Exploring

 

As much as I love Granada, I also love exploring the cities that surround me and other ones in the country. It’s relatively easy for me to travel everywhere because I’m a short bus or a taxi ride to the train station, bus station, or airport. I’ve found that the bus is the best option for me because it’s cheap and convenient.

In the two months that I have been here, I’ve explored a good portion of Andalusia, the southern coast of Spain where I’m living. Andalusia has mountains and beautiful beaches, so I can’t really ask for anything else. It is also a very relaxed and laid back area where life isn’t taken too seriously. I admire the lifestyle and also love hearing local opinions that “Americans live to work, and Spaniards work to live”. It’s refreshing because it helps solidify the fact that there is more to life than getting a paycheck.

Some of my favorite cities so far have been Sevilla, Cádiz, and Málaga. Sevilla was the first city that I visited, and I absolutely loved everything about it. It was more modern and bigger than Granada, however, I don’t think I could’ve spent my whole semester there. I prefer the size of Granada and the fact that I am in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Another one of my favorite cities was Cádiz, which is a port city surrounded by the sea. I went in early February for Carnaval, which is one of the things the city is known for. Carnaval is basically a celebration or “street party” before Lent starts, and the whole city participates and dresses up in costumes. I meet people from all over Spain that came to Cádiz to celebrate, and it was one of my favorite weekends so far.

I loved Málaga and have visited three or four times. The beaches are beautiful even in the middle of January, and sometimes there are even people swimming in the ocean. One of my favorite things about this city is an indoor market called “Ataranzas” that sells fish, meat, cheese, bread and fruits and vegetables that are really fresh and cheap.

One of my favorite things about travelling so far has been staying at hostels and meeting tons of interesting people from all around the world. Most of the hostels that I have stayed at have meals or events that are meant to bring people together, and for the most part everyone is pretty friendly. I can’t wait to travel and explore more in the next few months!

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