Granada and France and Prague, Oh My!!

The past few weeks have literally flown by, which makes sense because I’ve spent so much time flying across Europe! I’ve hardly had a chance to catch my breath and rest my feet in Madrid since my weekdays were crammed with classes, homework (yes, I really do go to school here!), and getting ready for my next weekend adventure.  Of course, I’m not complaining.  I was lucky enough to see some truly amazing places!

My first stop was Granada, a hippie city in Southern Spain.  It’s tiny in comparison to Madrid, but with a whole lot of character: quaint cobblestone streets and strong Arabian influences make it a very unique place.  La Alhambra is the centerpiece of the city, and for good reason.  It was once the palace for the Muslims that ruled Spain from the 8th-15th centuries, and it was later transformed (and slightly redecorated) by the Catholic Kings who replaced the Muslims, which means it was created (and recreated) for royalty.  The details in every single inch of the palace walls are incredibly crafted.  I can only imagine how grandiose and luxurious it was during its time; how lucky it would have been to be a princess wandering through the beautiful gardens and fabulous courtyards every day...  When we weren't touring La Alhambra, we spent our time eating yummy kebabs and shwarmas, drinking Arabian tea, and walking through the markets that gave me flashbacks of Morocco.

The view from one side to the other

Colorful mudejar tile work along the wall

¨Allah conquers all¨ carved in arabic at least 50 times within this little section

After a “Thanksgiving Dinner” in Madrid (don’t get me wrong it was a great meal, complete with American football, but not the same as Thanksgiving at home),  I found myself in Southern France. Nick and I met in Nice, which is an incredibly beautiful city along the Cote de Azur.  It definitely lives up to its name: the water is a perfect turquoise blue that you´d only expect of a tropical island.  We stumbled upon an interesting art museum with some really cool exhibits, but the best was the view of the city from the rooftop terrace. Since Nice was part of Italy until 1860 (they were celebrating the 150th year anniversary of being French while we were there), the traditional food of the city is not French, but Italian, so we ate pizza and pasta to our hearts' content.

 

Next, we opted for a day trip to Monaco: a 40 minute bus ride for one euro to visit another country? Heck yes! Although the weather wasn't entirely cooperative, we made the trek up to the castle, I dipped my feet in the Mediterranean (brrr!), and we found shelter in a little creperie with super delicious crepes!

Very Patriotic: The Monaco flag was in practically every window!

Our final stop in the French Riviera was Cannes, as in the Cannes Film Festival, which was really cool: very glamorous with its super fancy designer boutiques and hints of celebrity activity.  My favorite was the murals on random building walls of celebrities and famous movie characters, like Batman and the Joker.  The beach here was especially gorgeous, and I just wish it had been warm enough to swim!

Going to France, I knew about 3 words in French, and I picked up a few important words and phrases being there, but thank goodness Nick was with me to translate because my accent is atrocious! The hardest thing was that most everyone seemed to speak so quietly, that half the time I didn't even realize someone was talking to me, let alone have any idea WHAT they were saying.  I'm not sure if I would ever be able to master that fine-tuned accent, but Nick did a splendid job for the both of us!

The next weekend came quickly, and I jetted off once again, but this time my destination was Prague.  Oh, what a magical place it is, especially during the Christmas season!  From the impressive architecture of practically every building, to the wintery wonderland created by all the snow (magical, yet FREEZING cold!), to the intrigue of a culture and language so foreign, or the cheery Christmas decorations throughout the streets and shops. The Christmas markets were so charming: overflowing with tasty treats, beautiful ornaments, and unique gifts and trinkets, and they really got me into the Christmas Spirit! I felt like every moment could be captured and put on a Christmas card.

Christmas Market by Night

The Dancing House :)

While I was there, I met up with friends from London and also got to spend time with my good friend, Anna, from high school volleyball, who is studying in Prague for the semester.  She took us to a club that played some of the best music I've heard while clubbing in Europe; it was 80s/90s night, so we heard the Y.M.C.A. song, Barbie Girl, I Will Survive, Like a Prayer, and many more American classics. Haha, it was a blast!

St. Charles' Bridge with Prague Castle in the background

It is remarkable how different the Czech Republic is from any other European country that I have visited, especially since the language is vastly distinct, not to mention it was under communist rule up until only 20 years ago!  Although the majority of people there spoke English, it's not quite as tourist-friendly as I'd expected: all the signs pointing to major tourist sites are written only in Czech (aka incomprehensible to me).  However, I really enjoyed the peculiarity of the city and must admit that it is now one of my favorite cities!