Cordoba

Cordoba is a great city. The old Mezquita (Mosque in Spanish) is quite amazing (picture with striped arches), Raphael is the guardian of the city and statues are at almost every entrance. The large Plaza de la Corredera has a daily covered market, as well as small flea market stores and cafes.
I just had a wonderful session at the Hammam - the Arab-style thermal baths - and ran into a woman I had met last year in Barcelona. Quite amazing that we would be in Cordoba and the Baths at the exact same time - not just a small world, but miniscule. The baths are run by the same company as the baths in Granada. Both are wonderful and a good deal with 1.5 hours in the baths and a 15-minute massage for 32 euros - unbeatable if you ask me. Off to Sevilla tomorrow for more explorations.

Granada!

Wednesday was an excellent day! I slept wonderfully in my gem of a room. Headed off in search of the famed Alhambra which is almost straight up the hill from where I am staying. I walked up quite awhile and arrived at the ticket entrance.
In peak season 6000 people a day visit the Alhambra. Fortunately, since I am here in very much off-season I didn’t even have to wait in line – somewhat unheard of. The only minor hitch was that for unreserved tickets purchased on site for immediate entry you needed cash and I had none. I had forgotten to get any prior to heading up the hill. A lovely woman in the mini gift shop showed me where there were ticket machines and an ATM. FYI- like French rail ticket machines – these rejected my perfectly valid credit card. Thankfully the ATM worked and so off I was to take in the Muslim palace.
There is a lot to the complex and it was confusing to some of us, but we figured it out. The super attraction is the Palace - for which you have an assigned visit time – the rest of your visit is either all morning or all afternoon. The Palace is jaw-dropping – just unfathomable detail in every wall and ceiling. I spent over three hours at the complex and recommend you allow at least that much time.
I then spent the rest of the day walking, walking, walking, checking out the happening little neighborhoods. In one I found a cheap and delicious natural foods restaurant, in another a darling little health food store all the while winding through tiny stone streets squirreling through the old part of the city.
Unlike Malaga, the University students give Granada a very student pulse. I heard magnificent flamenco music in one plaza, found little artisan shops, and finished my day with a trip to the Hammam – the Arab baths – for deep soaking and a short massage. I will say goodbye to my friend, Serjio, and head off to Cordoba on a morning train.

Turquoise Nerja, and Wind to Granada

Tuesday was a bit of a day. Woke up early and was the first one at the Alcazaba – really wonderful ruins of an Islamic castle and fortress. From there you can continue walking up to the remnants of another Castillo where you can see for miles.
I hiked to the bus station with both packs on – only possible with my fantastically comfortable Osprey pack - and took an hour plus bus ride to the seaside city of Nerja. Nerja is not immune from growth and tourism, but rather than high rises they have opted for smaller, white washed buildings that are more pleasing to the eye. The water here is magnificent turquoise. The main part of the village is fairly large filled with restaurants, shops, and souvenir stores. It was a lovely, sunny afternoon. My host was the most and gave me great tour. Then I hoped the bus to Granada which went along some more of the coast, which is breathtaking even with high-rises and massive developments.
Once the bus turned left into the mountains the sky darkened and it was another adventure into traveling to Oz. The wind picked up to a strong gale with trees bending and the bus definitely feeling the force. As we climbed the winds became stronger – and up along a highway with cliffs to our side a gust came up that blew the bus – the riders and drivers exclaimed – thankfully – no blown-off-the-highway bus. Shortly we were almost eye-to-blade with windmills (a good place for them if you ask me).
I arrived blood sugar deprived and mildly stressed by the high wind ride. The bus to hostel was crowded and with horrible – potential amputating - rear door mechanism which crushed my front pack before I figured out the best place to stand. I missed my bus stop since it was named something other than what the direction said and had to hoof back (with both packs on) – trying to maintain cool although I already knew that I was in no mood for a backpack hostel. I wanted my own room, a hot shower and some good food. With unmarked streets and not great maps it took longer to find the hostel than was good for my mood. Up stairs and a warren (truly) of stone streets I found it. Of course, someone was in my bed (a bit of Goldilocks here) and so they put me in another room where I came upon a well intentioned, travel-lagged and chatty roommate. I set my pack down, went out to find food, and bee-lined for another place to sleep. The gods understood my need and delivered me Serjio, the proprietor of Pension Venezia -two flights up in an old building, with spotless, darling rooms. So I got my own perfect tiny room. I went back to retrieve my pack, told a white lie that I had met up with a friend (my new friend, Serjio☺) and unloaded back at the pension only a few blocks from the hostel. Next food! Struck out a few times and my crashing was increasing when I came upon Canela y Clavo. Heaven-sent (again) – and had the most delicious wok-steamed vegetables and beef. They had numerous delicious offerings with and without meat but after that day I needed some serious protein and felt worlds better after, especially tucked into my yellow-room bed with a down comforter.

Malaga Spain

Malaga is a little run down and ignored in parts. There is construction at almost every turn, which is not so appealing. This is the first European city where I have felt that areas other than the old part are more beautiful, because much of the old part has been neglected, and is now going through major reconstruction. I am sure it will be lovely when finished, but right now the noise, dust and smell make it less than enchanting, and rather shabby.
Tourism is big in Malaga and even this time of year in the off-season (everyone is donning winter coats not swimsuits) there are plenty of tourists – I hate to think of it during high season with the streets and beaches overflowing.
While I have often sneered at the open-topped, double-decker tour buses in New York City, I found myself on the upper deck of Malaga’s and loving it. It is very useful when you have a lot of ground to cover and not much time, plus you get to be outside (if you choose the open-air seating) instead of cooped up in a vehicle.
The natural food scene in Malaga is virtually non-existent. The stores I found were either miniscule or had closed. I did find a few vegetarian and natural restaurants, but only two were decent. There are some towns within 20-60 km of Malaga that seem to be more hip to the health food scene and they have much better quality options. Malaga seems to have more Esoteric stores than health food stores – maybe a result of the centuries of swaying dominant religions.
My favorite eatery was La Teteria, a happening spot a few doors away from the Picasso Museum. Here you can have all sorts of teas, coffees, and other delightful beverages, as well as crepes. Tonight I had a crepe (yes it was made of wheat – I had two bites and then just ate the innards) made with Manchego cheese (Spanish cheese made from sheep milk), peppers, tomatoes and herbs – hmmm yum!
Off to Nerja, an old village on the coast about 60 km east of Malaga and then onto Granada! We’ll see if they eat more naturally there.

Did I mention the water and the beaches? THAT is why people come to Malaga - turquoise, sandy, and beautiful.