Part 2: Cruising through Spain

I promise to finish my post on Spain, well after grueling exams and trying to figure out algorithm for c programming, which I finally did, thank God! Now I know why I like programming, because it generally made my life easier when trying to figure out algebra, which frankly still one big chunk of black hole in my mind. Although I finally understand that my brain has a knack for language rather than math.

Here is the second part of the post:

In Malaga, apart from sun tanning on the beach, which as Malaysian, will be like trying to ask Eskimo to play with snow so we just glance at the beach and hop on the bus to town to browse through the street. In all the city we went to most major attraction were in quite reachable distance in town. So once there, we just had to walk and find our way to the tourist spot we wanted to visit.

We were quite lost trying to find Picasso house (now a museum - museo in Spanish) as the everything were connected by small winding road intersecting with each other. Ina way it takes you back a few hundreds years when the city was a trading port and all the cobblestone pathway were busy with horse carriage and people walking, just like the old Victoria English drama on TV. (That's how it was in my mind anyway).

In a way, I quite like Malaga, very quaint, picturesque district, beautiful beaches and houses, it reminded me of Beirut in a way only without the crazy traffic, army tank and police patrolling the street. I can see why British tourist and expat like to live here.

Next, we went to Alhambra in Granada, bus fare cost around 11.00 Euro, and takes about 2-3 hours from Malaga. We were quite lucky to get a hostel so near to Alhambra, that we can literally hear when they made an announcement. 'Dona Lupe Posada' sit on top of the hill right next to Alhambra, which initially was quite hard to find and need lot of power walking to the top. Lucky enough the bus driver and the shop assistant that we asked knew about it.

For the location it get a five star rating from me, and after sharing a room with 8 other people at our last accommodation, having a private en-suite room was a luxury. Dona Lupe herself is an old lady with frankly an old Spanish lady mannerism, how she gets to open a hostel for the world to visit is beyond me, she doesn't speak English and only accept cash after 5 pm. The reception desk was downstairs and in the dark because she is saving electricity.

It reminded me of ghost movie, where somebody get stranded on some deserted place and there was only one hotel with dark reception hall and creepy receptionist. (my imagination run wild sometimes). But apart from the dark hall, the room was nice and clean. Quite small though, just enough room for the two of us and our bags.

There are mini buses that take you from the city to Alhambra since Alhambra is located on top of a hill, 1.30 Euro per trip, (and this was the point when I realized, Spanish men were an extremely good looking bunch, the driver look like he can be a model, with with white collared shirt and aviator Ray-ban, he can pass for Boeing 777 for all I care )

Note: Try to buy ticket to Alhambra before you come or queue at the automatic machine early in the morning. The ticket can sell so fast that you might not get a chance to enter Alhambra at all because it's been sold out.

There are time provision on the ticket, especially time to visit the 'Rashid Palace". I used to imagine what the palace garden and all the building will look like when reading story from 'Tajul Muluk' or '1001 Arabian Nights' and surely it surpass what I had imagine. The fortress, the garden, fountain, decoration and view from the top of the hill really drummed it in to you what it was it like to be king in that era. Magnificent.

Down the hill, we visited several attractive spot like the Cathedral and the Moorish market. Halal food is quite easy to find once you found your way to Plaza Neuva and walk through the narrow street to the Moorish market. We were quite lost the first time trying to find where it was, it was actually right in the middle of Plaza Neuva. There is a narrow road leading up-hill, just follow it and you'll find the Moorish market.

I found another nice ice-cream shop dating back to the 1950's, very elegant looking shop with history and delicious ice-cream to boot.(the other was in Damascus, Syria). I had this thing about old ice-cream shop with history, don't ask why, it is like my dream shop.

With all the history, scenery and sheer brilliance of maintaining that piece of attraction. This is certainly a place to visit. In short Granada, is a sleek, nice elegant city with history you can't buy.