It was interesting riding out of Cartagena taking the high road to Granada. The countryside close to the hills was really poor is places but in other places there were heaps of fruit trees. Obviously poor soil in patches but every spot that could be used was growing something.
As we’d selected No freeways the ride took us up and over the mountains and down through rocky hilly country which Ron described as Spaghetti Western country. The houses were sparse and really basic. There were also lots of abandoned houses as the countryside was pretty rocky. The Satnav was having problems and when we reached a road with a fork with the same road number on each fork we of course took the wrong one. This fork took us further into spaghetti western country with yellow clay soils, rolling plains surrounded by hill and tiny little villages. It was nice country to ride in with a picture opportunity at every rise in the road. Eventually we got back on track and stopped off at Lomas for a coffee and a recalculation.
Almost as soon as we headed off again the Satnav got us going the wrong way but we got back on course by taking a short cut through a dry creek bed and the wrong way down a one way street. The road west took us through white clay country, with lots of quarries, fields in fallow and pig farms. It was also interesting country and it led into countryside where the locals had carved homes into the hillsides or at least built them to get protection from the wind.
It was quite chilly with snow on the mountains surrounding us. As we reached the hills overlooking Granada there were lots of homes in the hills, which we’ve been told are the homes of alternative people (hippies) who live for free in the hills. It looks really interesting. Granada had lots of cobble streets and being an old Muslim city most of the streets in the centre are no wider than one vehicle so there’s a crazy one way system. Eventually we found our hostel but as there were building works we had to ride the wrong way up the street to get to it. The owner kindly put our motorcycle in the shed and showed us to our room. It was a really nice room with an ensuite for a really good price.
The city was quite busy as we walked around to get our bearings and look for something for tea.
As we’d eaten quite late we opted for a dinner of bread, cheese, chorizo and ham.
Tomorrow we head up to Alhambra.