I'm Seriously in Love with Granada and Everything About it

Granada has yet to stop amazing me.  Each day that I'm here, I'm either discovering a new area, a new shop, a new park, a new place to run, or just learning something new about the city in general.  The other day, I decided to run down by the Albayzin.  Little did I know that I would find myself running along a beautiful river, with the famous Alhambra right above me (that's it in the top right corner of the first picture)!  The area that I discovered is called "Paseo de los Tristes" and looks like this...

Can you believe that this AMAZING view is about a 10 minute run from my house?!  But it doesn't stop there.  Yesterday I decided to explore the Arab markets that are by the Albayzin.  There is a small, steep, narrow cobblestone street that leads up to the Alhambra.  The street is lined with Moorish markets selling beautiful, colorful, and handmade products such as scarves, coin curses, bags, jewelry, jeweled boxes, and more.   

I found a little plaque for my mom that has a rose and a quote that says "El amor por los hijos es como una rosa, cada    día crece más y más." which means "The love for children is like a rose, each day it grows more and more." Sooo perfect for my mom since she, Alyssa, and I all have matching rose tattoos and because the name Rose is so important in our family.  I also brought myself a scarf and part of Alyssa's birthday present (I can't say what it is though in case she reads this). I included a picture of my purchases, and the  boots that I brought here in Granada a few weeks ago haha.  


As I shopped in the markets, I realized how different the people that work in the shops in Granada then the workers were in Paris.  Personally, I felt that the people in the stores in Paris were either creepy and attacked you the second that you walked in their store, or didn't like you because you were American.  The workers in the stops in Granada didn't stare me down when I was in the shop.  However, whenever they saw me looking at something, like a scarf, theysaid "try it on if you want!" and were very nice and helpful.  The young and pretty cute guy that was working in the shop where I brought my scarf even started up a conversation with  me, asking if I was studying here.  


Finally, today I had yet another adventure.  I turned down a new street yet again and found myself running right by the famous Cathedral.  GORGEOUS!  On the way, I ran into a group of three gypsies.  They had their little plants in their hands like always, and tried to get me to take one as I ran past.  Here is what I found about them on a website:


"Around the cathedral and in the Alhambra car park there are a number of gyspsy fotune tellers who offer a fortune selling service. It goes like this. They hand you a sprig of rosemary, you take it. You feel too embarrassed to give it back or throw it on the floor. They tell you your fortune although you don't understand a word. Then you feel so embarassed that you give then a euro just to get out of the situation."

On my way back to the house I pasted a man walking two small dogs.  All of the sudden one of the dogs jumped and me and but my thy! Although you can probably do without a visual, I'll give you one anyways...

One more somewhat comical thing happened last night I was watching Cheaper by the Dozen 2 on TV with my Senora and her ten year old son.  I couldn't figure out why they kept saying "Bacon" in the movie.  Finally, i realized that they were actually saying "Baker," the last name of the family in the movie.  When the Spanish people said it in the translated version, it honestly sounded just like bacon. 

I start my official classes tomorrow at the University.  I'm pretty happy because my schedule turned out exactly how I wanted it to. Hurray! Here's the lineup of my classes:

• Curso de Estudios Hispánicos (6 de febrero a 24 de mayo)
• Asignatura: Producción oral y escrita - Grupo: 0703 - Aula: A04
  Horario:
  • 15:30 - 17:00: Lunes, Miércoles - RAMÍREZ RODRÍGUEZ, INMACULADA
• Asignatura: Literatura española (S. XX) - Grupo: 0A01 - Aula: A13
  Horario:
  • 17:00 - 18:30: Martes, Jueves - LEÓN SILLERO, JOSÉ JAVIER
• Asignatura: Historia de España (desde Franco hasta la actualidad) - Grupo:0A01 - Aula: A05
  Horario:
  • 11:30 - 13:00: Martes, Jueves - VARA OCÓN, CRISTINA
• Asignatura: Civilización y cultura españolas - Grupo: 0A02 - Aula: A05
  Horario:
  • 11:30 - 13:00: Lunes, Miércoles - VARA OCÓN, CRISTINA
• Asignatura: El arte flamenco en la sociedad y la cultura - Grupo: 0A01 - Aula:A14
  Horario:
  • 17:00 - 18:30: Lunes, Miércoles - LEÓN SILLERO, JOSÉ JAVIER