Sunday 9th September 2018
Sacromonte : Monastery of San Jeronimo : Basilica San Juan de Dios
Further research early this morning showed that we did not see San Jeronimo yesterday; not even that sneaky peak! The church that we saw with the striking high altar is actually the Basilica San Juan de Dios. Furthermore San Jeronimo is actually a monastery not a church! So these two religious buildings are on our list for later today which is our last full day in Granada.
First of all we are going to the Sacromonte district. This area apparently has cave dwellings where gypsies once resided. There is also an abbey which is another of the recommendations from the Granada Pass; while this is not high on our list, we do want to visit the general area.
The bus journey took us steeply upwards and gave us fabulous views of the amazing Alhambra. The surrounding scenery was pretty with many green terraces cut into the land.
The bus driver dropped us off and pointed us in the direction of a cave museum but we decided to continue up the hill to Sacromonte Abbey.
We passed an old building, now a coffee shop (unfortunately closed); its interesting exterior was decorated with colourful ceramic plates and other paraphernalia.
After a while we reached Sacromonte Abbey, which was set in tranquil surroundings. Walking around the periphery of the 17th century building we noticed a lot of damage on one of the upper floors, possibly caused by fire.
The only way to visit the interior was with a guided tour, as the first one was not due to start for another hour or so, we decided to head back down the hill.
Once again we popped our heads into the cathedral but a mass was taking place. A security guard was admitting a few worshippers into the otherwise cordoned off area.
We continued to the Basilica San Juan de Dios, only to find that its gates were padlocked. The current information on the website led us to believe it would be open! A notice advised that the entrance was further along the street. At that doorway, a further notice advised opening hours 4-7pm. Oh well, we will find somewhere open!
Finally we located the Monastery of San Jeronimo. We flashed our Granada Pass and were permitted entrance; we briefly saw a nun speaking with someone through a tiny sliding panel on a wooden door. The place was very plain and bare. The refectory had only wooden benches. I knew there was a reason that I had scribbled ‘deffo’ on our list of ‘must sees’ – perhaps an ornate ceiling. Continuing to walk around, we entered each doorway in turn, eventually going into the church. And there it was, the reason we had definitely wanted to visit this place, a stunningly ornate chancel, a curved decorated ceiling, colourful paintings on stone pillars and one or two brightly coloured stained glass windows. It was incredible and so interesting. This was a stark contrast from the austere monastic quarters we had seen.
Built in the 1500’s, this monastery’s church is apparently quite famous for its beauty. There were just half a dozen or so of us in the church and everyone was silent, sitting or quietly wandering around. Suddenly, an extremely loud Spanish male voice erupted, interrupting the quietness. Everyone immediately stopped and looked in the direction of the voice. On the balcony a guide had taken a small group and he was loudly shouting out information completely shattering the serenity of the place.
I enquired at the entrance if we were also permitted onto the balcony and was told that it was only possible once a week with the guided tour which was only available in Spanish.
Leaving the monastery, we wandered to a nearby small square and sat outside at a small cafe. I decided to try a vaso de leche, thinking that it would perhaps be a latte in a tall glass, although immediately after I had asked for it , I said to Dave ‘perhaps it may just be a glass of milk’. When my mug of hot milk arrived, I explained my mistake and the kind waitress quickly brought me a coffee to add to my milk.
We noticed a man moving from table to table asking for money, he was carrying a heavy looking rucksack with a ginger cat strapped to the top of it!
Another man was sat in the doorway of a church asking passersby for cash.
Setting off again we made our way to Bar Leon, a tapas bar that had opened in 1959 and was recommended on the internet. We ordered a couple of drinks and received a tapas of paella which we ate stood at the bar. The barman was dressed smartly in a white shirt and bow tie.
After wandering around some more and enjoying the city’s architecture, the sky darkened quite suddenly. The forecast was for rain again so we decided to stop for lunch. Seated at the bar on tall wooden stools with hams hanging on hooks above us we shared a Spanish omelette and a ‘meat & sauce’ tapas.
Later in the day we went once more to the Basilica San Juan de Dios. After paying our 4euro admittance fee, we were each handed an electronic guide and pointed in the direction of a rectangular room that had old heavy furniture, heavily framed paintings and an impressive painted ceiling. We both quickly decided not to listen to the automated guide (even though it was a nice male voice!) but to just press the appropriate button when we required information.
Dave and I were astonished at where the next doorway led us. We had entered through the door that the priest enters, therefore the gold ornate chancel was above us and to the side of us, and the altar table was in front of us, as were the steps leading down into the nave where the congregation would gather. The scene was breathtaking and extremely ornate.
We walked through the church admiring the magnificent ceiling, the heavy gold framed works of art and the lavish gold chancel. Then we entered a doorway at the side of the altar, this led us to a stairway decorated with murals and framed painting of priests. The stairs took us to a balcony at the side of and overlooking the chancel; a part of the church where, usually I imagine no one gets to wander around freely. The route then took us higher to behind the altar. I was speechless! How come general visitors are allowed here? It was all remarkably interesting but there was no guide with us and as far as we were aware there were only two young female members of staff on duty.
There were of course many sacred and valuable objects throughout the basilica.
High above the nave and behind the gold chancel there were skulls in glass cases, each one was named and had a photograph of who the skull belonged to. I confess to finding it all a little eerie.
We left the basilica and headed for the cathedral which once again we found closed.
We caught the bus up to the Mirador de San Nicholas and went to the bar with the panoramic view of the Alhambra. This being our last evening in the city we want to take the opportunity to see again the melange of buildings that make up the magnificent Alhambra and the adjoining Generalife.
The Alhambra is the main reason that we are exploring Andalusia as it is somewhere that I have always wished to visit.
The sky is dark, the forecast storm still threatening. We take more photographs, zooming in and out, taking different angles and sections of this amazing complex of buildings.
Having visited the Alhambra since we sat here two evenings ago, we now know which part is the Nasrid Palace, the Generalife etc.
I went down to the lower level of the bar cum restaurant and took some more shots; somehow the scene appeared to be a little nearer…
Eventually I had to pull myself away and we headed back down the narrow streets on one of the small city buses. There was only a couple of centimetres clearance between the wing mirrors and some of the streets’ walls.
I soon realised that I was getting wet, the bus’s aircon unit was pouring out water. The young couple in front of us were getting wet too. The guy said ‘it is raining cats and dogs’; he was of Moroccan descent and had lived in Andalusia for the past fourteen years. We smiled at his use of the English saying and told him that in Greece we say ‘βρέχει καρεκλαπόδαρα’ which translates literally as ‘it’s raining chair legs’. We mentioned that Morocco was also on our ‘bucket list’, ‘you are very welcome’ he responded, smiling.
Once back in the centre of the city we started to look for somewhere for our evening meal. All the big stores are closed here in Granada as it is Sunday, a considerable number of bars and restaurants are too but there are still plenty to choose from.
We soon chose a small cosy restaurant and ordered a traditional boneless lamb dish in a tomato sauce. It resembled meatloaf but it was lean lamb tightly compacted together, the sauce was a little on the sweet side. We also decided on iberico shoulder of pork and a bottle of Rioja. As often happens, we ended up sharing both dishes (and the wine of course!) and we both agreed they were very tasty.
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