Would you rather have to run from a tapas bar or get held up by gypsies?

Answer to above question: Krista and I accomplished both, but not exactly as they are worded in said above question.

Like any responsible college students would do during the long weekend before mid-terms, Krista and I took a mere 7 hour bus ride to the South of Spain. Granada, Spain to be exact. The land of Muslim-Christian art, sangria, olives, tapas, sherry and cork trees? The trip there was tiring in itself given the one highway between Madrid and Granada somehow managed to have a traffic jam worse than a backed-up toilet at my family's Thanksgiving gathering. Life in Spain is slow in general so just imagine a Spanish traffic jam! During these precious hours, Krista and I did a little research and thus found out the main industries in Southern Spain, all of which were to be explored and enjoyed will there. So here begins our journey.

Muslim-Christian art: For you art history maniacs out there, Spain, and especially Southern Spain (Andulsia), is home to the very unique blend of Muslim and Christian cultures. Los moros had once occupied and thrived in Spain until the Spanish Reconquista in which Christians took over all of Spain. The evidence of this history is what embodies Granada. Everything from simple doors to the breathtaking Alhambra, the mezcla of these cultures is everywhere. Speaking of the Alhambra, it was numero 1 on our to do list! So after our tarde arrival at our hostel (where we were met by a pleasantly short fast speaking Spanish lady) we headed immediately to El Mirador de San Nicolas. This is the view of the Alhambra from one of the many hillsides of Granada. However finding this point of interest was like searching for God. There are directions everywhere and arrows pointing you in all sorts of directions, but the reality of the fact is, is that you just have to find it on your own. (This, by the way, ended up being the theme of the weekend - lost.) But also like a spiritual journey, when you reach your destination, the view is completely worth the sweat. Breathtaking, awesome, amazing, beautiful, grand, etc. All of these do not do justice (like my pictures from this trip) to the grandeur that is the Alhambra. (P.s. not to be rude but you DO know what the Alhambra is right? If not, google it.) Here a picture in case you prefer to learn visually.

(note: my camera and I were seriously fighting, sorry for the less than spectacular photos, you can also click on a picture and it gets bigger!)

Sangria: Sangria is a typical Spanish indulgence and it also has magical powers that heal any sort of drag from climbing winding curvy alleys of Granada. It is most commonly drank accompanying tapas and will never fail to be delicious. We found ourselves enjoying this delicacy not too much after the wonderful view of history.
(Note: olives are delicious! But I will not be seen eating Jamón Serrano for quite some time!)

While the sangria was superb and the olives divine, we had yet to discover the true treasure of Andulsia - TAPAS!!!

Tapas: Small portions (raciones) of "appetizers" that accompany drinks. One could live soley on these dishes and given enough practice, will learn, one - how to order them correctly and two- how to eat them for free! Our first tapas experience has officially scarred us for life... I can speak Spanish, Krista can speak Spanish, but neither of us can order off a menu in Spanish. It would be like a Spanaird trying to order from a Carnie at the Iowa State Fair without a picture menu. So we found something that sounded like "meat" and after Krista's request was seriously questioned and probably gossiped about, we recieved our "meat". A table wide platter of cold cuts. Cold cut salami, cold cut ham, cold cut everrrryyyyttthhiiinnng meat! Have you ever tired to eat lots and lots and lots of meat? Well don't, especially when your stomach is accustomed to not a lot of meat. There is no documentation of this nightmare of carne, but trust me that it was weird enough to receive several wary glances, glances that seemed to question our sanity.

The next was meet with no desire to see, smell or even think of meat and so we decided to do what girls do best. SHOP! Shopping is something I have not taken the time to really do while in Spain and let's just say some sandals, a watch, earrings, ring, jewerly box and mosaic mirror later, my thirst for spending money was satifisfied. I am desperately in love with all of my purchases and my single largest fear right now is that I will break my mirror by adoring it too much.

With a solid day of shopping and walking under our belts, we set off once more to discover the hillsides Granada. Only this time was a little less safe and most likely very dangerous. It was reaching dusk and Kristi and I had been wandering through this part of Granada called Albacin aka land of gypsies. I do not use that term inappropriately, it is who they call themselves because they are travellers and sellers of goods, most likely herbal goods. They also have a tendency to be sneaky and not the best of sorts to run into on one of those long narrow alleyways. Coincidentally enough our encounter wasn't in near as tight corners, we had discovered a sort of "city park" and just upon our entering I see something shiny glinting of the top of a garden wall a good distance away. I look back, and without thinking, look at Krista, say "gun" very calmly and we both turn abruptly out of the park and soon find ourselves lost in graffiti covered walls. This is a very uncommon thing given guns are illegal in Spain, but however, I do not doubt for one minute that I saw a gun climbing over a garden wall. We were never in direct danger but our hearts might have had a minor adrenaline rush.

Moving on to less frightening things, Saturday found us making friends with our neighbors in the hostel, and by friends I mean we knocked on the wall back and forth, it was mildly bizarre. After our almost success at making Spanish friends, we researched the best tapas bars in Granada and set out with our handy dandy durable map. The first tapas bar was called Poë and it was fabulous! With each drink you get a nice little stoneware bowl full of yummy steaming hot food. We had something involving chicken and added a side of pork skewers! They were delish and the atmosphe was sooo pleasant! After that we hit up an Indi flared tapas bar just around the corner and by some grace of fate our tapas were on the house! It was fantastic! Just involved the fact that the place was practically packed/overflowing with people and there was absolutely no way we were going to succesfully get to the bar to pay for our 2 € drinks and free tapas. We rounded out our tapas tour at Café Central and enjoyed the most delicious salmon and cream cheese thing I have ever consumed! After too much food and just enough wine we called it a night.

Sunday morning was rainy. Just rainy. BUT we were going to the Alhambra and rain wasn´t going to dampen our spirits! We turned to our trusty .50 guide (aka best map I have ever used) and set out a path to the Alhambra. Funny thing about maps is all they show is the way, not necessary ¨how¨ you will go that way. So we ended up walking up skinny little alleys, lots of uneven stairs, probably someone´s back yard, and a garden, all in the rain, but no worries, we found the Alhambra, just unconventionally. The Alhambra is big and b-e-a-utiful! I loved it! I do wish it would not have been raining, but it is what is. We enjoyed it all the way to the end, in which we left with only 1 semi-functional umbrella and Krista had 2 very very cold and wet feet. I wish I could elaborate more on this pictures can rarely do its beauty justice. The use of nature, water, stone, and intricate detail just amazed me. I´ll have to upload some pictures as soon as I get the chance!

To put the cherry on our Sun"dae" we spent the night in the Granada bus station with nothing but an endless game of "would you rather?" and the odd presence of some Romanian adolescents who thought 50 cent was more or less a divine prophet. To put in in short - Life in Granada is GRAND!