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Published: October 2nd 2009
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Granada
Oh dear its a hard life....
We're in Seville having a day of doing nothing. Nothing, has entailed getting three blog entries done this morning (end of Birr, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Madrid - and for all I'd already typed the text), making vague attempts at feeding people, reading my book and checking the weather on the net to confirm that I have completly mucked up and it will be really hot till we leave Morocco..... (but better that than rain and cold).
Now I thought I'd write up Granada. Its mid-afternoon, very hot outside and our apartment, like all those around us, does not have an outdoor area but does have wide window things that open. Ken has yet to emerge from the bedroom although he has been delivered coffee, scones and wine. He was last seen helping Kate with her maths homework. Both Sarah and Kate have finished all the maths that they have to do and Kate just has some french to finish(Sarah has done all hers). Lucy is another story and I'm hoping she'll read and write this afternoon but so far the lure of the Littlest Pet Shop game she has set up
is hard to overcome.
Anyway Granada....
We arrived late after an easy train ride from Madrid. Finally managed to get two taxis to our house which seemed to be far away from anything much. However in the morning Lucy and I walked for only a few minutes and found a lovely, busy square with a market, supermarket and internet place (tiny and crowded but a few return visits kept Sarah very happy).
Our house was in the old area of Granada on the hill. Masses of security in the form of bars across windows and doors but it seems this is common all over Spain - not sure whether we should worry that the security is required or be happy that we are secure.
Lovely to have a garden in Granada complete with lime, pomegranate, grapefruit and fig trees (sadly with figs fallen off and rotting on the ground) and lots of herbs in the garden.
The girls and I went to a flamenco evening the first night. Ken not feeling so great (tired as hadn't slept well and sore back). It was very touristy but interesting and very easy as it was a five minute
walk from our house down tiny old streets. The streets were deserted mostly but felt safe and was reasonably well lit - the most danger was from DP (dog poo).
Ventured out on our second day late afternoon and cruised down the hill. There was a lovely little plaza with musicians playing from a tiny balcony and some shops selling hippyish things. When we reached the town there was an amazing procession. Women mainly, masses of them in two lines each with a candle. We followed it for ages and finally came to where it joined to a procession of men and then what looked like a huge float with a big sitting statue of Mary. Apparently an annual procession. massive, heaps of people. Babies in the most beautiful outfits (reminiscent of Bilbao in 2005) in prams. Had tapas for dinner before getting a bus up the hill to our house.
Finally the Alhambra on our last day. Was a great day. Threatened to rain and it managed a bit at the end. The Nasrid Palace was beautiful and quite similar to palaces we'd seen in India (as we'd expected)and the views over the city great. The gardens
were lovely, better than I had expected somehow and I hadn't expected them to have so many flowers. Girls all enjoyed it too which was good.
Had a quiet evening at home, I cooked, Kate and I raced to the internet to book tickets for the ferry to Morocco (thinking we may not have easy internet access here - ha, ha).
Scroll down for more photos....
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