I woke up at 1:00pm having had the opportunity to sleep in from the night before. I got up and talked to Heiko and Antonio as I looked out the window at the perfect day. Heiko said we'd been invited to his friends Benjamin's house in the Albayzín for a picnic lunch and after buying some bread and fruit we walked up from our apartment in the center through the old Arab quarter to his house.
The Albayzín is a true labyrinth of cobblestone steps and white buildings. Behind gates lie lush gardens and fountains of the old palaces with views of the Alhambra. We came to the huge wooden door that is the entrance to Ben's house and he welcomed us into the incredible building. The house was built around an interior garden that had its own fountain and beautiful plants. The roof was open, but they did have a covering for when it rained. The house was more like a hostel as there are 8 people living there in total and they all shared a huge common area and kitchen.
We climbed the 3 flights of stairs with typical granadino decorations until we arrived on the terraza with incredible views of the Alhambra and snow capped Sierra Nevada. We pushed the big wooden tables together and proceeded to have a picnic. Soaking in the sun and basking in the end of final exams and the excitement of a new semester we spent the afternoon enjoying the good food and conversation. Ben told us how he had lived in Israel and had translated old Nazi documents from German into English for the national archives. Federica called and she and her roommate came over as well.
Around 6:00pm we went for tapas and found a local place in one of the burrows of the Albayzín. We stayed for a while and left once it was dark, playing a Spain vs. Germany vs. USA impromptu soccer game with a soccer ball we had found as we made our way back home to the center.
Back home I skyped my family and then went to Boogaclub jazz club for the weekly jam session. Before leaving, Heiko helped me style my hair. The jazz club was perfect end to a great day as everyone was there. Heiko, Nathalie and I left around 3:30 to head back home.
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