Jul 2007

We have just arrived in Granada and it is totally different t o Barcelona -climate, language, accommodation, people, city, landscape, bars, style and.

 It is hot (37 degrees yesterday) but a dry heat – much more like Australia.
 In Andalucia where Granada is they only speak Castellano – the official language so it is much easier to understand – in Barcelona they spoke the regional language first – Catalan – which we don’t know much of.
 Granada itself is very traditional style where we have been – terraced houses with geraniums in the flower boxes, narrow, steep winding laneways, whitewashed walls, cobblestones paths and streets, fountains and cool shaded parks. It isn't as busy or big either which is a nice change. They seem to have permanent lighting over the streets like Christmas lighting, featuring some of the traditional Arabic designs.
 The people we have met so far are friendly and helpful
 The landscape is and hot dry. Flying into Granada all you could see were hills covered in rows of olive trees.
 The hostel is an old style family run business directly in front of the Alahambra and views of the mountains. It is roomy, half the price of Barcelona and has a rooftop pool! It is like a mountain retreat.
 The bars themselves are the same but the difference is that with each drink you purchase here, you are given a free tapa of food –all very nice. Menu del dia was they way to eat in Barcelona but it seems to be less common here.
 There is much more of a Turkish or Arabic influence here with a lot of kebab shops, teahouses, Turkish style clothes, slippers, ceramics, cakes, tiles and glassware. There are still a couple of Turkish bath-houses operating too.

As well as this being our last week in Barcelona and all the usual winding up things that have to be done, cleaning, packing and people to say goodbye to, we have had 3 visitors from Australia via Sweden. The Agzarians from Wagga dropped in for 4 days. Our little apartment was stretched to accommodate 7 people, but it all worked out OK and it was fun to have people here to share our life with. The program was busy, but in true Spanish fashion, we found enough time for siestas and late starts in the morning, and late nights.
Barcelona in 4 days
Day 1: Arrive in the evening, go for Spanish tapas at a nearby bar. Max’s language skills were put to the test as Jeff and I were out at our last tango class and dinner. They made instant friends with the waiter and sounds like got very special attention.
Day 2: Flea market to search through the piles of junk, clothes, old photos, jewellery, old books, toys and find the occasional treasure.
Home-cooked fish lunch thanks to Michael, and siesta.
Walk to Las Ramblas to check out the shops and buskers, and visit our favourite Plaza Reial and bar followed by a Flamenco show at Tarantos. This is a very good find – every night, 30 minutes of stamping, clapping and wailing flamenco music. Bocadillo dinner - an easy meal of bread roll and various meat or cheese fillings and sauces from a tiny Frankfurt shop in Plaza Jaume. Metro or bike home.
Day 3: Park Guell – always worth a visit. On the way home Menu del Dia in a Palestinian restaurant in Gracia. Very good, authentic, cheap (8.50 euro) and far more than any of us could eat. In the afternoon more shopping or resting and then the Magic Fountain near Plaza Espanya. It runs every 30 minutes and is a very well choreographed display of lights, and water to classical music. Hundreds of people of course but it is so big you can easily see. Home for an omelette dinner.
Day 4: Check out Barcelona beaches – clear water and warm weather, then an afternoon visit to Sagrada Familia – the one place you have to put on your Barcelona itinerary.
In the evening we attended and opening of an Urban Dance Festival where local and international artists did their stuff. It runs for 4 days. The dances were a mixed lot but free and worth a look. Home at midnight but awake until 3.00am as there was a local fiesta happening in the lane beside our flat and the band and P.A were pumping on full volume until then. (This festival ended up going for the next 3 nights 11.00 to 2 am – only in Spain!)
Day 5: Early flight to Paris.

That is one way to see Barcelona – it was busy and fun, some new things and some things worth doing again for us. Not expensive, lots of walking and bike riding and talking, good food and good company.