If “work hard; rest hard” isn’t already a slogan for some company, it should be. It was certainly the slogan of our in-service week for teachers at school. For two days, we pressed through meetings, cleaning, and other end-of-year tasks knowing that the we would be at the beach soon.

On our second morning in Granada, our group divided to see various sites, and I trekked back up a huge hill to the Alhambra with hopes to visit the gardens again.  In the end, I wasn’t able to go back into the garden, so I heeded the advice of a local and went to Carmen de los Martires.

Based on the Google description of this Spanish home, I wasn’t expecting much.  To my surprise, however, the estate was dreamy.  I hiked to the top of a hill where I could see all of Granada, and I also ventured down to the house with a pretty orchard and garden.

Exploring the gardens of Granada, my mind considered the promise of Heaven. Granada is almost indescribable; the pictures do not do it justice. Yet, I know that it is nothing compared to being in the presence of God in Heaven. Earth is hardly a glimpse of what awaits us.

When we were in Segovia a few weeks ago, one of my coworkers raved about her time in Granada, urging all of us to visit. At first, I thought that she was talking about the island of Grenada in the Caribbean, but I quickly realized that she was talking about a location in Spain that I’d never heard of — Granada.

Within a few days, six of us had booked bus tickets for Granada. We did some quick research and discovered that we should visit the Alhambra, a Muslim fortress from the 1300s.

As an English teacher, I was happy to learn that Washington Irving published a book called Tales from the Alhambra, describing his time here. In the book, he writes that Granada is “a most picturesque and beautiful city, situated in one of the loveliest landscapes that I have ever seen.” After spending a few days roaming the narrow cobblestone streets, I agree with Irving. In his words, “There is something, too, in the sternly simple features of the Spanish landscape, that impresses on the soul a feeling of sublimity.” 

Sometimes the most adventurous (yet relaxing) days are the days that start with no plans. On Saturday, I journeyed into the city of Madrid, even though I didn’t have any real purpose for my trip. These photos tell the story of my day, which included a peak into the national library, a snack at Honest Greens, daydreaming at the waterfront in Parque de El Retiro, wandering inside the Palacio de Cristal, and stumbling upon an incredible rose garden (where I couldn’t actually smell the roses because I was wearing a mask).

My six friends and I were scattered through the crowded train.  I could see Y’s foot tapping impatiently as the train paused for too long at a station.  If all trains stayed on schedule, we would have only 5 minutes to get off this train, race through the Chamartin train station to another terminal, go through additional security, scan our tickets, and board the next train for Segovia.  Five minutes would be a rush, but we could do it… if this train arrived at Chamartin on time.

Teachers and students often say that the period between winter break and spring break feels like an eternity. When the leadership team at our school created the calendar for the 2020-2021 academic year, they decided to make February 27 through March 1 a three-day weekend to provide some respite.

Thankfully, the COVID restrictions have lifted a little, and we are now allowed to leave our town. During the long weekend, I visited the two royal palaces in Madrid and Aranjuez.