It had always been our intention to see the Alhambra and Spain, not the other way round. That was how, in the debate between North and South, Roy and I had arrived at one conclusion: We had to go to Andalusia. In this grand plan, we would go to the Alhambra on the way from Jaen to the Costa del Sol, stopping for a nice lunch at Granada which we heard had the finest tapas scene in all of Spain. But the best-laid plans often go awry. Having made the mistake of booking the Alhambra too late (a month before), we settled on just a nice lunch. Incidentally as it was Monday, most bars and restaurants were closed. After much walking in search of an open bar, our hunger eventually led us to Perla Negra where the atmosphere was friendly and the squid ink croquetas were unforgettable. 

THE ALHAMBRA

On the day we finally went to the Alhambra, we made the one and a half hours drive from the Costa del Sol. We reached at a decent hour of 11 am according to Spaniard standards. It was crowded but beautiful nonetheless and not at all disappointing. We spent three whole hours in the palace, starving the entire time but not willing to leave such a magical palace. By the time we were done, we were faint with hunger and glad that lunch only started at 2 pm. In such sweltering weather, there was nothing better to do than eat indoors. 

TAPAS 

The very first time Roy and I had tapas was in Granada. It was a casual but lavish experience at bars which were decorated to the nines with hand-painted tiles and bottles of wine. We started with Casa Julio where we had delicate pieces of fried crab cakes and battered fish with what I call tomato sauce that’s a notch better than ketchup. Then we moved on to Cisco y Tierra. The waiter didn’t smile much but he would tell you what to eat, specifically the most delicious Spanish mushrooms (a la plancha with salt and olive oil), a dish recommended as there was no more asparagus.