Mi Barrio (My Neighborhood)

My next blog assignment is to describe my neighborhood in Granada. This includes a 3-4 block radius around my apartment.

There is a beautiful plaza near my apartment named Plaza Gracia. This plaza satisfies all the neighborhood needs - there is a pharmacy, pescaderia (fish market), cafes, restaurants, discoteca, and more!

The Pharmacy

Here is one of the many discotecas of Granada, Campus (which I get in free with my student ID!). In this picture it is closed since it is daytime, but at night it is very lively.

The plaza is surrounded my several cafes and restaurants that have outdoor seating for customers. My favorite thing to order at a cafe is churros con chocolate. The best part: it is acceptable to drink the chocolate!

Since most people that live in the city live in apartments, most families have no yard for children to gather and play. In the plaza there is an area dedicated as the playground.

As I walk away from the plaza and toward my apartment, the streets remind me of Ann Arbor, but more specialty stores that appeal to families and adults of Spain.

A side street off the plaza has an Indian restaurant, Muglia. This is the first restaurant that I have gone to since my host mom cooks delicious meals every day that are included in my program fee. My friends and family have asked, "Why would you go to an Indian restaurant while you're in Spain?" Which does seem like a valid question, but at the same time, I eat Spanish food 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, and so do the native Spaniards! There are not many "Spanish" restaurants in Granada because when people eat out for a meal, they want to eat something different. Needless to say, the Indian food in Spain is delicious!

Ana Pilar is a perfumaria, a store that sells solely perfume and cleaning products (weird combination to an American.) I like to joke that this store belongs to my host mom because her name is Pilar and her best friend is Ana.

Pizza & Kabob is exactly what it sounds like --  it sells pizza and kabobs (but the kabobs they sell is similar to a gyro). Delicious, cheap snack.

My favorite store of Spain (besides Zara) would be the equivalent of an Asian Dollar Store. This store has absolutely EVERYTHING!!! It has shaving cream, bathing suits, crafts supplies, halloween costumes, board games... seriously EVERYTHING! Which has come in handy for myself and classmates that forgot to pack essential toiletries (...deodorant and toothpaste).

Lastly, here is the locked door to my apartment complex. I hope to post pictures to show pictures of my apartment later.

With Love From Granada,

Lia <3