Charming Granada

A Bit About Granada

Granada is the capital city of the province of Granada and located at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It has a much smaller population than Madrid and Barcelona(half a million which includes the urban population) and for this reason it made an interesting contrast after having visited two of Spain’s largest cities.

Local architecture with cathedral roof in the background with both Gothic and Baroque influences.

 Where We Stayed and Local Sites

Our hotel in Granada, the Hotel Pilar, located on Plaza Nueva, was very centrally located and close to the Moorish neighborhood of Albaicin (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), cafes,  restaurants, the cathedral, the Old Arab Market, shops and banks and the many winding pedestrian walkways which are so interesting to explore. My philosophy is to not be afraid of getting lost in this labyrinth of small streets, as you’re bound to make some interesting discoveries along the way, and you’re never far from the main thoroughfare in the core of the historic area.

One morning I got up early to wander through the Albaicin neighbourhood. It was an interesting experience to see the area come alive with people walking their dogs, school kids going to school, the sound of classical piano music being practised. Experiencing this makes you feel part of the community. A friendly “Buenos Dias” doesn’t hurt either…

Arab market at night.

A section of the Alhambra palace complex.

Another part of the Alhambra Palace complex.

Granada is particularly known for its architecture that dates back to the Moorish occupation, especially of the Alhambra, which our group had a guided tour of. I was mesmerized by the detailed and beautiful work of the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a palace and fortress complex.

More of the Alhambra complex

It was originally constructed in 889 AD as a fortress, then rebuilt in the 13th century by Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar, who built the current palace and walls. It later became the court for  Ferdinand and Isabella, and where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition. The Alhambra is described as having the most important and significant Islamic architecture in Spain.

The Tapas Experience in Granada

Raucous Tapas Bar

Tapas bars are raucous and lively places to visit. One evening in Granada our group did a “Tapas Pub Crawl”. I certainly had an education on how to order in a Tapas Bar, first, make eye contact, and yell out what you want, then to get some free tapas that come with your drink, again, make sure you’re making eye contact with the waiter serving your section, and indicate through finger pointing or whatever means works what kind of tapas you want, then if you want to order more from the menu, step up to the bar and be seen and be heard! It’s no place to be a shrinking violet!

Scenes Around Granada

Famous Seville oranges growing on the streets of Granada

Typical pots with plants on balconies.

Some members of  the G Adventures Tour Group with the Alhambra in the background — a happy group!

After several members of our group walked through the Albaicin area, we reached the Mirador San Nicolas lookout point and got a tremendous view of the Alhambra as the sun was starting to set. A big crowd was there to see the view, plus we had flamenco music being played by several guitarists.

Plaza Nueva at night, Hotel Pilar not far from here where are group stayed.

Preparing to get on the fast speed grain from Madrid to Granada

Marvellous Madrid

A Bit About Madrid

Madrid is Spain’s central capital and a very large city (metropolitan area population is 6.5 million), but its historical core is very easy to get around and quite compact in terms of seeing the major sites, including the Royal Palace, Prado Art Gallery, Plaza Mayor, the Sofyia National Art Gallery and the Almudena Cathedral.

Royal Palace

What I saw and did in Madrid.

The Royal Palace is the official residence of the royal family, but it is only used for state functions. It was originally built by Muhammad I between 1860 and 1880, but came under Castilian control in the 11th century when the moors were driven out.

Royal Palace

While in Madrid, our group stayed at the Europa Hotel on Plaza Sol, and from that location, everything was within walking distance to the major sites mentioned above.

Plaza de Espana with statue of Don Quixote and side kick Sancho

Pedestrian walkway with flowering trees.

As well, near the hotel there were many lovely pedestrian walkways for shopping, for example, the well known brand Desigual, had a shop not far away. I love much of the clothing, particularly their jeans, which often have some bold design on them.

Viviana, our G Adventures Guide

 

Our G Adventures guide, Viviana, gave us all maps for the local area, highlighting the major sites, and gave us a short orientation of Madrid and how to get around.

 

 

 

 

Enjoying Tapas

We started our adventure in Madrid by going to a local restaurant for a meal of “tapas.” How does one define tapas? They can be a variety of small plates consisting of  a whole range of different items including vegetables, olives, meatballs, cheeses, fish or marinated items, and that’s just scratching the surface! The most fun is sharing tapas, commenting on the various taste sensations, enjoying a drink along with them whether it be wine, beer, vermouth, water, or a soft drink. And most important is enjoying the camaraderie of this lovely group of travellers who I will be travelling with for the next two weeks.

 

Thickest hot chocolate you can imagine with churros.

A not-to-be-missed treat in Spain is churros and a thick hot chocolate. The delicious chocolate is so thick you can dip the churros into it! The melding of flavours is delicious…

 

 

 

 

Mounted Patrol in Madrid

Plaza Mayor, large central square in Madrid

Plaza de la Ville, one of the oldest plazas in the city, going back to the middle ages.

Vibrant Barcelona

Arriving in Barcelona

Although I’ve been to Barcelona several years ago, it’s the first time I’ve arrived by plane. As we flew into Barcelona, it seemed we were making a direct approach over the city to the airport, then quite suddenly the plane veered off over the ocean, and started to descend, actually, very close to the water, so close in fact, I was wondering if there was a problem and we had to make an emergency landing into the ocean. Nothing was out of the ordinary, we landed on the runway, on land. The first of many surprises in Barcelona.

About Barcelona

Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf

Barcelona is a very large city, 1.7 million in the administrative limits, but if you include the urban area it jumps to 4.6 million, making it the 6th most populous urban area in the European Union. More than 5 million people live in the metropolitan area, the largest on the Mediterranean Sea. Enough about population size, I just wanted to make a point about how large the city is, but how friendly its inhabitants are in spite of the size of the population, that is, from my experience. Interestingly, the first day I was here I had people approaching me for directions! I must have been starting to blend into the local milieu.

Here’s just one experience I had the first day. I went into a shop near the “Palau de la Musica Catalana” situated near the quaint Born district of old Barcelona, an area full of narrow, winding pedestrian walkways, small shops and boutiques, cafes and restaurants. As I was browsing in the boutique I got talking to the salesperson who was so friendly and who ended up giving me all kinds of tourist tips, where to eat, where to find a good flamenco show, be ready to go early to the major sites to avoid the long line-ups, in short some of the best advice I received during my stay in Barcelona. And it was given in such an exuberant and friendly manner. So my impression of Barcelona began with that encounter and it didn’t change for over three days of visiting.

Where I stayed

Pedestrian walkway at Arc de Triomf

While in Barcelona, for my first three nights, I stayed at Lodging Apartments City Centre on Arago Avenue. Accommodation was a small apartment, very modern, very clean, with a kitchen and living room/eating area. Staff occupied an office on the ground floor and were there to greet me when I arrived. They are there from 9:30 am until 8:00 pm during the week, and 10:00 am till 2:00 pm on weekends. As a single, senior traveller I felt very secure in the building. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful, so I can recommend Lodging Apartments. These apartments are also very close to some of the major sites such as Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, Picasso Museum, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Barcelona Cathedral and Parc de la Ciutadella. I would say no more than a 20-minute walk to any of these places, but I’m a pretty fast walker!

Where I ate: Cafe Buho, at 84 Saint Joan

Delicious meal at Cafe Buho–chicken with artichokes

And how lucky I was to find a lovely restaurant just a few minutes walk from my apartment, called Cafe Buho, at 84 Saint Joan. The first time I ate there was on my second day for lunch when I had a mushroom soup and hummus with toasted bread, and even though this was a simple meal, it was delicious, and I was hooked. Interestingly I had made a connection with one of the waiters the night before as I was coming back to my apartment, I wasn’t sure where I was, it’s interesting how things can look quite different at night, compared to daytime, after all it was my first day here. The waiter took the time to show me where I was and how to get to my apartment. It turns out I was only a few minutes away. But it was the courtesy of that waiter that compelled me to go back for my first lunch there, one more example of the kindness of the local people.

My two suppers there included a chicken dish with both roasted and pureed artichoke hearts, with salad greens, and a risotto with eggplant and apple puree. As well as an extensive menu of entrees (smoked salmon, vegetarian burger, beef and other choices) they have several appetizers to choose from including a nice selection of cheeses. They also offer delicious fruit drinks, for example a “Virgin Mojito” with mint and apple juice or strawberry drink with various other juices. I enjoyed every dish I tried. My sense is that their menu selections have a creative and fresh “twist” and are geared towards healthy but delicious taste sensations.

What did I visit in Barcelona?

Sagrada Familia

Exterior of Sagrada Familia

Interior of Sagrada Familia

This is Antoni Gaudi’s church still in the making. Antoni Gaudi is Barcelona’s most famous architect and his work is seen throughout Barcelona. Gaudi spent 40 years of his life as the main architect of the this building. It is the 8th wonder of the world in the making as evidenced by the cranes and the workmen one sees tied by safety ropes and working on the exterior of the church. It is estimated the work will be finished in 2026, the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudi. Of the 18 spires originally planned only eight have been built. Their completion will make this church the tallest church building in the world.

Gaudi used a revolutionary art form called “trencadis” tiling which consisted of smashing up ceramics and making mosaic patterns out of them. Examples of this type of work on the spires at Sagrada Familia, at Parc Guell and on some of the chimneys at La Pedrera.

La Pedrera (The Stone Quarry)

Exterior of La Pedrera

Roof-top chimneys at Pedrera

Another of Gaudi’s works, this unique building was completed in 1912, an apartment block so imaginative and fanciful, that truly shows his creative genius. On the rooftop are chimneys resembling warrior helmets and marshmallow-like ventilator ducts. The front of the building has a wave-like design and a flow to the wrought iron balconies, everything he did was so unique in design. The building holds the offices of a centre dedicated to Gaudi and apartments.

Roof-top chimney at La Pedrera

Palau de la Musica Catalana

Concert Hall of Palau de la Musica Catalana

It is a concert hall designed by architect Lluis Domenech Montaner and built between 1905 and 1908, a miracle really when one sees the building. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The guide who led us through the building said that there are over 300 concerts per year. The concert hall was designed so that natural light comes through the numerous stained glass windows on the sides, and in the ceiling is a magnificent stained glass skylight that allows sunlight to permeate the entire hall. One feels joyful and uplifted with the tremendous light coming in in all directions.

Balcony with mosaic pillars at Palau de la Musica Catalana

Another highlight of the building is the front balcony with its stained glass windows and rows of brightly coloured mosaic pillars.

Parc de la Ciutadella

Cascading Fountain in Parc de la Ciutadella

Built in the 1860s, this park is a place of calm against the hustle and bustle of urban Barcelona. Highlights of the park include a man-made lake where you can rent a row boat, and an intriguing Baroque-style cascading fountain with cherubs, winged lions and nymph-like statues throughout.

Walking through this park, I felt that I had time-travelled back to the 1960s and the hippie days. Many individuals strumming guitars and other instruments, and some people juggling or walking a tight rope. Oh, the good old days.

Other Sites

La Rambla

Other sites I experienced:La Rambla is a one-kilometre pedestrian walk-way starting near the port at the statue of Christopher Columbus. It’s lined with restaurants, souvenir shops, flower shops, caricaturists and buskers.

 

 

 

Barcelona Cathedral

I also visited Barcelona’s Gothic Cathedral and a highlight for me was Picasso Museum which traces Picasso’s life as an artist. It boasts the most extensive collection of his earlier work, some painted at the early age of 10. It was fascinating to learn the stages of his life’s work as an artist, what influenced him and how this impacted on his work.

I’m planning to visit Parc Guell tomorrow, another example of Gaudi’s influential and whimsical work. Tomorrow in the evening I meet up with my group tour with G Adventures. And tomorrow at 9:30 pm I have the great honour of attending a flamenco performance in Palau de la Musica Catalana.

Decorative portion of roof-top of Paula de Musica Catalana

A Tour of Gran Canaria

From Play del Ingles, in the south, to San Bartolome de Tirajana

View of Fataga Valley

This “VIP Tour” was organized by Viajes Tara, with tour guide extraordinaire, Gary. First stop was at a lookout called Degollada de las Yeguas. And what a view it was. From the south side, one can see cars winding up the road to the lookout from Playa del Ingles. Looking North, the Fataga Valley stretches out for several kilometres, leading to the small village of Fataga. Here the landscape is semi-arid.

 

Another View of the Fataga Valley

In the middle of this photo you see the hightest peak on Gran Canaria, Pico de las Nieves

 

Another stop along this tour was to try to catch a glimpse of the highest peak on Gran Canaria, Pico de las Nieves, at a height of 1,949 metres above sea level. And we were lucky! High above the clouds, we were able to get a glimpse of it. Close to this peak is a military base.We stopped at Villa de San Bartolome de Tirajana, or for short Tuntes, to get this photo. There are many cyclists biking to within a short distance of Pico de las Nieves. Many, I believe are getting in shape for the Tour de France. I can’t imagine myself biking up these steep roads with their hairpin turns. Our tour guide pointed out that he hasn’t seen one cyclist with a smile, and no wonder, considering the effort they must expend in reaching their destination. My hat is off to them!

On to Tejeda, Teror and an Aloe Vera Plantation

Rugged valley and peaks

We headed north-west towards Tejeda, a village that sits on the eastern side of a volcanic crater. Along the way to Tejeda, we stopped to take photos, and I was lucky to get this one that captures the rugged nature of the area with its peaks and valleys.

Tejeda is located almost at the centre of Gran Canaria, in a very mountainous area. By the way, we traveled in small mini-buses, carrying eight people plus driver. I was very glad of a smaller vehicle, when I think of the narrow roads and hair-pin turns, it must be a challenge for the larger tour buses.

The photo above is taken from Tejeda and shows sharp peaks and deep valleys, evidence of volcanic action. In the upper right-hand corner of the photo is Rock Bentayga, located inside the volcanic caldera of Tejeda. Near this rock were ancient aboriginal settlements of the Guanches, the indigenous people of the island.

Taken from Tejeda as the clouds drifted in

Blaconies of Teror

Going further north-west from Tejeda, we made a few more stops, one to the charming town of Teror with its Canarian-style pine balconies; it is under monument protection. The town became particularly well known after shepherds witnessed an apparition of the Virgin in 1481; it then became the most important pilgrimage place in the Canaries.

 

Aloe vera at Fincas Canarias

Last stop on the tour was to see an aloe vera plantation, a product the Canaries are famous for. At Fincas Canarias, we not only got to see the aloe vera growing in green houses( they have around 30,000 plants that are between 10 to 30 years old) but a explanation of its properties and benefits for the skin. Fincas Canarias is a family business dedicated to the ecological  cultivation of aloe vera.