After Sevilla we headed off to Granada where we saw The Alhambra. We arrived in Granada in the early afternoon and didn't waste time finding our way to the hostel where we were staying called The Funky Backpackers. After some confusion, getting off at the wrong bus stop, and taking the back route to the hostel, we were able to check in, get acquainted with the pleasant receptionist, drop our baggage off, and head out to explore the city! Our hostel was located right in the heart of the city, directly under The Alhambra, and within short walking distance of some great tapas bars. Usman and Alex had to hustle up to The Alhambra because their ticket pick-up time was nearing, but us girls had later pick-up times, so we decided to fill our bellies with some delightful food.
In Granada, it is customary to receive FREE tapas with a drink order at any bar you visit. So, we chose a cute tapas bar on the edge of a little river under The Alhambra to begin our feast. The cervezas cost no more than 2 euros each, and with each cerveza you get a new plate of tapas, which is really a new plate of food that could technically be considered a meal. With the first drink you order, you are served el primer plato; with the second drink you order, you are served el segundo plato, and so on. Each plate is different, and in my opinion each plate gets better the longer you stay. It is a cheap way of refreshing the palate and filling the belly with delicious food!
After a satisfying lunch we started our trek up the hill to The Alhambra. To get there we had to hike up a massive hill through a beautiful garden filled with greenery. I have realized in the past few weeks that I love nature- I love the green, colorful, beautiful, flower-filled gardens and parks I have visited lately. When we got to the top of The Alhambra, Lauren, Sarah, and I went into the first palace together because our tickets were bought together. Emily and Lisa bought their tickets later, so their entry time into the first palace was later. We ended up staying at The Alhambra all day because it truly is a day visit. There is SO MUCH to see, take in, and admire. The Alhambra affords breath-taking views of the city and surrounding mountains, whose tops were covered with snow. The Islamic architecture and the lush gardens that make up The Alhambra are exquisite. It was a HUGE palace and fortress of the Moorish monarchs of Granada constructed in the 1300s. It is considered one of the greatest wonders of the world, and without a doubt this is true! I had such a great time walking around this awesome creation with Lauren and Sarah. Sarah had a travel book with her (Rick Steve's Travel Guide for Spain) that she used to transform herself into our own personal tour guide, which was entertaining, to say the least 
Rick gave us a great tour of The Alhambra and gave us a great amount of information regarding the construction and history of the establishment. We don't know what we would have done without him.
After our irreplaceable visit to The Alhambra, Lauren, Sarah, and I stumbled upon a tasty gelatto joint right outside of our hostel. Of course we indulged in some cool and tasty cones in the famous Plaza Nueva, just a short walk from our hostel. Very interesting thing happened while we were enjoying our cones- EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE who walked by us literally STARED US DOWN. We were very weirded out, and unsure as to why we were being stared at, but it was nice that the men weren't screaming and whistling at us. After being creeped out by EVERY SINGLE PERSON that walked by us, we decided to return to the hostel.
At the hostel we popped our champagne and drank some bubbly while admiring the sunset outside of our hostel room window. To make the most of our night in Granada, we went tapas bar hopping in a great area very close to our hostel where there were TONS of locals enjoying some cheap and tasty drinks and food. It was so great.
The next morning we woke up pretty early to make the most of the few hours we had left in Granada. Guided by our personal tour guide, Rick Steves, Sarah led us on a nice walk through the streets of Granada, up to the Mirador de San Nicolas in the Albaycin of Granada which boasts incredible views of The Alhambra, situated in front of the snow-tipped mountains, and the city of Granada. It was such a fresh, wondrous morning. We wandered the streets of the city for the remainder of the time we had in Granada, taking in the beautiful buildings and cobblestone streets, and made a quick visit to the famous Silk Market located behind the Cathedral, where I got "gypsied" according to Rick Steves. Lauren, Sarah, and I were crossing the street in front of the Cathedral, but little to my knowledge, the two of them had gotten left behind me at the curb because of traffic. As I arrived to the other side of the street, a gypsy grabbed my hand and put some sort of weed in it and wouldn't let go of my hand and started speaking to me in Spanish. I panicked because I had no idea what was going on. I looked across the street and saw Sarah shaking her head and mouthing the words "Rick Steves." At the sight of this, I frantically dropped the weed and took my hand away from the lady, who began yelling at me, and waited for Sarah and Lauren to join me before venturing any further towards The Silk Market. Apparently, Rick had informed Sarah that the gypsies grab your hand and start reading your palm as they place a weed in it and tell you that it is free. Then, when they are finished "reading your palm," they ask you for money, but refuse to take coins so that you are forced to give them a bill (the lowest bill in euros is a 5). Tricky ladies if you ask me. Anyways, The Silk Market consisted of tiny streets filled with little vendors of souveneirs and scarves; it was neat. We were not able to make it inside the Cathedral due to time conflicts, but like I said before in my entry regarding Sevilla, I plan to return to the south of Spain and will hopefully visit this Cathedral during that trip.
At the culmination of my trip to Southern Spain I decided that I must return and stay in each city for a longer amount of time. I am absolutely head over heels for Granada, and honestly feel a little guilty for not researching the smaller, less talked-about cities in Spain when deciding to study abroad. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Barcelona, but I also loved Granada, and feel that I would have gotten what is thought of to be a "true" Spanish cultural experience over there. My trip is rapidly coming to an end and I have realized over the past couple weeks that I am truly going to miss Barcelona when I return to America. It is such an amazing place, unlike anywhere I have been. This experience has opened my eyes to the world and has instilled in me a newly found passion for traveling and seeing the world.
