It's Raining...Inside the Hostel!

It's been pouring off and on since yesterday.  The hostel has huge areas that aren't roofed, creating quasi-indoor courtyards, and the computer is sitting in front of a big hole in the wall- a window without glass.  I've heard rumors that it does snow on occasion here, but you would never know that from the building design!

I stayed in bed all day yesterday, being a total bum, playing on the computer, watching Castle until 5am, reading Redwall (I don't know why I never read it as a youngster!) and of course my favorite activity, sleeping. 

Kayte, my roommate, went to the Alhambra with her group from Germany and had the fun of exploring it in the wet weather.  I'm planning on going tomorrow, although if it's raining  I may put it off another day.  Exploring the Alhambra is going be an epic tourist day, so I'm carefully planning my attack.  I will need to pack water, lunch, wear layers, acquire a guidebook, and have lots of batteries for the camera.  Guaranteeing entrance means being there at 8am...we'll see how motivated I am tomorrow morning.

Last night I went out for tapas with Kayte and her group and we also hit up a sweet shop and ice cream stand.  Lots of people were out in costume, lots of people were drunk, all in all it was a grand time.

Tonight is a Halloween Party at the hostel.  I think everyone is pretty torn between getting a good siesta in and getting ready for the party.  The beer has already started flowing, in part because everyone is so darn cccold!  However, it's still way warmer than San Sebastian and I have a down comforter!

La Alhambra

I walked to the Alhambra today to check out the ticket situation.  They only allow a limited number of people in each day, so I'll need to be there before 8am one day to guarantee a ticket.  I'll probably wait until Monday to try and avoid the weekend rush.  I did get to see an art exhibit on Matisse and wander around.

Staying in Granada for Another Week!!!!! WooHoo!!!

I didn't think I'd be able to get a bad for Saturday night, but the manager worked some booking magic for me, so I'm staying until next Thursday! 

Yesterday I went on a walking tour with my roomie Emma. Emma is a transplant from Manchester, England who is making a last hurrah through Spain before going to law school in January.

Our guide, Sol, is from Australia and is engaged to an American he met here in Granada.  She's gone back to New York while he tries to figure out America's wonderful immigration policies...

Alhambra

Arab Bathhouse

Roof of Bathhouse

Arab Bathhouse

Bridge

Granada

Garden

Harem

Irish Bar watching Football (aka Soccer)

Ceiling

Tour Guide, Sol

Old Wall, Gypsy caves on hill

Granada

Barcelona was too big, San Sebastian too cold, Madrid was too metropolitan, but Granada is juuuust right.  I'm staying at the Funky Backpacker Hostel in a third floor room with six other people.  There's WiFi everywhere, a fridge in the room, a kitchen a few feet out the the door, a rooftop terrace beyond the kitchen, the people are incredibly nice and welcoming, and the bathroom is clean AND big enough to move in.

Granada itself is a college town with a friendly feel and something beautiful and historic everywhere you turn.  Unfortunately, all of the hostels in Granada are already booked for the weekend, so I'm not sure where I'm going to stay, but there's so much to do around here I'd like to stay a while.

I went wandering today, but don't really know what I saw, since I haven't gone on a tour yet.  The town's big attraction is the Alhambra, an old Islamic palace. 

Flying away from Barcelona

Flying into Granada

I flew in last night from Barcelona, caught a bus to Gran Via right by the Cathedral and found my hostel without too much trouble.  I was a little concerned when we were driving in from the airport at dusk, the outskirts kind of resembled a run down and potentially scary place in Mexico, but the city center is bustling and well lit.

My last hostel in Barcelona was about eight blocks from La Rambla on Catalunya.  The first night I was in a room that was never locked, with a bathroom door that barely closed and had no lock, and no lockers, so I was afraid to leave my stuff.  The cleanliness also left a lot to be desired.  The saving grace was the balcony overlooking Catalunya, allowing the hustle and bustle of Barcelona into the room. 

My second night they moved me to a different floor in a room that smelled bad, but there were lockers and the bathrooms did lock, although moving around was virtually impossible in the six inches around the shower stall.

My last few days in Barcelona, I just walked around, slept and read a lot.  My allergies went nuts and I was moping.  I did run across some more, very cool, Gaudi buildings.

And since every post really does NEED a horse or two:

Exploring Barcelona

Yesterday I took the metro over to La Sagrada Familia, the cathedral Gaudi worked on for much of his life and is still not completed, 125 years after it was begun.

Then I headed to La Rambla and walked to the waterfront.

On La Rambla there are many creative street performers and a lot of tourists.

La Rambla

 

Tonight I move to new hostel right by La Rambla for two nights, then fly to Granada on Monday.