granada

woke up at 10am, left hostal at abt 11.30. headed for breakfast across the street. g\ham and cheese croissant, oj and coffee for €6. quite expensive but croissant quite good, certainly most substantial breakfast yet. sat on terrace, quickly found it was unbearably hot. probably got burnt.
went on LP route of albaicin, old moorish quarter. the arab baths were an unexpected delight. through someone’s courtyard, they were a surprisingly large oasis of dimmed coolness. the ceiling had cut-outs in the shapes of circles and stars, perhaps an easy way of telling the time when indulging at the baths.
wound our way through to san nicolas square which offered excellent views of the alhambra with the sierra nevada in the background. making our way down, passed through calle caldereria, a little morocco with teahouses and lamps, tea, jewellery etc for sale.
lunch at via colon. menu for €7.50. fideuas (noodle paella) as first course but seems quite different from dryer valencian version. hake main course was quite horrible. ended with ok coffee cake and second café con leche of the day.
went back to hostal to settle bills. €2 for rent of safe for 1 day. receptionist is this woman studying political science and english language as well. looking forward to her 3 days of holiday during which she will eat, sleep, eat etc.
went to train station to get tix. read small print in timetable after purchase to discover 25% discount for AVE fare for transfers to international flights. had to go back to get the discount, which was, happily, granted.
walked about, got ice-cream, bought washington irving’s tales of the alhambra.
dinner at 9. sherry and tapas at bodegas castenada. gambes (prawns, free, probably why it was not on the menu), and montinados with pork and with salmon and avocado. latter quite good. place even more packed than previous night. popped over to antigua BC next. coke this time around, montado with jamon iberico (tastier, less tough than serrano) and baked potato. free tapas plate had chips, cheese and slice of chorizo. place swelled with entry of group of eu students studying spanish(?). took group photo for them.