Wow wow wow I am in love with Granada!!!!

Darlings, I am in love! Granada is phenomenal!!! I arrived here earlier today and after a brief scare with my luggage, I made it to the hostel. Makuto is located in the middle of a labyrinth, and I am not joking! The tiny, stone paved streets are large enough to allow one minibus to pass. If one person and one minibus try to get by, one has to give the right of way to the other. I had to drag my luggage down numerous stone stairs, but somehow I survived the ordeal :) I am in what used to be the old Moorish quarter of Granada, which a few years ago UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site. I started my day relaxing in a hammock, as the unbearable heat had completely drained my body of energy. Then I had tea with my new Japanese friend Miho, in the gorgeous Arabic tent that lies in the center of the courtyard. I tried to figure out my wireless Internet connection, but after a few unsuccessful attempts I gave up and instead decided to wander a bit through Albayzin (the Arabic neighborhood) with Miho. We knew that no matter what street we took, it had to be slanted downwards in order to reach the center of the city. We made our way through the maze of streets, tea shops and Morroccan shops to finally arrive in Calle de los Reyes Catolicos. We felt relieved :) The first item on the agenda included a visit to the Capilla Real, where the former Spanish kings Ferdinand de Aragon y Isabella de Castilla are burried. They were the first to unite the Spanish territories into one political entity and to add Granada to the Kingdom of Castile. The cathedral is breathtaking, and so are the massive marble tombs and underground crypt. Following the visit to the royal chapel, we visited an exhibition of religious sculptures produced by the Spanish artist Antonio Campillo. The items presented are part of several private collections, so it was a rare occasion to be able to admire Campillo´s art. At 8:30pm, the Ave Maria band and choire presented a Paso Doble concert dedicated to the Day of the Elderly which is celebrated in Spain today. Held in a spacious plaza embracing Granada´s cathedral, the performance left me breathless! It was definitely the most beautiful experience I have lived in Spain so far! Once the concert ended, I walked back to Albayzin, in search of the Mirador of San Nicolas, which offers a spectacular night view of Alhambra. Miho had left the concert early because she was exhausted, so I found myself trying to figure out the maze of streets at night and with little light. After one hour of walking which should have really taken 10 minutes, I finally arrived at the Mirador. Tens of young people had gathered to enjoy the view of the Moorish palace. There were many hippy guys and girls with long, braided hair, some of them appeared to be Jamaican but I cannot be sure. The smell of Marijuana was omnipresent and it almost made me dizzy. Guitars were playing everywhere, and I loved the atmosphere just because I felt in another world. No one seemed to have any worries, they were living life at the fullest. After another half hour spent in the labyrinth, I arrived back at the hostel. I am exhausted and I am going to sleep. I share a room with 3 hippy Italian guys, this will be quite a night. I hope they are already asleep :) What can I say... the life of a poor student having to live in hostels! I´ll survive, no worries! Tomorrow.... Alhambra!!!!! All my love!