30 December 2012 Granada beer and tapas

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A happy New Year to everyone

Our walk this week was our annual beer and tapas walk around Granada. Once again our guide was Mike who lead us around the city for what was a very enjoyable day out.
   Granada, the jewel of Spain, played host once again to our annual "Old Years" pilgrimage through this wonderful city.
The day started at 10 o'clock at the Cozvijar roundabout. It was freezing, the wind was howling, it felt more like we were embarking on an expedition to the North Pole. Undeterred we stiffened the sinews and summoned up the blood and set out on our adventure. The gods smiled on us; the City was bathed in sunshine and the wind had gone to play its mischief high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
We parked our cars in the outskirts of Granada and that's when we encountered our first problem. Some in the group, namely Arthur and Caroline, decided that seeing as we were parked outside Lidl it would be a good idea to go and do a little shopping. Who decided to allow shops to open on a Sunday??
Shopping done, we set off at a brisk pace, or at least some of us did, but we soon came to a juddering halt. The first coffee break was called for. The coffee, tea, or hot chocolate was very good, but I was roundly condemned for not stopping at an establishment that served "Churros." There's no pleasing some people.
It was then that two late arrivals tried to contact us by mobile phone to find out where we were; from the gibberish that was coming from the other end of the contraption it sounded more like they were calling from Mars instead of just a hundred yards down the street. However, find us they did.
The Albaicin beckoned. Some wit suggested we hire the stand up scooter type machines that would propel us up to the summit. Imagine Caroline careering over the cobbles on one of those things, or me for that matter! Sanity prevailed, and we huffed and puffed our way up on foot. Much needed refreshment was taken at the top of the Albaicin.
After another series of never ending pit stops, is this a sign of our age, surely not, we ambled over to the Mirador de S. Nicolas; a spectacular vista of the Alhambra, the snow covered Sierra Nevada as a backdrop, and Granada nestling below. There can not be many more magnificent sights in the world.
From here on in it was all downhill. We passed restaurant after restaurant packed with Granadinos sitting outside enjoying a Sunday lunch in the lovely winter sunshine. Crisis! What Crisis?? On a more serious note, some areas of this wonderful city, which we did not visit today, are really showing signs of the problems. Shops closed and boarded up, buildings for sale or rent, falling into disrepair; it is sad to see.
It was now that we started shedding people; some to go and feed animals, no prizes for guessing who this was, and others off to meet friends or have lunch. The rest of us soldiered on. Walking down Calle Navas, the famous tapas street, we hit the good times, big. One of our group spotted a twenty euro note on the floor. Caroline was on to it like a Golden Eagle plunging from the sky to snatch its prey. Our next tapas was not only very good, but free.
By now the shadows were lengthening, and having spent a very pleasant few hours wandering around our wonderful city, we decided to call it a day and make our way back to the cars and return to our homes in the tranquil Lecrin Valley.
Finally, it is the first time I have led a walk in which Stuart has been in the group. I was a little nervous that I might get a bit of "pay back" for all the hassles I have given him over the last three and a half years: but no, not a peep, he behaved in an impeccable and gentlemanly fashion throughout, which just goes to show that even a Yorkshire Man can have his good points!
Again, many thanks to Ray for his efforts in trying to keep the rabble together and not losing anybody. I think he should get a Brownie Point, but I'm not authorised to give them out. It's in your hands Stuart.
Until the next time.
Mike.

We walked 10.3 km and climbed 156 metres.
This weeks photo was taken at the San Nicolas mirador.

The big news this weeks has been the New Years Honours, I have been holding out on you for the last few weeks but I can now announce that.
Kees has received 2 brownie points for mapping services.
Hilary 1 brownie point for organising B group walks.
Rene 1 brownie point for impromptu leadership of B team.
Mike 1 brownie point for grovelling.
Ray 1 brownie point for shepherding services.

We have had an superb years walking and I have enjoyed every minute, I look forward to you joining us again in 2013.

Best wishes

Stuart

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