Granada #3

Well, I’m on the bus waiting to depart from Granada. The final chapter in the accommodation saga played out this morning when I left my room key and was asked, in Spanish, to pay. I had already paid my accommodation at the university residence by credit card, from New Zealand. The university residence guy had assured me that he had paid Hostal Jardines and made up the difference. So I wasn’t going to budge and the woman-in-charge was very insistent – all in Spanish. Finally she found a young man who could translate. Apparently she hadn’t been paid. Whatever the full story, I left without paying and for the other players to sort out the problem. Actually I was really angry. I had experienced no friendliness or help in the hostal. My request to be able to make myself a cup of tea (my #1 need) with my own tea bags declined – ‘no comprende’ – as was my need to print off my bus ticket for Cordoba.

The evening of the day I visited the Alhambra I ate at a little place just below the Cathedral. I ate there each night, drawn by the singing canaries and friendliness of the staff. The tapas dishes below were very tasty...

Red peppers with a slightly smoky flavour

Spinach with sultanas and almond slivers

This was a Saturday evening and I watched lots of couples and families, dressed up, passing by to the Cathedral. I guessed a service so followed and joined them. This was a BIG nave but it soon filled to overflowing and I gave up my seat to an elderly lady. Standing at the back was good because I could watch all the young people – teenagers, the boys in particular looking very smart – who were clearly seeing it as a good opportunity to meet.  Little girls were dressed in a way that I might have recognized from my childhood – a big contrast with what I was seeing on the streets. So there was the service going on (including an interminable sermon) and all the while this totally other agenda playing out.

More to come on Granada...