France, Spain, and Portugal 2017


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Europe » Spain » Andalusia » Granada
November 24th 2017
Published: November 24th 2017
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November 19&20 Granada, Spain
The bus from Malaga rolled into Granada at 4pm and a taxi took us to the Plaza Nueva and our hotel, the Macia Plaza. Our balconies looked out on the busy square and up to the Alhambra, our touring destination tomorrow. After getting settled we set out to explore the neighborhood and find a good place to have supper. The outdoor restaurant right next to our hotel fit the bill perfectly...paella, falafels, pizza...and ice cream from across the square for dessert. Granada was the last stronghold of the Moors and the Moorish culture is still prevalent. In 1492 the last Muslim ruler surrendered here to King Ferdinand and Isabella after the last battle of the Granada war.
On Monday morning we took a taxi up the hill to the world famous Alhambra. We had purchased tickets ahead of time and made our way to the palace. They strictly control entry and have a dog sniffing any back packs or purses...a cute young Shepherd actually, and Dawn got a stern Spanish response when she asked the police handler his name. Inside the sultan's palace was a labyrinth of rooms with intricately carved walls and ceilings. Well manicured gardens were also spread throughout the grounds. The views from the top of the fortress were spectacular. To the south were the snow capped Sierra Nevada mountains, to the north and east was Granada where we could see Plaza Nueva and our hotel.
We took a taxi back down and it happened to be the same fellow that took us up. We walked about again and found a sunny spot for beers and, to our delight, free snacks. Granada was another beautiful Spanish city, full of historic buildings, restaurants and shops. Tomorrow we fly to Mallorca...Dawn will tell you it is Rafa Nadal's birthplace.


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