From Here to There

April 3, 2016.  After a few days of being focused on tech issues, it was a nice break to get in the car and drive out into the country. Southern Spain is very mountainous (at least the area that I drove through) – with fun, windy highways and LOTS of tunnels – some of which seem to stretch on for a mile or more.  Spectacular winding bridges, and a lot of wind socks to warn you of high winds as you cross over gorges that seem to have no bottom.  All of this was a wonderful respite, and brought me closer to my destination for the next few days: Granada, and the Alhambra.

I found my way to the Alhambra despite the poor directions provided by my GPS app (the only thing I can use on my iPhone for now).  Had a light lunch and did some people watching in the plaza as I waited for my tour to start. A tour was the only way I could get in – the online tickets had sold out weeks before, and the 750 “same day” tickets were gone within 30 minutes after opening that morning – some people had waited in line since 2 a.m.!

Despite the crowds, my English-speaking group somehow managed to stay together during the 3 hour tour.  I’m glad I went through this magnificent complex with a guide.  There is just so much history and minutia that I never would have heard about if I’d tried to do this one on my own.

I managed to get a few of the standard photos that everyone takes at this magical place,  including a gorgeous view of the city from the Generalife Gardens:

Lots of walking (over 14,000 steps) but it didn’t seem like that much simply because there was always another wonderful sight just around the corner, including what the locals refer to as their “ski resort”, i.e., the Sierra Nevada:

I was pretty exhausted when I finally checked into my hotel. My room overlooked a small market, with a view of the Alhambra. I never did get out to eat dinner as my “quick nap” turned into a few longer naps, and I just didn’t have it in me to go back out and look for food.

• One thing to note if you ever plan to visit Granada is that it isn’t a car-friendly city.  Lots of restricted roads, and confusing signage. I will likely be paying some fines when I settle my rental car bill next week.

April 4, 2016.  After listening to street musicians until 12 am, I did finally manage to get a few hours of sleep, but woke to gray skies.  Enjoyed a continental breakfast at the hotel before heading out to tour through the cathedral.  Another magnificent building (I’m sure I will be saying that a lot over the coming weeks).

I was blessed to have the opportunity to meet up with a friend of a friend, who gave me some great tips on what else to see (and not see) while in southern Spain, and treated me to a tour and an early birthday lunch in the Albaicin district (the old Arab quarters).  If you’ve never tried “paella” you should – it’s wonderful! (Thanks again Kritz!).

At the end of the day I managed to find my way out of the city and back onto the highway without breaking any more laws.  It was a long drive back in heavy rain, but the trip to Granada was well worth the inconvenience of soggy shoes and bleary eyes.

April 5, 2016.  On my birthday I slept late and wandered down the hill to explore the little shops and pubs that cater to the resort crowds and the large ex-pat community that lives in this part of “Costa del Sol”.  Found a great little shop that had a 110/220 plug for my tablet (to replace the one I fried on Day 1) so I gave the shopkeeper a hug (she didn’t mind).  I’ll now be able to download and post photos.

On the way back up the hill to the condo I stopped at a little pub and had a pint of cider and a good burger as a late lunch.  I kept a low profile for the rest of the day. Not the most exciting way to spend a milestone birthday, but it was just what I needed.

More to come….