Hi Guys,
The Burger King here is very popular...I've only been there once but when I was there the line was always all the way back to the door and there are alot of Spaniards there. The food tasted pretty much the same..except the onion rings...yuck! they were dry and breaded differently...but everything else was pretty good. :)
They even have beautiful pavement in Granada! The cobblestoned pathways are everywhere and even sometimes painful to walk on...lol but I love the artistry!
We went to a "Teteria"...which means "Tea House". It was located in the Albaycin and it was my first tea house... I loved seeing hints of Arab Culture throughout the trip through the Albaycin, it made me feel at home. The teterias are mostly owned by Morrocan muslims, so their food and tea is not the same, but is very similar.
So its almost the end of my third week here in Spain and so much has happened! I love it here! The food, the people, everyone is so nice! The weather here is in its 50's and 60's everyday! There is something to do all the time, whether its to get Churros con Chocolate (Churros with Chocolate) or going to Plaza for some shopping, the day is never ending here. There is siesta every day from 2-5 pm, the time of the day when all the stores are closed and people eat lunch with their families at home, relax, and take a short nap. Then the stores open back up at 5 till 9. Life here is so much more tranquil, not always rushed like in America. It's really different. At first, I wasn't use to this, but I'm getting use to it now. Below are some pictures...they are definitely not all. I am really bad at blogging, just so you guys know...lol because there is just too much to say and show that I cannot possibly put it all in one blog. I am going to the gym now so I will talk to you guys much later! Hasta Luego!
-Afsha
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| Roscon De Reyes |
This is called the "Roscon de Reyes" - A special cake eating on January 6th, the day of the three "Wise-Men". It's the most important day of Christmas for the Spaniards, more-so than December 25th. This festival is celebrated with a parade, presents, dulces (sweet pastries), christmas lights and much more...the festival was miraculous. This "pastel" is more of a bread than a cake and there is a game to it as well. There are little toy kings and queens placed inside it and if you find them in your piece, you're are crowned the "king" or "queen" of the party and if you find a bean, you have to pay for next year's "Roscon de Reyes"
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| Recojidas This street is always busy and going and is always filled with people. It has the most stores than any other part of the city...I believe there are even more stores than what Michigan Avenue in Chicago has. |
Plaza Nueva
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| On our way to the Albaycin, the moorish/Islamic quarters...where there is a lot of Arab shops, teterias (scroll down), and a good view of the Alhambra. |
View of the Alhambra
And Again... ( we're on the way to the Albaycin)
The Marvelous Alhambra!
I thought these kids were so cute! They were playing some sort of game I think and I captured a photo of them in action! :)
the famous star! It is shown in many pieces of architecture in Granada and is very important symbol in the Islam ...I'm not so sure why its so important...but when I find out through my "Islam in Spain" class...I will let you know.
There's tons of Islamic calligraphy and Muslim influence all throughout the city but the Albaycin was my first glimpse of it all coming together.
View of the Alhambra from the Albaycin at night
Graffiti-ed walls...this is a form of art in Spain...a way to express one self. There are beautiful paintings done all over the city...this is hardly one of the best....I will have to show you guys more later :)
This is a form of Moroccan Pastries (similar to Baklava), but they had peanuts so I couldn't eat them. :/ I was so sad! But they brought me out an almond pastry instead...
Moroccan Tea...It was sO good!!
Frankie and I
El Cafe (Coffee) The coffee is much smaller in Spain...there is no sizes...just a small and usually consists of an expresso shot and alot of milk. Its really good though...but fattening because I many places don't use nonfat milk.
La Alhambra up close...This was during our trip to the Alhambra...it was gorgeous...marvilloso and I had no words to describe. This man made wonder...is so perfect, so beautiful, and more so perfect as if God made it himself and left it here on Earth for us.
More of the Alhambra. This took 200 years for the Muslims to build...they left such a beautiful blessing
Parts of the Alhambra and its Palaces
