Submitted by Riley McAvinue on the 2024 Winter SPAN program in Granada, Spain…
Hola desde Granada!
My name is Riley McAvinue, and I am a senior chemical engineering major with a minor in Spanish at the University of Delaware. My trip to Granada was fueled by my passion to explore, and after just a couple days of being here, I am definitely getting my fill! The first challenge that I faced was the flight. I had never flown by myself before, let alone internationally. Luckily everyone in the airport was super helpful and helped me make sure that my bags and I were always in the right place.
After successfully getting to Granada with all of my cargo in tow, my roommates and I were off to meet our host families. We were greeted at our bus stop by our host mom, Toñi. From the few days we have been here so far, Toñi has been the best host I could’ve asked for! She always asks about our day, asks for our preferences for lunch and dinner, and really just does her best to make us feel like we are at home here in Granada.
After settling in from the airport, my thirst to explore took over. I am a big runner so I figured there was no better way to get acquainted with the city than to go for a jog. I left with no particular destination in mind. After a while, I noticed just how hilly the city was. Endless back alleys constructed with ancient cobblestone winded up the mountains of Granada.
After taking countless turns (and getting hopelessly lost) I stumbled upon a really old looking staircase and I knew I had to see what was at the top. What I didn’t realize was that the top would take about 10 minutes to get to. I climbed, climbed some more, kept climbing, and when I thought I had finished I climbed just a bit more. Eventually, I summited the staircase and what was at the top made the excruciating ~10 minutes of climbing worth it. I had found La Alhambra!
La Alhambra was the final Muslim stronghold during the reconquest of Isabelle and Ferdinand. The fort is breathtaking online, so seeing it in person was out of this world. I talked to a few locals and I found out that it was open to the public. This is where my picture is! I toured around the fort and found a large gathering area. I think it made for a great picture and it holds a story I’ll never forget.
Granada has treated me great so far. I look forward to continuing to explore the city and finding hidden gems that aren’t as well known by tourists. More runs/explorations are imminent. (Submitted on January 11, 2024)