My Return to Granada - Better the 2nd Time Around!

We left Valencia early yesterday morning (June 20) for the long bus ride to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors deep in Andalusia. I was last here in 1986. It seemed much smaller then. Unlike our hotel in Valencia, our lodging was downtown, relatively close to some of the city´s points of interest.


We arrived during the afternoon at our hotel, Luna de Granada and immediately began to explore the city. Gary gave us his usual orientation and passed out maps. I went with Richard, Sonia, Kim and Steve to visit the cathedral and the royal chapel where some of Spain´s greatest monarchs are buried, including Los Reyes Católicos (the Catholic Kings) Isabel and Fernando. Just before we entered the cathedral, we approached some vendors who were selling a diverse selection of teas, spices and herbs. The kaleidescope of fragrances was intoxicating. I felt a strong urge to purchase something, but I knew I would not be able to pass it through US Customs because it was not packaged. All I could do was to take a picture of the moment.




We entered the cathedral, a massive gothic structure--very beautiful indeed. A choir sang a capella, and their lovely chanting added to the experience. The choir members were nowhere to be seen; I only heard the echoes of their voices gently caressing the interior of the church.




We then proceded to the Royal Chapel just around the corner. Unfortunately we couldn´t take photos. We saw the massive carved monuments to Los Reyes Católicos, then walked down a set of stairs to view their coffins. It was an eerie sight. Here I was -- standing before the remains of two individuals who played a pivotal role in Spain´s history. Sonia later remarked that Queen Isabel was her¨hero¨ because she was so ¨strong and ¨charismatic.¨




After our visit, it was time to go to dinner so we headed back to our hotel. We also needed to get ready to attend a flamenco perfomance featuring gypsies later in the evening. Dinner was a sumptuous buffet, a definite change of pace from the family style dinners we had been eating.




I went back to my room to change into a long black skirt and blouse. I was eagerly awaiting the performance which was to take place in the Albaicin, el barrio árabe not too far from the Alhambra which we would visit tomorrow. The neighborhood was picturesque to say the least with its white washed homes, winding cobblestone streets, intimate restaurants and cafés. In 1984, this quarter was declared a United Nations World Heritage Site. When I was here over 20 years ago, I couldn´t spend much time in this neighborhood. Since then, it has expanded and become a crown jewel for Granada.



The show was supposed to be authentic flamenco performed in a cave, but in reality it was done in a long narrow room referred to as a cava or cave. It was packed with tourists. I sensed this would not be the real thing as promised. The price of 35 Euros (almost $50 US) included transportation to/from the hotel a drink, a one hour show and a brief tour of the Albaicin area. In my opinion, it wasn´t worth the money. I thought the dancing and the flamenco guitar were contrived and shallow. I didn´t note even sincerity in the performers. The whole operation seemed like one big money-making machine. After seeing performances in Madrid at venues such as Casa Patas and El Corral de la Moriría, this one paled by comparison.


We returned a little after midnight. I would have stayed at the Albaicin, if there were places open. There was nothing around the hotel either. The situation reminded me of San Antonio where nearly everything shuts down at 10 pm, even on week-ends. I really didn´t feel like turning in, even though our wake-up call would strike at 6:15 am. After all, Gary said Granada was a ¨party town.¨ I also had to live up to my reputation as la callejera, someone who likes to roam the streets. (even though Denise still keeps calling me la callejona) Some of the younger travellers planned on going to a discoteque, but that´s not my scene anymore.



All I wanted to do was to have a nightcap. One of my other traveling companions, Sandra, who is here with her two daughters, also wanted to do the same. So we set off and we finally found a bar, humble as it was, that was still open. We sat outside. It took a while to get served and in fact, the owner, an older man with white hair and glasses, brought Sandra a sangria instead of the beer she ordered. As we were leaving, I remarked to the owner, who was very pleasant, that I was disappointed Granada shuts down so early and that his was the only place open. He replied,¨No es cierto señora. Hay un bar muy bueno a la esquina. Es de un amigo mío. Yo las llevo allí. (That´s not true ma ám. There´s a real good bar on the corner which belongs to a friend of mine. I´ll take you there.) So we went with him and entered. He told us he would probably meet us here with his wife after he closed up his bar for the night.



The bar had a modern flair with soft but colorful lighting. Brazilian music played in the background, As Sandra and I sat down at the bar, a young black man greeted us. In a cheerful voice, he welcomed us and recommended we order a beer with grenadine. He said, ¨Ya sé que esta combinación es medio rara, pero pruébala.¨ (I know the combination is a bit strange, but try it). We both decided to try it. When I saw he was about to open a Budweiser, I put my hands out in front and shouted¨No, no, no!¨ He immediately understood and opened a bottle of Alhambra, presumibly a local brew named after the famous Moorish palace which we would visit tomorrow. The beer concoction was actually quite pleasant -- sweet but refreshing. The bartender was from Sao Paulo, and moved to Sevilla two years ago. Tonight he was riding the success of his new place which he just opened two weeks ago. Even though it was after 1 am, the bar was fairly crowded. We had some tasty tapas with our beers. Then the young man put out dishes of gumdrops. They were small, soft and fruity and melted in my mouth. I found myself nimbling on them continuously.



Later, the owner from the previous bar and his wife came in. They were very glad to see us. We talked for quite awhile, engaged in pleasant conversation. By 2:30 am, Sandra and I remembered we would have a 6:30 am wake-up call. We had an 8:45 reservation at the Alhambra and punctuality was essential or else! The senior couple insisted we go on to what appeared to be a punk bar with them right next door, but we knew that would spell disaster because we might oversleep. It took some convincing to pry ourselves way; however, we didn´t want to appear rude. We told them about about our tour through Spain with our students, and one punker who overheard us said jokingly we were setting a bad example for them. The evening ended on a light note, and we returned to our hotel for the night.



The Alhambra



I was exhausted the next morning, but as usual, I got my second wind just thinking about the thrill of visiting the Alhambra again after 20 years. In the 13th century, Granada became the capital of Al-andalus, the last Moorish stronghold. The Moors constructed this majestic palace in a privileged location surrounded by mountains and woods, close enough to Grandada, but also far enough away so that the ruling sultans could protect themselves from unruly subjects.



When I last visited the Alhambra in 1986, the palace was in a state of disrepair, and the gardens were brown. Nonetheless, I still thought the site was beautiful because of the history and culture residing within its walls. This time I was absolutely stunned at the remarkable progress made in the Alhambra´s restoration. The walls gleamed and I could see virtually every detailed carving on them. Likewise for the Generalife or gardens which showed off their lush green vegetation and colorful, fragrant flowers. The cool, dry air, bright blue sky further enhanced the experience.



Our guide Nils met us at the entrance. I immediately took to his warm personality, He has an interesting background too. He was born and raised in Spain; his father is Swedish and a painter; his mother is French. I could sense his passion for the Alhambra and Moorish culture right away. I liked his approach because he conveyed major concepts and values behind this palace rather than boring us with meaningless details about its history. He recommended a book called The Alhambra by Oleg Grabar to learn more and I will purchase it.



We began our tour with the Generalife, a paradise which exudes an interior quietness and stimulates the senses. As we walked through the gardens I could smell roses, and other fragrant plants. The green cypress bushes, tall, thick and verdant served as a barrier to outside noise and heat. The air actually felt cooler here because when we left the palace the temperature was a bit warmer.

As we proceeded through the various sections of the palace, I was awestruck by its elegance and beauty and the panoramic views of Granada from it. Surprisingly, the walls are made of plaster; however, the masterful work of artisans who carved intricate designs in them centuries ago made them look like alabaster. According to Nils, many of the designs connected to repetitive patterns in mathematics and nature. Even though I had sensory overload, all was in perfect harmony -- I wasn´t even tired, even after the three-hour tour.

When we left the palace, Gary told us we had two hours of free time before leaving for our next destination. Some of us decided to catch up on our blogging. I wrote for awhile and then I went with Sonia for a bite to eat. Richard recommended a Middle Eastern place that does takeout around the corner. It was a cozy spot. We ordered from the owner, a Syrian who spoke very fluent Spanish and English. I ordered falafel--absolutely delectible and filling-- and ate it on the run to make the bus on time.

I was sad to leave Granada, a very walkable city with deep Islamic roots, exotic smells of herbs and spices, and a lovely climate. I will return -- algún día si Alá quiere.

Valencia: Tradition and Modernity

We arrived here from Barcelona on June 19, but I haven´t been able to blog for awhile. I´m falling behind, but eventually I´ll catch up. I was last here in June, 2005. Our first stop was the museum complex of arts and sciences, an ultra-modern collection of buildings which has the 21st Century written all over it. We had no time to visit, only to take some photos and use the restrooms. The day was bright and sunny, unlike the weather i Barcelona which was cloudy with intermitent rain. A blue sky made for a lovely contrast next to the gleaming white buildings

We then proceeded to the center of town to get a brief orientation. While Valencia has strived to attract more tourism through its futuristic museum complex, there´s a lot of history here which includes a healthy dose of Moorish cultural influence as exhibited through some of the architecture and food. We didn´t have much time, so we had to prioritize. Denise, her family and I decided to go to the spectacular cathedral one of the many places which claims to hold the Holy Grail. It is indeed a towering structure. I felt so insignificant yet privileged to experience it. I saw a plethora of priceless artifacts and an altar of gold with beautiful paintings in the Renaissance style which depicted the life of Christ. The chapel´s azure ceiling with gold leaf caught my attention. We nade our way through the immense cathedral with the assistance of an audio tour which provided informative explanations. We finally entered the room of the Holy Grail.. The prized artifact was in the middle of an immense wall of intricately carved wooden panels which seemed to dwarf it.

After the cathedral visit, we proceded to the market which unfortunately was closed. We made a pit stop at McDonald´s to use the restrooms and get ice cream. I never frequent fast food joints as much as I have on this trip. They have come in handy. The hour to rendevous with our group came, so we headed for our bus. Our hotel, a Holiday Inn Express, was far from town and I felt it wasn´t worth it to come back. I really wanted to experience more of this delighful place. but the taxi ride would cost over $40 round trip. I needed to recharge my batteries anyway, so for once I turned in early after our dinner at a shopping mall within walking distance from our hotel. The meal was surprisingly good! Tomorrow it was on to Granada.