2nd stop - Granada


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Europe » Spain » Andalusia » Granada
June 28th 2006
Published: June 28th 2006
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El Vellon (Madrid) to Granada


sunset over granadasunset over granadasunset over granada

from funky hostel
This is the beginning of my journey through Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

Granada, Andalucia


I went to Granada to stay at a youth hostel I had seen good ratings for on the internet, but which had a weird name - Funky. It was pretty late when I arrived and at the moment I entered I went straight to the bar on the roof, swallowing a galleon of water, while looking at an amazing view of the old town. Within half an hour of cooling off and taking in the view, I also became acquinted with two American travellers, who as me needed a bit of refreshment. It became the begining of a really great stay. one of the Americans was half Spanish and for the next couple of days I gave him order to choose all my food and alcohol. - And he picked well. I have had some great days with tapas, pealles, gazpacho and so on. You might say that he gave me an excellent introduction to Spanish food-culture


World Cup


What I couldn't escape and wouldn't miss in a lifetime was the eightfinals of the 2006 World Cup. Every night the entire hostel was gathered
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sometimes you get lost and find small pieces of art not discovered before
in the bar screaming for and against the penalty shot by Italy or the yellow card to Pablo or the goal by Beckham. Aussies, Britts, Americans, Italians, French and a guy from Malaysia. All did we bond around the TV betting rounds on overtime and so forth. While the evenings were spent infront of the TV and the nights at different bars with cheap shots and terrible music, the days went by playing soccer, getting lost and taking pictures. I truly enjoyed the company of all my fellow travellers and had the change to talk soccer language for a few days. I know that real travelling is to get underneath the culture of a country, to break through the surface, but it has been my first stop and it is difficult to find true Spanish culture in a place like Granada in the summer season. Anyhow, it didn't really matter much to me since the hostel was amazing and the company in excellent.

Alhambra


I stayed four days in Granada and the third day I spent at the must see tourist attraction number one in Spain - la Alhambra. It was all that I had thought it to be
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taken near the netrance of the cathedral
and reminded me a great deal of the Topkapi in Istanbul though a few hundred years elder. My camera was up most of the time and approx 300 times did I push the button. The Generalife Garden and Palace was my favorite. The flowers were everywhere and the watersprings placed beautifully in every free spot. Alhambra is detailed and not one corner has been forgotten. Every doorway must have taken years to make. The only sad thing is that tourists can go everywhere and it therefore becomes difficult to take a picture of this beautiful and peacefull place without some "I love bullfighting" - t-shirt in the way. But I managed and feel that of my 300 pictures only few of them were destroyed by other just as enthusiastic tourists as myself.

Favorite spot


The view over Granada from Alhambra and the view of Alhambra from Plaza Nicolas were two places that took my breath away. Furthermore, the gazpacho on the restaurant at Plaza Nicolas is really good and refreshing after the long walk up. I think it was a highpoint for my days in Granada to overlook the city and Alhambra, for it often fascinates me to see
RevoluciónRevoluciónRevolución

thoughts from granada
a city from above. To get an overview and to discover that there is so much more of the city than the places we tourists like to wander in. Maybe it is an idea from reading about the different mythologies of Europe. The idea of the Gods; Zeus, Wodan, Jupiter - all looking down towards MiddleEarth, to the places in which all these different cultures are represented. And even though I can't get into the true life of Granada, I can certainly look down on it and imagine what they are all doing at this very moment.

Getting ready


I had felt lost in the world of backpacking prieviously and not really ready to start again, but after arriving in Granada I now find myself ready to play the game and once more get on the road. I feel Granada has been a great and relaxing intro to my trip. But yet my heart is split for as I sit in Malaga after a nice shower and a new galleon of water I already feel that I miss the atmosphere of Funky and the people there. I wanna go back and stay like so many of the others, because
view of La Alhambraview of La Alhambraview of La Alhambra

taken from Plaza Nicolas
for me as for them Granada has caught a special place in the heart.

Anna


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1st June 2007

Hey!
hahaha.. enjoyed reading your blog about granada! im the malaysian guy http://normankentot.fotopages.com

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