It’s still someone’s neighborhood…

One of the may things I like about traveling to Granada is staying in a neighborhood called the Albayzin. It has small, walking only streets and inviting plazas that offer a place to rest and outdoor tables where you can sit and have a drink or some food. While traveling is a luxury and I know I am very lucky, this space is STILL people’s’ homes. The residence here are very patient with us and are helpful when we need it. It doesn’t change that I try and be very aware of local habit and social norms.

For example, trash should be taken out at night. The trash trucks come in the middle of the night and no one wants to smell the garbage all day. The roads are narrow. You are expected to step out of the way when cars are coming. I bring my own bags to the grocery store to hopefully minimize my garbage. I think this is one of the best things about being allowed to join a neighborhood, the effort SHOULD be mine. It makes me feel a little better about the impact of tourism here.... and there is a lot of that!

One of the quirkier things about the neighborhood is the ritual of leaving clothes on certain corners. I have many times on the way out of town left clothes that I knew wouldn’t be used on my next stops. Yesterday, I picked up a sweater and am wearing it today. On the way out, I will leave it. While I have a few more days here, I am already a bit sad about leaving. Maybe I can find a way to borrow a bit of the Granada magic and bring it home with me ❤️