Comida, cultura, lengua y viajes — Food, culture, language, and travel!

This past weekend I took a trip to the Sierra Nevada ('Snowy mountain range' in Spanish - more etymology below*), a popular destination near Granada that attracts people year round. The forty-five minute drive snakes along perilous cliffs, and the shoulders of the road slowly transform from dirt to mud; from unattractive brown slush, to feet of pure white snow. As it turns out, a lot of other people had the same weekend plans: the parking lot was full at the top, so there was a line of parked cars snaking down the curved highway for a solid mile. We walked up the road, and made a shortcut along an icy path that led to the masses of people sledding and exploring the snow-topped Sierra Nevada. It was surprising to me to see the number of people who drive all the way up into the mountains to go sledding and spend the day in the snow, but then I come to think of the fact that I take for granted that where I'm from, snow is always on the ground in the winter months, but here, the snow rarely reached below this altitude.

This was just one of the many recreation areas in the mountains. There is always something to do in the Sierra Nevada regardless of the season. Hiking trails snake the terrain, ski resorts for those interested in alpine sports, and there are even university research stations for students to stay overnight. There is also a monument to the Virgen de las Nieves, the patron saint of the Sierra Nevada who reputedly appeared during a snow storm to guide lost travelers to safety. Overall, it was a great day to experience one of the best-known winter destinations in Andalucía.

*Sierra Nevada translates literally as "snowy mountains," from sierra "a range of hills," 1610s, from Spanish sierra "jagged mountain range," lit. "saw," from Latin serra "a saw"; and from the feminine form of the Spanish nevado, meaning "snowy."1

Click for a larger panorama view

La Virgen de las Nieves, patron saint of the Sierra Nevada

Close-up shot of the Ntra. Sra. de las Nieves, by Francisco López Burgos