Granada-rama

---

Hola! Liz again.

Ahhh... Granada. Take Canada, add a ´gr´, increase the Muslim population, and crank up the heat. Oh, also turn up the awesome. This is where we are.

The remainder of our time in Valencia was spent in perpetual relaxation, punctuated every day at 2:00 by a chaotic fireworks show. Right now, Valencia is preparing for their major fiesta, called Las Fallas, which is basically a week of hanging out in the streets, drinking, smoking, dancing, watching fireworks, burning effegies and not sleeping. It´s about a week away, so every afternoon the plazas erupt into a cacophony of firecrackers, marching bands and what sounded like bombings -- Then the flood of people would go back home for their siesta, and Pia and I went back to sitting around, drinking cafe con leche and feeling quite, quite Spanish.

After the generally tranquil, posh Valencia, we moved on to Granada, which is considerably grittier, but more interesting. We´re staying right in the middle of the Albaicin, which is the Islamic district of the city. We´re in this really cool, friendly hostel in the middle of the marketplace. Yesterday we visited the Alhambra, Granada´s main draw; it´s this incredibly beautiful and ornate Islamic Palace, surrounded by gardens and a fortress. We spent a good three hours or so there, and then left by accident, which was a little disappointing, but typical of our map-reading thus far. I´m used to it.

Anyway, our hostel here is really cool. The other night a whole bunch of us went out to some tapas bars in the area (tapas = delicious and free) and last night some of the staff made everyone Paella. It sort of feels like grown-up camp, but drunk and in Spanish.

On Friday, we´ll be making our way down to Morocco, where we will buy you all many, many glorious gifts, and I will purchase fistfuls of loose jewels (this is what I´ve convinced myself Morocco will consist of, regardless of what I´ve been repeatedly told). We´ll try to update from Marrakesh, depending on the internet situation down there.

I hope everyone is well at home!

Peace and things,

Liz


P.S. Wow, I almost forgot to mention: Mugs of melted chocolate, served with churros... There are no adjectives. Seriously. No, fo´ reals. Mmmm.

---

Comments

[anonymous]

CHOCOLATE
OMG, I am so glad you guys are having a fantastic time. The mugs of melted chocolate would be the death of me. Chrissie says hi! - Stacey