I walked up through Placa Nuevo and along the river. There’s a street off of the main one called Banuelo. I went up it because on the map it shows like the baths are not on the main street. I looked everywhere—up all of the side streets and failed to find it. I had to ask for help. Apparently it WAS on the main street. Back there, I still couldn’t figure it out. I had to ask again. Turns out I was standing right in front if it.
The man inside gave me a brochure in English to read and return. It talked about everything in past tense. WHAT?! I brought my swim suit! I walked through the old brick rooms. They had neat 8-sided star-shaped holes in the ceiling and lots of fancy arches and domed ceilings, but no water.
I continued up the road, remembering I was interested the other day. I came to the Museo de something-or-other-- Archiologistic? I’d peered in its door the other day. It was clearly a really nice old house that had been kept up and turned into a museum. I went in exclusively to see the house, hoping it wouldn’t cost TOO much and the exhibits wouldn’t be TOO boring. The woman at the reception desk explained that I was lucky because it was free for me today. She only spoke Spanish and I only spoke English but she REALLY wanted to get the point across.
I went up the staircase with a carved white handrail past a beautiful orange and yellow lantern into the main courtyard. It had arches all around the edge and a fountain in the middle. The ground was in shaped tiles with grass or weeds growing in between. It was very pretty.
The first exhibit was of prehistoric sorts of tools—like arrowheads and various human skulls. I worked my way through all of the rooms and ceramics and bronze ware to a nearly modern astrological tool.
I was still more interested in the house, though. It had pretty multi-colored tiles on the stairway and nice carved wooden handrails. The ceilings were wooden too, some were also carved. And of course, I was still interested in the arches around the balcony/hallways around the second story overlooking the courtyard below.
Then I continued even further up the street. There was a sign on one building saying to come around the side to get more information about a convent. I went up the street and the door wasn’t exactly open into a nice courtyard so I didn’t venture in. I went a little further up because there had also been a sign about a sweets sale. I gave up on that when the hill got steep.
On the way back down, I noticed that on the side of the convent, there was some religious graffiti: “SATAN VIVE” and 666 with a Jewish star.
I kept walking a tiny bit further, saw a couple of funny things, and then realized I was over it. As I walked down, I realized I was reading menus. Hmmm, maybe I’m hungry?
I went into a restaurant that was reasonably priced and had things I could read well enough to know were appealing. It had mock-Roman décor with tables with columns as bases. I went over to the bar and ordered IN ESPAGNOL. The girl handed me my drink and said something to me in Spanish. I nodded even though I didn't know what she'd said.
She brought over a plate FULL of tapas. I hardly needed to have ordered lunch! I’d heard that this sometimes happened, but still didn’t really expect it. Tapas come free with a drink!
I had asked 2 ladies speaking English if I needed to go to the bar or if someone would come for my order. They started to talk to me more so I moved closer to them. They were both retired teachers, one from Whales and one from England. They had visited Idaho during their teaching careers and couldn’t get enough of talking about the experience. They were on vacation in Spain because one of them has a house on the coast. She was going to travel to Australia alone soon and was scared. Really? Look at me and I’m 23!
I got the baked potato Mexicana "con queso" because it didn’t come with cheese. It wasn’t exactly Mexican but it WAS delicious.
On my way down the hill, I stopped in the tourist information Officina and asked if there were any Arab baths that had water in them. Turns out there was a place for it on the SAME street that we were already on! I walked up to it and made a reservation for 6 that night. It was the first available slot. The interior was very schmacy and I wondered if I’d signed up for a luxury experience.
The I went to El Corte Ingles, yes, again. Here are some things I saw along the way: a fountain that was emitting more water into the air than into its base, a red carpet along the sidewalk (how did they know I was coming?!), and a nice little church (with the Sierra Nevada behind it) that didn't photograph nicely.
Turns out that the shirt that I bought had a HOLE in the back. I was hoping they had another one in my size, sans hole. I was also hoping they DID do returns. I showed the woman my receipt and my shirt and she did a HUGE gasp. I was relieved, thinking she’d be ok with me exchanging it. The only other medium also had a hole, but a much smaller one. They suggested I try on a small. I suggested I try on a large. I’m American, not a tiny Spaniard! Neither one was as good as the medium so I took the one with the smallER hole. The woman was surprised. I’d rather have a shirt with a small hole than no shirt at all!
I’d started to plan my day around the rest of the money that I had. I had a 50 and that was it! I’d left my credit card at home in the hotel thinking there was no way I’d spend more than I had on me. I figured I had 10 for the purse I wanted from El Corte Ingles, 15 for a lantern I wanted, 11 more for the bath, 3.5 each for the cathedral and the Capilla Real. 1.2 for the bus and whatever was left for dinner. I decided I didn’t want the purse afterall when I was in El Corte Ingles. That left more room for dinner.
I walked to cathedral’s back first somehow.
I tried to go to the front, but couldn’t find the entrance. I could see the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel is the “resting place” of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella Castile, Catholic monarchs) so I went in there first.
No photos allowed, I’m sorry to tell you. It was AMAZING inside. The always choose the best places not to allow photos. In a way, I understand. It would hold everything up and taking photos sort of detract from the sacricity of a place. People don't just try to appreciate it like they do if they can't go SNAP and hold onto it forever digitally.
The altar was really intricate. It was made in the 1500s. It was like one giant story with all sorts of different scenes in little cubby holes. It was almost like a comic book because the same characters showed up in different boxes. There was a beheaded guy, Jesus all over, and the “eternal father” at the top. I think this is the first time I’ve seen God portrayed in a church. I got a postcard so I could share it with you.
I went down into the crypt. It was creepy because there were literally just lead coffins in it. It didn’t seem royal—it was like a morgue!
I went into the museum next. Jesus was everywhere and he looked sickly in almost every painting. There were loads of pictures that included his penis. I think it was the most pornographic religious place I’ve ever been.
Out in front, there were women handing out rosemary sprigs. I refused because I’d been warned, but I watched as one guy accepted it with a smile and then started to walk away. The woman grabbed his hand and held onto his wrist until he gave her some money. I’d call that kidnapping for ransom!
I had trouble finding the entrance to the cathedral. I literally walked around 350 degrees of the building before finding the main door.
Inside, it had a little room off to the right with checkered floors and loads of paintings and mirrors. It reminded me slightly of the Tenth Kingdom and all of the queen’s magic mirrors.
Then I went to the main part of the cathedral. It’s HUGE!!!!!! It’s the biggest place ever seen. It’s like it’s way out of proportion up and down, but not side to side. The columns just extended upward forever and ever! They were really pretty too, pristine and white.
I walked around the whole edge of the church, admiring all of the side features. Most of them were really elaborate, with gold leafing and lots of intricate parts. I was very interested in them.
I went into the museum on the side and again, there was the beheaded guy! They also had lots of robes and things. I noticed from the front of the main altar that the floor was crooked. I felt a little bit guilty because I was more interested in the architecture of the church than the focal point of the main alter. It had a big gold domed thing and a couple of sort of balconies on either side that were also gold. They were very ornate, but I was drawn to the blue dome that was the ceiling, with its gold stars.
I decided I’d had enough and ended up with a sort of planter thing in the gift shop. I’d eyed one in the street too. I feel like it’s supposed to go outside, but is seems a little small to be a focal THING in a yard.
Then I went up toward my Arab baths. I had also eyed a lantern across the street from them. I really haven’t gotten many souvenirs yet so I decided to go for that too. I counted my money and realized after I paid for the baths, I was only going to have 6.10, including my bus fare. GAH! Postcards and planters! My purse I’d been looking at was cheap and so were my replacements, but not AS cheap. Oh dear. I figured worst case I could get chicken nuggets at BK and no drink.
Also on my way, I saw people going into the old church by the tourist officina/road up by the river at Plaza Nueva. I decided I wanted to go in too! It wasn’t especially remarkable after some of the others I’ve seen, although it was nice. Inside, there were people chanting their prayers. That was new to me. It sounded almost like Buddhist monks more than Christian chatter. I think I heard “gracias” several times.
Then I finally did go to the baths. They’re called Hammand de Al Andalus, Banos Arabes. On the brochure it says “have a history bath.”
They said it was a Euro coin for the locker. NOOOOOO! I’m already 10 Euro-cents short of a meal! Oh well. I crammed my souvenirs and stuff into a locker. I almost opted not to get one. Really, which of the other touristas is going to rob me?
Then I put on my “swimming costume” (as the receptionist had told me I needed) and went through from the changing area into a shower area. It had colorful tiles in two sort of half-covered stalls. The were neat.
Then I went through the saloon-style wooden doors into the spa? I don’t know what to call it exactly. I was only sure I’d entered because there was also a door to the men’s changing area. I must have been looking really lost because a man in clothes (as opposed to a swim suit) came over and started to try to speak to me in Espagnol. Ahhh-huh, what?! Englais? Si! Then he proceeded to give me a personal tour of the whole pools area. First was the room we were in. Apparently it was for tea. There were little plastic tea cups with handles and 3 pots of tea. You could have it whenever you wanted, but only in this area. Fine.
Then there was a doorway to the cold pool room. It had one shallow pool in the corner and a bench around the other corner. The walls had colorful tiles and arches near the top.
Then was the hot-pool room. It had an alcove with a drinking fountain and another with a sitting area. The sitting area had a mini-fountain in the center and low benches around the sides. It had a nice arch leading into it. The hot pool was long and thin and had its own corridor. It felt very open even though there was about a foot’s space between the pool and the wall.
Then we came to the warm pool. It had arches along the side between where we stood and the pool. They banked a walkway down a hall to the steam room. It was a bit hazy at the end so I believed the man! There was another hallway with various arches. That, I learned, was the massage area. I wasn’t getting a massage and never explored the area.
Here are some pictures in the brochure. This really is what it looks like. The cover is the hot pool. The next pic is in the massage hallway and the third is the warm pool.
All around the whole pools area, they had really interesting colorful tiles. There were lots of unexpected shapes. I liked the patterns where all of the tiles made sense individually—none of them were just filler. There were star patterns and rounded and divoted squares and triangles that fit perfectly together. The stars were the best because there were logical shapes between the main shapes. The color was really nice— jewel tones.
In various places, there were little fountains. They also had carefully placed lanterns around to add to the mood. They were just like the one I’d gotten except they had glass on the side instead of more metal. I noticed the price tags were still on lots of the candles inside.
One of the best things about the baths was how true to the original it was. I was glad to have been to El Banuelo in the morning to know how well this one matched up. It had the same shaped arches. Also, they had put 8-sided star holes into the ceiling even though they didn’t lead straight to the sky. They also had made some of the ceiling look like a cave. It was a nice touch. The detailing on the arches and such were more elaborate than what I’d seen at El Banuelo, but I have a feeling that has to do with time and wear. I bet El Banuelo also had intricate cutouts on its arches at one point too.
Almost all of my fellow spa-goers were couples. They all clung to each other in the pools. There were also 2 groups of girls—a pair and a trio. They spoke Spanish so I didn’t try to befriend them. There was one group of 3 English-speaking couples. I considered talking to them but their conversations weren’t interesting— my hair is getting wet! Yeah, that happens in pools. I tested out the hot, cold, warm, hot pools and then had tea. It was a nice mint tea. I had a couple of cups before heading back to the warm pool and then the steam room. The steam was so thick I almost had trouble breathing. I laid on the bench because there was enough room and it seemed relaxing. I went back out and visited the pools again. I was surprised how easy the transition was. It wasn’t the same icicle then interior of a teapot that they had in Korean jjimjilbang. This was more humane. It’s also for tourists…
I wondered if the original baths were more extreme. Just as I was about to turn in someone came out and informed us that pool time was over. I was happy about that because then I was SURE I hadn't missed anything. I was first for a rinse in the shower and second to leave the pools. The lady who left before me also left her coin in her locker. It popped back out! I took hers and mine and was pleased to have enough to eat!
I went to a place called Bocatta and had a ham and cheese sandwich. It was horrid, but I ate it and got on the bus and went home to the hotel.
I played on the internet and then my little, Emily, from gamma sigma sigma chatted me. We’d been messaging each other online. She’s in Granada now too! We decided to meet for drinks. I put on my new shirt and asked at the front desk where they nearest ATM was and they told me it was outside the building. Ok… where? I took my card and some of my money back to the hotel. Then I asked about the bus. What time does the bus stop running? 11. Annnnd what time is it now? 11. Thanks so much for your help.
I flagged down a taxi and met Emily on Gran Via near Placa de Isabel Catolica. I was impressed with myself, getting used to the city already. I’ve come to the conclusion that it wasn’t really THAT far to my hotel. I could have been walking into town if I’d been feeling energetic.
Emily and I found eachother and then started walking. We basically picked up exactly where we left off. We’d never been that close, but I felt closer to her now than I did to Tom and Youngja last week even though I’d been close to them for a year!
We had a tough time finding a bar. We did eventually happen on a place. It looked like people were mostly eating, but we had bubbly red wine. It was delish! It came with fried chicken on skewers over a slice of bread each with Bugle chips also scattered on the plate. Odd.
Emily did most of the talking and I was fine with that. We chatted about living abroad, in Spain, especially-- the pros and cons of Spanish life. We like the idea of siesta! She said her friends had been getting OH! Rubio! Over their blonde hair. I haven’t experienced that.
I walked her most of the way home because we were close to where she lived but she didn’t know exactly where it was. I got a taxi when she felt ok. It sped across town. The driver frowned at my 20 and took my spare change instead. I had 4-something, which was only about 20 Euro-cents short. Yes, I know they just call it cents, but I just can’t. I worked a little on this and then got into bed. I kept thinking of things I needed to do. I think changing cities stresses me out more than I realize.
So ornate! Beautiful pictures -- thank you.
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