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Published: October 3rd 2014
3 days here. Arrived with our usual street issues only this time not so much narrowing streets as the fact that streets turned into pedestrian walks without us realizing. Yet there we were and the Garmin didn't recognize the "pedestrian only" either but the polizei did. Stopped us as we got to the hotel - luckily I had whisked the bags out while Ross was trying to turn around. They gestured rather urgently and sternly which way to go then out comes out=r hotel clerk - Roberto Benigni (the guy from Beautiful Life) also gesturing wildly and giving Spanish instructions to Ross and the police are on the other side still waiting. I just went inside with the luggage and poor Ross had to find his own way to the parking garage which was 2 right turns away. Apparently he drove on another pedestrian walkway and the police were right there waving him out again. He said it took 3 circuits to get to the garage but now the car stays parked for the 3 days. We are walking or bussing this city! Meanwhile I had Roberto in the lobby with me explaining in Spanglish all the sites to see, how
to get there, where to eat, timing of sunset views - my head was spinning and I thought he was going to jump up on the counter to tell me more. All of a sudden his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head and a slow oh came out of his mouth. I thought he was getting ready for something really dramatic but he was watching our luggage slowly tumble over just behind me. No worries he helped me get the stuff up into the room by cramming me and all the luggage into the 3 foot square elevator, hitting a button and closing the door. Then he raced up the stairs to open the elevator before I even stopped, grabbed the stuff and had me touring the room in 2 seconds flat. He flew out the door and I sat down for a long wait for Ross.
We have a nice large, clean efficient room. Lots of space to spread out. We are right in the shopping area. When Ross arrived we unpacked our things and headed out to explore (another way of saying go somewhere then try to get back - or
garden fountain
at the Carmen de los Martires - another place I need to find out more about since there was no English anywheregetting lost). This route found a Desigual store! New purse and top! Lots more walking and a tapas dinner.
Day 2 Alhambra
We had waited too late to buy entry tickets to the palace. Most people buy at least 3 months in advance. So we had to buy a tour- expensive and not the way I wanted to see it but it was the only way left. We walked all morning since we had an afternoon tour. You would think that meant sometime after noon and maybe around 1. We found the tour office and they said be back by 4 and your tour starts at 4:30. So.. more walking to fill in time. Good photo ops everywhere and saw some amazing graffiti. Back at 4. Nice sunny hot day. The shade through the palace gardens was a delight. Then we got to the palace walls and the guide said something about beating the rain. It was coming from behind the mountain. As we proceeded through the tour it began to sprinkle, then rain. I left the umbrella at the hotel. The rain was cold rain. The rain became hail - the size of raisins then grapes. We
kept running for shelter and jammed ourselves in with others wherever we could fit. Guide wasn't much help as she had ducked into a warm store that wouldn't hold us all. The water was now making lakes everywhere and instant streams were flowing over the cobblestone walks. In the palace we crowded in corridors since many of the spectacular areas are the open-air courtyards and the Charles V palace amphitheatre. Now lightning was cracking overhead followed immediately by peals of thunder. A few kids were crying and some people looked rather scared and all the little shops had sold out of umbrellas and those rain ponchos. As our tour ended the sun came out with a beautiful double rainbow in the hills behind us and we got to see a beautiful sunset up on the fortress ramparts. Good tapas again on the way back to the hotel. (over 21,000) steps today.
Day 3
The newspaper in the lobby had the first 34 pages devoted to the storm. I'll try to translate it when we get home. This morning we wandered around trying to find solutions to Ross' emailing problems. No luck. I had to show him how to
use my new tablet (anyone who knows Ross also knows how painful this would be). After getting some things accomplished we headed up into the Albaycin area by bus and then wandered down back to town. My GPS helped since I was determined we were going the wrong way and we were.
We did find our way back though and sampled more tapas and ice cream finished the day. After a 2 hour break back at the hotel we bussed up the hill again to get more sunset photos and then again walked back down a completely different way.
D&J you are now on your flight to join us and you can't back out now. We have had other friends join us on trips more than once you know!
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