Alhambra

In the line to one of the three or four open cashiers to the palace Alhambra in Granada we begun to realize that the maximum amount of people allowed in the palace was reached. A 4000 km long journey ending in front of a glass window with a slight glimpse of the palace!? With a bit sorrow we got tickets for the garden anyway. During the walk up in to the park we kept on talking about how sad it was, and that we had no idea that the allowed amount of visitors was reached before noon in October. I mean, it's low season now! Now, afterwards, I have heard that you have to order tickets at least two months ahead! However, during the walk a guy approaches me and says: I have two tickets, you can have them if you want! I was stunned, such things doesn't happen, is it a fraud? How much shall I pay him without loosing too much if it's a sting? All this went through my head and I must have looked stupid because he repeated himself and added: You can have them if you want, I had an appointment for the show at one thirty but I can't go. No, I don't want any money, hope you will enjoy! I tried to express our gratitude, and that he had made our day, even more, but you know how it is to find the right words. I want to thank him again because we had such joy of the tour and it would have been almost a tragedy if we missed it! The tour starts at one thirty, so you better hurry was his last words when we departed!		OK, Lets hurry, it seems to be a bit to go! When we arrived after having passed through a park and some excavations to a square in front of King Carlos Palace, I asked an official just standing there all alone, like if in case we would have a question to ask him! I thought it was best to be honest from the beginning, so I told him almost the story I have told you this far, including my thoughts if the tickets were genuine, and he only smiled and said: No problem, everything is OK, but we better hurry, follow me! Then he took us pass three different lines with tourists waiting, talking to other officials that opened gates for us, finally he left us at the last gate with a smile, and just evaporated! We didn't get time to say thank you! We seems to have met the only English speaking official too, because from now on it was body language that ruled. We realized that Henrik needed a ticket to, by security reasons as I understood, so they took mine and went in behind a door and soon I heard the Xerox running. I filled out a short form with name, address and country, and Henrik had his ticket too, and the lady with the bar code reader was happy. Everybody's happy! And we knew exactly how many visitors that was inside the palace this time! Our entrance to the Alhambra Palace was truly an event in itself! From the meeting with that first tourist that I don't know if he was Spanish, or a foreigner, to the staff members at the Alhambra Palace that with few words and big smiles arranged so we could get inside the palace in time, I can only say: You not only saved our day, you gave us a memory for life! Our warmest Thank You!