I had also gone out and hung out with a group of Bucknell students at a cafe. I left them around midnight to walk home and go to bed. One of the great things about Granada is that it is a very safe place. Obviously, one must take care since it is a city, and there are the usual robbers. After about one or two in the morning it isn't the best idea to walk alone by yourself, since there aren't so many people out on the street but in general it is "una ciudad tranquila" as Maria says. (Quiet city). I haven't felt threatened walking home in the dark, and the streets are usually full of people, even young children, until about 12:30 at night.) Still, even though I was tired I stayed awake on the bus, because Maria told us that it was a beautiful ride and worth staying up for.

The countryside was amazing. We drove along the coast to Nerja, winding our way around one curve after another, and past picturesque pueblos sitting on the hillsides above the beaches.

Before we got to the town we stopped in to see the Nerja Caves. They were very cool, and had one of the largest columns, formed when a stalactite and stalagmite joined together, in the world. The different rock formations were spectacular, but the cave made me a bit sad, because of how it has been transformed by tourism. I visited the Indian Echo Caverns near Hershey Pa., this summer.

The tours there were guided and a lot of care was taken to make sure the cave itself was not harmed by its visitors. Much of the rock in the caves at Nerja was dead; because they had been touched by so many people their composition had changed and the minerals that created the slow growth of new formations were no longer there. Even so, I enjoyed the visit, and had fun finding images in the rock formations, like the broken prows of ships, and the forms of ghosts.

After the cave visit, we went to the hotel in Nerja, checked in and then went down to the beach to enjoy the sun, and to swim in the water. The water was a refreshing temperature, neither too warm nor too cold, and very calm, with gently rolling waves. I floated in the water for a long time, just enjoying the feel of the water and sun on my skin. (I didn't like putting my feet on the ground because of the sharp big stones, and the worry of sea urchins, of which there were many.)

When I got out and lay on the beach, for a while the ground underneath me rolled in the rhythm of the waves. The beach was made of tiny, smooth and flat stones, which were a bit uncomfortable on the skin, and stuck all over the body. Still, we all had a good time. People sunbathed, read, and played Frisbee, and then a bit later we went to the pool and swam and lay there. I lay in the shade and slept, and then when I woke to find myself curled up on the concrete I decided it was time to get up and go take a nap in the hotel. Many of the other students went to explore Nerja and shop.

Before dinner the whole group, led by Maria, went to view El Balcon de Europa. (The Balcony of Europe ... is how I guess it would be translated.) It is supposedly the most romantic place in Europe. It was an amazing view. Just incredible. We took many pictures, including the group picture which I'll include below.

The next day, we had free time in the morning. Some people slept, some lay by the pool that was on the roof of the hotel, and I walked. First I walked along the beach, almost to the other pueblo or strip of hotels that we could see in the distance from our hotel. Then I walked through Nerja, and went back to el Balcon del Mundo, and then wandered the streets back to the hotel. Nerja is a beautiful place, even if it is a bit touristy.

The only bad thing is that because so many extranjeros (foreigners) go there for their vacations the main language that one hears is English.

At noon, we met up at the hotel and walked for just under an hour to the other side of Nerja, to eat a meal of paella -- a dish of rice and sea food. It was really good, and I particularly liked the shrimp that were on it. (See pictures below.) We also took lots of pictures of the coast on our walk to the restaurant. It was definitely a weekend of being touristy and taking pictures of the beautiful ocean views.

The next stop of the weekend before we completely headed home was the town of Frigialino, a town which was one of the last places, second to Granada where the Moors lived, before they like in the rest of Spain were pushed out by the Catholics. Frigialino is a beautiful town, with all white houses and windy streets climbing the mountainside. It is like a town out of the movies. There are really no words to describe its beauty. I loved it, the history, the hidden nooks and crannies to be found around every corner.

I took tons of pictures of each street that we walked. We walked up to a high point where we could look over the town, and see the mountains in the distance, and then we walked back down, and tasted some of the wine that is typical of the area. It is a sweet wine, and although I didn't really like the initial taste, it left a nice aftertaste. (Maybe one of these days I'll find an alcoholic drink that I can enjoy.)

After the wine tasting, we got back on the bus and returned to Granada. When we came into the city it was nice to recognize where we were, and realize that we are settling into life here, and it is becoming a little bit like home.

Taken on the bus ride to the beach

One of the formations in the Nerja Caves

Jeff and Jess jumping into the sea

Playing Frisbee

Group picture on the Balcony of Europe

Funny picture of Jennifer and I

Mr. Shrimp

Frigiliana

Frigiliana