Lost in Granada

Gene stayed at the beach while I took a tour bus to Granada. I didn't want to miss seeing the Alhambra. It's about a 1-1/2 hour drive to Granada.

The first part of the day was a walking tour around the historic part of the city. The guide spoke four languages . . . English, French, Spanish and German. After the first stop on the tour, he told the English speakers to go on ahead and wait at the next corner. I took off, waited a few minutes, took a few pictures and never the the group again. I tried. I returned back one block, walked ahead, followed another group by mistake. Panic set in. Once I realized I was forever separated from the group (until our lunch rendezvous at 2:00), I decided to make the most of it. I pulled out my Rick Steve's book on Spain (thank you Francesca) and followed his own walking tour of Granada.

I found the Cathedral and paid my entrance fee to the Royal Chapel. This is where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. This royal couple was responsible for uniting Spain and evicting the Moors after 800 years of occupancy. Isabella was a devout Catholic, and the treasury was filled with religious paintings (Boticelli), as well as her glass encased silver crown and septer and Ferdinan's sword. A silver box, the one she filled with jewels and gave to Columbus to pay for his voyages, was also on display. Best of all, were the tombs, carved in white Italian marbel (using their death masks for a true likeness) and placed right in front of the altar. The actual caskets with their bodies were down one flight of stairs beneath the tombs for all to see.

After leaving the chapel, I happened upon a spice market where two nuns were making purchases, shops selling silk, gypsies wanting to tell my fortune (no, gracias) and finally found my way back to the hotel for lunch. No one even missed me.

Next, the bus dropped us off at the Alhambra, the settlement vacated when the Moorish king handed the keys to the city to King Ferdinand. The city is a maze of sculpted gardens, flowers, fountains and buildings with ornate Islamic carvings and intricated wood ceilings. One problem . . . in order to see it all you have to hike up and down hills and steps. By the time our guide (I didn't lose sight of him) was done, we were all exhausted and ready to collapse ont he bus.

Today (Thurs) we are relaxing, staying close to the hotel and checking on flights home. There are two to Dover from Rota tomorrow. With luck, we'll be on one.