Ok...so most of you probably want more details than that...so...
Friday was a busy day...met with a partner to work on a project, dashed home and ate, got my things together, and mailed a package, and then dashed to the bus station and made it there like 10 minutes before our bus left. I think I gave Katie a bit of a scare by cutting it so close (sorry!). But we made it. Katie was seated behind me, which did not provide the prime opportunity to chat, but we did anyway. Had some deep conversations - I love that we can do that so soon after meeting. After all, we've only known each other for 2 1/2 months.
After a very loonnnggg 5+ hour bus ride (especially for Katie, whose wisdom teeth are growing in and paining her and whose medicine for said pain was in her suitcase under the bus), we finally arrived at the station in Granada. Now to get to our hostel. We hopped in a taxi and the driver dropped us off at the main drag (Gran Via...do all cities have a Gran Via like they all pretty much have a Plaza Mayor?) because the street our hostel was on was too narrow for traffic. He told us which way to go, but we very quickly got confused and were wandering a bit aimlessly. It didn't help that the website changed the title of the street a bit...so no one we asked recognized it. And of course it was dark, which also made things more difficult.
Eventually we were directed in the right direction and soon saw signs with arrows pointing us toward our hostel. We rang reception and they buzzed us in. We then told them our situation with having the 3 rooms (remember, our friend Elizabeth was going to come and then backed out last minute) and only needing 2. They told us if they were able to fill the room in the next couple hours, they would not charge us, but if not, we would have to pay for the first night. (Unfortunately we do have to pay). Then we were given our key, this little plastic circle that, when placed up to the reader on our room door and at the entrance, allowed us access. Coolest. Hotel. Key. Ever. (Sorry, I'm easily amused). And we got a free welcome drink :)
We went up to our rooms to find huge drawers for our stuff beneath the bunk beds so that everything could be kept out of sight. After putting away our things, we set out. First, we wanted to go back to the adorable shops we had seen on our way to the hostel. The moorish influence was obvious and they smelled good and we liked the atmosphere.
Background information: For anyone who knows nothing about Spain's history, here's a crash course: In 711, the Muslims came and conquered Spain...well, the whole peninsula. There they lived for over 700 years, building beautiful structures like mosques (mezquita de Cordoba which I will see in a few weeks) and the Alhambra palace. When the Catholic monarchs Isabel (of Castilla-Leon) and Ferdinand (of Aragon) married in 1479 and united Spain, they wanted spiritual unification for the new nation (as in, they wanted it to be a totally Catholic nation). So they set to work reconquering the cities under Muslim control (during what is known in Spanish as the Reconquista). The last city to be reconquered was Granada, which was finally taken in 1492 (yes, the same year that Columbus sailed the ocean blue). As the last city to be taken by the Catholics and as a result of a relatively peaceful surrender, the architecture of Granada remained pretty much untouched by the Catholic monarchs. Therefore, the moorish influence is still very present, especially in the architecture, but also in the culture of Granada's inhabitants (though they are not all Muslim). One more note...after the Reconquista, (probably 10 years later) came the expulsion of the Muslims from Spain by Los Reyes Catolicos (aka the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabel).
Ok enough history. So...where was I?....oh yeah, the cute shops. Anyhow, these shops were definite reminders of the moorish influence of the formerly Muslim city. I can't exactly explain how. I hope my photos (which I will post later) will help with that.
After shopping a bit, Katie and I were hungry and stopped at a pizza/kebab place where I got a pizza and she got a kebab and we ate dinner and planned our 11/11/11 at 11:11 wishes. Soon after leaving the restaurant, it was time to wish. And then more shopping and a return to the hostel to figure out our plans for the next day and crash early.
Here are the photos which pertain to this part of the trip...there are not a lot yet, but the rest of my Granada posts will be filled with photos :)
...To be continued...
Peace and Blessings,
Melanie
Spanish Word of the Day: musulman = Muslim
2 comments:
Sense of humor. Great.
Does the American community celebrate Thanksgiving?
CU in a few weeks!
Yes to an extent...they flood places like Hard Rock Cafe to get a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but that's about it.
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