Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Another tick in the box

Actually, I don't have a list of things to tick off - there was one big one for several years (find a house!) but now I just seem to have a vague wishlist. Planting a palm tree was on it, though I'd sort of got used to living with the big hole in the ground over the months. Now, we have waving fronds and a garden that looks like it might be wonderful - one day - although the weather has changed ominously today and frost is threatened at the weekend, of course, so our gardening and nurturing skills are going to be tested this winter. Getting the palm has spurred me on to doing something else that I've been meanng to do but which has been put off and off for one reason or another.

Since we first arrived in Alcala la Real - almost three years ago now - I have been meaning to take a day to myself and catch the bus into Granada - not exactly a very ambition intention but it's taken a long time to fulfil. I wanted to get to know the city, in the same way as I got to know Valladolid when we lived there and as I knew places like London, Leeds and Malaga when I lived there. It's a bit like staking your claim on the city as your own, and despite Alcala being officially part of Jaen, Granada is our nearest provincial city - and of course, it is a wonderful place.

I just never got round to going when we lived in the town - I always seemed to have something to do in the mornings and then needed to be ready to go teach at around 4pm. And since we moved here, even a trip to Alcala seemed to drag me from my home unnecessarily!  I have been several times - don't misunderstand - but always with either FR and the children or with friends when they've visited, but never on my own. The time had definitely come to 'pop into town' on the bus.

Two buses actually, as I  went into Alcala with the Villalobos crowd on the 'school' bus - seemed like half the village was off on an outing and we filled the little bus...12 of us, laughing all the way about nothing. It left me at the bus station and after buying my ticket, I was off on the Granada bus about ten minutes later. Simple! I was on my way at 8.30 and the day was already sunny, though a chilly 7 degrees when we set off.

It takes just over an hour to get to the bus station and once there, I had the option of taking a bus directly to the Cathedral, which is fairly central to all of Granada - (with exception of the Alhambra, which wasn't on my visiting plan this time.) However, I decided to walk and, trusting to my sense of direction, set off roughly south and east assuming that somewhere I would find some directions to help me.

I walked a good half an hour in more or less the right direction and was amazed by how quiet the place was. A new tramway has been installed and looks very elegant but as yet, there are no trams running. The roads  - which have been a complete nightmare for cars to get anywhere on for several years - were empty. I saw hardly a soul and for a while began to doubt I was going in the right direction. Then I came to the hospital and began to recognise where I was.
There was never any doubt as to where I was, though - Granada (Spanish for pomegrante) is full of symbolic portrayals of the fruit - in the pavements, traffic bollards, in carvings and statues around the city you will see the pomegranate!



As I continued,  the architecture became elegant, less modern and more interesting against the blue of the sky.
I kept glancing at the time and temperature displays and within an hour of leaving the bus station, the temperature had gone up by 12 degrees and it was time to take off my scarf.

And I kept walking.

By now, I had reached the Gran Via de Colon, whose name convinced me I was on the right track. I was ready for a coffee and a sit down...I'd been walking for about an hour and a half, pausing from time to time to look in shop windows and enjoy the scenery of the parks I passed.








So far this year though, we haven't had snow and so the Sierra Nevada is not living up to its name - its still quite bereft of its snowy peaks...it will come, it will come.

I noticed too that the streets had Christmas lights up. There not much sign of Christmas yet in Alcala la Real beyond the local supermarkets having a display of chocolate and panettone. The council hasn't put up any lights and the shops don't seem to be pushing anything different to usual.

I was always rather averse to Christmas starting earlier and earlier in England. I'm fond of the holiday itself - I'm not the 'Bah humbug' type but it feels better that all the merchandise and hype is much less here.





I spoke about the cost of food and drinks in a post recently. I had expected that Granada prices would be higher than those in our town, but when I stopped at a busy, lively cafe and patisserie on the Gran Via and had a typical breakfast/brunch of toasted bread with tomato and a 'cafe con leche', I was amazed that it cost only 1.90euros!  Slightly less than in Alcala - AND I could have pan integral - or wholemeal toast!





Coming out of the cafe, I passed one of the gates that leads up to the Alhambra though I couldn't actually see the palace from where I was. It's nice to think it was quite close though...

Before I left the cafe, I nipped into the loos and removed a layer of clothing - in the same style as I had done when travelling back from Manchester to Malaga. In just two short hours, the temperature had gone from 7 degrees to 21 degrees!

I stuck to the shady parts of the streets and I continued my trek.










Rounding another corner, I saw, on a street to my right one of the best views of the cathedral of Granada - though this isn't saying much! It's really difficult to get a good shot as it's surrounded on all sides by very narrow streets. You walk around it, knowing it's there but not being able to see it properly.

This is the back of the building. I've looked on the internet to share a better photo but even though this isn't good, it's obvious that no one can get much of an angle on the place...and you have to make do with the odd glimpse up a street... like this one below...








I enjoyed looking in the shops around this area and again, was pleasantly surprised at the prices. I found some great ideas for Christmas presents, even though today wasn't a buying day.


And I love the big square just to the side of the Cathedral. It's called Bib Rambla and hails from the last Muslim dynasty of Granada around the end of the 15th Century. I like it mainly because it's where the annual Chocolate Festival is held...though I missed it again this year as it was just as the children went back to school. But I think of it being held here in this lovely square and on my vague wishlist for next year will be a visit to the 2014 Chocolate Festival of Granada. Would someone please remind me of this as the time approaches?


I walked down Los Reyes Catolicos (The Catholic Kings) and then took a left down toward the ubiquitous department store in all Spanish cities - El Corte Ingles (or The English Cut) - which is sort of a necessary visiting place when window shopping. Well, it is for me.

The walk down this street was very pleasant - starting and ending with wonderful fountains.


Yes, I forgot my camera...but you can see how blue the sky was and what a lovely misty effect the water had as it rose up from the fountain.




And believe it or not, it was now 28 degrees! I was feeling the heat and had stripped off as much as was decently possible. And of course, most of the folk around me, who were from Granada, were in boots and scarves and warm jumpers. It's almost as if the date dictates what Spaniards wear, not the thermometer!











A lovely lion drinking fountain. He has a very kindly face, I think!











And this is the long pedestrian walkway between the two big fountains. Also strung with Christmas lights.


And this is the fountain at the other end of the street.  I began to wonder whether to postpone catching my intended bus back at 3.30...I would have liked to see the city lit up. But as I reached this - my furthest point - I knew  to stay until it went dark would have made it just a tad too long a day for me...guess I'll do it next time when it will be darker a bit earlier!

I went into El Corte Ingles at around midday, went up and down it and inspected everything of interest, bought a few bits in the posh supermarket and then came out again. I bought some drawing paper and some pens, that's all. Such restraint...? No, I just wasn't that bothered about anything. I guess my spending days have blown clear away.

I walked all the way back to the hospital, where I decided to jump on a bus for the last little trek up to the bus station. Only afterwards did I realise that the bus to Alcala actually stops outside the hospital! I could have stayed put....but at least I learned something for next time!

It was, of course, lovely to get home again - and the first thing I did - after taking off my boots(!) was to see how far I'd walked. It was 9.6 kilometers which is near as damn it to 6 miles. This isn't much considering I do almost that much on a walk with Darwin - but it's a lot of Granada and very satisfying to have done it. I can't quite claim it as 'my' city yet but I shall work on it again...soon!




22 comments:

  1. What a fantastic day out, Annie! I really enjoyed walking the streets of Granada with you and your description gave a very good flavour of the city and its lovely buildings. As for those prices, I'd have to pay 1.90 euros or more just for coffee in France. Sigh.....

    I'm impressed to learn that an average walk with Darwen is around 6 miles. Either he's a very energetic dog, or you are busy getting very fit. :-)

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    1. It certainly was, Perpetua. It's a shame I didn't take my good camera... I could have captured it even better. And yes, excellent prices for a coffee here! And excellent coffee too!
      And I must tell you - it's the once or twice a week walk with Darwin that is the long one. Sometimes he just races around the garden - either chasing or being chased by the children!
      Axxx

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  2. I enjoyed going with you on your walk in Granada - it brought the place to life much more than the guidebooks could do - but they are so often 'tick the box' publications.....

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    1. Thank you, Helen. I will be keeping my eyes open more next time I go - and taking my camera. This time, it was very much trying to get from A to B without a map! I did see a couple of guides - fans held aloft - but the people following were mainly talking on their mobiles...
      Axxx

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  3. Sounds like you had a good day. Thanks for taking us along. Have a good day Diane

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    1. Thank you Diane! I did indeed have a very good day. A virtual visit isn't quite the same but it is nice to think we can share each others surroundings this way, isn't it? Axxx

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  4. Hi Anne , Ah I see Diane ( Food , Fun and Life in Charante ) has called in to comment too ,,Diane is actually not just a Blogger friend virtually , she is a "real" friend ,, we have actually met , and it was a huge shock to both of us , that when Diane was living half in France and Half in the UK ..The "half in the UK" was in my village , yep, Diane and her husband lived on the other side of this big village too me .. Now that is a small world .. :-) :-)

    Anyway sorry I digressed, What a fabulous day out and well done to you for going out there , certainly the sort of day out I would like too and walking . Well you would be putting clothes on here , the day got colder and colder :-( I would certainly have lots to blog about if in Granada, lots of interesting aspects.

    I think one day that we will not have any gap between Christmas and Easter , it is getting earlier and earlier much to my disgust of this country ,, greed and commercialised ,, Cards were actually in the shops before the kids went back to school in September , that is how bad it is, Anyway I am getting off my soapbox , would be here for a while.

    Thank you for sharing your day with us : xo Anne

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    1. Wow, that's an incredible coincidence, isn't it, Anne? I love hearing these little snippets of life from fellow bloggers. And always digress is my motto!
      I did have a great day out and smiled when you said I'd have to put clothes ON if I were there - and you're right - it would be the other way round.

      As for soapboxes and disgust at how we are fed the lie that we must buy, buy, buy - well, we could share that one for a long time.

      Axxx

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  5. What a great day out Annie, and I think you see so much more when you do it on your own, without distractions from others. One day I'll get to see all those lovely cities in Spain...one day!

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    1. I'm such a chatterbox, Ayak, that I probably wouldn't see half as much if I went with someone else...so yes, better for me to go alone. And I shall do it again soon!

      And I shall see Turkey one day too...an exchange visit would be such a good idea! Axxx

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    2. Did you mean a house exchange visit? That actually made me laugh Annie. Imagining your family squashed into our tiny house, and 6 dogs as company! I somehow think you would draw the short straw :-)

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    3. Ha, ha, Ayak! I don't think I could persuade FR to stay with 6 dogs but my children and I would love it...and we can squash if necessary!
      Actually, I was thinking of you coming here and then me coming to you and it was a throw away comment but not a bad idea!
      Axxx

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  6. What a lovely adventure you had, felt like I had been there too, great to be able to explore at your leisure and to ear mark avenues for next time, thanks for sharing

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    1. Thank you Chrissie - it's absolutely NOT a case of 'been there, done that' with Granada. I will never know why it took me so long to actually go there on my own. But now I have, I think I shall be going again before too long! Axxx

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  7. I think I'm going mad. I was sure I had commented on this ....but maybe I just thought about what I was going to say and never actually got round to it. It sounds like a fabulous day. The weather was perfect, the buses all worked out, the coffee and breakfast was outrageously good value and you saw some beautiful parts of the city. I realise that I don't know Granada at all, all we did when we went there was look around the Alhambra. Obviously our next trip to Alcala and Villalobos will have to include some time in Granada. ( I think we'll fly and hire a car next time !!!!) The historical bit was good too... " around the 15th century" is accurate enough for me...honestly. Love to everyone Jxxx

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    1. I'm quite sure you're not going mad, Janice - just doing so many things - and you did comment on Facebook...
      I think we'd have a wonderful day discovering Granada together - and yes, fly and hire would be less exhausting and quicker and easier all round....No pressure - I know you have Australia first!!
      Next time, I'll be applying a little more brain power and maybe a bit less foot power...
      Axxx

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  8. I did enjoy this post. I felt like I was walking with you, in a beautiful place that I would love to visit :)

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    1. It is stunning, Annie - and whilst I had to strip off a few layers, it's been perfect weather this November. I am a bit ashamed of my photos...next time I'll take my camera and really wow you!
      Axxx

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  9. Ha! Now I know why Grenadine is called what it is. Tick the box for learning something today.

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    1. Glad you discovered something new, B2B! Axx

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  10. Thank you for sharing your day out and about with us, Annie. I loved every step of it, as well as your sense of adventure. I love to walk about with family and friends, but, sometimes I really just enjoy doing it alone. I see things I might not otherwise see, and my thoughts become just that, my own . . . and now, I know what Grenadine is grenadine. Wonderful, wonderful post.

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    1. It's nice to know I've had my virtual friends with me as I've trekked around! It is something I will do again soon as one definitely sees things differently when alone. The pomegranate is really everywhere and also on the trees at this time of year too...I've never tried grenadine but obviously it is connected!
      Axxx
      Axxx

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