Granada in March Day 6 Dobla D'Or and Cathedral

We find a church service at 9 o'clock in a handy position for visiting the various Doble D'or sites which are free on Sundays afterwards. Except, as is often the case with times and opening hours found on the Internet for churches in Andalucía what is promised bears no relationship to reality. The church is firmly closed.

It's also close to the Archeological museum so we decide to go in there to spend the spare hour. In about 8 minutes we are already out, even taking it slowly. The museum may have interesting exhibits but there certainly aren't many of them!

We settle for another wander up and around Albaicin, and perhaps it's the splendid early morning light and acceptable temperature or the fact that there's nobody around, just sun and birdsong, we like it a lot more.

By about 10 and after studying the map and still having to ask for directions twice we manage to find the well-hidden entrance to Palacio Dar-alhorra. There are a few other people waiting too and wait we do until nearly twenty past ten when they decide to let us in. The Palacio turns out to be worth the wait, it was the residence of Aixa, Boabdil's mother and has many of the architectural elements which can be found in the Nasrid Palaces, from the pleasant patio with fountain to the arches with elaborate plasterwork.

Next stop is Casa de Zafra, another typical building on the same lines but with a more simple style and some panels about the Albaicin. Just below, on the Paseo del Darro, we find the Banuelos, or Arab baths which have been simply restored and make a pleasant if short visit since there's no background information provided.

Casa Horno d'oro is another house of the Dobla D'or route but is much more simple than the others. The final stop is Casa Chapiz of which we can visit the two patios, the outside one is particularly pretty, and the gardens behind provide an excellent viewpoint for more photos of the Alhambra.

Before heading home for lunch we go to see the Ecomercado in the centre. Today is Día sin coche in Granada and there is a market of craft stalls and eco items in the centre. On the way, as we walk through Plaza Nueva there is a man walking along the street totally naked which doesn't seem to cause the commotion one might expect. Later I discover on the Internet that the hombre desnudo is a local businessman who occasionally takes to the streets with no clothes to call attention to world peace and believes his actions should bother no-one. I admit to being not at all bothered even if rather surprised...........

The market is quite small and we don't see anything enticing so take a different route back to base where I cook Solomillo al Pedro Jiménez with some success. 

We are soon out again because we have the free visit to the cathedral at 15.15. It is bitterly cold in the cathedral compared to the balmy afternoon temperatures outside. The cathedral is massive and full of light, mainly painted white with enormous cross shaped pillars except for the side chapels and Main altar which is striking for its colour and gold. The two organs which are placed where the choir is usually to be found in Spanish churches are also dramatic.

 Our free visit also includes audioguides and it's an interesting hour or so, although if I had to choose between the Royal Chapel and the cathedral I would choose the former.

It's so cold inside that it's a relief to be out in the warm again. We wander around the Calderia area where there are small Moroccan style shops and teterías but it's Sunday afternoon so very busy.

After a short stop at the apartment to leave the extra clothes we had fortunately thought to take for the cathedral we venture out again to go up to the Mirador San Nicolas for the sunset. 

Once again too many people, and the sun of course sets across the city so the effect is of red light on the red Alhambra. We stay for a while at a different view point, once again a lot of people so head back down to the Realejo to try a Caña and tapas in a place I've found on TripAdvisor. Surprise, surprise the official opening times on the website must be wrong because the place is decidedly closed.

Back at the apartment we feast more than satisfactorily on local artichokes, asparagus and cheese followed by avocados and strawberries, no complaints and no opening times to worry about, we relax.