Living at a Monastery
My living area this time was pretty 'different' to say the least. I was situated in a dormitory at an accommodation block beside the church of Santo Domingo in Granada. Living conditions were pretty offbeat, but the unique experience and captivating environment of the area were more than enough.
Santo Domingo church
Accommodation area
Main garden
Side walls
Bedroom
You are almost always greeted in Spanish by people around the living quarters, which gave it a really jovial and light-hearted atmosphere. If you're lucky, you can even catch the friendly priest passing-by.
Streets of Granada
Had a very lovely local lady, Maria that showed us around and was very informative in explaining to us the history of the area.
Day view
Night view
Narrow alleyways
Houses
'Street performers'
'Secret' alleyways
Campo de los Martires
Some roads were also not made out of traditional bitumen like in modern cities, but were instead constructed with cobble and stone.
Alhambra
The Alhambra is a UNESCO world heritage site from the 9th century, where Granada's Nasrid rulers in the past, used it as a fortified palace complex. It is also currently the only preserved palatine city of the Islamic period and constitutes the best examples of Nasrid art in its architecture and decorative structures, making it one of Spain's most high-profile attraction.
Prior to visiting, I never expected this Spaniard area to have so much roots with Moor history.
Full view of Alhambra
Palace buildings
Flower garden
Military base
'Love' Tree
Apparently, if you stood or sat under the shadow of the tree and thought of someone you liked, it was an auspicious act for good things to happen between you and him/her.
Bell tower
Bell tower (close-up)
View of Granada from the Alhambra
Smiling for the Camera :)
Fountain gardens
Walkways through nature
Coliseum of Alhambra
Moorish carvings
Lion fountain
As you might have noticed, I've obviously 'winged' out some of the description as I've forgotten the actual names of the areas.
I'd also suggest that you take a guided tour through the place, to have a better understanding as to what your looking at. Also, be prepared to walk for hours on end if you'd like to see everything here.
Flamenco Club
Flamenco clubs are a dime a dozen in Granada, serving food and drinks in view of an eye-catching and intense performance.
There are usually three roles in a typical group. The 'kante fla' (singer), the toque (guitarist) and baile (dancer). Because the dancer is in the front and center of the performance, people may often assume that the dance is the most important aspect of the art form, but in fact, it is the 'kante fla' (singer) that is the heart and soul of the act.
The 'kante' (left), 'toque' (middle) & 'baile' (right) of the Flamenco Performance
The three people that performed were really adept in their respective roles. The 'kante' (singer) was literally clapping, stomping her feet and hitting all kinds of high notes.
The 'toque' (guitarist) showed tremendous amount of skill on the guitar (I can tell, cause I do play the guitar as well).
As for the 'baile' (dancer), she had such an intense and eye catching dance, fiercely stomping away on the stage, letting her emotions pour out to the audience (at least it had that effect for me).
'Baile' (dancer) taking center stage
I highly recommend anyone visiting Granada or Spain in general to get yourself involved in one of these performances. The intensity of it will stick in your mind for sure.
Hammam Bath
The Hammam bath is a variation of the Turkish bath as a method of cleansing and relaxation. The interior decors are similar to that of the roman baths, with focus on ambience, steam and water temperatures.
Bath entrance sign
Bath interiors
There was a time-limit of 2 hours, but it was more than enough to go through the different areas and sample the tea, which was very flavorful. You can also opt to get a massage if you want (I'm too broke for that).
Left the area feeling very 'light' and relaxed. Proceeded on to have a very good night's sleep after.
Malaga
Was able to spend 1 day in Malaga, a port city on southern Spain's Costa del Sol. It is a more artsy city, with youthful vigour and is home to the Picasso museum and the picturesque 'Playa de la Malagueta' beach.
Street musicians
Museum layout
Museum interior
Desnudo ('Nude') - 1967
Busto de Mujer con Sombrero y Flores ('Bust of Woman with Hat and Flowers') - 1939
El Toro ('The Bull') - 1949
Malaga Streets
Street views
Yes, that's a human being
Guy standing 'still'. How do they even keep the pose up for long?
Street artist
Street art
Cathedral
Quarry
Picasso Museum (Museo Picasso Malaga)
Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), one of the most accomplished painters in the 20th century, was actually born in Malaga. In honour of his works, a museum was established in his home town to share his talent with the world.
The area had a lot of art pieces done by Picasso, from paintings to sculptures and even his personal diary entries.
Tipos de la Calles y Caricaturas ('Street Types and Caricatures') - 1899
Mujer sentada en un sillón ('Woman Seated in an Armchair') - 1921-1922
Madre y niño ('Mother and Child') - 1921
Above are some of the artwork that you could take pictures of. There
are also more exclusive ones such as the 'Woman with Raised Arms',
'Jacqueline Seated' and 'Jacqueline in a Straw Hat' that were in areas
that did not allow any photography. You can look' em up on google if your really interested.
Playa de La Malagueta (Malaga Beach)
It's actually been awhile since I've been to the beach and being able to sit by the shoreline and enjoy the cool-afternoon breeze was simply a feeling for me to reminisce about.
Beach sign
Overcast of Malaga Beach
It's a very nice feeling to sit at one of the beach cafes, sip on a piña colada and simply chill with people who are cool to be around.
Overall, the trip was a very good and fulfilling experience. Got to learn some Spanish, learn more about Spaniard history and experiencing the local life. Hope to visit Spain again sometime in the future!
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