Granada 2.0

Between Valencia and Granada, we met people from all over the United States.  The most common statement was, "Hey!  I hear English!"  That's not all that common over here.  I love hearing their stories.  We met two elderly gal pals who had been traveling around Spain for a couple of weeks, a guy who had just finished a semester abroad in Granada, and a couple from Oklahoma backpacking around the country.  You don't realize how great it feels to hear English when you're surrounded by Spanish speakers all the time.  I know that for my folks it has been a little difficult not knowing what is being said as it is being said.  That's how I felt when I first arrived here in September.  But now I'm really proud of how much I understand.  Even though the travel days are long, I love being able to sit in a comfortable train and stare out the window.  It's relaxing.  The train ride through the Sierra Nevada was absolutely stunning.  The silhouettes of faces in the mountainside guided us throughout the seven hour journey.  As we prepared to exit the train, Dad and I got into a lively conversation about food, sangria, and bull fights with some talkative Spaniards.  On our part, I translated as Dad tried to describe how much he loves espresso.  On their part, they talked about their nephews who had studied in England and how little English they knew themselves.  We got settled into our hotel room and called it an early night, knowing that the next day would be a full one.  Yesterday was, in my parents' words, indescribable.  We spent the morning at the Alhambra and attended an eye-opening flamenco performance late last night.  Mom was in awe at the carved plaster arches in the red fortress of this city named for pomegranates.  It left both of my folks speechless.  It truly is breathtaking.  Dad is still talking about the flamenco show:  "How can their feet move that fast?!"  I'm so happy that they were able to see that.  It is truly a uniquely Spanish experience.  We returned to the hotel at 12:30 am this morning exhausted but happy.  Today is going to be a relatively lazy day in Granada.  The three of us are going to do a little bit of souvenir shopping and then go to an Arabic bathhouse for massages late this afternoon.  I think it will be a relaxing end to this stop on our journey.  Tomorrow is our longest travel day yet but our time in Salamanca will be care free and laid back.  I just sent Angelita an email letting her know that I'd be stopping by tomorrow night to pick up the last of my things.  My folks and I will probably stop by the house sometime on Monday for coffee and my all time favorite Spanish dessert, bollo.  I just can't believe I'll be back there tomorrow.  It will be strange to walk through those streets with my folks but I'm so happy to share my home for the past eight months with them.  Salamanca is enchanting and as much as they've loved everywhere we've been, I hope they like my city the best.  Hasta la próxima.