Granada - Malaga 🇪🇸

We tiptoed out of the hostel this morning at 6.30am, headed for the train station.

we had received a notification that our train had a tech issue and was cancelled and would be replaced with a bus.  Very professionally handled and we arrived into Malaga just 15 min late.

We dropped our bag to the luggage storage place, raincoats on and out to explore Malaga. 

Lovely grand buildings and some areas with wide streets and parklands and then the narrow back streets in the old town.  The Picasso museum entry sold out and so will visit tomorrow.

We went to the Mercado Central de Atarazanas (market) with stalls of fish, meat, produce, nuts etc.  it was absolutely packed with the rain pouring outside and freezing winds, I think most of the town thought it a great place to shelter.  We bought some olives and veges, fresh juice 😊

Then to our free walking tour.  Just 7 of us braving the weather with our knowledgeable lovely guide 'Jesus'.  Gotta be happy with Jesus as your Easter Tourguide 😂

We saw where Picasso went to Kindergarden, where his father, an art teacher and artist worked, the museum, the cathedral (unfinished and missing the final roof structure, and one tower), Antonio Banderas home, the Roman theatre, the Alcabazar on the hill and finished at the museum.

We were so cold and wet that we called it a day, bought some groceries, collected our bags and checked into our apartment.  We made a pasta dinner,  tried to dry everything and watched a movie.

Hoping for better weather tomorrow (not forecast to be?) but have a museum day back up plan.

It's a lovely city and we hope to have a better look tomorrow 😊

Granada 🇪🇸. Day 2

Today we had pre booked tickets to the no. 1 destination of the Alhambra. 

The Alhambra was built in 1238 and took 120 years.  It was built by the Madrid's and then when Christianity took over in 1492, extensions and additions to the Palace and fortress were made.  A walled city on top of a mountain, with a sophisticated water system ensuring fertile land for fruit and vegetables and flower gardens as well as sanitary and cooking needs.  It has stunning middle eastern style architecture as well as Renaissance style.

Today the weather rolled in from the snow capped mountains just 45 mins drive away.  Gale force winds and driving rain arrived in the middle of our walking tour!  Our guide soldiered on but we were frozen to the core as the temps plummeted.

We had our picnic lunch in the shelter of some trees and then visited the museum of archaeology.

We spent 4 hours with a guided tour and some exploring and then down the hill to town to have  churro au chocolate.  This version was amazing with thick chocolate and chunky churros.  We shared a table with a friendly and interesting American woman and we chatted for an hour.

The churches all opened at 5pm.for an afternoon Good Friday service and so we looked in several of them. The Basilica was so over the top with gold and decoration that it was difficult to take it all in 😳

We had a middle.eastern dinner tonight which was delicious and then walked through the Labyrinth to find a look out point to view the Alhambra as the sunset.

Friendly chats with new roomates tonight. 

Granada is an excellent destination but best enjoyed with some fitness as the streets are steep and there are flights of stairs everywhere.  My watch said I walked 17 flights of stairs yestwrday and a measley 47 flights today by comparison 😂.