Granada

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Got off to a slower start this morning to make up for all of the earlier ones we've had lately. Caught the bus into the city centre then did a recommended walk that takes in most of the major sites. We started at the Plaza Isabel La Catolica where Granada's two grand boulevards, the Gran Via and the Calle Reyes Catolica meet. The plaza has a large statue of Columbus unfurling a contract before Isabel prior to sailing off to discover the new world, even if he thought he'd hit India. From there we walked through the Alcaiceria, originally a Moorish silk market later closed down by Phillip II and destroyed by fire in 1850. In the late 1800's it was rebuilt as a tourist souk. Next on the list was the Plaza de Bib-Rambla, a bustling square full of restaurants that was originally the centre of Moorish Granada. On then to the cathedral started in the 1500's and completed in the 1700's. We continued through Plaza Nueva, dominated by the Palace of Justice, and along a narrow lane that ran alongside the Darro river. Part of this lane is called Paseo de los Tristes, walk of the sad ones, as it was once the route of funeral processions to the cemetary. We stopped for a look at Hamman El Banuelo, the Moorish baths. The Christians when they came along believed that the baths were places where conspiracies were hatched and closed most of them down. We then walked up into the AlBayzin, the old Moorish quarter. The AlBayzin is apparently the best preserved Moorish quarter in Spain, hardly surprising as this is where they held on longest. We treked up to Mirador San Nicolas, the high point in the AlBayzin and were rewarded with stunning views of the AlHambra with the snow capped Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. After a long day walking it was back to the hotel for a quick siesta then dinner.

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