Granada, La Fruta Sabrosisima

Last year I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Granada, Spain. I certainly miss the roads lined with pomegranate street posts, the beautiful graffiti art, and the gorgeous fountains that you stumble upon every three blocks or so. As far as good eats go, Granada has plenty to choose from. Granada is one of the few cities in Spain that gives you free tapas with your drinks. As you enter a bar, you’ll notice that there are several ham legs hanging from the ceiling. This is a delicacy called jamon serrano, which is a lot like its Italian cousin, proscuitto. It’s also good to know that Spanish dishes are quite different from Mexican dishes: tortilla is actually a potato omelette versus a piece of flatbread made out of corn or flour, and horchata is made out of almonds and is a lot grittier than its Mexican cousin, which is a rice cinnamon drink. The best thing about Granada is that they have a beer that is as beautiful as its tocayo, or namesake, Alhambra. Alhambra is as common as Bud Light is in the States, but a lot more refreshing and crisp. The main highlight of Granada is of course, The Alhambra. The Alhambra is the last Muslim stronghold before Los Reyes Catolicos, Isabel y Fernando, forced the Moors out of Spain. The Alhambra is a great chance to see Moorish and Spanish architecture side by side. Plays and performances are staged in the Alhambra’s gardens, the Generalife. I was lucky enough to see a dance performance about gay playwright, Federico Garcia Lorca, in the Generalife, and it was amazing. Granada is also home to the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen- EVEN BETTER THAN THE NOTRE DAME. The façade of the Cathedral is laced with biblical references and symbolism. Every church in Andalucia is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and as you walk into the Cathedral, the altar is surrounded by giant paintings of different stages of Mary’s life like the Immaculate Conception. Most Cathedrals are dark and dreary, but this is the only one that I know of from this time period that works with light to create a truly majestic scene. The Albaicin or the Moroccan quarter is a maze of residences, teterias or tea shops, and Moroccan souvenir stores. Even with a map, it’s easy to get lost in this section of town. Right in the middle of the Albaicin, there is a restaurant called Los Caracoles, or “The Snails”, and the tapa they specialize in are snails. While French escargot is covered in garlic butter, caracoles are covered in a pungent, spicy sauce- A MUST TRY! The Albaicin also has El Mirador de San Nicolas, where locals come to enjoy shopping from street vendors, impromptu flamenco, and to catch the most beautiful views of Granada. Granada in Spanish means pomegranate, and Granada is by far the juiciest city in Andalucia.