Back in BCN

Hi to all my friends,


I know some of you have probably written me off (or the blog) but I'm back and as you can see trying to keep 2 blogs at the same time......Uuuuuffff. A tough task considering my internet situation right now. If you are asking yourself what's happening (and waiting for more posts about my trip) here is the deal.

Took me a while to find and move to a new place (I couldn't afford to keep the old one while I was away for the summer). Have a few issues with it -- the biggest one is internet. I'm sorry I disappeared but I have a feeling I sometimes live in the 3rd world in Barcelona..... Not easy to get net without a 12-month contract and who wants to be tied to something for 12 months when I change my mind so often?!?

The other issue of course is work. School and uni have started and it's a bit crazy until we get into the regular routine. Things are much easier this year -- surprisingly. My Spanish has improved (also surprisingly) by itself and I seem to understand much more than before. Speaking is still a pain but let's hope that I'll work on it. A bit more free time this year (still writing this at 2am...) as I will be working only at 2 places instead of 3! Yeah!

Good news is that the place is next to the beach (don't see it from the apt but from the street) and I also go to uni by bike! I finally use the bicing in BCN. Not that I don't curse it often (as many other things in this country) but it's still better than walking and/or metro. So stay tuned to the other blog for a continuation to the blog. I'm typing it  but will have to see with the internet how the uploading of the pics will be. Miss you all and think of you! Yours, Rxxxxx

The Alhambra -- Granada 2

Nazareth Palace

Aaaaa the Alhambra.........I don't think anyone can describe this place with words. Even the pictures do not portray its magnificence and splendor. And we can only imagine what it looked like in its prime hundreds of years ago. At least it survived centuries and we can still marvel at its beauty.

This visit was my major planning for the trip. As I told you in the previous post I tried not to plan too much this time and just figure it out there. But I made sure that I had my ticket in advance -- very limited number of tickets per day and I heard stories of people lining up at 5-6am to get a ticket. 

Ceiling in the baths

Just look at the mosaic under my feet....

I went to Alhambra a little bit before noon and can tell you that not only did I spend the whole day there but could have gone a second day too. It is huge! To get inside the walls you have to walk through a great park with big trees, fountains and benches. It's up on a hill so it feels a bit like hiking. Once you are in you really have to orient yourself which way to go first because the complex has so many places to visit. 

Granada behind me

Snow and Sierra Nevada in the distance

You have a special time on your ticket to the palace (Nazareth) as there are many people and you still want to enjoy without too many crowds. As my time was at 3pm, I decided to walk around first. The buildings, walls, and exquisite details that I saw amazed me. I definitely wasn't prepared for it. I kept thinking and trying to imagine what it was like during its heyday.

All the walls inside are decorated with Arabic writings -- in the marble and stone there are thousands of symbols so finely done that you almost have a feeling it's surreal. Nothing can prepare you for it. The details and the amazing artwork in front of your eyes are so beautiful that pictures seem frustratingly blunt. 

I kept walking and looking and my mind could not really comprehend all the beauty that surrounded me. I kept thinking about the extremely hard work that went into building that magnificent place, the people who lived at that time and the life that they had and most of all the fact that all of this was created in the 14th century....

Part of the wall close up

After the palace I walked more and visited the gardens. Magical! The flowers and the fountains just make you want to stay there forever. It is so beautiful and serene. At every step you are surrounded by history. And beauty. Did I say beauty?!?!

It was amazing! The Moors had a big influence in Andalucia and this is definitely a legacy which everyone should try to visit. I have hundreds of pictures from that place and it is very difficult to upload only a few. I strongly recommend you to make the trip if you have a chance! 

I left speechless and forever charmed!

Trip Part 1 -- Granada (1)

My trip started with a 4.5hr sleep the night before because in my desire to get down to Andalucia early in the morning and not waste any time, I booked such an early flight that I ended up sleeping only a bit...I'm only saying this because the trip actually ended with the same amount of sleep! One reason was also an early flight (I guess anxious to come back to BCN and relax -- after a vacation...) but another was that I stayed up late in a bar.

On the hostel's terrace

From my room

Inside the hostel

 I arrived in Granada early and was able to find the hostel with no problems. I have to admit that I tried to stay away from too much planning (which I usually do but have been trying to cut down on it for the past 2 years or so) -- had no idea about places to visit (except Alhambra), map, etc. It's good that there were free maps in the bus from the airport to the center.

 

A cute street in Granada (close to my hostel)

Oranges everywhere!!!!!

This is how they sell tea and spices

The hostel was really cute -- an old building, hidden in the small stone streets, with such character that you couldn't really ask for more. It had a lovely terrace with Arab style divans and cushions and mot importantly friendly staff.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral

My first day was walking around, getting to know charming Granada, visiting the Cathedral. After having seen the Duomo in Milan past summer I didn't really think that I'd be impressed by another cathedral. Well, I guess I was wrong. This cathedral has amazing details outside and once you go in it doesn't look like any other cathedral. It's white, huge and the details are stunning.

 

Beautiful flowers everywhere

There are orange and mandarin trees everywhere in Andalucia! We have them here in BCN too but in the south they are EVERYWHERE! I love them!!! :) Couldnt take enough pics of them. The use them instead of other green trees in the streets, parks and gardens.

By the river (Alhambra in the back)

I have a thing for fountains, flowers and parks.....You will see some of them but it is really difficult to pick from my 1,500 pics (yeah, you read that right....). And I'm really sorry that I can't share all the beauty that I captured but hopefully you will get an idea.

More blossoms

Of course flamenco!

I walked pretty much the whole day around in the heat (it was lovely!) and finished the day with tasty tapas and sangria. There will be a special part on Alhambra as it is one of the man-made wonders of the world and I can't possibly describe it with a few words nor put enough pictures for you to get the idea. Stay tuned!