The Spanish say, “Si mueres sin ver la Alhambra, no has vivido.”
Which means, "If you die without seeing the Alhambra, you have not lived.”
After seeing the Alhambra in person, I completely agree.
Thursday, the 17th, I arrived to Granada around 10 in the morning. My flight was a little late because it was a rough ride. The turbulence on the plane was terrible because there was a storm in the area so of course, I was freaking out as usual. Lol We made a safe landing though and I proceeded to the bus that takes you to the center city. It was only 3 Euro, so it was considerably cheaper than most cities. I slept most of the way in and found my hostel fairly easily. Granada is in southern Spain for those of you who might not know, it’s a very multicultural city where the Christians, Moors, and Jews lived in harmony some time ago. Therefore, the city has many different influences and you can find almost anything there to suit your tastes. The Arab culture is still very prevalent and the smells that line the streets from the incense and the food are just delightful. Totally different from the nasty smells of Barcelona! So after I got checked in at my hostel I proceeded to do some site seeing. Now, the main attraction in Granada is of course the Moorish Palace the Alhambra, its required that you buy your tickets in advance for the day you want to visit (because so many tourists visit this site each year, over 2 million) and I decided that I would visit early in the morning on the 18th instead of the day that I arrived so that I would have more time to thoroughly enjoy my visit. So instead I started seeing the other sites, they have a beautiful cathedral there that is completely white, very different from the other churches that I have seen. It was gorgeous and I spent a good hour in there walking around, taking pictures, and just enjoying the peacefulness. The churches in Europe are so unique and I really enjoy seeing them. I don’t feel like I’ve truly seen a city until I’ve see the cathedral. After this I went to see the Royal Chapel where the kings and queens are buried. I saw Ferdinand and Isabella’s tombs’ as well as the tombs of the other kings and queens of Spain. It was a little creepy, I just can’t get past this idea of people being buried in churches everywhere in Europe, I just find it a little odd. But, the chapel they are buried in was of course, lavishly decorated and beautiful. After the Royal Chapel I explored the old Jewish quarter and the main street. I returned to my hostel to get a quick shower and then I proceeded to explore the old Arab quarter. It is full of narrow streets with white houses and dangerous sidewalks. Lol I’ve had many leg threatening experiences here in Europe, I’m surprised I’m still walking straight. Nevertheless, it’s beautiful and the area had great views of the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada in the background. I probably sat there for a good hour or more just reflecting on the past four months and of course after the hike to the top, I needed to rest! Even though it was cold outside, I’m glad that I decided to visit during the winter because the snow covered mountains in the background made for perfect pictures. It was gorgeous and breathtaking. Also, let me just say that Granada is a city that is known for 355 days of sunshine a year. So, if you do the math that would mean that 10 or 11 days out of the year it’s not going to be sunny. (This was seriously written in the main tourist booklet.) Well, just my luck, it rains the two days that I’m there and of course I don’t have an umbrella because mine broke way back in Dublin! Therefore, I walked around in the rain for 2 days, I looked like a wet dog, it was terrible. Lol I didn’t let it ruin my trip though, I just dealt with it like an experienced traveler. After the Arab quarter I walked around the Sacramonte, another area where the gypsies practically live in caves. I know this sounds a little weird because it is but, it was interesting to see. As the sun started to fade over the city I really wanted to see some Flamenco dancing but I was too tired and decieded to return to my hostel for the night so that I could get some rest before the next day’s adventure plus,I was pretty tired because I didn’t get hardly any sleep the night before coming to Granada.
Friday, the 18th, I woke up early to check out of my hostel (the place I stayed was really nice, much better than I expected, the only downside was their wireless), grab some breakfast, and then I headed straight for the Alhambra where I spent a good 6 hours of my life just wondering around in complete awe. It’s truly a palace unlike any other in the world. And, here’s a fun fact for you, did you know that the Alhambra receives more than 2 million visitors a year, making it the top attraction in Spain! It’s that big of a deal and rightfully so. It takes about 4 hours or so to tour the palace because it’s so big. The detail on the walls is just unbelievable. Words can’t even describe this place; you just have to see it for yourself. Please put it on your list of things to do before you die and in the meantime check out my pictures. Lol It’s one of the most beautiful places on this earth and is truly a treasure. I’m going to put the Alhambra on the list as “Favorite place that I visited in Europe” I mean, don’t get my wrong, Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia is amazing and has a special place in my heart after living in Barcelona but the Alhambra can leave anyone breathless, I’m sure of it! (and if anyone knows me, this is not easily achieved!)
After spending more than half of my day at the Alhambra I descended back to the city, I had 2 or 3 hours before I needed to catch the bus to the airport so I did a little souviner shopping and bought some pretty cool stuff. I bought myself this beautiful little box that I’m planning on keeping my jewelry in. It was only 5 Euros but, it’s probably one of my favorites that I brought home with me from Europe. Every time I see it, it brightens my day and I can’t help but think about that day. After shopping I decided that I really wanted to try some gazpacho, it’s a Spanish thing but it originated in Andalusia or southern Spain so I really wanted to try some there. Plus, Granada is famous for their tapas bars so I decided that I would just drop by one! I checked out probably 10 places before I found one that I was please with. I entered, ordered in Spanish and out came my cold soup. It was rainy day outside and warm soup would have been more fitting for the occasion but, I was in Spain and like they say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” No really, in all honesty it was probably one of the best soups I’ve ever had, as you can tell, I’ve been experiencing a lot of “the best soups I’ve ever had” here in Europe. First in Finland, then in Ireland, and now here in my new home, Spain! Lol It was really good though; gazpacho is packed with nutrients and had a tangy/zesty flavor to it. As I drank my soup the waiter gave me a tapa and some water and when my bill came I was still only charged for the soup. I appreciated his kindness and left him a little something extra when I left. After this I just kind of walked around while I waited to catch the bus. I had to ask a couple of people before I could actually find the right bus stop, the bus was a little late and it was a long ride to the airport. I was beat. My flight was fine on the way back, a little bumpy and we landed in Barcelona a little later than scheduled. I made my way to the train and took the metro for what I considered would probably be my last time!! I got home and when I arrived everyone that was still left in Barcelona from Erasmus was at our apartment! It was a nice surprise but I was also tired and still had to do some final packing for Lisbon. I hung out with everyone regardless though and I was happy that they all came over so that I could say goodbye to everyone one last time. I also got to try a really cool Christmas drink from Norway. I’m not sure if it’s spelled this way but it sounds like Glugg. Lol I swear it was really good, it was almost like hot red wine with chopped almonds and raisins. Very tasty. After everyone left I did my best to hurry the packing process along so that I could get some sleep before returning to the airport. We got to bed around 2 or 3 I think.
Overall my trip to Granada was amazing, it was short but I still feel like I had plenty of time to enjoy what the city had to offer, I would really love to see more of Southern Spain though, it has a culture all it’s own.
