city mouse, back in a city

Granada! I´m in Granada currently, with a friend from the farm. Today we visited the Alhambra, which was the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, falling to the Catholics in 1492, that important Spanish year. The Alhambra was unbelievable. So many intricately decorated buildings, calm reflective pools, and traditional Arabic layouts, architecture, baths, and gardens combined with various other additions made by Renaissance and other monarchs over the years. In a way, it´s like a microcosm of Spain: there were just so many different cultures and flavours at work, all in the same place, engaged in this weird sort of coexistence.

It´s almost time for tapas, but one quick note first: tapas in Toronto misses the point entirely. Medium prices for small plates of food that require you to spend a small fortune (in my budgetary terms, anyhow) for a full meal? Nonsense. Here in Granada, and elsewhere in Spain I am led to believe, going for tapas means spending one euro and change on a glass of beer and getting a plate of assorted snacks with each beer you order to help offset the drinks. Yes, that´s right: free olives, free bread topped with things, free mini sandwiches, free slices of tortilla espagnola, a delightful spanish omelette with potato and onion. Yum.