The Science of Strolling

  Here in Granada, pedestrians take it easy.  Yesterday, Alex dropped me off in Granada somewhere completely new.  I would need to find the place again because this is where he would pick me up that evening and this is also the drop-off/pick-up for the bus from Padul to Granada .  There is a science to strolling in any city.  Ideally, you should find a wide, busy, pedestrian-friendly street.  Then walk straight in the direction of the city center or in the general direction that most other people are walking.  When you can't go straight any more, find a landmark and turn.  Repeat the previous steps until you find something familiar.  If this is a completely new city then just head for the city center, there you will find more information.  This is what I did yesterday.  I started out in an unknown part of town.  Now, I've been told I'm a slow walker, but that is nothing compared to the inhabitants of Granada.  I had to consciously slow myself down but this was better for me anyway because I had to pay attention to where I was going.  Before too long, I was in Plaza Nueva, which I am very familiar with.  Celebrating my small success and enjoying the scene with an ice cream like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, I continued to walk about town, this time, trying to lose myself in the Albaicin.  I'd take one street I didn't know but then would end up in not much time at all back to somewhere familiar! One of these familiar places was a park, paved with brick and pomogranite trees.  I remembered it from the walking tour I did of the city on my second day in Granada.  It's more of a local hang out because it's not located on the map.  Resting there, a dog came up and licked my face and layed down beside me.  We followed the shade of a pomogranite tree, listening, smelling, settling into the rhythm.  No longer do I have that touristy itch to rush about and see this and that.  At the park I could hear the soft strumming of a guitar, quiet conversations, birds chirping, someone in their kitchen.  I smelled the hot dust and the wooden bench cooking in the afternoon sun and subtle hints of marijuana. There was a slight breeze.  The stomach said it was time to leave, so I set off again, in search of some tapas.  Usually it's fun to order a cana and see what they bring you.  But this time, I had a unique opportunity to choose my own tapas!  I had a good feeling about this place.  A cellphone started ringing and it was a tune from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. This was at Reine Monica, on top of the hill in the Albaicin.  I told Alex about it and he said he'd go their quite often.  Yay!  I had found a good local spot!  After I bit more walking I stumbled upon a terrace bar called Juan Ranas.  Pablo had suggested it to me a couple of days ago so I had written it down, and here it was!  I popped in for a drink.  From Juan Ranas there is a 180 degree view of Generalife, the Alhambra and the rest of the city of Granada in the valley.  I wasn't sure what time it was but I imagined somewhere between 16h and 17h.  The lunch rush had cleared out so I sat at a table on the terrace facing the view and I couldn't wipe that silly smile off my face.  :) 
To escape the heat and to be somewhere familiar again, I walked back to Oasis.  Why not?  There I found my new friend Maria from New Mexico.  She'll be studying here until Decemeber so she has been looking to rent an apartment for the last several days.  Earlier that day, she had found one, and would be signing the paper that night.  We rested on the terrace until sunset and then I was off again to the designated meeting spot Alex had shown me.  No trouble finding it.  Mom, you would like this; on my walk back, I saw many bats flying around.  I've noticed them every night here while in Granada.  Before to long we were back at his place.  He showed me pictures of his son and we made tomato - from his garden - and cheese sandwiches with the baguette I bought for us because we didn't feel like cooking! 
On this trip, I tried to balance being a tourist and also taking it easy.  Yesterday felt great because I managed seeing new places but at a leisurely pace.  Today, it's all about relaxation.  After I'm done sipping coffee and catching up on this here blog o' mine I'll relax in the sun, take a dip in the pool, wash my clothes, hang them out to dry and take the dogs out for a walk.  Alex said there's a lake nearby so my goal today would be to find it so the dogs can play and spalsh around in the water.  Wish me luck!