Ups and downs

It's been a mixed 24 hours. First, when starting last night to look at our plans for Granada, it seemed like my (long-held) dream of visiting the Alhambra was going to be dashed - no tickets available for days. Then we heard the terrible news about Paris. And this evening, poor Kevin is sitting with his arm in a homemade sling after damaging his elbow this evening lifting the buggy off the bus at a funny angle (he thought I had the other side, I thought he was doing it on his own). It's bad enough to need a trip to the doctor tomorrow (possible ligament damage) so we'll have to see what happens. I may be driving us the rest of the way...

But there is also the up-side. Kevin researched a way around the ticket problem (the Granada Pass, which gives you entry to all the monuments, including the Alhambra). So we got up, headed for Granada, and went straight to the Science Museum this morning to get our Passes. Then after finding a campsite close to the centre (after one abortive trip a bit too far out), we got the bus into the city.

And the other up-side: Granada is great. Lively, humming with people enjoying the Saturday sunshine in parks and cafes; lovely little bars and restaurants; gorgeous garden squares; and of course all the beautiful architecture: from the white, winding streets of the Old Town, to the ornate, elegant drama of the 16th century Cathedral, and the pink-gold Alhambra overseeing it all. Jemima fell asleep in her buggy on the bus so Kevin and I had a peaceful wander through the streets, a delicious iberico ham sandwich on the steps of the Cathedral, and looked inside, free with our Pass. Then we woke Jemima up for a ride on the tourist train all around the city - an easy and entertaining way to get our bearings, if rattly and at times a bit hair-raisingly tight down narrow roads. A quick go in the playpark, then back to our Granadan wandering, which took in: a 9 piece busking salsa band (Jemima had a fun boogie with another toddler boy); some delicious chocolate and churros along with, it seemed, the rest of Granada; a street clown (who got Kevin involved, which he handled impeccably, and on whom Jemima opined, "he's not very good"); and lastly a ride for Jemima on an eco-carrousel powered by a man on a bike. And we even found the bus back home without too much trouble. A lovely time, only sadly marred by Kevin's injury. We'll have to see what the Spanish medical system says tomorrow before any more Granadan fun.