Jun 04, 2019
We are now in Granada
The bus station in Cordoba.
The bus trip was excellent as we had the front row seats which I had booked long ago at no charge along with our extremely cheap bus fare. We had to load our luggage ourselves under the belly of the bus. I thought it strange that for an almost three hour trip there was no toilet onboard yet there was wifi. Great way to see the countryside. Check in at our Airbnb was not until 4PM but our apartment was ready so we were inside by 1:00PM. Once unpacked we headed out to find some wine and check out the area. Once again we are in the perfect location within walking distance to most places. By the way, I started booking our accommodations last August. The good ones fill up fast. My requirements are no smoking ( which can be an issue as so many Europeans smoke ), A/C in the bedroom as well as a window that opens, good wifi and an elevator. We had no elevator in Madrid ( lots of stairs ) nor in Toledo ( much fewer stairs ) and I think there may be one more location down the road with no elevator. The link to our accommodation here in Granada can be found by clicking here.
Lovely countryside. We ended up making two other stops to pick up folks so we saw some smaller towns.
I don’t always know that these photos are being taken. Anyway, on the bus just before arriving, I was checking the list.
The view out of out patio window looking toward the Plaza Nueva , one of the main spots in the historic district.
There is a bit of a heat wave happening here. It is hot at 33C/91.4 F, talk about being freezing cold earlier in the trip and now being so warm. Good thing that I packed for both conditions. We found the wine at the oddest place but the price was right. We walked a bit and found a place for lunch. We have yet to find a restaurant here in Granada that has A/C 😕
Colin’s meal looked great, a salmon sandwich.
I wanted a lighter meal and ordered the grilled cheese and never expected this. Those wee black things tasted too fishy for me but the sweet jam mix went will with the brie.
After lunch we came back to the apartment. I was going to write my last blog post but I simply had to lay down and have a nap. Colin went out to explore the lay of the land. We had a free 6PM tour of the Albaicin district. The tour description is as follows: The Albaicín quarter is a synthesis of all the cultures that have lived in its streets, squares, and houses. From Muslims, Christians and Jews, to artists from the Romantic era and writers who found inspiration in the narrow streets of this quarter, everyone who’s lived here has added their spice to the unique charm of the Albaicín. Here, Moorish houses, the traditional gardens of the ‘carmenes’, old mosques converted into churches and arab palaces coexist with artisan workshops, traditional bars, family businesses and magical viewpoints. We were both looking forward to this 2.5 hour tour despite the fact that we had to be out the door for a major tour at 7:30AM the next morning. The heat was still very intense and as we started the climb which would get more difficult, I realized that I would not be able to complete the tour. Best to pack it in right at the beginning while I could still find my way back to our Airbnb. So Colin continued and I went back to rest and to work on that last post. Fortunately we will all be able to enjoy his photos. However I missed hearing the history of it all.
Street scene in our area.
This building is not brick, the facade had been painted onto the plain stucco or whatever they use.
As I left the tour to return to the apartment I came across this fountain. Each of the three figures are spewing good drinking water coming out of their mouths. There are many such fountains here in Granada and we saw a few in Toledo and Cordoba.
Colin told me that the tour pretty much started right away going uphill about 2.1km/1.3 miles and that I would not have been able to do it. Had I been feeling 100% and the temps were lower, I likely would have done it, but it was mostly steps up and then down and then up again. My hips don’t like stairs. Looks like I made the right call.
The homes in the Albaicin are painted white and are along narrow stone paved streets.
The tour group.
These homes have become very valuable and most are worth over 500.000 thousand Euro.
Many are in disrepair and need attention.
Colin’s just before sunset taken at the end of the walking tour at the Mirador de San Nicolas. The Alhambra at its best.
The following is a 40 second video ( that took us 3 hours to upload to You Tube ) of a few fellows enjoying local music up at the viewpoint.
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What can I say about your trip? Mouthwatering? All the food looks so delicious. We are going to attempt a recreation of your bread with salmon and brie with the thinly sliced potatoes.
Again, nice AirBnB. We booked ours for your trip in July. Can’t beat having your own place.
Another wonderful day you had, too bad you could not make the tour, but did sound like a lot of walking and climbing, nice picture though .
I am interested to know what you think about the Alhambra – one of the most visited structures in Europe. We decided against going to Granada and I don’t regret it because I loved our trip but if we ever go back it is likely we will end up there. Holy smokes -that is bloody hot. I hope you feel better soon!
Lovely towns and scenery. You are packing in quite a lot in the time you are in Europe. So you didn’t like the caviar that came with the Brie. 😉
Contessa, bus companies don’t tell you but often there is a toilet accessible through the rear entry stair. I have never seen anyone allowed to use it. I understand the reasoning of the bus companies, but it certainly would cut down on the number of emergency bathroom stops. Your trip looks wonderful.
All looks very old…. Ancient…
Boy that is a one butt kitchen! ?
Hope you are feeling better today. Have enjoyed all of your posts and the photos. Thank you.