Day Twenty Four

Granada means pomegranate. Fun fact for the day.

So here I am, getting more internet in the hotel lobby of yet another cheap hotel in Andalucía. This place is so great, big, and hot. I could definitely stay here longer than 4 days!

Today we started off the day by getting out of Sevilla and driving to Granada. We got there around 1:30, and like all the rest of this community, Granada is big, hot, and full of white buildings and a surplus of gypsies.

First order of business when getting out of the bus and settling into our hotel rooms was to embark down the street to yet another Cathedral. Much to our dismay, it was closed for lunch (pity... ) so we ended up just having free time for a couple hours. What did we do for free time today? The same thing we do every day- go eat food! Today it was Granada Dominoes pizza. Yes, we are classy. May I please just tell you all about ho

w great it is to have familiar food once in a blue moon here, and that no matter where we go, it feels American sans the dryer sheet napkins that are so common to Europe. I still don't understand it... there is nothing worse than having nothing to sop up greasy foods with.

The rest of free time after a delicious meal of veg pizza was walking aimlessly around the streets and doing a little shopping. When 4 PM hit, though it was time to go back to the group, tour another capilla, and then head to the Alhambra. This capilla was like the others: big, old, and artsy, but the best thing about this one was the fact that there was a big life size sculpture of John the Baptist being beheaded. This picture is definitely not for the faint of heart :)

After capilla time, it was Alhambra time at 6:30 on the dot. All I have to say about the Alhambra is WOW. Professor Williams told us he had to reserve our tickets months ago because only 1000 people are allowed through a day, and if you are not there at your reserved time you just don't get it. haha a little harsh? Perhaps. Basically this site was once a palace and a fortress, a small community, constructed by the Moors in the 14th century. It was beautiful, basically, the weather was great, and the view was breathtaking. My favorite part was the palace- yesterday our guide told us that when comparing the two palaces we saw yesterday and today, the Alcazar from yesterday is called the ugly palace, and today's Alhambra is called the beautiful palace. It definitely lived up to the name!

After our visit we had a short food break. Since we were short on time, a bunch of us headed over to get kebabs from this shady little whole in the wall in downtown Granada. It was run by two Pakistani guys who were pretty excited to have customers, and a little unprepared as well. It took a good 45 minutes for only 12 or 13 of us to get our food, but as far as I am concerned, falafel pitas are worth a 45 minute wait any day of the week... even despite the sweltering heat and beads of sweat running down our server's faces.

We were short of eating time, so I scarfed down my pita, then got back on the bus. Final destination of the night?- seeing the Alhambra, along with the whole city of Granada, lit up. My oh my oh my oh my. They just don't make cities in the US like those in Europe. Maybe it's the little windy roads, the white plaster that covers the abrupt edges of the skinny little buildings, or the sheer amount of people who live for the night.. all I know is that I love every minute and these pics don't hold a candle to the real thing. Just go there- you won't be dissapointed.

Tomorrow it's looking like long naps in the bus on a VERY long ride back to Alcalá, and hopefully better food.