Ode to the dred mullet

Today's topic: Granada, Spain.

Granada is situated in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southeastern Spain and was the last Muslim city in Spain before the Catholics took over. Arabic influence is evident in everything from the architecture to the cuisine. I had read that Granada would be quintessential Spain, but the atmosphere felt almost like northern Africa instead. I liked the vibe: the city had a very hippie feel and population in comparison to the more sophisticated Seville. In fact, Granada was totally different from Seville with the exception of the narrow streets (can you even call them streets?) and the blazing sun.

View of the Alhambra

I arrived in Granada mid-afternoon on a bus from Seville. Having decided to only stay 1 night, I threw down my things and headed straight out to see what the city had to offer in my limited time. I followed the river up toward Sacromonte where gypsies have cave-homes carved in the side of the mountain. Then I wandered my way through the Albacyn to Mirador de San Nicolas, the neighborhood offering the best view of the famous fortress/palace Alhambra with the Sierra Nevadas behind it.

Best sunset yet.

It was really entirely too hot out to be hiking mountain villages so I headed indoors. Back at the hostel, I cleaned up a bit and headed to the rooftop terrace to watch the best sunset I've seen yet. That evening, I joined a group of fellow travelers from the hostel for a tapas tour. Here, you go to a bar, order a drink and it comes with a tapa, which is like a personal appetizer. Sometimes you choose, sometimes it's whatever they give you. We went to 3 different places - one with fantastic wine, one that is a favorite among the local students and another that is where the locals go. The drinks were cheap and the tapas were oh-so-tasty!

Claudia enjoying tasty (and colorful!) tapas

The tour usually goes to see some flamenco after tapas, but since there was no show that night our leader from the hostel invited us to his home where friends were gathering for their own flamenco. It was after 3 AM when I left and the dancing had yet to begin, but I did get to hear some fantastic guitar and singing. Spaniards know how to party all night. I'll try to post a video on facebook when I get back to the States.

Next morning, I packed up and took the free walking tour with the hostel. Our guide was a goofy Aussie with gold shoes and a feather in his hat (quite literally). He told great stories, sound effects and all, about the history of the city as we walked. It's always nice to have a leader; I sometimes tire of walking around with a map in my hands.

See the feather?

Granada has the most colorful shops with Alladin-style pants, hookah pipes, earrings, etc. that are piled in narrow alleyways barely as wide as a sidewalk. It's really a sight in itself. The cathedrals are almost all converted from mosques, which is evident in the architecture of the Muslim archways and the Catholic facades. It might be the first city that I loved the smell: fruity hookah tobacco and roasting food smells alternating.

I can't believe all the mullets in Spain. My favorite is the dred mullet - use your imagination on this one.