So far I had only travelled either by train or by bus, but this time I booked a BlaBlaCar. This was quite a common way to travel in Europe and I found it to be the most economical and fun. I left Cartagena around 2 PM and started my journey towards Almería, another coastal city in the Andalusia region.

We crossed a lot of mountains along the way. The sun was really bright and it must have been above 20 degrees throughout the way. I imagined what it must be like here during the summer. We made a stop at a gas station along the way. I noticed that as we moved towards the south there was a difference in the architecture (e.g. the windows, pillars). There were the remnants from the Moorish period.

This journey lasted for only about 2 hours, so I had more time to explore Almería. The first thing I noticed was how clean this city was. Almost each road had a biking lane and the whole city had a very ‘cozy’ feel to it.

It was now late afternoon and the temperature was 23°C. I walked towards the Airbnb but made a stop at the beach first. This city was famous for its spectacular beaches and is also quite a popular tourist attraction during the summer, evident from the number of Airbnbs in this region.

A place which I really wanted to visit was the Alcazaba, which was a fortress built in the 10th century by Abd ar-Rahman III who was the Caliph of Córdoba during the Moorish rule of Spain. The city of Almería was founded by him who gave it the name “al-Mariyyah”, meaning “the Watchtower”.

It was now 5 PM and I had to hurry if I was to reach there on time.

I managed to visit the fortress just before its closing time. The whole site was in an excellent condition and gave a nice view of the city.

I saw a huge swarm of birds as the Sun was setting down.

Outside the fortress there was a statue of its founder.

I now crossed the narrow alleys and made my way to the city centre. The Christmas lights in this city were quite unique and mesmerising.

Just around the corner from this place I found a minerals and fossils shop. It was run by a kind old man who invited me inside his shop and showed me his collection of rocks which he had collected from all around the world. He also sold medieval-looking figurines and necklaces.

It was now 7 PM and I quickly looked around the hustling shops and then made my way to a nearby mountain which had a statue of Jesus.

I walked up through dingy alleys and climbed to the top. From up there I could basically see the entire city.

It was now time for dinner, but I made a quick stop to the central market first. It was located in a large underground hall filled with food stuff.

This section sold live fish but was now closed.

I went to a Moroccan restaurant for dinner and had a delicious Tajine.

It was now dark and I made my way back to the Airbnb.

The next morning I got up very early and went for a run at the beach and to watch the sunrise. The water was very calm and the beach was mostly deserted except for a few people taking their dogs for a stroll.

I was now headed for Granada.