I woke up on Friday, sore from my hike the day before. But I still managed to get in a long run during the beautiful morning.
For lunch, I ate a delicious “green” lasagna from a tiny Italian-owned restaurant, Viva Maria.
I then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the town,
making an effort to step outside my "comfort" zones.
Afterwards, I met Laura and Noah in Plaza Nueva for coffee.
Such a treat to be able to sit outside in
December!
That night, I joined Trini and her friend, Elisa, for tapas. En route to the bar, I was surprised to see a holiday-themed race taking place on Grand Vía. Per usual on a Friday night, the streets of Granada were alive with excitement.
On Saturday, Trini and her parents invited me to the beach! They recently bought a flat along Granada’s coastal beach town, Almuñécar. Just 45 minutes South of the city stretches la Costa Tropical, famous for its year-round warm climate. Neighboring costal towns include Nerja and Motril. Trini’s father explained that Almuñécar experiences minimal fluctuations in temperature throughout the day, contrary to the capital city’s warm days and chilly nights. Despite its reputation, however, the current climate change left the town warmer than usual for the time of year. I could hardly believe Christmas was just a week away.
Trini and I walked along the coast, and she taught me about
the various beaches. Most were a mix of rock and sand, but all were equally
beautiful. Naturally, we had to dip our feet in the water, which was actually
quite warm--there were a number of sunbathers and even a few swimmers.
Eventually, we made our way to the beach flat, five stories
up in a modern apartment building. It was a lovely place all around, but the
highlight was the view--panoramic vistas of the golden coastline.
For lunch, Trini and I walked to the town center, and
tracked down a bar recommended by her new neighbor. True of most coastal towns,
Almuñécar is known for its fine seafood, followed closely by red meat. This
meant that I was hard-pressed to find vegetarian options on the menu, but I
happily settled for a delicious house salad and chicken and ham croquets.
Afterwards, Trini and I climbed to the top of the Peñones de San
Cristóbal monument.
We continued on a bit further before stopping along the beach for a cup of coffee at un chiringuito, just in time for sunset.
Eventually, we rejoined Trini’s parents and drove back to Granada (uphill this direction). Despite feeling slightly under the weather, I was grateful and happy to spend the day with Trini and her family.
That night, my hosts invited me to have dinner with them and
their friends. Andrea is from Italy, so naturally he made a variety of
pizzas (from scratch). Needless to say, they were excellent--all eight of them.
