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Published: April 11th 2008
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When the hostel owner handed over the keys to our room and directed us to go up, up the stairs, above everything else, we didn't think twice. Four flights later, having discovered that room 402 was not in fact on the top floor, Erin Cochran and I exchanged puzzled looks and directed our attention up the stairs to the only remaining option: the roof.
Now it must be said that all guests, pleasant as they may be, generate a certain level of pressure for their hosts. Pressure to entertain them, pressure to dazzle them with tasty local fare, pressure to introduce them to fascinating people, pressure to reserve for them a room to sleep in that isn't on the roof...
With possible hostessing failure impending, we continued up that last flight of stairs to meet our fate. Much to our delight (and my relief) we found that room 402 was located in a private sort of VIP building on the roof, accessible only by crossing a plant-filled terrace which offers weary hostel goers peaceful respite from the bustle of the streets below, as well as vistas of a classic European landscape. Surrounded by the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, Granada
otherwise resembles many cities in Andalusia. Church steeples tower over the white washed apartment blocks and terra cotta rooftops, laundry dangles in the open air, and flowerpots and greenery overwhelm the tiny balconies, barely contained by their wrought iron rails.
A peculiar juxtaposition of the old and new, Granada is home to both the Alhambra, the best-preserved example Arabic architecture from the era of Moorish rule in Southern Spain, and a thriving night scene thanks to the Universidad de Granada. Though it attracts over a million tourists each year, Granada maintains a dying, yet quintessentially Spanish custom: tapas.
Sure, you can walk into practically any bar in Spain and the bartender can scrounge up some sort of food, albeit nothing more than some olives or potato chips at times. But ordering small plates of munchies isn't exactly authentic tapa culture. True tapas are small dishes of food that aren't requested, but rather come automatically with each round of drinks ordered. In line with the Spanish virtue of endless generosity, tapas were intended to prevent drinkers from becoming inebriated (public drunkenness being generally shunned in España) while out socializing. And who doesn't like free food? I certainly do. In
fact, I find so much pleasure in someone bringing me a dish of something yummy "on the house" that I can overlook the fact that quite often the tapas are something I never would have ordered. Unfortunately, word got out that tourists, naive to the history of tapas, were actually willing to pay for the previously free appetizers! So now, aside from Granada and some small villages far off the beaten path, tapas are generally available only for those who want to pay.
For those who don't enjoy eating (I'd be shocked if you read my blog), Granada has plenty more to offer. When you aren't eating tapas you can check out the Alhambra. An imposing structure when viewed from the exterior, the Alhambra will no doubt surprise you with the delicate nature of its interior decor. The palace is overwhelmingly detailed, to the point that your eyes simply can't take it all in. You find yourself gawking at the elaborate ceilings, gasping at the perfection of each archway and wanting to reach out and touch the carved wood panels. Awe-inspiring as it may be, the abundance of visual stimuli eventually wears down even the most tenacious visitors. Luckily
you can rejuvenate in the tranquility of the cool, white patios while gazing at the long, rectangular reflection ponds and listening to the gentle trickle of water from the fountains.
The musically inclined, and those who prefer musical appreciation to participation, can enjoy an evening of spectacular dance, song and guitar playing in one of the multitudes of flamenco venues. Though it can be a challenge to avoid tourist traps, a quality flamenco performance leaves you positively stunned. Between the pounding of the dancer's feet on the stage and hypnotic strumming of the guitar, the emotionally charged vocals pierce the air and leave your skin laden with goose bumps.
After taking in the sights and sounds, we paused to savor a cup of Moroccan tea. Imagine cherry-scented hookah smoke billowing in the low lighting, while resting your weary legs on leather-covered hassocks and pouring steaming liquid from ornate silver tea pots into painted glass cups. The tea itself is sublime, sweetened to an extreme and steeped with pine nuts and mint leaves, but when accompanied by phyllo dough creations filled with crushed almonds and soaked in honey, a stop in the tetería is the perfect end to a weekend tour of Granada. Ah...back to real life we go.
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