Heading down South

Something amazing happened overnight in the streets of Barcelona. Previously there were barriers, speaker stands, scaffolding and all sorts of paraphernalia associated with crowd control. As we moved through them 4 hours later it was all gone. The streets were clean and washed and all was back to normal. Incredible. The only sounds echoing through the vast empty caverns of the city were our two suitcases going clickity clack over the miriad of tiled pavements. Impossible to do quietly. So we didn't slink out of town - it was more a requiem to the people of the city. A farewell salute in appreciation for their contribution to an enlightened world. If they didn't appreciate it - then smooth out your sidewalks peeps. Being up again at 4 am was a bit annoying, however an experience worth having. There was no one else around and so noisily we made our way to the town centre to catch the first bus to the airport. Lots of people there of course. And a couple of hours later we found ourselves landing in Granada. At least the Spanish airlines don't treat their people to same sardine like indignity that the Irish do. As we descended the sun was rising over the Sierra Nevada highlighting how impressive these mountains and the rich fertile valley's between are. The bus trip into town went fabulously to plan thanks to the fact we now have mobile data so we could even track our progress on the road.

Ejected from the bus at the town Cathedral we found ourselves on a very swanky looking boulevard filled with well dressed people busily doing whatever they were dressed for. Hard to tell really as they mostly seemed to be doing nothing much but looking good whilst they do it. Our hotel fits in perfecly in this scene. Only 2 years young it has the feel of utlra moderness complete with Dundee's two loo's in the rooms. Arriving well before check-in time. Leaving the bags behind we hit the streets on a mission of pure unplanned discovery. First stop was the cathedral where we quickly discovered that this place has a long history to it with an obvious Arabic influence. The smell of strange and yet enticing spices permeate everywhere and create a distinct backdrop to the incredible visual experiences to be had here. We corralled a girl on a Segway and promptly arranged to meet her at the offices for a two hour eBike tour.

This time they really did have batteries and motors and henceforth the three of us set of for a grand tour of all the interesting sights around the old town. Seriously good fun and a great way to get around with some ( but not much) effort. Riding up the steep hills was a dream. The day was a perfect 28c with a warm wind wafting down the valleys and we now understand the layout of the place so much better than it would have taken a week on foot to achieve.

It's often easy to forget that you look like a martian wearing a helmet and a bright yellow jacket when no one else is. After a cheese platter lunch and knowing that we'd just had a great adventure we checked in and did what all the locals were rightly doing and had a siesta before hitting the tourist shops later on. Their tourist precinct is unique and yet has distinct parallels with many others. Lots of small boutique shops crammed into twisting narrow streets. All selling pretty much exactly the same wares. Standouts here are the lights and lamps and the cloths based on the various cultures which have settled here over the centuries. Many hookahs and many in use in the various cafe's that intersperse the shops. Being an old town based on the side of a hill that used to support the even older town behind the fortress walls on top of the hill, there are the invariable small twisting narrow streets that lead forever upwards and so in search of a drink away from the tourist hordes - upwards we went. A long and arduous journey (when one is hangin' for a sangria) ensued. We eventually ended up in a quaint little square having a few quiet ones with the sun setting behind us as the locals set up their facilities for the evening's throngs to arrive, consume and then leave again.

Heading back into the chaos below in order to get closer to home before cobblestone roads become post sesh ankle twisters we had another "interesting" tapas selection for dinner and then hunted down an ice cream shop before heading back to base to fall exhausted into bed.