So we will start with Thursday, because this is when my weekend begins...no Friday classes. Let me just tell you how Spain works though...as in how late everything occurs: We started by playing soccer for a bit first from 8 to 9pm then went home for dinner at about 10pm. We got ready really quickly and left to go to an Arab tea house...it was really cool because the atmosphere was amazing. (It is really cool how Granada consists of three distinct sections and cultures. There is the Arab neighborhood of course, the typical Spanish neighborhoods, and then they gypsy neighborhoods.) Then at 12:30am we decided to go to the club because girls got in free and got free drinks until 1:30am. But guess what...it was still early to be at the club! Anyway we got our free drinks and were dancing and such, but the club did fill up until about 2am! (Now we had to get up in the morning, so we left "early" at 3/3:30am) The taxi driver was like "what are you doing going back home already!" It was so much fun though because this club is called Camborio and it has two different rooms of music. One is just all the normal stuff, like pop, etc, but the other is salsa! Not only that, but the inside looks like you are in a cave and they have both smoke and foam machines! Furthermore, they have two or three outside terraces with a perfect view of the Alhambra (one room is completely glass so you can see it from inside the club too). But it was absolutely stunning! I can´t wait to go back when there is warmer weather so we can just hang out outside the entire night!
Friday we went to the El Barrio concert right next to my apartment at the Palacio de Deportes. It was Flamenco/Pop concert. It was amazing to experience a different type of music and the culture that went with it. The entire place went wild for El Barrio (he is kind of a legend in Granada/Andalucía because of his flamenco roots, etc) Here is one of his songs: this one is called Andalucía. He actually sang it at the concert, as he should have considering he was in Andalucía.
On Saturday was when I actually took a walk in the neighborhood. Victoria and I spent the entire day in the city. We first went to the Alhambra (we actually hadn't been yet) Then went to the gypsy neighborhood of Sacromonte with Rachel and Allie. We couldn't actually go into the Alhambra because you need tickets for specific times, but you can walk around the outside gardens and walls. It is a great place to just sit, relax, take in the sun and view, as well as just reflect. It was by far the most beautiful day we have had in Granada. When we went to Sacromonte, we toured some of the gypsy caves. Very cool that people actually lived there/still do in some cases. I am thoroughly impressed that they were able to hollow out the caves to live in them in the first place! Here are a few photos:
The entrance to the Alhambra (the outside section at least) You just need to watch out for the gypsy women everywhere trying to read your palm.
View of Granada from the Alhambra (you are looking at el barrio Albaicín mostly)
This is the inner garden of the Alhambra, we can't get in there without a ticket. It really is an impressive fortification. No wonder the Arabs held of the Christians for so long and Granada was the last standing Arab city in Spain!
The gypsy caves of Sacromonte!
Inside a typical cooking cave! SOOOOO COOOOL!
Alright so we are now finally ready to talk about Sunday! On Sunday our whole group went on an excursion to La Alpujarra. It is a series of towns in the Sierra Nevada. They are the highest towns in all of the European Union and very beautiful. We toured 3 of the towns, ate a lunch traditional to the area, and had free time to hike (this time on the other side of the Sierra Nevada, if we had continued our hike we could have walked all the way back to Granada) Once again, here is photo evidence because let's be honest...you all love the photos more than written pages! Anyway visuals just make it interesting, and I hope more realistic for all of you!
Coolest water fountain ever. Period. They pride themselves on their mountain water here. It is supposed to have healing qualities, especially for the old folks (I will try to bring some home for you mom an dad)
The first white blobs are the pueblos we went to! In the middle of nowhere, but so beautiful!
Lunch with the whole group...we had soup, ham, sausage, eggs, potatoes, bread, and peppers. All typical foods of the Alpujarra.
A beautiful view from everywhere!
Group shot!
Oh you know... just hiking in the Sierra Nevada
Yup. There were donkeys and horses wandering around on the paths. They got water fountains too!
Overall, a great weekend in the neighborhood :)
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