This morning we ventured downtown for the first time to attend our class meeting. I cannot describe in words the magnificence of Granada. The ancient Moorish architecture and narrow cobblestone streets rest upon a backdrop of the rolling Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The city center
Of course, my own personal paradise would not be complete without every store imaginable that could cater to the desires of a 20-year-old female. As my host mother walked us down the main street, I had to use a great deal of self-restraint not to stop outside of every store. Upon reaching our meeting point, the street opened up into a large plaza, called Puerta Real. Here there are restaurants, bars, and (my favorite) ice cream stores! Another landmark here is el Café Fútbol, which is rumored to have some of the best churros con chocolate in the entire city!
My roommate and I in front of la Fuente de las Batallas inside la Puerta Real
Here we met up with the rest of our classmates as well as the two instructors in charge of our program. They gave us a small tour of the area and led us up a small incline to our school.
Centro de Lenguas Modernas, where many of my classes will be held
The University building is gorgeous. It is a very old building designed by the Moors. Inside there is an open two-level patio, behind which the classrooms are located.
The alley just outside the University
The café across the street, where the vendor boasted of prices "¡muy económicos!"
This evening my class met up again to take a tour of the city, led by our two instructors. Emlyn and I arrived early, so we decided to do a bit of exploring.
We discovered this magnificent church, located in the middle of everything, right next to a giant department store- el Corte Inglés!
We also found Fuente de las Granadas, one of the famous fountains in Granada
From this location, one even has a distant view of el Albaicín, which we will be touring on Saturday
Upon returning to our group, we learned how the "Puerta Real"(one of the main sections of the city) got its name. The name "puerta" meaning "door" originates back to the time of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, who entered the city at that very place, through a door which once existed.
El Ayuntamiento de Granada (Town Hall) with 3 flags (from left to right) Andalucía, España, y Granada
La Plaza Bib-Rambla-one of the main plazas in Granada with many delicious places to eat outdoors. My best friend Lauren will be living here when she arrives!
La Catedral, located directly behind Plaza Bib-Rambla. Here we were serenaded by the beautiful sound of Spanish guitar!
Behind the cathedral is the Mercado de Artesana, an ancient outdoor market that was initially used to trade silk. Today one can find jewelry and clothing here, but the Arabic influence remains evident.
We ended our tour with a small hike up a portion of el Albaicín, to a stunning view of la Alhambra. Unfortunately, it could not have been more obvious that we were American tourists, and we may have disrupted the solitude a bit, but I hope to return to this view soon, if I can find my way back!
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