Photo diary: Street artists and performers of Granada, Spain

An artist sketching on a piece of paper attached to the side of a building in the Albaicín

A festival/procession in the Albaicín that we discovered was about an amputated finger (that was supposedly in the box in the middle of that hut that they're carrying) that was done every year in October

A dragon controlled by people dressed up for the Medieval Festival next to Rio de Genil in Granada, Spain

A couple dancing Sevillana with two men playing guitar in the background at the Mirador de San Nicolas in Granada, Spain

The same two men playing guitars on a Saturday in January at the Mirador de San Nicolas

One of my favorite artists drawing a Sharpie landscape of Plaza Nueva in January 2012
Here's his blog if you are interested: http://thelostphotographer.blogspot.com

The same man sketching the other side of Plaza Nueva in March; He sketched on the ground of Plaza Nueva almost every Saturday and Sunday

Typical Spanish dishes: Sopa de Picadillo

                When I studied abroad with API, the housing options we had were a home stay, a residencia, a shared apartment, or independent living.  I elected living with a family in a home stay during my first semester abroad. This meant that I would live with a Spanish family and my host mom (or dad) would do my laundry once a week, provide 3 meals a day, and cleaning once a week. One of the best things about this option (besides the great daily Spanish practice with a local) is the food. My host mom, Maria Jose, was a fantastic cook. She believed that a proper meal always consisted of a first plate, a second plate, and bread. While I was living with her, I took to habit to take pictures of almost all of our meals. Here, I will share with you some of the typical Spanish dishes she cooked for me!

                To start things off, one of my favorite dishes:  Sopa de Picadillo

The lunchtime spot: the kitchen table of Maria Jose

                This dish has shredded chicken, small thin noodles, carrots, and cooked egg. Sopa means soup in Spanish and Picadillo means mince, such as minced meat. So Sopa de Picadillo means a soup of minced meat. In this photo, the meat is not so much minced as it is shredded. This soup is delicious during colder weather; it’s a perfect pick-me-up! That day, it was served with a side place of an egg, ham, and green bean omelet as well as bread (what I observed as a huge staple in the Spanish diet) 

Sopa de Picadillo

Stay tuned for more pictures and 

information about typical Spanish dishes!

x

Oh the places you’ll go! : Granada, Spain

                I’ve decided to start a little series of post called Oh the places you’ll go! Throughout this series, each post will be focused on a different city that I’ve been to and recommendations that I have about hostels, food, and places to go. 

                I decided it was only appropriate to start with the city that captured my heart and where I have just called home for a year: Granada, Spain. 

                First off, if you haven’t been to Granada yet, you need to go. This is my favorite city in Spain for numerous reasons that would take a whole different post to list. Instead, here is what I consider some of the best food and drink places in Granada that should be visited if you ever have to good fortune of going. Since I was there for some time, some have two choices because, well, it’s like trying to pick your favorite child—you just shouldn’t do it.

Favorite overall café:

 Mundo Manila (Realejo, near the statue of Isabella and Colon)

-          All their food is delicious (yeah, I actually do mean all), the atmosphere is what I would call ‘global relaxation’, and the staff is super nice

-          Placeta de las Descalzas, 3

18009 Granada, Spain

Favorite breakfast place:

Mundo Manila (Realejo, near the statue of Isabella and Colon)

-          Placeta de las Descalzas, 3

18009 Granada, Spain

Hicuri (Realejo)

-          They have great ‘tostadas’ with scrambled eggs, which is a luxury considering the Spaniards don’t normally eat or offer eggs for breakfast

-          They also offer whole wheat bread for tostadas

-          Awesome artwork/décor inside

-          Calle Santa Escolastica, Esquina Plaza Girones 4,

Granada, Spain

Hicuri Restaurant and Bar

One of the paintings inside of Hicuri
Photo credit: Jiela Peyman

Favorite wine:

                La Ermita (Centre)

-          Their semi-sweet white wine is my favorite but frankly, every wine I had there was good

-          They are also the reason I learned to like olives—they’re the best there!

-          Great gazpacho, nice staff, and prime location right next to the Cathedral of Granada. I could sit in that plaza sipping on wine all day long!

-       Cárcel Baja, 1, 18001, Granada 

The view from the plaza where Ermita is located-- can't get much better!

Favorite tapas:

                Bubión

-          My ABSOLUTE favorite tapas bar, ever ever ever

-          Calle Socrates between Calle Pedro Antonio and Camino de Ronda

-          Their Tinto de Verano (half red wine, half lemon Fanta) here is amazing and their tapas are phenomenal. Plus, you get to choose what you want!

-          Favorites?

o    Pechugas de pollo: The chicken and fries with a garlic-lemon aioli sauce

o    Carne en salsa: The meat in sauce

o    Croquetas : croquettes

o    Paella: this is usually a ‘Tapa del día’ but whenever I’ve had it, it’s delicious. It’s a typical Spanish rice dish

Bubión is on the left

LAX

-          Great eggplant with honey among other things

-          You get to choose your own tapa here and they’re all wonderful so it’s a win-win

-          Follow Calle Puentezuelas until you reach Calle Paz and take a left and go all the way down the street

Chicotá (Centre)

-          Great wine and wonderful tapas

-          You don’t get to choose your own tapas but they’re pretty much all good so it’s a safe bet

-          Calle Navas, about mid way down

Photo credit: Jiela Peyman

Favorite fancy coffee place:

                Il Caffe di Roma (Centre)

-          Their normal coffee is fine too but they have a large selection of ‘fancy coffee’ options too that are delicious

-          Plaza BibRambla

Il Caffe di Roma in Plaza BibRambla

Favorite ‘pan’ place aka bakery:

                Name is unknown but I have supplied a picture and directions

-          Their fresh baked loaves of bread are the best thing since, well, sliced bread. Almost  always warm, fresh out of the oven. A great accompaniment to any meal—and only .65 euro cents!

-          They also have a pastry that is like a log donut, covered in sugar, stuffed with Nutella, and then drizzled with chocolate— .95 euro cents and it’s a wonder how I didn’t get one every day

-          The sign says ‘Pizza al tallo, pizza, croissant’

-          The corner of Calle Pedro Antonio de Alarcón and Calle Emperatriz Eugenia

My favorite bakery

Favorite Gelato:

               Heladería Tiggiani (Centre)
                              -       Great gelato, tons of flavors, big portions, and cheap. How do you say no to that?
                              -       Plaza BibRambla


               Los Italianos (Centre)

-          The most famous gelato place in Granada and for a good reason. Although you get a small amount, it’s expensive, and sometimes you feel like you’re in a crowded bar trying to get a drink, it’s worth it to go

-          Don’t get it in a cone… it’s a rip off, trust me

-          My favorite combo: Chocolate and Hazelnut

Favorite bar:

                Tantra Bar

-          Great atmosphere and place to hang out with friends

-          Wander the streets like Calle Elvira beforehand because many times, they have reps walking around giving out deals on beer that are worth it

-          Feel like dancing after? One of the popular discotechs in Granada is owned by the same person. After you get a drink, go up to the bar and ask the bartender for however many free passes to Granada10 and then go off and dance the night away!

-          Calle Álvaro de Bazán, 9, right off of Gran Via

-          Granada 10 is 2 streets down on Calle de la Cárcel Baja

Great hangout:

                Damasqueros (Realejo)

-          Great atmosphere and close to the Center of Modern Languages

-          There are couches indoors and seating outdoors. Great place to spend an afternoon for a drink

-          Follow Calle Sta Escolástica from the statue of Isabella and Colon down and take a left onto Cuesta del Realejo. It’s across the street from where Cuesta del Realejo and Calle de los Molinos meet

Happy traveling and happy 4th!

x

 

7 things you should make room for

From my traveling experiences, I have compiled a list of 7 things that were the most important and useful things that I had the pleasure to travel with.

1)      A Kindle (or any E-book for that matter) preferably with 3G

This is number one for a reason. Traveling and getting to see these beautiful sites has a price to pay: sitting for long periods of time in lines, unsightly airports, trains, planes, and automobiles. Really anywhere. Travelers don’t have the luxury of being able to carry around heavy, chunky books. The Kindle charge holds for a long amount of time and you can pass the time very quickly by going through a book or two. It’s also great when you want to read on a beach or other odd locations. I recommend the 3G specifically because when I traveled outside of Spain, my phone did not work. Through the Kindle, you can access e-mail, Facebook—the entire world wide web—so I was able to contact friends from other countries who I was meeting up with without stressing about having to find a computer with WIFI. (I think my parents also appreciated it too when I got to shoot them an e-mail after landing safely in whichever city I was off to that weekend) The 3G is also great when you’re in the middle of nowhere and have suddenly finished your book. Hop on your 3G, browse the selection and get a brand new book delivered to the palm of your hand in mere seconds!

2)      An inflatable pillow

This one I also really have to insist on (trust me on this… this will be the best $20 you’ll spend). Think about all those trains, planes, and automobiles that you’ll be using to get to and fro. Now think about the discomfort of trying to sleep on them as well as airport floors. Waking up in a beautiful new location feeling like my neck muscles just went through a brutal WWE fighting match is a major travel buzz kill. My personal recommendation is one by REI. I preferred simply pressing the air out to make it flat like a pancake instead of trying to roll it up (the former took up a lot less space).

3)      A good pair of walking sandals

Yes, you can do with a good pair of walking sneakers too but sandals, in my opinion, are far more versatile. Get a good pair of sandals that can be worn with shorts, dresses, jeans, during day and night and packing will be much easier. My recommendation is the Gizeh sandal from Birkenstock. These go with almost any style of dress. They have great arch support and walking around all day in them doesn’t put too much of a toll on your body. Sorry guys, these are ladies shoes but any type of Birkenstock is highly recommended! Mine are in Antique Lace, though the color isn’t the important thing ( I loved them because they went with everything and you couldn’t tell if they got a little dirty)

4)       A pair of ear plugs

Ya never know. Those trains, planes, and automobiles can get noisy especially if you’re tired, cranky and trying to get some shut eye. You also never know who is a snorer in any given hostel. They’re cheap and tiny so grab a pair and bring them along just in case.

5)       Lightweight underwear that dries quickly

Many homes don’t have dryers so you shouldn’t count on them while you travel either. You can re-wear the same 2 shirts and pair of jeans for days but clean underwear is a must. Pack a little container of Woolite or any type of detergent and you can wash up a pair or two in a sink, hang them to dry, and they’ll be ready by the next day! 

6)       A sturdy water bottle

Staying hydrated is very important especially when you’re traveling. Your body probably isn’t ingesting the healthiest of foods nor are you probably getting enough sleep. My personal favorite is a Nalgene wide-mouthed water bottle. You can drop those things all over the place and they’ll never crack. They also hold a nice 32 ounces of water. Along with the water bottle, I’d recommend a splashguard. There were countless times that my body got a drink of water before my mouth did. Spend the extra 6 bucks and save yourself the unexpected shower.

7)        A good rolling carry-on bag

Originally, I stuck to using my NorthFace backpack to travel with. It worked just fine and had plenty of room (with careful packing of course) but then I discovered the rolling carry-on. There is more room, less back pain, and more ease. Gals, just pack a purse inside and once you get to your destination, use the purse to hold your things to get around. Another plus? It’s easier to secure with a little lock to protect your things while you’re in a hostel. 

                My luxury item: A journal

                Now this one isn’t officially on the list because it’s not something that is absolutely positively necessary in my eyes but it’s a personal recommendation. I was gifted a journal before I left by a dear friend and I used it throughout my trip to record thoughts, feelings, drawings, everything! Even if you aren’t a huge journal writer, it’s really cool to look back after traveling at different entries from different trips. A plus? This isn’t one of those Language Arts journals from high school being graded. Huge long essays aren’t  necessary—no word count, double-spaced requirements whatsoever. Like I mentioned before, draw a picture or simply jot down a few words that summed up that trip or day. If you have the spare room, I’d bring one along.

Un beso
x