Córdoba

It is my birthday and has been an excellent day, and it hasn’t finished yet. We met Omnia for a leisurely breakfast around 8.30 in the little bakery attached to, but not part of, the hotel. Then we set off walking, via the tourist info which gave us a better map, and we discovered that our Mesquita tickets also qualify us for entrance to many churches dotted around the town. And it doesn’t have to be today…perfect.

There are many little narrow streets, and flowers and courtyards, so pretty. We wandered down to the river, and walked over the Roman bridge and up the tower at the end, which is a museum plus a lovely view from the not very high top. We then walked through the old Jewish area, which was quite crowded - round the bridge, the Jewish quarter, the Mesquita and the alcazar is where the hordes go, but still not quite as confronting as Seville and Granada. And the weather remains kind - the same cool to start, and never getting too hot…

Stopped for refreshments- croquetas - this time with prawn and spinach - and then went to the Mesquita for our 2pm time slot…we had bought tickets online, but of course found out today that for this we could have got them on the spot!! Oh well…it was easy. And very popular…many many people, but this is such a vast area it doesn’t feel too crowded. It was built as a huge mosque in 788 AD with many columns, and when the Christians overthrew the Arabs they turned it into a huge cathedral in the 1200s. It is an extraordinary building, with the columns and lamps like a mosque, then you find a gothic cathedral structure all amongst it. Fortunately they kept a lot the beautiful Islamic decoration…it is a huge area, and there are chapels all around the edge. It is hard to describe, and impossible to take photos that capture the whole, but of course we all attempt to.

After that, Omnia had her own wander looking at the very interesting shops and streets, and we did our own wander, ending up with downtime back at hotel. Getting ready for birthday evening!

…Now just, and it’s after 11..late! But we had a remarkable evening. First we went to the concert we had seen a notice about at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica - featuring saxophonists. So we thought might be fun…it was free, and obviously was students practising their performing… but they were good…it went for a little over an hour, and at first I was happy, but not enthralled, but then it pepped up, and they did a version of the Tchaikovsky serenade for strings arranged for 11 saxophones, some Manuel de Falla ending with the ritual fire dance, and an encore of a Brahms Hungarian dance!! Didn’t think I’d ever hear them played by saxophonists! They were good, and got riotous applause from (I think) fellow students…Amr took a short video of the encore - (not forbidden at this sort of concert!) it isn’t in focus, but you can get a sense of the fun!

Then we went to a restaurant where we had booked for 9.30. Really good…not posh, but obviously popular and delicious food. At that hour it was still busy, but tourists had left by then…more people walked in after us…no problem, kitchen still busy. Lovely birthday evening!Leia mais