Granada!

Arriving in Granada early in the afternoon, we made our way out of the train station to catch a cab! In the line for a taxi, we ran into some Americans from Boston, talked while we waited, and made our way to our hostel- ¨The White Nest!¨The cab ride was beautiful, as we rode on the side of a hill that rose to meet the Alhambra! Our hostel was very, very nice with a beautiful little courtyard on the interior and sheer curtains that drapped to the side if it and a small fountain in the middle. All of us immediately fell in love with the city. It was a perfect, and almost magical, mix of Spanish and Arabic cultures. We started to notice all of the beauty surrounding us as we made our way into the small city after checking in to our rooms. While walking into the city, a young man overheard our english and quickly seized his moment to join in. He sounded rather thrilled to meet some people of his own language! Though our encounter was rather short, we discovered that he was a writer who was in the process of publishing a book of his own. We left him and trecked the small allies, passing many Morocan shops that had all sorts of need artisan pieces that were truly unique. We walked up to quite a few sloping roads and through the old neighborhoods and came to a view that was gorgeous! From the area, you could see the Alhambra, the city of Granada, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance. It was truly something spectacular and we reluctantly headed back down, however, still anxious to see more of the city! We stopped for some helado (ice cream!) on our way down and made our way to the hostel to get ready for our evening. After showering up, we went out on the town, yet again, Starting with some drinks and tapas, we found ourselves sitting on the street at a barrel table eating brains and french fries (not kidding!) The brains were fried and rather tasteless, but had a fun and jiggly texture! Afterward, we found a great North African restaraunt on one of the narrow streets. Starting with morrocan tea, we began our African journey in Spain, surrounded by Morrocan themed decor! It was truly quite a fun experience and much different from anything we expected! We ended the night and headed into the hostel and off to bed, ready for our second day in Granada!

Waking up somewhat later in the morning, we headed out to the cloud-covered city and went directly to the Alhambra! We waited in line, Affraid that we were not going to be able to get tickets. The Alhambra only admits two-thousand people a day into the area. Luckily, we got our tickets, but for a much later time. We headed back down the mountain on a beyond crazy bus ride and decided that we would shop at some of the unique stores while we had the time! We ended up with some awesome and, very different, purchases. I, for one, got a pair of genie pants that I am looking forward to rocking in the states! Katie got a pair of fierce earrings that are quite large and have a beautiful design. And Aleksa got a ¨lovely blue scarf¨we all made out quite well and were very excited with our small purchases! We then made our way up the Alhambra to see what the city is most famous for! What greeted us was amazing! An Arabic palace that had the most intricate architecture and gardens! After the actual palace, we made our way to the fortress and witnessed some amazing views, as well as some strong winds and rain! The rains only continued as the night went on! It was a lot of fun, however, and we sat in a pub eating tapas as the sheets of rain came down and flooded the streets that were filled with people! After the tapas, we went into a coffee shop for dulces y cafe and sat and enjoyed our last night in Granada, one of our favorite cities!

We woke up early the next morning, put on our clothes in a groggy fashion and made our way to the train station where we would head to Barcelona! We sat on the platform waiting for our train! While there, a small train with only one car sat idle and we wondered why it wasn´t moving. We thought it was strange that it only contained one car... well... it was in fact our train! Luckily, the conductor asked if we were waiting for a train to Barcelona and we said ¨yes¨and he said that the one waiting was it! It was a close call, as the train left seconds after we boarded! As far as the train ride goes... well, it was pretty boring! Some reading, sleeping, and listening to music was about it for the 12 hour ride. There was one point when we stopped at some station and the engine car detached and left us there. We weren´t quite sure what was going on, but we soon figured out that we were being attached to another train. We are learning! After a very, very long trip, we made it, and were quite happy to have done so! The adventures of Barcelona are yet to come!