Granada
 

Glimpse of Granada | Catholic wonders | Night has fallen | The Nazrid Palaces | Alhambra | Alcazaba | Generalife | Mirador de San Nicola | Albaicin views | Central Granada | Flamenco nights

Central Granada

The belltower of Monasterio de San Jeronimo

 
The central altar masterpiece
San Jeronimo
   
The inner courtyard and outside of Monasterio de San Jeronimo
Plaza Bib-Rambla

 
Guys playing ball on the Plaza Pasiegas
A quiet moment in the late afternoon
   
Timeless domination

After daydreaming since early morning in the realm of the Moorish period, I return to the city centre to visit the Monasterio de San Jeronimo, a sixteenth century masterpiece. The outside and cloister are examples of simple elegance and pious worship, while the inside is extremely rich with hundreds of scenes and characters from the Bible. I am alone inside, left to contemplate the open book of God as told to the masses, recognising San Jeronimo himself, in the centre of the altar below the Holy Trinity.

Back in the streets of Granada, I see the dodgy guy walk out of pension as I pass by that street, and hardly stop to wonder what his story was all about. I head back out to walk around for dinner and before a late flamenco show, and watch life go by on the Plaza Bib-Rambla, where children play drums while young men play ball. The Alcaceria is almost fully closed, and I am curious to know where all the people are. I find out soon, from walking into a narrow street, packed with people: the Caldereria Nueva is full of oriental shops and cafes with narguile, suitable to both tourists and locals. As the day draws to an end, people walk along the Darro River, in calm conversations, then along the Paseo de los Tristes, up to the Paseo del Padre Manijon. Many café terraces are there, at the foot of the Alhambra, which one never seems to tire from watching.

I am not inspired by any particular restaurant, being quite aware that many of these accessible places are mainly for tourists. I try to see where the Spanish are, but they are mainly drinking at this hour, and only the foregneirs are eating. I end up in a place on the Calle Reyes Catolicos, but leave after 10 minutes of waiting upstairs, next to smoking Spanish women and 3 Americans. I continue to walk around, but many restaurants are closed on Sunday evening. Eventually, I enter a small place, where the waiters constantly tease each other. They are somewhat amusing to watch, and certainly strange characters as they change my two orders, so I end up with Patatas a lo pobre con mojo picon, a filling dish of potatoes with sauce, and Rosca Rellena, a large round bread filled with ham and tomato. It is nothing memorable, but it was worth the try.


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Glimpse of Granada | Catholic wonders | Night has fallen | The Nazrid Palaces | Alhambra | Alcazaba | Generalife | Mirador de San Nicola | Albaicin views | Central Granada | Flamenco nights

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