Walk, Drink, Eat (Granada, Andalucía, Spain)

This morning we drove from Córdoba to Granada via national roads through Spain's famous olive fields.

After a few wrong turns down streets that google doesn't know exist, we found our apartment in the old Moorish neighborhood of Albayzin, which sits across from the Alhambra and below the Roma community and has multiple balconies and its own rooftop terrace ($75 USD - a complete steal!).

What we quickly learned is that in Granada, every drink comes with free tapas...which leads to naps.

After an evening rain, we caught sunset fro mnear our apartment overlooking Alhambra - and we came back after sunset.

We then spent the evening trudging up and down Albayzin looking for a place to eat dinner.

Before we settled on fondue.  For the first time together.  In Spain.  For dinner...and dessert.

With an Alhambra beer in the shadow of the Alhambra.

Post-Empire(s) (Carmona & Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain)

We finally got up before sunrise!

So we made time for a stop in Carmona en route to Cordoba. Carmona's only real notoriety is being the first significant establishment east of Sevilla. That, and presumably it's piousness (lots of folks attending various masses, on a Monday).

Until we happened upon its real treasure: Paradores Carmona, a former Islamic fort turned Christian castle, turned hotel.

Our original plan when we entered the hotel was to get a coffee on the terrace to enjoy the view, but our only option at that early hour was the buffet in a restored great hall. So buffet it was. 

On a full stomach, we continued on our way to Cordoba, another city content in its Post-Empire malaise. This stop has us staying at probably the nicest apartment of our journey, on the main thoroughfare by the Guadalquivar River.

The main site here is the Mesquite - originally a Roman - Christian temple.

Turned Muslim mosque, which was expanded on a number of occassions.

In the middle of which  (seriously) Christians subsequently built an enormous cathedral, and on top of which Christians turned a minaret into a belltower.

Aftwerwards, we wandered the cities kissing alleys and admired the old Roman bridge.

Afterwards, we unwound with a bottle of wine provided by Lucas and learned that we over-acxlimated to eating late. By the time we got around to going out all the restaurants had closed. So ice cream had to do!

Slow Sunday (Sevilla, Andalusia, Spain)

Another late start due to the cave like darkness of our courtyard apartment. 

Which only left time for a breakfast of lattes, churros and chocolate.

We then spent the bulk of our afternoon at Alcazar, a former Moorish castle, turned Catholic palaces (which continued to add Islamic inspired elements), turned Royal Residence / UNESCO World Heritage site.

Then made a trip to the Plaza of Spain, which was built for a regional fair in the 1920's, primarily because it was on the cover of our travel guide.

Before catching the sunset from our rooftop.

And eating a midnight paella like true Sevillanos.