So What Is Granada LIKE?

In my book, Granada consists of four main parts.

There is the HISTORICAL part, the Alhambra, towering over the city, a looming artifact of past Muslim rule, the star attraction of this mountain town, and really, the only thing you can find on the postcards being sold in every corner of town. Near the Alhambra there is the Albaicin, with its old school narrow walk ways and white washed buildings, then Old Muslim Quarters, that have now become some homes and a few streets selling North African themed goods (did someone just say Aladdin pants and hookahs!?). There are also teterias, the Spanish always at teria to the end of anything. For example, cafeteria-teria=cafe place. Panaderia-deria=pan. Ferreteria-eria=not a place where the sell ferrets, I was sad to find out, but instead a key store. So, a teteria? Tea place. Decorated in the Morrocan-Moorish style, all ornate decoration, and jumnly music.

Alright what other parts? There is the new part. The clean part. The plaza part. Where my school is, where the Royal Cathedral housing Ferdinand and Isabella´s tombs are, where there is hustle and bustle and a lot of ice cream places. There is also a few streets that are essentially an outdoor shopping mall, smaller streets with plenty of stores and even more people walking around them.

The third part is what I call home, the third part is real Granada. Slightly crappier, noticably more graffiti, new building and lots of cafes. Chill and alive depending on the hour, its where the University of Granda is, and where I live. Its got lots of cheap stores. Something interesting here, there are what you call, Chino Stores here, no joke, its just like the term. Well, these stores, are essentially dollar stores, lots of candy and soda and beer, and bigger ones specialize in just selling random things for low prices. They are often owned by Asian immigrant families and have a great supply (to my demise) of chewy candy that you can mix and match.

And the fourth part? Crappy Ghetto Granada, the outskirts I have yet to visit-maybe never even will. Really Scary. Not supposed to go there. Haven´t.