there's a band outside my balcony!

so yesterday after i left here (the internet place, that is) the sky was very gray and dark. there was some thunder rumbling. i made a quick phone call to my hostel in sevilla and just as i was finishing the sky opened up and it began to pour. i rushed to the nearest shop and stood under the awning, thinking it would be over soon. (we had a rain shower in madrid, it only lasted from the time i entered the metro to the time i left it). well, i stood there for almost 40 minutes. and it was really pouring, and there was lightening, and HAIL.

after it stopped i walked around some more, *carefully* - flip flops are slippery on stone sidewalks. poked in some shops and had an early dinner (by spanish standards, it was about 6:30pm). after my early train i decided i would have a relaxing evening in.

so i stretched out and read and wrote and as i was people watching out my balcony i noticed a gaggle of teens carrying instruments. they set up in the plaza right below my balcony and proceeded to play for nearly 2 hours. it was fabulous - sort of marching band/pep band style tunes, and some singing (you know how those spanish are, can't help themselves). so i got some major people watching in as well as live entertainment. until the policia shut them down.

today i visited the alhambra, a moorish palace/fort atop a large hill here in granada. it was magnificently beautiful, filled with gorgeous tile work and carvings in stone, wood, and plaster. i took so many pictures, as i couldn't possibly describe it well enough. there was also a great view of all of granada.

i had lunch at a "french" cafe (not like it didn't serve the normal spanish things, but it also had french style foods). very good, and a welcome break. the jury is still out on spanish food, i have some likes, but as a whole it's not that appealing (and that's saying something, for me to say that). well, my time is about to run out here, tomorrow i'll be on my way to sevilla!