Mi Barrio Magnífico en Granada

Calle Cruz has slowly transformed into a familiar street, and Apartment 4B a familiar home after my first two weeks in the enchanting city of Granada. Just yesterday, my host mom told me that her home was my home now and that I was her "niña." Hearing pet names such as "cariña," "princesa," and "guapa" on the daily has indeed helped me feel at home in the cozy apartment that I live in with my señora Lola and her daughter María. Every morning, as I rush to get ready for class, which begins at 9 AM, I am greeted in the kitchen by the yummiest cereal - "Miel Pops" - and a cup of coffee that Lola had put on the table a few hours earlier. She is truly a mom to me here!

My street - Calle Cruz

Cool art on Calle Cruz

The outside of my apartment

My apartment is the blue dot!

I admit it, I am not the best at directions and have definitely relied on others to be my GPS, but this past week I decided to let myself get lost a few times. Lost in a familiar yet unexplored neighborhood that I have grown to love. Right next door to my apartment is already my favorite store - its familiar blue exterior matched by equally quirky interior drew me in on the first day I arrived in Granada, but I have gone inside to look around almost every day since. There are cute handmade necklaces, printed stationary, and coffee mugs with Frida Kahlo quotes, and I struggle to resist buying the whole store on a daily basis. And if I am not inside the quirky tienda (La Madriguera which means the "burrow" or "rabbit's hole"), then I am eagerly looking for its teal blue color to lead me home!

The road on the way to my street boasts a small cafe called Cafe Esmeralda that is usually filled with local regulars aka the senior citizens of Granada who enjoy watching bullfighting on the cafe's tv while drinking cafe con leche or an Alhambra beer. I visited this place not for the beer or bullfighting but for the widely famous chocolate con churros. They did not fail to impress! The chocolate came in a steaming cup of pure hot chocolate while the churro was a long spiral of baked dough. The combination was crazy good. Fried dough soaked in warm chocolate is probably one of the best inventions the Spanish have made!!!

The Cafe

Mi amiga Iza with chocolate con churros (y tarea...)!

Arguably one of my favorite spots in my neighborhood is Plaza de Gracia. The Plaza is the prime spot to have tapas, people watch, or just get some fresh air. Tapas in Spain is first come first serve where you seat yourself. Plaza de Gracia hosts a tapas spot that has become one of my go-to's because of its proximity to home. Tapas include baked potato and even boquerones (aka anchovies). Didn't really enjoy the anchovies as much as the baked potato, but the drinks were good! This Plaza is always full of people - old and young, college students and primary school students (there is a school down the street) - during tapas hours (before 2 PM lunch and from about 8:30 PM to 10 PM). I love hearing the constant chatter of parents, grandparents, and their niños laughing while playing in the open playground because it creates a very happy and relaxed ambience. Definitely one of the best places to chat with friends while relaxing after a long school day!

One of the tapas spots in Plaza Gracia

Tinto de Verano (red wine and lemon soda) with baked potato tapas

 Niños playing fútbol in the Plaza

Also (lucky for me), one of the most popular discotecas in Granada is right in Plaza de Gracia in my neighborhood! Campus (pronounced Cahm-poos) is the SPOT for students looking to relieve the stress of their tough weeks, which is exactly what my amigos and I did last weekend. The DJ is always playing top hits in Spain, which also happen to include top hits in the US. Songs like "Uptown Funk" are mixed with Spanish hits like the favorite "El Taxi" or Enrique Iglesias's "El Perdón." It was fun and refreshing to see students letting loose on the dance floor, showing off their impressive dancing skills and just to be around the young people of Granada. 

Campus on the outside during the day (looks harmless...)

Campus on the inside at night!

One of the things I probably take for granted is how safe my neighborhood and street feel to me. I don't worry about my safety walking home at any time of the day because I live in a neighborhood of mostly apartment buildings with families or local family cafés and restaurants. Mi barrio is my new comfort zone because it is where I spend a lot of my time, and I love it here. Needless to say, I can't wait to spend 4 more weeks on Calle Cruz!!

'Ta luego y besos,

Niyati