My First Day - after 25 hours of travel!

These are some pictures from my first day in Granada. I literally arrived at the house, set my stuff in my room and some new housemates and I went to get some food at the market since it was Saturday and everything is closed on Sundays in main town Granada. Talk about a whirlwind. After 25 hours of traveling - flying, sleeping, waiting around in airports, etc - I had to go and try to think of what in goodness name I wanted to eat for the week... needless to say that first trip was not my most fruitful shopping trip. :)

Buildings in main town Granada - how European!

The Moroccan market that leads the way down to main town Granada from the Albaicin where I live. The Albaicin (pronounced Al-by-SEEN) is the "barrio" or old town of Granada, complete with cobblestone walk ways, white-washed buildings with terra cotta roofs thanks to the Arab occupation of Granada, and on a very steep hill! It gives you quite the workout, let me just say!

From the market looking toward main town Granada - what a difference in the look of the buildings!

An amazing bakery called "Pan y Chocolate" - Bread and Chocolate. I mean, how can you go wrong with a name like that!?

The statue of Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon en Espanol) asking Queen Isabella for money to go "discover" the Americas. Granada is supposedly the site where the Queen gave Cristobal the money he needed so this is a big feature of main town Granada!

One of the plazas in downtown Granada - there are fountains and plazas everywhere here!

Downtown Granada streets - everyone says it feels like Rome in this part of the city. I guess when I finally make it there, I will compare notes. :)

Bustling Granada streets after siesta!

The VERY European poster ads downtown.... I mean, where else but Spain would a cologne ad feature a matador? :)

And as you can see the perfume ad went in a less traditional, yet equally European, direction. The ads here are MUCH more sexual than in the states, especially ads for anything directed at women.

The river that runs through Granada with the bridge and pillars that allow you to cross. It's not deep at all since it's winter!

Another view of downtown Granada - I am a little picture happy! :)

And one last one to round things out. Those are all apartment buildings straight ahead. Few people own homes but own flats or apartments.