Off to Granada!

Notes from the bus:

Olives. Extra virgin is best. Pressed in November is best.

Pain main money making: wine, fruits and vegetables, olive oil and tourism.

Quite a bit of time riding the bus today. The countryside is very rolling with grape trees/vines (called whiskers), olive trees and almond trees. Some colorful flowers with poppies growing in the wild with lots of Russian thistle with its purple flowers. Weather is quite cool today (10 degrees Celsius). No rain yet, but the clouds are getting more built up and grey as we travel to Granada.

I spoke too soon. Going through periods of pouring rain showers. Good thing our awesome bus driver has good wiper blades.

We travelled to Consuegra to tour the Don Quixote windmills: tour of the castle and the explanations of the moat and all the intricacies of the building. Very interesting and beautiful views when we crawl the stone steps to the top of the castle. Ciara and Brooklyn were crowned knights in the demonstration! We also visited the windmills which were used for milling grain.

Spanish teenagers make cheap alcoholic drinks by mixing cheap red wine with coke. It is supposed to taste like Dr Pepper, which is very expensive here.

Our group has noticed that there is ham everywhere – hanging in huge amounts in stores, on potato chips, in croquettes that trick you into thinking it is a mozzarella stick, in thick pieces and as skinny meat at breakfast and on tapas. We haven’t seen any pork ranching (is that even what you would call it??). Where is all the ham coming from??

We have viewed many many wind turbines along with solar panels for “green” energy. It seems a shame to pollute the beautiful scenery with those contraptions.

We received the zip line company’s photos today from yesterday’s zip!

We arrived in Granada at 6 pm. We just had time for supper of a green salad with roast chicken.

Flamenco dancing! We took a little bus into the higher elevation of Granada with very narrow streets. The bus driver was incredible! We went into a cave for lack of any other word. A long narrow cave where the dancers and singers sat at one end, all of the spectators lined the length of each wall on chairs (probably 50 people) and then the dancers did the flamenco dancing up and down the alley with incredibly fast stomping feet! It was loud and vibrant. Lindsay couldn’t decide if it was the best thing ever or a Saturday Night Live skit! I saw Ben tapping his foot It was heart pounding either way!

We are only in Granada one night.

Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughs and maybe hearing a few jaw-cracking yawns are all wonderful aspects of the trip.

Tomorrow, we will explore the Alhambra! Now I must get some sleep!

Happy Easter everyone! Take a little peek at my lovely little granddaughter celebrating her first Easter!