Granada and then Madrid

There remains one thing for us to do in Granada. Oh, I know. Some would frown at such limited aspirations. What about the churches! The cathedral! Monastaries, gates, Hamman Arab baths! Nope, not for us. What I do want to still experience is a walk through the Albaicin neighborhood. This, too, is a UNESCO protected site. In their words, Albaicin is a "rich repository of Moorish vernacular architecture, in which the traditional Andalusian architecture blends harmoniously." In other words -- daily life stuff. Not palaces, official buildings, nor the like. Homes, gardens, shops, bakeries, markets -- all spread over a hill that stands facing the Alhambra.

But first, a bit of packing, followed by breakfast.

Here, I have to put in a good word for the people who work at the Palacio Gran Via. All of them -- charming, helpful, with that can do attitude that makes you feel like no favor is too big. They presented us with a bottle of the essential  room fragrance to take back home, but I turned it down. I cant take liquids in large bottles in flight. Off they went to measure its contents. It meets the 100 ml requirement! -- they tell me with glee. Or this -- the girl is known for liking pineapple for breakfast. Suddenly, a large plate of pineapple appears for her. And then there was the broken headphone connector: Snowdrop's wasn't working. They canvassed the neighborhood in search of a replacement (not that it helped, but they tried!). That kind of care is rare indeed in hotels this size (at 53 rooms, I consider it a larg-ish mid-size; by comparison, the Baume in Paris has 35 rooms). Nice people, with ready smiles and a helping attitude!

Okay, on with the morning!

At 10:30 we meet up with Miriam once again. I dont know that we really need her, if the purpose is to get lost in an old Granada neighborhood, but the fact is, the window of dry weather is small and, too, we have to get back in time to eat lunch and catch our afternoon train to Madrid. Miriam is friendly and knowledgeable. Miriam will make sure we dont get fully lost. Off we go!

Our first pause is in the neighborhood just beyond the Albaicin. This is where you'll find the cave-homes: the Cuevas del Sacromonte. Dwellings partly built into the mountainside.

And every once in a while on this walk, you need only glance over toward the "other mountain." There you will see the great Alhambra.

(In one of the cave houses, there is an old flamenco school of music...)

(Snowdrop explores the dance floor...)

And now we walk down toward the Albaicin.

(very narrow streets...)

( a third generation bakery)

(a small local market is going to have oranges for sure...)

(In Granada, an enclosed garden and orchard  next to the house is called a carmen; this one owner leavesan opening for passersby to peek inside...)

(and again, that best view!)

(... with the visible range of the Sierra Nevada)

Granada has a second "Arabic" market here, with lots of shops selling artifacts from Morocco...)

(... as well as local stuff from Granada)

It's time to part ways. Miriam has done a lot for us. Thank you!

Snowdrop and I eat a quick lunch at the nearby Piccola Carmela. (For the pizza for the little girl.)

And at 3:00 pm we are at Grananda Station... 

 

 

... and with this, ends our visit to Andalucia. I cut our stay here by a day at the last minute. We're efficient: we can squeeze a lot into two days. In leaving a day early, we benefit from having a more relaxed return north. More on that later. Tonight we catch a cab under a Madrid rainbow...

 

 

And we proceed to the Palacio de los Duques -- the hotel in Madrid with all those Velazquez reproductions.

(Except this time, there's also a bunny rabbitt hanging out in the reception...)

(And our bedroom has a different Valazquez fragment over the bed...)

Because it's late, and because we are tired, we eat at the hotel. She loved my squid on our last dinner here. This time, I ordered her a full plate of her own. It will be our last squid for a long while.

It's our last night in Spain. There isn't a moon out there -- it continues to be very wet in southwestern Europe. And yet, we were lucky! Not only for those warm days in Seville, but because there were breaks in clouds and in the showers for us just when we needed them most! How enormously wonderful is that!