Wonderful Andalusia

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To be at the right time at the right place

From Tangier I went by ferry to Spain. I arrived early in the morning to buy a ticket. The man selling it to me said the boat would leave at 9.30. So after getting the exit stamp in my passport I walked towards the docks to see if I could enter the boat. But there wasn’t any. So I returned back to the ticket selling office to ask about it. He said I had to return at eleven and then he would know exactly when the boat would be there. He truly said the boat was leaving at 9.30 first, so that turned out to be a lie because he just wanted to make money. By then I really felt like wanting to leave this country. Eventually my boat left at one o’clock and I was relieved to be on the move again.

On the boat I was sitting for most of the time above deck. I was the only one there outside and it felt like having all the freedom of the world. Just like I was cruising with my own ship over the ocean. When we arrived I met an older man from Ireland and helped him carrying his suitcase. He also wanted to go to Malaga so we tried to find the bus station. It was quite a walk and he wasn’t able to walk so fast because of his age. It started to rain very hard and there was a strong wind. So after ten minutes we were completely soaked. We decided that it would be better to spend the night here in Algeciras and change into dry clothes again. Luckily we just passed a hotel and we decided to stay there. He told me everything about earplugs, adventures in Tangier and the beautiful English of a writer I forgot the name of. It was very cold in the hotel and eventually I went on a search for another hotel for him with heating. I found another hotel for him and helped him again with his suitcase. Later we had dinner at a restaurant next door and I went to my hotel and he went to the other hotel I found for him. Nice that I could be at the right place at the right time to help him out in this situation.

After spending the night in Algeciras I went by bus to Malaga. The scenery is so beautiful with the hills on one side and the ocean on the other. We passed some major tourist destinations like Marbella and Torremolinos. Now because of wintertime they were peaceful towns that must be very crowded during summer. In my imagination I saw the many people walking around there in the hot sun, who at this moment sit behind the desk at the office in their countries probably. In Malaga I stayed in a nice hostel with many friendly people. The name ‘Melting Pot’ was well choosen, because everyone blended in perfectly, no matter from which country they are from. During my stay I made nice walkes around the beaches and through the city. One day I went with an American girl to a big castle called Alcazaba. It has been the palace of Muslim rulers and build in the 11th century. The sun was shining and the view over Malaga beautiful from standing above. Later on after having something to eat I went to the Cathedral and walked around it.

The mystical Alhambra

After Malaga I went by bus to Granada. The city is really beautiful with the mountains of the Sierra Nevada on the background. The major highlight is the Alhambra. It is a Moorish palace and fortress built in the 14th century. There is something mystical about it. In Morocco I visited another palace before which was also beautiful. But the location in the hills of Granada and along the river ‘Darro’ added something very special. I spend almost four hours inside and outside the complex. There were many other tourist around. I bought a book called stories of the Alhambra that was written by the writer and early American diplomat Washington Irving. He lived 150 years ago for a while in the Alhambra. I remember sitting the next day along the river with the beautiful view of the Alhambra reading this book. The sound of the river flowing and the dramatic view of the Alhambra with on the background the snowy caps of the Sierra Nevada made the book become alive. For people who want to read more about this amazing place:

From Granada it took five hours to reach Madrid. After taking the metro and checking in at the hostel I went for a walk around the city. Everywhere there were people sitting in bars with their beers and ofcourse….their tapas (small snacks). I had a nice falafel to become in the mood for my next destination. And the next morning before going to the airport I visited the museum Reina Sofia. They had some nice exhibitions and I enjoyed the paintings of Picasso, Miro and Dali. So for the second time this trip of spending one day in Madrid I took of to my next destination.

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Photos

The streets of Malaga
The shoppings streets contain different sorts of marble. Especially beautiful when the sun shines on it.

Inside the Alhambra
Look at the elaborate decorations. Do you have a room for rent?