First Two Days in Granada

As always driving in the center of a city was difficult, because of so many narrow one-way streets and not knowing the street names. However, we finally arrived at the hotel in Granada. It is a small, beautiful city. After parking the car, we immediately found a small fruit market, where we purchased our breakfast. We then began walking toward the Cathedral, which is in the center of the touristic district. We had walked about two or three blocks and across the Gran Via de Colon was a demonstration of the trade union UGT (General Union of Workers). Marlene and I stopped, shot some photos, and interviewed one of the demonstrators. During the interview the woman, who wished not to be identified, said they were government workers and they were protesting that the government was going to cut their wages. She also told us that to protests were going to continue for a week and would spread to other parts of Spain and finally she told us that the union was not affiliated with any particular party, although it seems it is affiliated with the Socialist Workers Party, which if I remember correctly is part of the Second International.

We then continued walking toward the Cathedral. On our way, we found a bookstore, which catered to tourists. There we found Washington Irving’s “Tales of Alhambra” with music CD, which Marlene purchased. We then continued toward the church. At the church we walked down steps on one side of the church, with Marlene periodically shooting, while I watched because I knew my little camera does not shoot well in the dark. A short ways down, we found another store, where Marlene purchased a basked with a cover on it to be used outside.

We then walked back up the street, crossed the Gran Via de Colon and found a restaurant, whose red seats were advertising Coca Cola. We sat down and ordered some vegetarian food. I had couscous with water and I cannot remember what Marlene ordered, but I do remember eating it because Marlene did not like it. After eating, we then caught a public bus for one Euro and 20 cents. We took it two stops and walked back to our hotel.

Our second day, but first full day was spent on the Granada Tour Bus, which took us to the major sites of the city, which included the Cathedral, the Alhambra, the Science Park, the Garcia Lorca Park and Museum, and others. When we traveled up the steep hill to the Alhambra, we had a gorgeous view of Granada. When the bus, got us back to the Cathederal, we took public transport back to the hotel. That night, we took a taxi to a fish restaurant, where I had Swordfish, with a pimento salad and water without gas. Marlene had Verduras al Plancha, which grilled vegetables with water with gas. Unfortunately for Marlene, the onions bothered her, however I enjoyed the rest of her vegetables. It turned out the restaurant was a short walk back to Gran Via de Colon, where we caught the public bus back to the hotel.