It’s only 8:40 when I write this. Early night. Got up at 8:00 and had light breakfast with our group. John and I went walking ostensibly to find an ATM, but we did a much longer walk. Went across the “new bridge.” Now, new is a relative term since this bridge was finished in 1790 and replaced a bridge over the same gorge that had collapsed earlier after an earthquake. Across the bridge is the more commercial part of Ronda. On our “old town” area where the hotel is, about less than 1,000 people live while on the other side of the bridge, about 24,000 live. And tourist season (which is still on now) brings in over 2.5 million visitors a year. But John and I were out before the hoards descended.

We found the ATM and then walked into a park that ended up having a spectacular view of the farmlands below. Really below! Then we walked past the bullring, which we knew we were seeing later and back to the hotel. To our rooms until meeting outside at 11:30.

Met Armando, our guide. We walked, he talked. First went to the church behind the hotel, Virgin of la Paz, where a wedding was about to take place and folks were dressed in their finest. Onward into the heart of the city on the other side of the bridge. Now the huge tourist groups were all over the place. And it’s busy on a Saturday normally since this is the only commercial center within a radius of 95km.

We walked down and around to a park overlook of the old bridge from the other side and got its history. From there we went to the bullring (Plaza de Toros) where we got more information about bulls, horses, bullfighting as an industry, the whole process of the bullfight from when the groups of bulls are brought in to what they do after the bulls are killed in the ring … butchered and sold in local meat markets. And we went not only into the center of the ring as we had in Seville, but also to the highest seats to take sweeping images. Played with some shooting through Kathy’s crystal ball, which she had schlepped from home.

At 3:00 we were ushered into a nearby restaurant, Restaurant Jerez, for a huge, multi-course lunch with wine that lasted until 5:00. We waddled back to the hotel. At 5:30, some of took a taxi all the way down to the bottom of the gorge to get some good angles on the old bridge. Then back to hotel. Around 7:30, we all congregated in the square we were in last night and had wine/beer an olives. It got chilly and it’s been a long week, so Bruce, Pam, and I walked back to the hotel.

Images from the day are downloaded. Might play with a few, but intend to be in bed by 11:00 instead of the normal 1:00AM. And tomorrow is my 77^th birthday.

Got up about 7:30, breakfast at 8:00. John and I went for a walk in the cool morning air. Headed uphill from hotel to plaza where we could see some sun on parts of the Alhambra. Back to hotel and headed out with group at 10:00. Walked through shopping areas and to the Granada Cathedral. We didn’t go into the area where the “Catholic Kings” (Isabella and Ferdinand) are buried since no photography was permitted. Walked around the church to the main entrance and spent about an hour inside looking and shooting images.

We wandered around the area for a good bit since we were early for our scheduled 1:30 set lunch. Did stop and get some yummy ice cream. I had the equivalent of run raisin. And we got to the restaurant in time, Las Tinajas, for a multi-course meal. All good. It was about 2:45 when we were done and we walked back to the hotel.

At 4:00, we met the van in Plaza Nuevo, which is where it had dropped us off yesterday. Drove up to the Alhambra and Generalife for a 4:30-7:30 full tour. While there, it occurred to me to clarify labels on some of the images I took here in the 80s since I have a better perspective on what they are now.

Very crowded with lots of different groups with their guides. Pretty well-oiled machinery on what groups went in when so things moved along. However, with some large groups, we fought for clear space to take pictures. I know Marian and I stayed in a parador in Granada and want to check to see if it’s the one we saw on the Alhambra grounds.

The guide, Angel, first took us through the gardens and explained the whole natural water system of the place. Next, to Palace of Generalife, to Charles V Palace, and then the original palaces from the 1200s. When we got to the part with the lion fountain, it was roped off so you could only see it from the surrounding colonnades. I remember there we far fewer people there the last time and no barriers. Having the old images scanned, I could relate to them in my head as we toured the palaces.

7:45 we got back into the van and were taken to the plaza to walk to our hotel. After a few minutes, most of the group got tripods and their gear and went to where John and I had been this AM to take twilight and after-dark pictures of the Alhambra from below.  John and I asked a young woman at the front desk where to get good tapas. She said if we liked fish to go to Diamantes off Plaza Nuevo. We did. Had wonderful food and beer and visited with folks on either side of us at the long table where we sat. Back to hotel about 9:15 to do the normal stuff before going to bed. We leave at 10:00 tomorrow for Cordoba.

Of course, at this point, it’s still up in the air about going to Barcelona. Strabo’s Spanish tour company in Barcelona is appraising the situation and will advise us shortly. Gotta be soon since we’re scheduled to go there on the 12^th. 

And, 17,700 steps, 5 miles today! Whew!

One of the things in Spain is that you have to know what you want to order when a waiter comes around. Otherwise, he leaves and it might be some time before he returns. Today, got up at 7:30, had breakfast at 8:00, was greeted by our group on my birthday. Kathy gave me a blue balloon. Later, in Granada, she tied three balloons to my hat band which I wore all night.

After breakfast, went to the room for some final things and brought luggage down at 10:00 for us to take it to the van and leave. Trip to Granada is a bit under 3 hours, I think. We did one brief photo stop and one coffee/potty stop before getting into Granada around 2:00. Took our luggage on foot a few blocks to our hotel, El Ladron de Agua, on a narrow street pretty much right under the Alhambra, which is high up on the hill above. The rooms have names rather than numbers. Mine is Reino de la Polilla on the first floor.

At 2:30 we met in the lobby and walked in search of lunch. Ate outside and had wonderful stuff – too much as always. Then we wandered on nearby streets and into a park for a brief while. Lunch took from about 3:00-4:30 and we walked until 5:30. Needed to get back to hotel to get tripods and long sleeves for the evening.

Did 10,400 steps today, 11 floors, 3.1 miles. And the 11 floors were mainly walking a long way uphill on steep cobblestone streets to get an overview of the Alhambra for sunset shots. Needed to get places on a rail among all the others who were there for the same thing. So, we stayed up there shooting until about 8:45, walked downhill, went to the hotel, dropped off our gear, and walked to our restaurant, Pilar del Toro. Had a great birthday dinner … even had grilled octopus! Left restaurant at 11:00 and headed back to hotel where I found that the safe in my room had malfunctioned and had to get staff to open it.

Downloading, charging batteries and iPhone. Going to take shower, shave, wash clothes. Bet it’s 1:00 before I hit the bed. Up at 7:30 tomorrow for 8:00 breakfast and a walk with John before group heads out at 10:00.

Oh, and Internet service in hotel is almost non-existent. And it stayed “off” the rest of our stay.

Breakfast at about 8:30, luggage dragged to van for 10:00 departure. Took us till after 2:00 to go the 2.5 hour drive with stops for pictures of olive groves, a castle on a hill, restroom breaks. But got here. Staying at Las Casas de la Juderia, a very nice hotel, lovely rooms, not far from anything.

2:30 we left for lunch nearby at La Fragua. Great food. Had our normal two plus hour lunch and left there about 5:00 and returned to my room. At 6:30 we met in the lobby for evening/sunset walk.

The Mezquita is not far from hotel. We walked around three sides of it (fourth side we walked beside on way to hotel late). Took pictures of the arches along the sides since few people were around as compared to what we expect tomorrow. After about 45 minutes, we walked across the old Roman bridge to find a vantage point to take sunset and after-dark images of the Mezquita, bridge, and river. Were there until 9:30 and some of the group lingered to take images along the bridge. Kathy and I then went in search of ice cream which we found after seeing two shops already closed.

Only 7,200 steps, 2.6 miles today and all of them were this afternoon and evening, so not too bad. Tomorrow there is a pre-dawn shoot at 7:00 which I am going to skip. We meet our local guide at 10:00 for tour of Jewish Quarter, other areas, and ending up in the Mezquita.