The Alhambra and Andalusian Ambience

GRANADA, SPAIN -- April 21, 2006

I woke at 6:30 AM to the sounds of noise around me, but I was grateful. I had overslept my alarm by 30 minutes. If I had any hopes of seeing the Alhambra, I needed to be IN the ticket line that had already begun forming since the wee hours of the morning.

John, a fellow traveler from the US, and I snaked our way up the steep Calle Gomerez to the ticket office, where we took our places at the end of an already-too-long line. 3,000 tickets would be given out this morning to those who arrived first.

Unfortunately, there were no guarantees, as each person was allowed to purchase up to 5. Today would be my only opportunity to see the Alhambra. My hopes were high. John and I shared salami sandwiches and swappped stories for two hours, while we shivered in the cold morning air and waited for the line to start moving. Finally, after a long wait, we were able to secure ourselves entry to the Palace, later that afternoon.

I spent the rest of my morning wandering again through the Albaicin, exploring nooks and crannies left undisturbed yesterday. I managed to located another scenic lookout point, the Mirador de San Cristobal, but found it a disappointment after the unparalleled views enjoyed from San Nicholas.

I passed a fresh produce marked in one of the plazas tucked between narrow streets. There were no tourists in sight as I queued for a closer look at the fresh fruit on offer. My Spanish is so rudimentary that I find I have to be a little creative. So, when I reached the head of the line, I held out 2 Euro to the woman behind the scale, and told her I wanted strawberries, please. She empied a carton of these small fruits, bursting with red color into a bag. My grand prize was an entire kilo of strawberries, which I happily munched as I meandered my way back to San Nicholas.

Sitting on the wall of this impressive lookout, swallowing down the sweet pulp of garden-fresh strawberries, I couldn´t help but smile widely as a foursome of locals began an impromptu performance in true Andalusian style. Guitars strumming, one voice belted out a melody so colorful and explosive, that it evoked images of matadors, women with ebony hair and swirling flamenco skirts. All of this, plus a million dollar view right before my eyes.

John and I explored the Alhambra for nearly three hours, passing from one corridor to another, mouths agape with nearly every turn. The Palace Real was magnificent -- so intricate, ornate, exceptionally beautiful. There were arches, columns, water flowing everywhere from fountains. The gardens were immaculate, ranging from Alice-in-Wonderland style manicured hedges to rows of blooming flowers in every color imaginable. Reflecting pools created perfect mirror images of already-perfect architectural gems, and windows peeked out at impressive views across to the Albaicin and mountains beyond the valley in which Granad rests.
After all of this walking, we relaxed on the rooftop terrace of the hostel, sipping sangrias and chatting with other travelers. Afterward, I enjoyed my first Spanish dinner at a charming little hole-in-the-wall place with brick walls and green & white checkered tablecloths. First course was paella, colored deep yellow with saffron, and served with two whole shrimp (eyes, antennae, and all), an oyster, and bits of beef and chicken. Second course was pork cutlets served with fried potato (french fries... which I´m learning is pretty typical fare here). All this with pan (bread), a glass of vino (wine), and a small bowl of helado (ice cream) to top things off. Not bad for 10 Euro!

Today Granada impressed me beyond words. My love affair with Morocco has come to a close, and my arms are wide open to the wonders of this beautiful country. What wonders await me in Ronda? I can scarcely wait to find out!

~Melanie