The Alhambra

As some of you may have noticed on my Photos tab, not only was I able to figure out how to insert them on the top, but I added some new ones!  The first one is a picture of Malaki, Cora, and a little Hispanic girl.  They made quick friends in the pool racing, so she decided to bring over her game system and ask them to join her under her towel to play a Barbie game.  It was adorable, and I truly enjoyed watching her helping Cora learn some Spanish by hand motions and repeating words.  Kids can be so friendly and unconcerned about what others think.  It’s definitely refreshing. 

Brian, Kassie, and the kids took me to the centre of the city and on a tour to the Alhambra, a large historical fortress.  We started at the Cathedral where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella’s bones are buried, riding in the front of an open top bus with personal headphones giving a historical rundown.  You could choose from eight languages!  We passed a giant statue of Christopher Columbus in the middle of a heavily trafficked area.  

Driving up the mountain to the Alhambra was by far one of the prettiest drives I’ve seen.  It overlooks the entire city, is lined by mountains, and even has some olive trees.  Olive trees are very common around Southern Spain it seems, especially from my drive from Malaga.  We stopped and walked up to the Alhambra.  The path was so peaceful, with a waterfall that appears to have an irrigation system still connected. 

The architecture and greenery were beautiful.  The whole feel of the area, with cobblestone streets, reminded me of the Holy Land tour my family took in Branson, MO.  It seemed similar to what you might find in Jerusalem, plus the whole fortress effect.  On our way back down the mountain, I saw a small “home” in the side of a cave (Brian said gypsies lived there).  I’m sure there were more homes than the one I saw.  We passed some old sugar cane equipment that is now more of a city statue.

After we finished the riding tour, we stopped for gelato in the centre city.  I tried Stracciatella, which Alicia told me is her favorite flavor (it’s a cream-like taste with chocolate pieces.  Although it was probably a little mean, I shared the picture with her; later I skyped her and was able to ask for forgiveness.  J  It’s strange to be in her home country while she is in mine. 

My afternoon snack was Jamón Pringles and sweet tea – seemed to be an Americanized Spanish snack.  I’ve never seen so much Jamón Cerrado in my life (a type of cured ham).  I don’t think anyone will run out anytime soon.