running away to the mountains

i lift my eyes up to the mountains, where does my help come from?

my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

(Psalm 121)

this weekend i escaped to the mountains. i needed space and nature and height and openess... things distinctly lacking in Sevilla!

I caught a lift with a friend to Granada where i stayed the night (i didn't see the sights... but will save that for another time... everyone speaks well of Granada!) in a friend's flat - who seems to be havin much more of the stereotypical "erasmus" experience... actually felt kind of jealous!

Then on saturday after a night of no sleep (not quite what i had planned!) i went up to Sierra Nevada, a mountain range half an hour from Granada where people go to ski and snowboard. Of these two activities i have done neither, but again am leaving them for when i have more time. Instead i walked and walked and walked, surviving sleep deprivation with prayer, coffee and many many biscuits! I found out at the end of the day i probably could have used the ski-lifts for free (gutted!) but as it was after 3 hours or so i reached the snow - up above the hotels and random athletics track!

The views there were worth all the hassles before. totally worth it. as i sat at a cafe drinking coffee, listening to music, in the sun with mountains on one side and a snowy slope on the other full of families sledging i felt.... yes. this is why i came.

I've never been anywhere with "proper" snow before. It was funny how just like they would by a beach or a lake or whatever, families drove up there with picnics and music playing out their cars and instead of swimming or playing football they were sledging and throwing snowballs! It would have been nice to go with friends, but at same time it was good to have time to think and pray and take many many photos! :o)