When my close friend Day announced she was moving out of LA (the city where we met and have so many memories in) to teach English for a year in Spain, I was simultaneously proud yet a little heartbroken. The year before her move, we had spent so many afternoons working together at dozens of different Starbucks locations, consuming an unhealthy amount of Cajun garlic shrimp from plastic bags, and laughing over the woes of being in our mid-twenties. I was unaware then, that her move to Spain would lead to an incredibly fulfilling life for her and eventually an unforgettable trip for me.
A year after her move, I checked tickets to Spain on a whim and fate had aligned a flight promo that day that I couldn’t refuse. I booked the ticket and a few months later, I was walking up the stairs to her gorgeous flat in Granada. It was an amazing experience to be reunited with my friend who I had missed so dearly, and this happening in a city as beautiful as Granada made the whole thing even more special.
For the next ten days, I spent my time wandering around Granada and exploring mostly solo (while Day was at work), and we filled our nights with the amazing tapas the city is known for, the finest of wines the country is known for, and the lovely people (especially Hazel) who you come to meet during spontaneous trips like these. Reconnecting with my friend was so heart-warming and special, and Day and Hazel showed me around their beloved city, introduced me to their favorite foods, and I even learned some Spanish along the way.
The part of the city I enjoyed most was the Albayzin. This was the Moroccan-influenced area with cobblestone streets lined with shops selling beautiful hand-crafted goods. The smell of fresh leather goods lingered in the air here, and the friendliest of people urge you to try Henna and browse their artisan gifts as you walked through the different bazaars.
We walked all through the entire city in those ten days, and I began to build a mental map of the layout in my head by the end of my stay. The city’s endless ancient doors are reason enough to spend all day wandering, and the aroma of fresh made tapas will coax you out of the house even on the laziest and coldest of evenings.
Granada is a true treasure of a city, and I cannot wait to trek through those cobblestone streets again to my favorite tapas bars.
