, gardens, cathedral and fortress that make up the Alhambra before hand because the weight of all that history probably would have sunk in a bit more but it was still quite the experience. Alhambra literally means “red fortress” and it is undecided as to why it is called that. Some say it is because the building really is a reddish-clay (the most popular theory) while others say a ruler at one time had a name meaning red or translated into red. I’m not quite sure, all I know is that it was one of the last creations during the Islamic rule in Spain before the Christians took over. It was “lost” for a period of time and was only discovered as a place of pride and importance in the 19th century, 5 centuries after its creation. It was literally inhabited by gypsies before the pride in the Islamic culture was acknowledged and reinstated as a rightful place of historic honor. There were 4 checkpoints through out the day where you HAD to have your ticket or you could not continue on the walking tour. (So of course we tried to sneak steal each others for fun) We definitely could not have organized all of this without the school/travel agency’s help and I’m so glad we didn’t try to do this one alone because we would have missed so much! The artwork, architecture and decorations were unbelievable and the ornate details compared to none that I have ever seen. I mentioned that I wish we could see it in all of its lush glory of the warm weather but Benni quickly denounced that by saying we would literally melt if we came when it was warmer. So I sucked it up and enjoyed the sights for what they were. The best part was when we got to look out at the city and we could see the plaza that we had stood not even 24 hours earlier looking at the very place we were now standing. The valley in between the two locations is filled with white-washed homes and buildings and the feeling that you were in a place of importance was not lost on me. I could go on forever but the pictures will have to speak for themselves ☺











Any few minutes we could find in the warm sunshine we took! It was collddd!

After our 3 hour tour..(a 3 hour tour. Please tell me you get the Gilligan reference) we went in search for some lunch. A place was suggested by our guides but it was basically a seafood buffet and we decided to pass and boy am I glad we did. We got bocadillos (sandwiches) for 2.50 and because I had my water bottle I didn’t even have to pay for a drink! So savvy ☺ Then we went back for a little siesta and hung out a bit with the boys who had the room right next to us. We could go out on our balconies and wave at one another but that would have been a huge waste of time (although we definitely did this) because the view from our balcony was incredible. We looked out to a busy street right on a fountain and when you swiped your eyes towards the distance you could see the mountains covered in snow. Some people were comparing it to Colorado and I could definitely see that.

The fountain at night. Soo pretty

For dinner that night we headed out for tapas with the group but had to split up into groups of ten with each guide. We were lucky enough to split into the perfect group consisting of all of our friends and we had a great time. The special at the bar we went to was “buy a beer get a tapa for free.” Shouldn’t it have been the other way around? We were happy though and Benni, our guide, had to buy us all shots after losing a game of “get the paper ball into the cup.” We got honey rum shots and they were really good! I couldn’t help but think of Harry Potter and “butterbeer.” (Paige we totally would have ordered a huge class of the honey rum and cheers’d to a Gryffindor win) Yes, I’m aware that I am a huge nerd. More embarrassingly so, it was not the first Harry reference for me of the day because while wandering through the gardens at the Alhambra I was certain I was lost in the maze during the tri-wizard tournament… Ok, enough basically what I’m trying to say was that the night was off to a good start!



After tapas we went to “Granada 10” and proceeded to get in for free AND get a free drink! What a deal this agency had for us!? The place was ridiculous, it was like an old theater decked out with flashing light (lights, lights, lights) and gold metallic couches and little stages sporadically placed for some chicas to get up and show everyone what they’re made of (or lack of clothing they’re wearing.) One thing we discovered is that Spanish girls wear nude tights out with shorts or short skirts and man does it NOT work. We had sooo much fun dancing and acting like idiots. When we walked home later on we were severely disappointed to find that Burger King was closed… Our other guide Manuel (Manoo) who walked us hope said “Guys, you don’t need food just go upstairs and drink some water.” We all thought he was crazy but now that we have discussed it multiple times he is definitely right. We need to bring this strategy back to the states with us..(yeah, right)

The place was just ridiculous

Prosthetic legs or just shiny tights? Your call

Waking up at 7:45 the next morning was brutal but nothing was going to stop us from some strong coffee and toast! The number of people who joined us for breakfast had greatly diminished from the morning before and we were glad because we looked quite rough. (Katrina wore her black tights from the night before, blue shorts over them and a huge hoodie) We pulled ourselves together to the best we could and packed our bags because we had to check out of the hotel by 10. You cannot imagine how sad we were to leave our spacious room with the beautiful view, fresh towels, warm water and endless supply of toilet paper.

We all had to put our bags in one room and then we boarded the bus for another drive up the mountain and we were surprised to be let out at the very same plaza looking out at the Alhambra. It was oddly ironic and completely perfect that we did not trek up some hill but arrived at the top with not only full appreciation for how long of hike it would have been to be there, but in even more awe of the amazing fortress majestically poised across the valley and for the city we were looking down on. It was a great end to an amazing trip and I could not have planned it better myself. We then walked back down the mountainside full of homes and alleyways to arrive at the “Royal Chapel” of Capilla Real. This was built as the intended resting place for Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand and all future monarchs of Spain. However, the only royals who rest in the chapel are Isabel, Ferdinand and their daughter Juana and her Flemish husband and their son Miguel who, had he lived longer than the 2 years he did, would have worn the crown and kept if from falling into the hands of Carlos Quinto who refused to be buried in the chapel. Queen Isabel wanted the chapel to be modest and pristine but while Carlos Quinto tried to embellish much of the building he still dubbed it not good enough. From what I understand he then went on to build the cathedral in the Alhambra but died before completion. It dawned on me while listening to our tour guide that Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand had a daughter Catherine of Aragon who married King Henry VIII. If I recall correctly Henry wanted to divorce Catherine but because the church would not allow it, he started the Church of England and married Anne Boleyn. I honestly became really overwhelmed by the deep rooted history and it hit my like a brick wall that I was walking in places of high importance. (Sorry for the history lesson)

Capilla Real

For the rest of the afternoon we were free to do what our hearts desired so we of course… shopped! We went in every single little gypsy store we could find and there was a labrinth of them covering about 3 streets with no real doors just openings on each side of the store so you could walk right through to the next little alley. We had so much fun wandering around and looking at everything. I decided to buy a really cute wallet for the rest of my Spanish adventure because the wallet I’m carrying now is full of target gift cards and change and things that are weighing down my purse for no reason. I think it was a very smart purchase and I love how cute it is! After successful shopping we went back to the hotel for the “last supper” of an excellent lunch and then, fat and happy, we boarded the bus home. It was weird how much I enjoyed the bus ride but I really did. Just watching the Spanish landscape fly by was calming and humbling. It was an amazing trip and as always, I feel incredibly blessed. I am just constantly in a state of disbelief and appreciation and cannot thank my parents enough for their hard work, sacrifices and complete devotion to their kids because I would not be having these astonishing experiences if it weren’t for you. Thank you is not enough.