A night in Granada

Hello everyone, this is my final blog post before my post-departure video. This is my last weekend in Madrid, so I type this quite somberly. I spent most of my time this weekend walking through the most beautiful city in all of Granada and visited a landmark that definitely deserves the moniker of a “world wonder:” the Alhambra. This was my first solo trip ever, and it was such a different experience. It is safe to say that this weekend was one of the best ways to end the trip, all by attempting new experiences and seeing amazing artwork. As for the rest of the week, I went about the same routine I have been doing for the past 6 weeks: learning Spanish grammar and working on the research paper for the anaerobic digestion reactor.

It would be a crime not to talk about the beauty of the Alhambra and the surrounding land of Granada. I left mid-afternoon from the train station, Puerta de Atocha, and traveled through beautiful plains and mountains for three hours. When I first arrived in Granada, I saw the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. In the foreground lies one of the most unique cities in Spain. The city looked nothing like the rest of the places I’d traveled to, and I was constantly in awe with the beauty, architecture, and layout. Due to the heat and direct sunlight, tarps covered the city streets. Occasionally, I would stumble into a couple Moroccan and Middle Eastern restaurants along the way. The following day, I woke up around 7:00 in the morning and walked straight for the Alhambra. The walk to the Alhambra was an uphill road that was canopied by dozens of verdant trees. Bits of creeks and waterfalls peeked out from behind the greenery. Once I reached the Alhambra, I was greeted by large beige buildings and walls that encompassed an immaculate complex filled with gardens, ruins, and old walkways.

Every bit of the old complex filled me with awe every time I walked through a door or garden entrance. The Alhambra is a monument that highlights the combination of multiple cultures, and showcases a physical recreation of Spain’s history. I spent around 8 hours walking through each walkway, in each garden—sometimes I’d walk back to truly absorb everything this beautiful landmark had to offer. After hours of walking, I finished my visit with the Nasrid palace and promptly went back to the hotel to sleep. I walked around the city after a short nap, and ate some amazing Moroccan food that really established how diverse and amazing Granada is.

Prior to the trip, I again had a routine week with classes and research. As next week is our last in Spain, we started to beef up our study schedule to prepare for the exams and presentations. Since our final exam is next Wednesday, we have started to put the cap on a couple of topics for Spanish grammar and culture. As for research, I have finished a bulky part of our research paper, and for the last week we will assemble the results and conclusions. I am happy to say I’ve had a phenomenal week, and every day in Spain has been better than the last. I will leave you with two pictures of my amazing journey throughout the Alhambra, and I’ll see next time in my post departure video. Have a great week, folks!