A whirlwind of a trip- somehow we managed to travel 850 kilometers by car and visit two different cities, all in our 5 day tour of Spain. If we could have extended it, 2 weeks would have been ideal.
After 27 years, I returned to the city where I learned what it meant to live on my own at the ripe age of sixteen. Some memories were in color and vivid, while others took time to surface, and in many ways it felt like I was visiting Granada for the first time.
While only having lived there for 6 months, I realized how much it shaped my life while also prompting a thirst for learning about other cultures and people.
Driving into Granada, we passed down familiar streets- Camino de Ronda, La Gran Via. What landmark would jar my memory and help steer the car to the street where I once lived? I soon realized that just over two days would not be enough to fully explore my roots and memories would take time to unfold.
I returned to what it felt like walking the streets, as this was where I first discovered what it meant to navigate a city by foot. I still remember my Spanish family making fun of my "gotta get there" cadence vs. the Spanish "enjoy the scenery" stroll. The smells of fried calamari, pemonton, and expressive gesturing of the Spaniards awakened my senses. I soon discovered that speaking the language felt like a comfortable worn in pair of blue jeans versus the Yabangi (Turkish word for foreigner) in a country where I've lived now for over a year.
Storefront names were all different, the worn cobblestone streets unchanged, as well as the long paseos for leisurely strolls. One of my favorite memories was passing the time with a book and baguette in the gardens of the Alhambra. Now there's an entrance fee and daily access is restricted, but the grounds haven't changed. Breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the backdrop, well manicured gardens with a maze of medicinal herbs and flowers punctuated the landscape, and the pristine attention to natural beauty from the water funneling in via mountain streams revealed that this too remained protected.
My hope was to find my Spanish family whom I've lost touch with over the years. Visions of being welcomed by their warm embrace and loving,compassionate eyes, and familiarities of the simple, aromatic apartment were in the back of my mind. The girls and Mike have heard countless stories over the years, and even more as we neared Granada on our road trip from Madrid. As logic set in, 27 years felt like a lifetime and an impossibility as far as reclaiming the past. I was soon reminded, the strong sense of intuition, should be trusted.
On day 2 in Granada, we drove down Camino de Ronda once more. The long endless street with nondescript blocks of apartments and meandering one way side streets, what sign would remind me where to turn? Thinking back to my walking legs and the familiar concrete sidewalks, I asked Mike to turn left. Soon I was led to Calle Turina apartment 3. Mike pulled to the curb, and as I walked toward the building a young boy kindly opened the locked entrance and I entered the elevator with another young woman. I explained my quest and she led me to a couple on the third floor who had lived in the complex for years. Still questioning if I was on the right street and apartment building the couple opened the door. They proceeded to explain who had lived in the complex. At the time, I could only recall my sisters names, Ines and Berta. They didn't recognize either name, but did mention Carmen and Juan as well as Beatrice living in the apartment complex for a number of years.
Uncertain, I kindly thanked them and my walking feet led me back to the street. Apprehension and doubt set in, was this the right street? Mike started driving up the side streets, my mind relaxed and the image of the number three in front of the apartment sharpened. Yes, this was where I lived. Yes, Carmen and Juan, while I referred to them as Mama and Papa, these were their names and Berta was referred to as Beatrice by my mama. Aleah, a sorcerer of truth, said mom, you'll regret this if you don't go back in.
Logic set in, my family was restless and tired of driving the streets, maybe this wasn't the right apartment after all, For whatever reason, I made the decision not to go back and see. What I do have that remains is a love and appreciation for the family that took me in for 6 months and for the life I've lived since then. While I would have loved for the girls and Mike to have met them, maybe this was my experience and to make peace with it. I was also left wondering, what pivotal experience(s) will shape my daughter's lives. I'd like to think that's why we uprooted and moved to Istanbul. While this trip took me back to my past, it was also about sharing a place I called home with my family with more experienced eyes.
While this was a reflection of my experience, here is what stood out for the family:
Mike:
-enjoyed our full day tour of Madrid which included dancing, food, a bus trip and an amazing church and palace
-Christa's excitement to return to Granada
- visit to the Alahambra - one of the most beautiful palaces and gardens I have ever seen
- a late afternoon walk up the hillside to view the Alahmbra at night - amazing to see during the sunset and moonrise
-trying the different kinds of paella and sampling various tapas with lots of pork
Sierra's Top 5
The amazing bread in our favorite café that we ate at every morning.
The meat feast, with the many kinds of meat to choose from. Prosciutto is my fav.
I loved the Alhambra,and its beautiful gardens
I loved the amazing shopping just off of our little square in Granada.
Another one of my favorites was the restaurant that we ate at on our last night there; it had phenomenal food that was well deserved from a long days travel.
Aleah's Top 5:
(Now I loved all of the things that we did in Spain but the things down below are the things that I enjoyed the most!)
1. The amazing flamingo dancing that we watched in Granada was fantastic
2. The Alhambra was breath taking, now I know why my mom was in Spain she would always go their to sit in the gardens at the Alhambra and have a relaxing picnic.
3. I really LOVED all of the shopping that we got to do in Granada!
4. I enjoyed walking along all of the little streets in Granada
5. I also LOVED the mouth watering fro yo that we would try to have each night in Granada but we sadly only managed to have it once because all of the other times we tried to get to it it was closed. :(
P.S The fro yo place was called Smooy