A Trip to Granada, May I share it with you?
We just returned from twelve days in Granada, Spain with a side trip to Córdoba, and another to the seaside town of Salobreña. It was a great opportunity for which I am very grateful.
I threw myself into Spanish with the cab driver, a young fellow. I gave the address of our hotel in Spanish by asking, “¿Sabe dónde está ubicado el hotel, La Puerta de Las Granadas?” He said he knew it, and off we went. We talked, in Spanish, about the US students in Granada, music and a bit of politics.
When we arrived at the hotel, I felt pretty good about speaking Spanish. At the desk however, the staff members spoke perfect English, and that disappointed me, although I should have expected it. After registering, I asked the woman who had attended us, if she would be offended if I asked her to speak to me in Spanish, unless I asked her to explain something in English. I told her that I was a student of Spanish and that while in Spain I wanted to maximize my exposure. She couldn’t have been nicer. She was more than happy to help me, and we spoke of many things. She gave us some great tour tips. From that day on she only spoke Spanish to me. I have to say, that it is worth it when you force yourself to try it in Spanish. It is a great feeling when you answer a question, or order a meal or drink, and the response to you is as natural as if you had been speaking it all your life! I hope the SpanishDict members who are beginning Spanish speakers will see that their efforts will bear fruit if only they keep at it.
We took a lot of photos; I will only post a few as I progress with the thread. I don't want to over do it! Granada is full of the history of the Moorish caliphate in the 12th century, to the conquest, of Granada by the Christians in 1492. The Moors had constructed a beautiful city dominated by a Palace/ Fort of enormous beauty! It is known as, “The Alhambra.” Here are photos of the Palace as it now appears high over Granada. Those of you who have also visited there, please leave your impressions. I'll add another post tomorrow.
33 Answers
"The Stumblers"
I mentioned that we took some hotel recommended tours. They were great, and I'll get to them later. My wife describes us as,"stumblers." On our first day there, still tired from the flight, we decided to walk up the hills of the community known as, Albaicin, on the eastern side of Granada. We walked up the narrow streets and gazed at the whitewashed buildings, almost all with terraces, and were, amazed how small cars were squeezed into amazingly small places.
Rounding a corner, perfectly exhausted from the climb, we came upon a plaza filled with people, musicians, sketch artists, and tourists. We had "stumbled," upon one of the most famous places in Granada, "El Mirador de San Nicholas." A plaza in front of the church of Saint Nicholas, which looks across the valley formed by the Daro River to give the best view possible of, "The Alhambra!"
Things only got better! There was a wedding going on in the church, and the public was allowed to watch. Here we saw a traditional Spanish wedding. The mother of the groom wore a black dress and mantilla! The music and singing was pure Andalucian. It was great! Here are a couple of photos!
First photo is of the Church of St. Nicholas as seen from the Alhambra. Note the people on the wall of the ,"Mirador."
Granada is really a very special place. I was there several years ago and as you did I found the people very friendly and very willing to speak with me in their language. As I remember, not many people spoke English there probably because I wasn't staying in expensive hotels. What were the prices like? I know that the dollar has been tanking lately vs the euro. My wife has been telling me that she wants to return because she studied there in the 60's during the last days of Franco. So I guess we'll make the trip again in the next year. To us the accents in Spain are very interesting, and of course they speak several dialects there that aren't the common Castillano. We're glad to hear that you had a good trip!
I don't want to over do it!
I am so happy for you Joe! What an unbelievable experience. Please don't worry about overdoing it with pictures. I for one want to see as many as you can post. I'm sure I am speaking on behalf of most of the other members as well! 
Gratefull Joe, and full of envy, and also quite impressed that you and your good lady wife had the courage to take on such a big adventure . I shall be looking foreward to each episode of "Sherlocks Odysy" and lots of pictures to give us all a taste of "Your Spain". Thank you dear friend.
Thanks Joe, I'm glad you had a good trip. That was a great story and I'll bet a very rewarding experience. I'm looking forward to more photos.
Just a bump.
I missed this the first go-around and thought someone else might have also.
Great photos and narratives, Joe. I enjoyed your trip.
She was right!(If we had not been speaking in Spanish, I don't think we would have learned about this show!)
Way to go, Joe, wonderful, this is exactly what I do when I go somewhere here in Spain, ask the locals, hey, where do you eat well here, which is the best beach...etc, only the locals will be able to show you the "real" thing
Wonderful, this is a great thread, thanks Joe
Joe, you brought back some beautiful memories. I'm so happy that you got to share this amazing place with your wife. Your photos are lovely.
If you don't mind, I'm going to steal your term, "stumblers". It is the most wonderful way to experience new places (and life in general, I suppose). Just by taking your time and keeping your eyes open, you can see little surprises, little joys, little wonders...and make those memories that could never even be approached by an organized, "official" tour of any city. You get to see the quiet beauty, moments whose memories will always bring a smile to your face. I have many such memories of the times that I have visited Spain, and I am so happy that you now have them, too.
Thank for sharing your special memories...your quiet discoveries...and your very fortunate "stumbles" with us, my friend.
The photos are amazing! Your trip sounds amazing as well. I am happy that everything went well for you and your wife. I would love to hear more about your adventure in Granada, especially anything you might do differently if you were to make the trip again and of course anything that you would repeat in a second. I imagine that would be almost everything!
Thanks for sharing, Joe.
Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada.” “How beautiful - I had forgotten that. I vaguely recall a 'key' and a 'hand' reaching out towards it up on the wall? Please tell us more Joe!
What a wonderful trip, Joe! Tell us more - and give us more pictures if you can.
Thanks for the details of the trip, Joe, sounds like a great time!! I love travelling, and seeing historic things in different countries from my own.
I also love talking in Spanish with natives - when I went to Mexico, I went into a restaurant, and talked solely in Spanish, it was great practice, and actually a lot of fun!!
Keept the pictures coming!!
Thats Bull!
My wife and I had long discussions about whether we should see a bull fight. I did want to, but I didn't! I had watched the bullfights on Andalucian TV before the trip and was a little put off. But then, here we are in Granada, and Bull fighting is hugely popular. We were in a store looking at tareceras(a type of hand made artisan work, tables, jewelry boxes, chess boards, etc.), so I told the owner of my dilemma, citing the fact that bullfighting is not something we see in the States, and isn't it cruel? He said, look, these bulls, for four years, are pampered, grazed on the best grass on open ranges, never caged up. They are with pretty cow females all around to entertain them! After four years they are brought to a ring and killed in a quick efficient way. At this point he looked me right in the eye and said, "Do you know what beef cows live like before they are slaughtered?, Do you know what happens to calves for veal, how they suffer before being eaten? I got his point! As it was, the season had ended in Granada and we would not get to see a bullfight, even if we had decided to, but the discussion was well worth it! If you look carefully in these photos, you can see a blood stain on the sand in the otherwise pristine Plaza de Toros of Granada! (Let's hold any discussions about bullfighting for another time. I just wanted to set up and put the photos in context.
Francisco de Icaza, a Spanish poet said, while referring to a blind beggar, “Give him alms woman, for there is in life, nothing so sad as to be blind in Granada!”
A visit to the Alhambra with its sculptured facades, and rooms, designed in the Moorish style. gardens, and pools, and scenic vistas that take the breath away, lends truth to that poetic phrase which in Spanish is written this way, “Dale limosna, mujer, que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada.” The following photos were taken within the Alhambra.
In 1492 the Christians conquered Granada, and the Moors were defeated. They were forced to leave behind what had taken centuries to build. The ten Christian churches now in Granada, were all built on the site of a former Mosque! With the Moors sent back across the Mediterranean Sea, to Africa, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, made Granada their seat of power, where they stayed until their deaths. Their tombs may be visited in the Royal Chapel and Museum.
The Alhambra became the home to Christian royalty, Christian religious sects, soldiers and prisoners. You cannot help but realize the exceptional artwork, poetry, science and general beauty brought to Granada by the Moors. It should always be remembered that the transcendence in the arts and science has served all of us well.
On the South side of Granada is the Science Park. A Museum of science which is as good as any in the world. The attached photos shows a nautical exhibit, which has some interesting critters climbing up it's side. Juxtaposed with the antiquity of Granada is a modern city with a University of nearly 60, 000 students from all over the world. Modern though it may be, I always felt that Queen Isabella was watching over her city!
