We felt enough like locals to be huffy when we found our favorite Granada cafe still shuttered this morning when we needed our cafe con leche and tostada mixta before we headed for the station. By 11:30 our train was whizzing through olive groves at 85 mph, the scenery growing drier and the olive trees giving way to almonds and wheat as we neared Seville.
We're staying in a hotel created from some of the remains of the old Jewish quarter. Las Casas de las Juderia is an elegant warren of courtyards, twisting underground passageways and tiled stairways. We neglected to bring crumbs to mark our path. Official photographer Carolyn hasn't yet captured the scene, we've been lost only twice so far - and that's in the hotel! Dinner was in a plaza with swallows performing aerial stunts as we people watched. Tomorrow we board another train for a day in Cordova. Stay tuned.

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

After a leisurely breakfast T our Granada-favorite-coffee-place, Kitty and I went SHOPPING! Give us a map and sufficient motivation, and we can find our way anywhere! We even bought our train tickets for tomorrow's journey to Sevilla...

THEN: indulgence! We went to the Hammam, the Arab Baths (no. Photos allowed)... Paying our money (a very reasonable 49E) we were led into a whole different world: pillared rooms, lantern-lit rooms and connected by arches and passageways, high curved ceilings, tiled walls and floors, rooms of pools (hot, cold, and medium), sequestered corners where you could drink tea, sounds of running water and soft Arabic music... We luxuriated, moving from one pool to another, and then were summoned into yet another area where we lay on slabs of marble and were scrubbed- and-massaged... Then showers, more pool soaking, tea... We feel wonderful!

Shortly we are going to wander once again into the streets for a Moroccan dinner... Ah, the rough life of vacationers!

On another note altogether: a question! What does it say about the state of religion in Spain that Sagrada Familia in Barcelona has no baptismal font - and the Capilla Real in Granada has no Resurrection?! (When I asked, I was told that "it's really all about the Passion"!). Here is a picture of the reredos at the Capilla...




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Location:Granada

No longer lonely in Granada

First of all, We're feeling much better since so many of you responded to our plea for comments. Mysteriously, several of you protested they had sent long responses that we hadn't credited - but they haven't shown up in the comment section. Lost in translation?
Here's how we spent Monday:



- We climbed a shady green road up to the great fortress of the Alhambra. Most of our visit was spent in the enchanting Nasrid palaces, an architectural paradise of extraordinary stone, tile and plaster decoration








We decided that, even with the wonderfully cool and verdant courtyards, we would rather have been servants or craftswomen than the sequestered women of the court, who spent their whole lives inside the walls of the palace. After our leisurely tour, we skipped the not so wonderful palace of the Christian king Charles V in favor of the baths where we speculated on the hydraulics


Then we walked to the Parador where we recuperated with a pitcher of Sangria and a plate of olives and local cheeses as we sat on a tree shaded terrace with a view of the Generalife summer palace gardens.




The Generalife was in full bloom: wisteria, pansies, poppies, iris, climbing roses and all sorts of Mediterranean plants we see in California gardens. Lots of pools, the sound everywhere of trickling, falling running water. Also feral cats, who spend their afternoons waiting for the goldfish to swim too close to poolside.

As we headed back we had a grand sight of snow covered mountains - again reminding us of our Sierras. Below is a photo taken in our local barrio.

Location:Granada

Exploring Granada

We awoke this morning on "Spanish time" and left the hotel about 9:30 in a Granada-coffee-shop quest... What a beautiful city! The streets and plazas were virtually empty (quite a contrast after crowded Barcelona!) except for a very few people making their way to one of the many churches in town... we sat outside in the sunshine enjoying our coffee and the feel of the city and listening to the church bells... Suddenly: hoards of people! The plazas and streets began to fill with tourists! I'm glad we had the quiet, uncrowded time that we had.



The Granada cathedral is the least-favorite of the many cathedrals we've seen, but it is a good orienting point for our travels...



In our wanderings we happened upon a wonderful spice shop! Our noses drew us in, and we will definitely need a return visit!



We thought of Juana as we wandered into the grounds of the Cordova Palace... An interesting observation: in how many other cities are you entertained by the ground under your feet?! The streets and plazas all have the most interesting forms imbedded in their cobblestones...

The walk along the "river" on the Via de Los Tristes is spectacular, offering wonderful views of the Alhambra...





Ah... We have just passed a delightful afternoon, sitting on a plaza drinking wine and eating bread and Hesse and watching children chase pigeons, kick soccer balls, etc. now we're in the courtyard drinking coffee and about to "do our homework" by reading up on the Alhambra before tomorrow's tour...


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Location:Granada

At home in Granada!

We (finally!) arrived in Granada - after a cab ride almost as expensive as our plane tickets! - and have settled in to our (very small but charming) room in a 16th century building (read: tiny bathroom with old plumbing and cramped shower and toilet appended to bedroom!)... We do have "open and airy" stairs (34 as opposed to Barcelona's 46!) and lovely courtyard with afternoon coffee, and our room windows open onto a courtyard. We are centrally located along the Paseo de Los Tristes right across from the Alhambra.









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Location:Granada

Spanish Time

We've slipped easily into the rhythms of the country - yesterday we people watched as we slowly sipped our morning cafes con leche at our favorite cafe, strolled the streets around the Barcelona cathedral, explored an imaginative exhibit on the Catalan language. We had left our cameras at the apartment, so no photos, but those of you with a little Spanish or French probably can puzzle out these quotes: "El veritable enemic es l'oblit" "Pa i circ, deien els romans. Poesia i futbol? I tu, que hi dies!". All the signs in Barcelona are in Catalan as well as Spanish. Franco suppressed the language and culture, but now children are learning it in school and Friday evening we happened on a dramatic production on the Cathedral steps about the death of Thomas a Becket completely in Catalan. T. S. Eliot in Catalan?
Saturday afternoon we flew to Granada in the rain. We're staying in a sixteenth century mansion, complete with courtyard. When we go down the cobbled steps from our front door we see the Alhambra in all its golden glory right up the hill from us.
We ate dinner at our now usual time, 10 p.m. And strolled home with the rest of the town - everyone, even the toddlers, out enjoying the cool post-rain freshness. Now it's Sunday morning and time to find a new cafe con leche spot where we can sit and watch the world pass.


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Location:Granada

Acclimated in Barcelona

We are finally getting acclimated to life in Barcelona! Last night, at the culturally-appropriate hour of 20:30 we made our way through the streets of the Gothic (our!) section of the city and actually navigated our way to our restaurant of choice: Cafe de la Academia - chosen as much for its name and location as for its food, although the meal was excellent!
This morning: only TWO modes of transportation (besides our feet, which are getting quite a workout!) as we made our way by Metro and train to Figueres to the Dali Theater/Museum/Masoleum... Arriving, we stumbled upon the weekly Sardana dance in the town square. Forbidden under Franco, they are now a weekly occurrence in cities in Catalonya (weekends in Barcelona in front of the Cathedral, and, obviously Fridays in Figueres). Participants, visitors welcome, hold hands in a circle and dance to the music of a band (in orange shirts, of course!)... The dancing can go on for two hours! It's a rather pleasant way to assert identity!




Everywhere the Catalyn language is present: all signs, although generally also in Spanish, and frequently English as well. It's fascinating to see how the French has influenced the Spanish to produce the Catalyn language!




The Dali Museum was - well, Dali! Provocative, interesting, and a fun excursion. (oops! I can't figure out how to re-orient this photo, so you'll just have to turn your head!)




Tonight: regroup, and get ready for tomorrow's departure for Granada and whatever adventures that city holds in store for us!
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Location:Barcelona