The Alhambra and Scaling Castle Rock

Well there was a lot of hype building up to our visit to the Alhambra and it lived up to every bit. This is one monument that does not disappoint. Set high on a hill overlooking all of Granada and just across from a small valley from the Albaycin - the old Moorish center of the city - it dominates the view. Granada itself is quite a beautiful city. An extremely hot beautiful city. The day we visited, it was around 104 degrees. Drink water bro.

We arrived in the morning and had coffee at the Mirador, an Alhambra viewpoint set at the top of the Albaycin. After roaming the streets a bit and buying fruit at an old market near the old city gates, we made our way down an unmarked staircase from the Mirdor down to Plaza Nueva. The stairway was old and so narrow, at times Diego could touch wall to wall. The stairway basically cuts right down the hill, bisecting small streets and little hidden plazas. It dumped us out right in front of a church, a giant museum and a tourist info area where you can obtain a free walking map of Granada. This is useful for a beginner here.

We had prepaid tickets for the Alhambra palace waiting to be picked up at an ATM-like machine. After picking these up at a bookstore, we walked up the long steep hill to the middle gate of the Alhambra, first passing through an extensive forest and well watered path. After we walked through the 30 foot doors into the fortress, we entered a large plaza where we bought ice creams and beer before touring the palace.

The plaza contains an old Moorish fortress in front and a Roman ampitheter converted into a museum. The palace extends further back and huge gardens dominate most of the footprint. The palace was so too much. Historically, artistically... very moving. But it was so hot!

We saw the palace and the fortress boasts a tower with a full view of Granada and the surrounding countryside. After this, it was time for some shade and food and a proper Spanish lunch was provided at a hole in the wall restaurant on the road out from the base of the fortress. Here we spent a couple hours eating paella, fried fish, macaroni, lomo and a few cold drinks. (A typical Spanish lunch is three courses and a drink for about 8 euros.) It was worth it.

After lunch, we window shopped a bit before catching a bus to the bus station and then home to Cortijo Vadillo about an hour away. Granada was too good to miss: crowded and hot but so great. Old and beautiful and very friendly. We met some nice people from Cape Town and France, and the general vibe of the people was very friendly. We didn't get a chance to overnight in Granada but we hear the nightlife is also great fun.

The very next day proved another great adventure. We decided to ascend the castle rock that dominates our view across the valley. Our friends took us to the top of Castillo and we parked at the pool bar (a municipal pool that also has a bar - how wonderful!) From here, a short very steep climb brings you to a proper bandito cave hideout. The entrance is small but opens to a cavernous maw with a partial opening on one wall that lets in light, a space big enough for 20 people probably.

Our crew wanted more so we set up the mountain on a proper Denny Moylan scramble (you would have loved it dad) through Moorish terraced scrub. A sheep's skull was found well weathered. Also some very inaccessable ruins far from anything. Just some old stone walls that told of once was and has been. A large crack in the mountain appeared and a bone was spotted way down. Hopefully a goat or sheep bone. Further mountains were visible in a 360 degree view. Huge olive covered mountains baking in the heat of Andalu.

On our final approach to the top, we spotted a small cave entrance with refrigerator-cold air shooting out. We all took a turn at this natural aircon before moving on. Finally, we made it to the edge, 1300 feet above our valley floor and we easily spotted our cortijo. It felt like how a bird might see it: all tiny and railroad set looking. At the top, we ate our homemade pemmican and packed our hodges with pb and quince jam and chips near a pile of stones that had been made into a cylinder shape long ago.

Descending, we scrambled down a steep hill covered in almond trees and popped out on a dirt road that led us straight back to the pool bar. We arrived at the pool bar about 25 minutes before sunset. Enough time to relax and watch the huge red sun sink behind the mountains and the far off town of Alcuadete. It was spectacular... has to be one of the best places to watch a sunset. After some food here, the teenagers showed up for some fun and it was a good time for us to head home (after a few rounds of free drinks from the pool bar owner... nice).

I think I'm beginning to realize the apprehension of arrival may pale to the strong desire to stay once we have arrived. Spain has been very, very good to us, and we will be sad to say goodbye. Our next stop is Greece, and we leave here on Monday.

Next up: Granada waterpark, air travel, Milan for a day and Thassos!