Granada
Hot! Motorcycles, motorbikes, motorscooters! Plazas, fountains, parks!
Granada is so beautiful. The city is so full of quaint plazas with fountains and outdoor restuarants. Why can´t we have sidewalk restuarants in Shelton? Oh, yeah, I forgot the rain.
We have gotten sprinkled on here in Granada. It clouded up yesterday and the temp dropped to the low 90s. Good thing because I force-marched Gail up a very steep hill to the Moor area of town and to the Gypsy area. More quaint plazas and little stores and shops. There was a great view across the valley to Alhambra.
We did the "complete" Alhambra experience Monday. You can get reservations on-line if you know when you are going to be in Granada, which we didn´t, or you can line up about 7 AM for the 1200 tickets they reserve for same-day sale. When we arrived there were already about 200 people in line for the opening of the ticket office at 8:30. The line grew to a thousand by opening time. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE! A thousand people from all over the world speaking so many different languages. We met some very nice people from Switzerland and a man who is starting to sell wines in the US for a group of wineries in Spain. Our opinion is: Even if you have tickets, go early and enjoy the early morning line.
The Alhambra was an all-day experience. It is huge and beautiful. It was the last stronghold of the Moors in Europe, falling to the Christians in 1492. It was a walled city of 2000 people, their homes and businesses, so you can understand how big it is.
We are off to Barcelona this evening on a sleeper train. We got our reservations too late and the "Matrimonial" car was filled, so tonight we travel separately; Gail in the "señoras´" coach and me in the "caballeros´" coach. We have to be in Paris on Friday, so we will only have one whole day and one night in Barcelona. We have been visiting many cities the last two weeks and staying in many hotels (most of which have been very nice), so it will be nice to call our hotel in Paris "home" for a whole week.
adios
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4 comments:
Absolutely a DREAM trip!
I am having "Internet" fun looking up the places you visit. Thanks for the interesting Blog updates.
Peggy and Art
Your adventure sounds wonderful, wish we were with you!
We'll be thinking of you in Paris...hope you'll have a glass of wine in a little "Frenchy bistro" for us!
Love Jan & Francisco
Bruce and I definitely recommend visiting the Alhambra in early January, when it's 35 degrees and driving sleet. That really keeps the crowds away.
It sounds like you're really enjoying your trip so far! Keep writing your updates...
Jen & Bruce
Dan & Gail...
Granada is where I studied for 5 months when a junior in college. It was fun imagining you visiting the same places I used to frequent. But I wasn't there in the summer... who goes there in the summer? It's hot! : )
Ellen
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