Granada - New Years

In February of 2008 I promised myself that I would come back to Granada. In the winter of 2009 it came true. After some left turns, a few to the right, a couple of roadway bumps, a bit of smooth sailing and life happening, I turned the corner to head towards Granada, Spain once again.

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I want this narration to be the best: the best writing, the funniest, the most graphic, most fun, beautiful and delightful to read than any other installment to the Jones Journey through Spain.

Why? Because the city of Granada (and all things that go along with it) is the funniest, the most graphic, most fun, beautiful and delightful city in the world. In my rankings it ranks 2^nd, second to Seattle, my home of all homes.

Cruisin’ along through Andalucia is the most beautiful of “road trips”. You pass by lovely organized olive orchards and go up and down through mountains, passing by the cute little Pueblos Blancos. The white mini-villages perched in the middle of las montanas, hidden by a single rise in the earth. They are small, most often without internet, but ridden with tradition, community plazas and Spanish love blazing out of the white houses.

Upon pulling into Granada (which means Pomegranate in Spanish) a wave of immense excitement surged through me. I was blasted with memories and amazing feelings of nostalgia so strong I could have been there the day before.

Backpack attached (thanks for the best present ever Brian), I hopped abroad the #33. However, the bus driver took some random detour, which resulted in an excess of stopping and going, irritated passengers and confused travelers. After too much huffing and puffing I decided I’d just walk. It was perfect timing to pull the cord, because I was on a perfectly direct street to go where I wanted to go. So I marched up the hill, shedding jackets and scarves as I went (as to not lose time. No specific time to be anywhere, but you know how I am). It felt so comfortable to be there and as I was passing by familiar stores and seeing the looming mountains of the Sierra Nevada covered in snow it felt even more than perfect.

Oasis Backpackers hostel was in the most perfect location in the old neighborhood of the Albaycin. The terrace on the rooftop had an amazing view and because the weather gods had decided to welcome Lily Jones into Granada with a break from the wind and rain torrents, the sun was blessing the day and decorating the city with beams of light. I tossed my things in the room and went on a walk of reminiscence because the daylight was fading and who knew when it would come back. Alone I skipped and hopped and climbed up the old hills and cobble stone streets, seeing old houses where friends lived, peeking in old bars where I used to know the owners and snapping shots of the sparkling city. It was absolutely divine.

The Australian who became our d’Artagnan in our Female Three Musketeer group I met in our room. He was one of my roommates and was traveling solo, so I harassed him in our room. “Hi! Are you Ben? I’m Lily. Want to be friends? We’re going to have a great time!” [it was a little less nerdy, but bold like that].

I told him he was going to have the time of his life J And he did! We all did. Together while we waited for my American lady friends to arrive we chatted up a storm with other travels in the hostel. Once the blond and brunette from Wisconsin arrived we leaped outside onto cobblestones and painted that town red for 4 days!

We had tapas in all the old places where I used to go and even some new ones. In the one Brazilian tapas bar, which is owned by an Englishman named Matt (#22 I believe), the owner even remembered my face! His wife is from Brazil and one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in real life. Fun fact: she actually used to be a back up singer for Diana Ross. We saw some familiar faces in all parts we went and danced so much. We ate fun free tapas, danced, drank and celebrated Andalucian style. I showed them a walkabout, which takes you up the Alhambra the back way and is covered with absolutely brilliant and beautiful graffiti. Remember my story of “jazzercising” in the Alhambra with my White U T t-shirt on and giant white Nikes sticking out like a soar thumb? Well, it was that running route which we investigated and they loved it. :D We took a free walking tour of the Albaycin from a witty Englishman (who knew it) and learned some more things we had no idea about. Did you know at one point in Granada there was a Mosque, a Catholic church and a Synagogue all at the same time and there was no fighting? Maybe the only city in the world to have pulled that off……..

We met a ton of fun people from Australia, England, Canada, Ireland, America, Spain, Italy, etc.

New Years Eve! Exactly how I’d pictured it, but somehow better! I wasn’t a total rookie this time around. Who knows why, but it was absolutely perfect. My Irish friend Paddy, with whom I’d been there with in 2007 was meeting us at a bar to walk to the Plaza together. I hadn’t seen him nor a few others we were about to meet since Jan. of 2008, so it was going to be a big grand hooplah! Seattle, two ladies from Wisconsin and an Aussie met up with Paddy (the Irishman) and his friend Rafa (Spaniard….claro). We met at a Spanish tapas bar called Feng Shui owned by Japanese people and had some , no, not raw octopus or rice, but Spanish tortilla and tomatoes, and Andalucian wine. Funny.

We were packed with the appropriate goods for Plaza Carmen: 12 grapes a piece and three bottles of champagne, one for drinking and the other for spraying. We then crowded into Carmen Square and were bombarded with loads of fun people enjoying themselves, funky party packs filled with silly hats, leis, masks and Dracula teeth. The bells tolled, we shoveled grapes into our mouth, screamed out FELIZ ANO, and sprayed everyone in a .7 meter radius with cheap Spanish champagne (which in reality wouldn’t even be REAL champagne because REAL champagne comes from Francia). Then we went to one of my favorite pubs in all of Granada. It is called, yes, Paddy’s Pub. Not very authentic I know, but it is to me. It’s authentic to what made Granada perfect for me. The owner, Paddy, go figure, remembered me of course of course and was VERY happy to see us! J He even had the Seattle magnet, which I’d given him in 2007, up on his mini-fridge. It was the ONLY thing which he had up as “memorabilia” I might add…:P After Paddy’s we went to another favorite pub and danced the night away, again running into more people I’d known from before, who were super jazzed to see us a well. We danced the night away, on and off the bar. :p He he. No one got hurt, and everyone had a great time. Minus the fact we frequented Irish Pubs we WERE being very Spanish I’d like to remind you, dancing until 6 or so and click-clacking back to our “homes” in the wee hours of the morning.

The next day we had a nice relaxing day, however it was a strange day. We started off around 1 or so and decided to have some Moroccan tea at this lovely food and tea place we’d found. It was totally Arabic decorations full of pinks, yellows, oranges, brows and little nooks and crannies to haul up in for hours with cozy benches dressed in pillows and cushions. There were about 8 of us, but not ONE of us was RUDE, NOR loud, nor harassing the wait staff. But for some reason they didn’t like us one bit. It couldn’t have been because we were American, for we had 3 Aussies with us, and an Englishman. I never got my tea, after asking twice, watching her write it down and then just walk away and smoke. Some of our amigos never got their food, nor any explanation why. People around us were getting served up the ying-yang (quickly, promptly and with smiles). What the heck? We were wondering. Then all of a sudden, there was semi-loud crash-bang and I looked over and Caitlin had something in her lap. We all thought it was a tipped over drink, but nope, it was part of the ceiling! Three pieces of cement/wood, part of the building, had chosen to fall out of the structure, at that exact moment and that exact spot and dive onto her red jacket. We were all pretty much flabbergasted!

We decided then we were not going to wait any longer for a small bit of tea and we asked for the check. Funny thing it came out RIGHT away, and of COURSE with items on it we had yet to receive. So we fixed that and after telling them about the falling of the building, and how we didn’t get any of the stuff we asked for the women said, ‘oh you see it’s because we’re very busy’. We glanced around at the other 6 occupied tables, shook our heads and put our jackets on. Jess, our English friend said, “I’ll give each of you 1.20 Euros if we can go right now.” After discussing if we should wait for our 1.20 in change because we were NOT going to tip this place. We decided to put it behind us and depart from the brightly colored Moroccan teteria.

Of course the trip was full of funny inside jokes, smiling faces, interesting gypsies dressed in yellow robes telling your “fortune”, international folk galore, amazing Catholic, Spanish, Gothic, and Moorish architecture, Spanish, English, Arabic, Spanglish, and we even invented something on the bus called “sound language”.

I really want to thank all of you who helped make this trip possible. While I may be on the “struggle bus” throughout January, it was so worth it. The extra little nudge to help have a blast in Granada was so immensely appreciated. Many many thanks! Being there made my desire to live in Europe even so much stronger, ESPECIALLY there. What about having a house in Seattle and one in Granada? Owning my own company, which allows travel throughout the both cities? I think so! Or at least WORK for a company that allows for that.

Wishin’ you all a very splendid New Years.

If you make resolutions, make sure they come true. You are the only one in charge of that, so attack life now! J

If you don’t believe in them, just keep on being awesome and life’ll be good to you.

It is often said that “where there is a will there’s a way”, right? Well if you have the will, find a way!

Abrazos y besos a todos!