Granada

Today I visit the Alhambra.

I'm up early to get a ticket. One has the impression that the tickets are kept deliberately scarce - in the internet, these are sold out weeks before - obviously to get the people on guided tours, which are several times more expensive than a normal ticket.

I am queueing quite a long time. A French woman, who is in front of me, gets us a coffee. It's too early for both of us. You need quite a while to understand how it works with the tickets. There are tickets valid for the morning or the afternoon. There are only certain contingents and you do not really know if you even get a ticket, if you are actually through the long line. I'm standing in the queue for already about 1.5 hours. Then I get the information from some Japanese tourists, that there are ticket vending machines, from which one can get tickets with a credit card. The French woman agrees to stay as a placeholder for me and I'm going to look for the ticket machines which are hidden in the far corner. I can get a ticket for the same day for the afternoon. But you have to note that you will only be admitted to the Naṣride Palace at the time indicated on the ticket.

Now I have some spare time until afternoon and can return to the accommodation and take a break.

At noon I walk to the Alhambra. And actually, my memories from 40 years ago come back somehow. Some of the buildings seem quite familiar. I take a lot of time with the visit and enjoy this day very much.