Reflections on Spain

Reflections:
I loved Spain, more specifically, I loved Granada (Malaga was disappointing). I learned to enjoy and expect the siesta break, although I seldom rested. I quickly learned to relish the tapas bar-hopping scene. Futbol is important there, need I say more? The Arab influence is more prominent there than in Malaga or in Portugal. Realizing that I have a significant blind spot, Granada is a prosperous and hip college town, Spanish (with Arab overtones), with wonderful weather, surrounded by mountains to the north and the sea to the south. I could go on and on (and probably will), but there are a few negatives: many walls are covered with graffiti, the narrow streets are dangerous for pedestrians, the cost of living seems high (except beer and public transportation).
Other:
Camping was a total bust. Worse than that, my pack was prohibitively heavy. I would have done much more hiking, if I had planned for a 20-pound pack and hostels. This another lesson that I seem to have to relearn and relearn, but I wish I had picked fewer destinations, gone to them and stayed (I believe that I spent 1/3 of my waking hours on buss/trains).

Lest these comments sound overly negative, this trip was a wonderful, action packed, life-altering experience, that will have ripple effects for years. The high point was sharing this experience with Hannah.