How can it be Sat already?

Good morning! We started our day early this morning in Granada so we could get to the palace Alhambra for 8:30 am because you have to tour by appointment especially with a large group and we are a group of 46 all together!

The Alhambra castle is unique since it was built over 3 centuries by different rulers and obviously many, many architects (the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries). So some of the palace was built by the ruling moors and the rest by the Christians after they conquered the moors and drove them out of Spain. The diffrence between the two is quite stark when you see it. The style of the moors is very intricate and delicate with detail mosiac work in ceramic and wood inlaid into ceilings, floor and furniture. In contrast, the part of the palace the Christians built was also lovely but plain and simpler in it's design. We toured the throne room and stood in the very spot that Queen Isabella blessed Christopher Colombus and sent him on his way to discover America. In a way it had this sense of being overwhelming when you get this close to the history. This stop was truly a Japanese moment and the camera worked overtime. Do you know how many angles you can photograph a castle from? Lol!

After the palace, we walked down the mountain and had a couple of free hours in the city center. Busy, busy, busy. With people bustling everywhere. The kids (26 girls, 10 boys) were thrilled with 2 1/2 hours of shopping time! They had to stay in groups of 4 and be back to the main statue in the city center by 1:45. I laughed when I got back and most of them were wolfing down whoppers from burger king because they were too busy shopping to eat earlier. Before they were turned loose, they were warned again about the puck pockets in Spain as they are apparently VERY talented. But they were all wearing travel bags with their passports under their shirts and money belts too. They were also warned about the multitude of gypsy ladies that will boldly push a rosemary branch into your hands and tell your fortune and ask for money and it is best to not make eye contact, keep going and ignore them. Anyway, anyone who really knows me knows that 2 1/2 hours of shopping is about 2 1/4 hours too much! Lol! So the first thing I did (with one of the teachers from St T's) was go to the Granada cathedral and blessed chapel and paid 3 euros to go inside. It was beautiful! And inside was another piece of history. It contains the crypt containing the tombs of the royals that financed the expeditions of Christopher Columbus. Another piece of history for you and I just had to see! Very cool! After that, we worked our way through the shops and the gypsy ladies back towards one of the many squares. We saw a couple of living statues and they facinate me. These two were all dressed in silver and their skin was painted silver. Like the London guards, I have no idea how they hold their poses. If you take their picture, it is customary to drop some coins in their hat on the ground and they will move in a poetic motion as a gesture of thank you. I photographed the one outside the chapel that was dressed as a nun and was holding a cross. She didn't move. I photographed again from a different angle, then went closer to drop some coins for her. She smiled and leaned towards me and offered her hand and held it out towards me as if to shake mine and slowly made a handshake motion. She continued until I reached forward with my hand to touch hers. When I got too close she pulled her hand back and gently shook her head. So I pulled my hand back also a little confused cause she started it! Then she repeated the motion and I clued in. I reached forward with my hand and when our hands were still a foot apart we made the same slow shaking motion and silently shook hands without touching. She smiled approval at me and returned to her complete stillness. It was soooo cool! I wonder what they think about while they stand there for hours on end? After my encounter with the silver bin, Ray and I made our way to a square that was mainly surrounded by restaurants as opposed to shops. There was a wooden merry-go-round that was powered by a very fit fellow riding a bicycle to make it go round and round! And there were guitarists and accordianists circling the outdoor cafes playing for the customers. There was also a stage at center square where we were treated to some live music. It was wonderful! We were supposed to meet Mike and Tim (because they did not want to see the cathedral) and have some lunch. One tour of the square and they were no where to be found. What to do? What to do? Well, I told Ray that my dad always told me that if you were lost in the woods, you should stop walking in circles (or square in this case! Lol!) and stay in one spot until the searchers found you! It did not take us long to find a table for four at the outdoor (20 degrees and sunny today) Oh La La! restaurant. Ray was half done his servaisa and I my vino tinto by the time the other two found us! Lol! I think they were less amused by our story than we were! Of course, we ate with them and shared another drink cause we had tons of time before heading back to the bus. :-) After lunch, we went our separate ways dole the last 15 minutes and I managed to find Dana a flamenco dress I think she will love and be back to the square on time! Yay!

Now we are back on the bus and are headed to Seville where we will spend the night. The kids see all in high spirits and see having a blast. The two girls that were stricken with the stomach flu yesterday have recovered and no one else seems to have caught it. Our bus driver pointed out to our guide Alberto that one of the boys is wearing an offensive shirt that could get him in trouble and Alberto spoke with him. Eric wisely decided to change the T-shirt. Know what it was? A soccer shirt! I am not sure what team it supported but it was not a Spanish team and for his own safety, he took it off and put it away! Wow! One of the girls from St Theresa has had her rag doll kidnapped today by someone on the bus and has received a ransom note. And no! It was not me. I had nothing to do with it. Alex appears to be a prime suspect and all I can say is if he did it, he comes by it honestly. Evetone is having fun with it though and Katie is taking the joke with great humour although I think the loss of Matilda (a doll she has had from birth) would be pretty traumatic! So that is that! Except to mention that Alex's coach sent us a msg that they won their semi-final series and are therefore onto the finals! His message this morning said ... 'We won! Get home!' Lol! So I guess I know what I will be doing next weekend! Karen will be happy cause she wanted to experience a playoff game!

That is all I have to say for now! I hope everyone is staying safe inside for the snowstorm Lorne tells me you are having! I am loving the comments left directly on my blog! Thanks. It is nice to hear from home. Any comments left on facebook I will have to read when I get home.

Ciao until later! Hugs!
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