Wanderlust: Day 25

You cannot fault this hotel - the cleanliness, attentive and friendly staff, the surroundings - it is all beautiful and after a nourishing breakfast we catch a cab down to the train station to book our reservation to Ronda - just as well we did as it turns out that the first leg of our journey will be by bus and then we will board a train for the remainder. These instructions are made a little trickier with the language barrier, but .... it's all an adventure!
We then head to San Nicolas' lookout in the Albaicin area of the old town which gives a stunning view across to the Alhambra. This is where we had dinner last night and it is even more stunning during the daylight. From there we meander down dozens of little cobbled roads and pathways - barely wide enough to allow a car to travel let alone pedestrians as well ... and when those pesky little electric cars come up behind you so silently ... let's just say, you need to be aware. You also need to have no ambulatory issues as there are many stairs and sloping pathways to navigate. On a journey through the old town we come across at least three churches that seem to be more splendid than the last one - it makes you wonder not only how there can be so many concentrated in such a small area but also how such incredible eats of architecture were achieved back in the C15th - C18th. We head in the general direction of the moat stopping in at the odd shop on the way. A perfumery shop and museum, where we buy perfume of course, a huge spice store for saffron for our paellas, a tiny store that reminds me more of being in Istanbul than Granada for earrings. A lunch stop before continuing our journey through more of the traditional shopping area - H&M, Zara etc..... back home for a siesta and then out to dinner at a traditional Andalusian restaurant, Las Tinajas. Ox tail has become to GC in Spain what boeuf bourguignon is to him in France! My choice of the fried fish, on the other hand, was not so successful - no a fan of fried anchovies and whatever those other little beady-eyed fish were (they weren't sardines). Home for a nightcap and another day done.