3 July Granada via Zahara

We did have another mini drama when we arrived in Grazalema yesterday, which was fortunately solved easily. We discovered we had inadvertently left our conversion plug for the power socket, behind in Estepona. This meant we had no way of plugging anything in, this meant the computer, the camera battery chargers, phone chargers… catastrophe. However, they did just happen to have one we could borrow at the reception desk. Incredible - in this tiny village of Grazalema.

We decided we would ask if we could buy it off them in the morning – no problem – they wanted to give it to us, but we gave them 5 Euro anyway as we were so grateful. Another problem solved, so now I can keep blogging, taking photos etc J

We did like the little town of Grazalema and the hotel we stayed in, but it was time to move on.

One of the advantages of having the car is that we have the freedom to choose where we want to go and when we want to go. This almost out-weighs the dramas of actually driving and negotiating the awful one way streets, manic traffic etc in the cities. Bill has been doing an amazing job with the driving as it hasn’t been easy. Today was no exception as the route we took was even more hair raising than the previous two days with steep climbs tight corners and winding roads.

We were rewarded with some incredible views though.

The route took us as high as 1357 m

Our plan was to do one more walk in the Parque Natural De Grazalema before moving on so we chose one that was en route to our way out and one that sounded interesting and rewarding, which it was. It took us around the side of a hill that overlooked Lake Zahara

and round past where the Griffon Vultures hang out. We were fortunate in seeing them circling overhead and occasionally coming lower so that we could get a good view of them

On the way back down from the walk we came across an American couple we had spoken to before we set off on the walk. We had deviated off the track to go up a hill where there was some met equipment and a good view. On the way back down we saw them wandering around looking lost, they had lost the path somehow. It was quite amusing because we weren’t even on the track anyway but you could see the way down. They were totally disoriented and were extremely grateful to us – in their words - for saving their lives!!!!

The drive from there to Granada was pretty straightforward although still with fantastic scenery

Straightforward, until of course we reached Granada, then the fun started again. One way streets, didn’t know where we going, went around and around. We eventually ended up in a dead end street with a paid parking at the end so we decided our only option was to drive in there, even although we had booked at a hotel with parking. We used the Tom Tom to find our way to the hotel – Hotel Plaza Nueva, who gave us directions to drive to their parking, so we went back and got the car and moved it.

After settling into the hotel in our room

we originally decided we would tackle the Alhambra that evening but then we discovered that there was a restaurant – the Jardines Zoraya in the Albayzin district where they had a Flamenco show with dinner so we opted for that instead. We had decided, on the advice of the guy on the reception desk at the hotel, to take a taxi to the restaurant as it was quite a way up the hill and we would have been late for the dinner and show if we had walked. An extremely interesting and hair raising ride, driven at speed, through very narrow streets, some only just wide enough for the car, in fact he had to put his wing mirrors in at one point to get through. 

A great choice, a relaxing evening after the long walk in the morning and then the drive. The flamenco show was great and the meal was excellent, including the starter of pumpkin soup with ginger – we will have to remember to try that when we get home.

We opted to walk back to the hotel after the show as it was downhill and took along the wall below the Alhambra where we could see it all lit up