DAYS 16 - GRANADA DAY 2:

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AFTER A PRETTY GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP, CONSIDERING HOW TIRED WE WERE, WE DIDN'T WAKE UP UNTIL A LITTLE AFTER 8AM, BUT WE WERE STILL THE FIRST ONES UP IN OUR ROOM, OUT OF SIX TRAVELERS. SOME QUICK ABLUTIONS, AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE ALHAMBRA (THE H IS SILENT) TO GET OUR ACTUAL TICKETS AND MEET UP WITH THE GUIDE BY 10AM. ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE QUITE A WAYS ON THE MAP, IT REALLY WASN'T ALL THAT FAR, JUST A BIT STEEP NEAR THE END. WE WALKED ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE COMPLEX, PASS THE TICKET WINDOW/ENTRANCE, AND LOCATED THE SIGN BY THE PARKING LOT FOR GANAVISION, THE AGENCY THAT ISSUED OUR TICKETS. THE LADY THERE EXPLAINED THAT OUR GROUP WOULD LEAVE FROM PARKING AREA 1 AT 10:15, GIVE US TOUR STICKERS TO PUT ON, AND DIRECTED US TO THE AUDIO PICKUP COUNTER. WE EACH GOT A RECEIVER ON A NECK STRAP AND A PAIR OF THROWAWAY EARPHONES, THEN HEADED DOWN TO THE SOUVENIR SHOP NEXT DOOR SINCE WE WERE A BIT EARLY. AFTER BROWSING THE STORE, WE HEADED TO THE MEETING POINT AND WAITED. SURE ENOUGH, AROUND 10:15AM, THE GUIDE WE MET IN THE STORE SHOWED UP AND SPLIT US INTO TWO GROUPS, SPANISH AND ENGLISH. WE DECIDED TO GO WITH THE ENGLISH GROUP AND MET OUR GUIDE, ROBERTO, WHO EXPLAINED HOW TO USE OUR AUDIO DEVICES AND HAD US TEST THEM BEFORE LEAVING. WE THEN WALKED DOWN TO THE MAIN ENTRANCE WHERE HE CHECKED US IN AND EXPLAINED THAT WE NEEDED TO PUT OUR TICKETS IN THE POCKET OF THE AUDIO DEVICE SO THEY COULD SCAN IT AT THE VARIOUS POINTS OF THE TOUR THAT WERE RESTRICTED.

YOU VISIT A VERY SMALL PART OF THE ALHAMBRA COMPLEX FOR FREE, WHERE THERE ARE TWO HOTELS. THE GENERAL ADMISSION (FOR 14 EUROS I THINK) WILL LET YOU INTO SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS/AREAS ON YOUR OWN, OR YOU CAN TAKE A GUIDED TOUR LIKE WE DID, WHERE YOU ARE ADMITTED TO SEVERAL OTHER PLACES. WE ORIGINALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO MORE THAN JUST THE GENERAL ADMISSION, BUT BY THE TIME WE'D DECIDED TO GO TO GRANADA, A WEEK BEFORE LEAVING, THOSE TICKETS WERE ALL SOLD OUT. WE ENDED UP TAKING AN 'OTHER TOUR' WITH A GUIDE FOR 39 EUROS EACH. I THINK IT WAS WELL WORTH IT, EXCEPT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE GOOD PICTURES SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE HAD TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROUP. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES WE HAD TO LAG BEHIND A LITTLE JUST TO GET A GOOD PHOTO. IF YOU WANT TO GET THE BEST PHOTOS, I'D RECOMMEND PAYING EVEN MORE FOR A PRIVATE TOUR, BUT EVEN THEN, YOU HAVE SET TIMES WHEN YOU ARE ALLOWED INTO VARIOUS AREAS. OUR GUIDE WAS 'VERY' INFORMATIVE AND HIS ENGLISH WAS PRETTY GOOD TOO. ONE OF THE THINGS HE EXPLAINED WAS THAT THE SULTANS, AND I GUESS HIS PEOPLE, BELIEVED THAT BEAUTY SHOULD BE INSIDE, NOT OUTSIDE, SO THE BUILDINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH ALL VERY PLAIN LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE. INSIDE OF MOST BUILDINGS YOU'LL FIND THE MOST ORNATE CARVINGS, TILING, AND WOODWORK. ANOTHER POINT HE MADE WAS THAT THE MUSLIM LEADERS LIKED PRIVACY AND ALSO LIKED TO OBSERVE THEIR SUBJECTS AND PETITIONERS WITHOUT BEING SEEN THEMSELVES. FOR THAT REASON, MANY ROOMS OF ALL THREE PALACES HAVE SPECIAL FRETWORK WINDOWS, USUALLY ABOVE THE GROUND FLOOR, WHERE GUESTS CAN BE OBSERVED SECRETLY. WE TOURED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GARDENS AND BUILDINGS, BUT THE MOST MEMORABLE WERE THE THREE PALACES. AS I REMEMBER IT, THE FIRST WAS FOR OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF MINISTERS WHERE THE BUSINESS OF THE SULTAN'S PEOPLE WAS CONDUCTED, AND NEITHER THE SULTAN NOR HIS FAMILY WOULD NORMALLY VISIT THERE. THE NEXT PALACE WAS FOR MEETING GUESTS AND HOLDING VARIOUS PARTIES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD. HERE, THE SULTAN WOULD MAKE APPEARANCES AND GREET HIS GUESTS OR PETITIONERS. THE LAST PALACE WAS WHERE THE SULTAN AND HIS EXTENDED FAMILY, INCLUDING UP TO FOUR WIVES AND A HAREM WOULD RESIDE AND NOBODY ELSE WAS SUPPOSED TO SET FOOT, UNLESS THEY WERE A SERVANT ON BUSINESS.

ALL IN ALL, THE TOUR WAS VERY ENJOYABLE, I JUST WISH WE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE LEISURELY IN DOING IT, WITH MORE TIME FOR PHOTOS AND OBSERVATION. I'M NOT SURE IF THE RUSH WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD THAT MANY TOURIST COMING THROUGH, OR TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM DOING ANY MISCHIEF. BEFORE WE ENTERED THE PALACES, OUR GUIDE MADE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE TO TOUCH NOTHING, EVEN THE PILLARS OR DOORS, NOR SIT ON THE FLOOR OR ANY WALLS OR STEPS. I ASSUMED THIS WAS TO PRESERVE THE CONDITION OF THE ORNAMENTATION, A LOT OF WHICH DATES FROM THE 14TH CENTURY. IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE TOUR, WE PASSED THROUGH THE 'FREE TO THE PUBLIC' SECTION WHERE WE WERE TOLD WE COULD USE THE RESTROOMS AND/OR CHECK OUT THE SOUVENIR SHOP NEAR THE PORTA DE VINO OR WINE GATE. HE EXPLAINED THAT IF WE WENT INTO THE SOUVENIR SHOP, THEY WOULD GIVE US A FREE SAMPLE OF WINE AND A SPANISH TAPA (SMALL PORTION OF FOOD). SINCE I DON'T NORMALLY DRINK WINE, I CAN'T COMMENT ON THE QUALITY, BUT I'LL ASSUME IT WAS PRETTY CHEAP WINE. AS TO THE 'TAPA', IT WAS A SMALL TEARDROP SHAPED BREAD STICK WITH A LITTLE PIECE OF CHORIZO OR SAUSAGE, BUT HEY, IT WAS FREE. THE TOUR LASTED ABOUT THREE HOURS, ENDING IN THE FREE AREA WHERE THE GUIDE TOOK OUR AUDIO DEVICES AND TOLD US WE WERE WELCOME TO LEAVE COMMENTS ABOUT HIM OR THE TOUR ON THE AGENCY'S WEBSITE.

IT WAS GETTING TO BE LUNCHTIME, 1PM, BY THE TIME THE TOUR ENDED, SO WE WALKED BACK DOWN TO THE CENTER OF TOWN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO EAT. WE ENDED UP HAVING TAPAS AT LA BODEGA DE GRAN VIA. THEY HAD A SPECIAL WHERE YOU COULD GET A NUMBER OF TAPAS WITH DRINKS, BUT THE ONLY DRINK THEY ALLOWED WAS BEER. WE ENDED UP ORDERING TWO COFFEES AND AN ASSORTMENT OF FIVE TAPAS, EACH AT ABOUT 2 EUROS. THE FIRST FOUR CAME QUICKLY, BUT WE WERE ALMOST DONE WITH THOSE BEFORE THEY REMEMBERED/BROUGHT THE FIFTH ONE, A SKEWER OF SHRIMP WITH PINEAPPLE. THE OTHER FOUR WERE A CRAB SALAD, PATATAS BRAVAS WITH A FRIED EGG, FRIED EGGPLANT WITH A HONEY SAUCE, AND TOAST WITH A DUCK PATE W/BLUEBERRY SAUCE. ALL WERE QUITE GOOD, EXCEPT FOR THE SHRIMP WHICH WAS LACKING SOMETHING. WE DISCOVERED THAT FRIED EGGPLANT WENT VERY WELL WITH HONEY AND PLAN ON TRYING IT AT HOME.

AFTER LUNCH, WE DECIDED TO WALK UP TO THE OVERLOOK THAT THE GUIDE HAD POINTED OUT AS BEING THE BEST VIEW OF THE ALHAMBRA COMPLEX, MIRADOR DE SAN NICOLAS. IT WASN'T THAT FAR, BUT IT WAS MOSTLY UPHILL. I'LL ADMIT, THE VIEW WAS GREAT, AS INDICATED BY THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS AND PEOPLE SELLING TRINKETS. FROM THERE, WE WALKED BACK DOWN HILL BY A DIFFERENT ROUTE, THE PASEO DE LOS TRISTES (WALK OF THE SAD PEOPLE). THIS STREET IS LEVEL ONCE YOU REACH THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, AND FOLLOWS A SMALL CREEK AT THE FOOT OF THE ALHAMBRA COMPLEX. IT IS LINED WITH SOUVENIR SHOPS AND CAFES/RESTAURANTS. WE'D BEEN WARNED THAT TAPAS ON THIS STREET TENDED TO BE RATHER SMALL AND/OR EXPENSIVE, BUT WE WERE ONLY BROWSING THE SOUVENIR SHOPS. MANOLI FOUND A NEAT LITTLE LEATHER BACKPACK IN ONE PLACE AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE NICE FOR ALEXIS, OUR OLDEST GRANDCHILD, AT 20 YEARS OF AGE. WE WEREN'T SURE IF SHE'D LIKE IT, SO MANOLI ASKED THE SHOP OWNER IF HE HAD WIFI, WHICH HE DID, SO SHE CALLED ALEXIS TO SEND HER A PHOTO. SHE LOOKED AT THE PHOTO AND SAID SHE'D LOVE IT, SO WE BOUGHT IT ALONG WITH A CUTE PAIR OF MOORISH STYLE PANTS FOR OUR YOUNGEST, MALEKAI. WHILE I WAS WAITING OUTSIDE THE SHOP, SITTING ON THE RIVER WALL, A CELLPHONE FELL FROM THREE FLOORS UP WITH A RESOUNDING CRASH, SPLITTING INTO THREE PIECES! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE GLASS DIDN'T SHATTER, BUT APPARENTLY IT CAME LOSE AS THERE WAS SOME WEIRD AREAS ON THE DISPLAY.

WE DECIDED WE'D BETTER MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LAST LEG OF OUR TRIP, TO VISIT MANOLI'S RELATIVES IN CHIPIONA. BUS 33 WENT FROM THE CENTER OF TOWN OUT TO THE BUS STATION, SO WE HOPPED ON AND FOUGHT WITH A RATHER CROWDED BUS TO THE STATION. AFTER CHECKING WITH THE INFORMATION DESK, WE COULDN'T FIND ANY OTHER WAY TO GET TO CHIPIONA AT A REASONABLE HOUR, SO WE BOUGHT 2 TICKETS FOR THE 10AM BUS TO ESTACION DEL PRADO IN SEVILLE WHERE WE HOPED TO GET A 2PM BUS TO CHIPIONA. WE GRABBED BUS 33 BACK TO THE CENTER OF TOWN TO GO TO THE HOSTEL. THIS BUS HAD MORE ROOM FOR LUGGAGE AND WASN'T AS CROWDED, SO WE DECIDED WE'D BRAVE THE BUS TOMORROW INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR A TAXI. THE BUS WAS 1.20 EUROS EACH, WHILE THE TAXI WAS 8 OR 9 EUROS. BACK AT THE HOSTEL, WE DEPOSITED OUR PURCHASES AND THE CAMERA, AND RELAXED FOR A WHILE BEFORE HEADING OUT FOR OUR LAST DINNER IN GRANADA.

ONE OF THE HOSTEL STAFF RECOMMENDED A PLACE IN AN AREA WE HADN'T TRIED YET, REALEJO, SO OFF WE WENT IN SEARCH OF MORE TAPAS FOR DINNER. MOST PLACES ALSO SERVE RACIONES (A MUCH LARGER VERSION OF A TAPA), AND VARIOUS PLATES, BUT WE LIKE THE IDEA OF AN ASSORTMENT OF TAPAS FOR THE SAME OR LESS MONEY. WE DIDN'T FIND THE PLACE THE HOSTEL HAD RECOMMENDED, BUT THE WAITER IN ONE PLACE, LOS MARTINETES, WAS VERY PLEASANT, AND THEY HAD BOTH A VARIETY OF HOT TAPAS AND COLD TAPAS AT A GOOD PRICE. WE WEREN'T SURE HOW HUNGRY WE WERE, SO WE ORDERED THE HOT TAPA VARIETY FIRST TO SEE. THIS INCLUDED; TORTILLA DE CAMERONES (SHRIMP OMELET), MIGAS (STUFFING WITH VEGGIES), FRIED EGGPLANT WITH MOLASSES, CROQUETON (BIG CROQUETTE), PATATAS BRAVAS, AND WITH OUR DRINKS THEY GAVE US BREAD WITH SERRANO HAM AND A DISH OF OLIVES AT NO CHARGE. I THINK THE DRINKS WERE 2 EUROS EACH, AND THE ASSORTMENT OF HOT TAPAS WAS 8.50 EUROS.

AFTER DINNER WE WALKED BACK TO THE HOSTEL WHERE I WORKED ON THIS POST, BUT RAN OUT OF GAS BEFORE I FINISHED. MANOLI HAD TAKEN OVER 400 PHOTOS TODAY, SO I KNEW I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THRU THEM ALL BEFORE DROPPING. SORRY, BUT THIS BLOG WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW, MAYBE ON THE BUS IF THEY HAVE WIFI AGAIN. SORRY, THE WIFI WASN'T WORKING ON THIS BUS, SO I'LL SEND IT FROM MY BROTHER-IN-LAW'S HOUSE IN CHIPIONA, SPAIN. ALSO, I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY MISTAKES IN TITLING THE PHOTOS FROM THE ALHAMBRA. WITH SO MANY THINGS TO SEE AND OVER 400 PHOTOS MY WIFE TOOK, I'M NOT SURE WHICH WAS WHERE.

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Photos

THE MONASTERY, NOW RITZY HOTEL IN THE ALHAMBRA
AT ONLY $300 PLUS PER NIGHT