From MARK:
I've read that Granada is the one city in Spain that you can't miss and I couldn't agree more. It was quaint, friendly, and had ample walking space for a city of such size. Huge fountains bulk-headed the pedestrian plazas which were elegantly lit at night. It also boasted an eclectic mix of food, including another great doner kabab joint and several horchataritas (sweetened cinnamon rice milk, a personal favorite). The Alhambra is poised high on a cliff and brings additional Moorish architecture to the city, thus bringing back our memories of the Moroccan/Arabic window structure (the square window with the elliptical cutout resting on top).
The visit to the Alhambra was also amazing. So popular, we had to buy tickets on-line five days in advance, and it was worth the wait. The place is reaping with historical importance, stories, and the palace, gardens, rooms, and fountains spared no expenses. I won't elaborate and let you see for yourself via Google.
Eager to start the Camino de Santiago hiking/pilgrimage trail, we set off from Granada attempting to get to Sarria for the start of our trip that would put us on foot for a while. We caught a bus from Granada to Madrid, then from Madrid to Astorga. For this second leg the most conveniently timed bus was a few dollars more, which we were inclined to pay simply for the better time. However, we soon realized that we we had purchased "business" class tickets, and we were quite excited since we had (only one week previously) rode the "chicken" bus in Morocco. After the shiny, Mercedes (gray line sized) bus pulled up, the driver took our bags and gave us complimentary headphones. We walked on and it was configured with two seats on the left, an isle, and just one seat on the right. The fresh smell of leather and new-car scent took over from there. The full grain black and gray leather seats looked like they belonged in a Lexus and the trim was complete with wood paneling and extra large air vents for each passenger to direct as they like. Free snacks, comfy chairs, and the movie (even if it was called "Ping" and was about a small wonder dog) made this bus a smooth ride. I actually tried watching the movie, but Ping proved to be just too clever after freeing his buddies from the dog catcher after biting him in the groin. Go Ping go!
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