Granada, Spain: El Albaicín

The Albaicín, or Albayzín, is historically the moorish quarter of Granada, though many of those refusing conversion to Christianity or not fast enough in escaping to North Africa under the reign of Los Reyes Catolicos (The Spanish Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella) were killed, and the remaining few were driven out by the middle of the 16th centery.

Still, the influence of North Africa is strong here, even alongside the blatant Catholic and Jewish symbolism. In the Albayzín the vendors sell Arabian pants and skirts, belly dancing costumes, pashimas, beads, and art. Tea rooms are countless and dozens seep smoke onto each street. Arabic restaurants are common, though everyone speaks Spanish. The most striking feature of the Albayzín, however, is the sheer beauty of the whitewashed houses contrasting the bright Spanish sky.

Outside the busy market area, the streets here are twisting, narrow, quiet, and seemingly endless. Most are reduced to walking paths squeezed between homes or crossing through the keyholes in the city walls to open into small plazas you will never find again. In one of these we stumbled across a small outbreak of spontaneous flamenco...each person that walked by, woman or man, child or adult, couldn't help but dance. Churches and restaurants are hidden between the tight apartments and the uphill treks are unforgiving, though very worth the view from St. Nicolas' Square and other surprise vistas along the way.

We explored this neighborhood for hours. For days. It is a maze that you don't mind losing yourself in!

Granada, Spain: The Alhambra

We finished work at 9:30, packed quickly and ran to catch the last train out of Alcala. We waited in the cold bus station for quite some time, and our bus finally left Madrid at 1:30 am and headed south, to Andalucia, to Granada. Travelling at night has its obvious downfalls, but the positives are there too. Namely, you can add a full day to the holiday.

After a quick AM siesta, it was off to the Alhambra, the palace in the sky. The Alhambra (from the original name qa'lat al-Hamra meaning Red Fort in Arabic)is the best preserved medieval Arab palace in the world and has stood on its plateau overlooking Granada and the looming Sierra Nevada since the 11th century. The grounds are sprawling, and visitors make their way slowly through each castle, tower, and chamber and into the amazing gardens of the Generalife.


Craig recreated battles and patiently taught me the essentials of defending a major fort as we toured, stopping often to admire the incredible views and the shamelessly excessive art. Most walls were intricately carved, bright tile lined entire walls, and everywhere we turned there was running water, fountains, ponds, and baths. I could not stop taking photos, as the sheer beauty was overwhelming.

Mile Marker

It's six months now that I've been living and working in Spain. I finally feel semi-assimilated, entitled to opinions about this culture, this language, these people, this nation. I finally feel that my observations are even somewhat valid.

I haven't recorded many of my observations here for fear that they would turn out to be mistaken. What I can and will record, however, are observations of myself.

At 4 months in I was still missing a lot of insignificant pieces of my American life--conveniences mostly, like a clothes dryer, or food, like Mom's baked beans or Justin's tacos. At 5 months I was knocked cold by the language barrier and the sheer discouragement that accompanies attempts of communication. Always I miss my family and my friends and wish I could unite these two worlds.

At 6 months I feel much more capable. I find myself surprisingly adjusted. No dryer, no problem. Food cravings have shifted...I know that if I cross town I can find peanut butter, and I have nearly forgotten the smell of barbeque; I know now that when I do return states-side I will, in fact, miss champinones a la plancha and patatas bravas. I have accepted that the grocery store shuts down at 2 and again at 8 and will not open on Sunday. I have come to terms with carrying those groceries across town and taking the bus every day. I hang my clothes outside without a second thought, and I am used to living with people who do not speak my language. I have come to understand the easy-does-it time schedule that the Spanish live by and although I cannot slow down my own walking pace or allow myself to linger, I don't mind it so much now when everyone is tardy...to class, to appointments, to meetings, to everything. I have realized exactly how gigantic a complainer I really am and am at least working to whine less.

Often now things simply are what they are. If the bus is stuck in traffic, worrying will not get it to move faster. This small tidbit of advice is so easy to give and accept but is so difficult to put into practice, especially for a natural worrier like me. Still, I am calmer, more confident that every problem has a solution. In fact, now travel is even more exciting because if we're on the wrong bus we are simply exploring! Along these same lines I am trying to learn to be less frustrated with myself, less harsh with my own self-criticism.

These changes, in my mind, are monumental. I continue to enjoy learning about and trying to better myself.

My language capacity has grown and I understand and speak much more Spanish. It has been 6 months and I feel I have learned so little, but in all reality I have learned more in these 6 months than I ever would have if I had studied in the states and so I believe I have made great progress. We have been learning unconventionally, studying in the few hours we have free of work, and overall I am embarrassed to speak because I know my skills are laughable. Pero bueno, poco a poco, si?

While I do believe the Spanish have their fair share of negative characteristics (sexism, spitting, and a crude habit of staring at foreigners are just a few from my long list), they are an amazing people deserving of their immense pride, and I continue to be impressed by their land and their lives. I enjoy taking part in and learning about this small portion of the world.

Homesickness effects me still, literal nausea that hits hard and fast. Missing special events is particularly difficult--Britney's wedding, Justin and Kerry's birthdays, the announcement of Jamie's pregnancy--I regret missing these moments. I feel that I have become anonymous, invisible to the world at times in an out-of-sight-out-of-mind manner, especially as the realization of my great insignificance grows. I constantly wish I could join these two lives of mine as to not be forgotten, as to prevent the neglect of those I love.

Still, I am truly enjoying myself here and am eager to continue learning. I am content with my journey.

Signs of Spring

In a village outside Madrid. Note the blooming almond trees, the herd of sheep, and the melting mountain snow.

Everyone in the community of Madrid is ready for the winter to end. My students continue to tell me that they have not seen weather this dark, dreary, cold, snowy, and long-lasting in nearly 20 years.

I'm Going to be an Auntie!

Congratulations to Justin and Jamie, who are expecting their first child in October! Our family is so delighted! This baby will be my first niece or nephew and the first daughter or son of this Parks generation.

A grand adventure is about to begin.
-- Winnie the Pooh

Parque de Templo de Debod and Parque del Retiro, Madrid

The Egyptian Temple of Debod, dedicated to Isis and Amon and constructed in the 4th century, was given to the nation of Spain in 1970. Once it stood in the River Nile; now it proudly overlooks one of the most beautiful views in Madrid.


Pictured here is the temple itself, the fountain and pond it is positioned in, the view from the park, and the people surrounding the temple. The parks in Madrid are one of my favorite attractions. They provide an oasis from the busy-ness of the city and they are terrific for people watching. Madrileños go to their parques to let their children run, to read, to eat lunch, to relax, to sleep and listen to the street musicians, to absorb some sun in the cold winter or seek shade in the burning summer, to socialize. Any small square of grass might host a picnic or a quick nap. And trust me! Snoozing in the park when the sun is hot Spanish sun is shining is one of the greatest forms of relaxation in the universe.





We continued on to Parque Del Retiro, my favorite in Madrid, to listen to the random drum circles and watch the sunset and people. The parque is waking up after a hard winter, finally shaking the frost off the limbs of the trees and beginning to blossom here and there. Of course, there's more winter now, but for this one weekend we were all lured into believing it was May. It was the first time we had seen the sun in two months!

El Rastro, Madrid's Famous Flea Market

El Rastro de Madrid is a favorite destination of both local madrileños and tourists, as evidenced by the thousands of people that browse the many stalls and open antique shops every Sunday morning. We paid a visit to the market recently, and will be back for more as soon as possible. It sounds like a simple swap meet, but for a foreigner it is a doorway into a mixed, exciting underground culture, not to mention a shopper's dream.

Since the 15th century, the El Rastro neighborhood has been viewed a commercial area, specifically famous for the trade of second hand items. Eventually a slaughterhouse was built here, resulting in a leather goods business. The main street of El Rastro is called Ribera de Curtidores, which means Riverbank of Leather Workers, and it is possible that the name El Rastro, or The Trail, stems from the residual trail of blood that was left as men hauled the meat carcasses through the streets from the slaughterhouse to the tannery.

By the time the slaughterhouse closed the area was known for its market and though the leather goods decreased, vendors of other goods appeared to fill the void. Now it is possible to shop for anything and everything in El Rastro, from paintings to house pets. We viewed t-shirts, antiques of war, funky dresses, second hand fur coats, potted cacti, used books, sports equipment, shoes, leather purses, jewelry, hand-sewn skirts, toys, paintings, souvenirs, knives, and an endless assortment of bric-a-brac.

Traditionally, in the afternoon shoppers step into the surrounding bars and restaurants to take a break with a cold caña (small beer) and a tapa, or small snack. This sustanence is usually taken standing, as the bars and restaurants can be just as busy as the streets outside the door.

Instead, we walked to a less busy area of town and ate lunch in a restaurant of Asturias food. This region of Spain is known, most famously, for its tradition of cider, which one must pour from high in the air to "make it taste better." Cider is poured quickly, about a centimeter in a glass at a time, and drank quickly, to preserve the flavor.


Full of food and exhausted by the market, we snoozed for a while in front of the palace before continuing our walking tour of the great city of Madrid.