A lazy morning spent mostly in the Jacuzzi {do you think we are making good use of this
unexpected pleasure?} Thought we'd bypass breakfast as it was so average yesterday,
and we've seen a nice little cafe to try. We shower and dress,
it's time to check out of Hotel Carmen, so we reload the car, then with a map
kindly supplied by the hotel we set off to explore.. We want to see if the Cathedral is open today
as it has been shut so far when we've been nearby it. Also need to buy
espadrilles for me as I love them, a few years back there was a craze for them
in Britain, I wore them till they fell apart but have been unable to replace them
since. Then
we will drive back to Nerja for our last couple of days before Simon and Lucy
arrive.
The coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice in the nice little Caffe de
Roma went down very well. The espadrilles are safely purchased,
a pair each of white, black and red. Andrew has found Little Morocco on the
local map so we have decided to lunch there. We browse around the markets and
buy a sheep T-shirt for Nick, and a lovely pair of stork scissors for me.
We eat at the Samarkand restaurant a place which gives us a 3 course taste of Morocco plus beer -
all very good, we particularly enjoyed the creamy aubergine dip.
We make our way steadily up to San Nicholas Square, one of the highest
places in Granada. We stopped part way at a pretty little square with a
white church, for some liquid refreshment. This area is the oldest part of
Granada, mostly built by the Moors, with the city wall ruins much in evidence It's one of the steepest climbs I've ever done, but
well worth it when we reached the top. As with the Alcazaba all of Granada is
below us, our advantage is that the Alhambra is now opposite us and the
Sierra Nevada mountains are lying behind it - an absolutely stunning view! We
sit for a while and just soak up the atmosphere.
Back in Granada Centro we find that the Cathedral is open, we pay our 5 euros and enter.
This is a striking building, full of light and decorated in white and gold - a not to be
missed place if you come here. The stained glass windows are beautiful, the
pulpit is very ornately carved, made entirely in silver. Huge vases of red
and white gladioli decorate the whole pulpit area.
There are amazing oil paintings covering large sections of the walls. All the
huge organs are in highly polished gold. The wooden confession boxes are also
very ornate. A magnificent building, as you can see from the photos.
We got accosted by many Spanish gypsies {all cross eyed!} bearing rosemary and wanting to tell
our fortunes, as we leave, I try to tell them we don't understand. We decide on a last stop for
zumo naranja and a loo visit, before starting back to Nerja.
A safe journey back is
accomplished, over the many huge viaducts. We eat chilli con carne for dinner, with
pesto pasta and a Cabernet Sauvignon wine for a
change. Once again I type up the diary while Andrew settles in front of the TV,
the sky one sound is playing up again. At midnight we decide that it's time for
bed.
