I woke up to clear blue sky with birds chirping, and looked out the window to our sun drenched private courtyard, and thought - I could get used to this. San Pedro is slowly stirring to life, whilst I pour Horchata on my muesli, and make a cup of Earl Grey Tea.
High above me is the old castle, Alhambra (pictured above). Formidable, it dominates the high ground above the old city. There would be the devil to pay to try and take it, so no the wonder the Moors held it to 1492!
After breakfast we headed to the local market to buy some fresh fruit and vegetables. The mighty Cathedral of Granada towers over the surrounding streets. It's the second largest cathedral in Spain (pictured below).
After lunch we visited the Capilla Real (The Royal Chapel), where King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella who conquered the city at the end of the Reconquista. No photographs allowed I'm afraid. The high ornate Gothic ceiling is spectacular. Entry fee is 4 Euro.
The cathedral of Granada is built over the Nasrid Great Mosque of Granada. (pictured above - I was able to dowload this picture from the web).
The Calle Reyes Catolicos is the main street that runs North/South to San Pedro and towards the castle (Alhambra). Notice the sail cloth to shield the street from the sun. It's a good idea. Our taxi driver said that it regularly gets to 40 degrees in Granada during the summer.
At the intersection of Gran Via de Colon and Calle Reyes Catolicos we come to the Plaza Isabel la Catolica, where a statue depicts Christopher Columbus outlining his plan to Queen Isabella of Spain and their subsequent agreement for the voyage to the Americas. An event that probably took place here in Granada.
I couldn't help but smile when this tourist group on Segway's whizzed past us (above). Surreal, considering the the setting.
The Monasterio de San Bernardo (Monastery of Saint Bernard) is in our street, which probably explains why it is so quiet. This Monastery sells wine and cookies, so this afternoon we bought some cookies. Now, the procedure is to ring the bell next to the front door, and a nun will open the little wooden door with a wooden turnstile contraption.
"Buenos tardes, medio kilogram cookies, por favour'. (Good afternoon, half a kilogram of cookies, please)
You put the money in and it twirls, and then the biscuits come through.
"Mulchas gracitas" - (thankyou very much)
The sweet little nun smiled.
"Vaya con dios" (Go with God)
We had some of the cookies with our afternoon tea. They were delicious.
I recommend buying products from Monasteries because you know it's going to be good, and because they do a tremendous amount of work helping the poor and the sick in the community.
The Alhambra (Castle, Palace and gardens) is the main tourist attraction in Granada. We have bought tickets (and printed them out) for Sunday, which means we are definitely going to see this marvel.
We had an alfresco dinner in our little courtyard. It's great renting apartments or houses, because you have all the amenities like a washing machine to clean your clothes, and a full size fridge to keep your food cold. It definitely makes life easier when you are on the road.
Flamenco is what this region is famous for, so we went off again in search of this amazing art. We found it at the En Chien Andulusia (The Andulusian Dog after the French surrealist film). 8 Euros for a table up the front. It was good, but the Flamenco at Jazzsi in Barcelona had set the bar high.
Granada is great. The weather is not too hot, it's less crowded and noisy than Barcelona, and cheaper. An expresso here is one Euro ($1.50 AUD/USD), a beer is 2 Euros or $3 AUD/USD. I don't think we have had beer that cheap in Australia since 1988! Not to mention that complementary Tapas comes with every drink, so it's awesome value.
Further information:
The Monasterio de San Bernardo
Carrera del Darro c/ Gloria
Granada
http://www.monasteriosanbernardodegranada.com/
Travel advice - Don't accept the Rosemary or engage in conversation with the Gypsy women (or more correctly women of Gypsy like appearance) around the Cathedral. Either don't say anything or say, "No, gracias" and keep walking. If you have been to Paris or Rome you know the routine. Also never buy a caravan from one.
Fill up on the complementary Tapas with your drink before heading out.
Choose accomodation in the Old City, because everything is within walking distance from there.
