Mezquita

Well, we are having an interesting time here at Las Casas de la Judería, where the internet has been out all morning. I've been up for more than an hour and eager to post, but the front desk told me that their web provider is down not just here but all over Andalucía. So I'm hot-spotting through my phone -- hopefully I can work my way through this post!

Yesterday we went to see the Mezquita, which I just learned is Spanish for mosque. The Mezquita is a medieval building that began on the site of a Visigoth Christian temple from the mid-sixth century. When the Muslims arrived, they built a mosque in the late 700s, and over the years, through the dynasties of several Muslim rulers, the mosque was expanded to become a veritable forest of columns with striped arch supports (above).

After the collapse of the Caliphate, the building was reconsecrated as a Catholic church in 1236, and over the ensuing centuries a gothic and baroque church rose from the middle of the former mosque.

That's looking up into the dome of the church.

Dave and I wandered around for a while, checking out all the chapels with their ornate paintings and artwork, as well as the Islamic ornamentation that dates back to the medieval mosque. Here's a video to show you what it all looks like:

When we first got there, a religious service seemed to be happening and we heard chanting and organ music, which you'll hear at the start of the video.

With its fascinating blend of Christian and Muslim architecture and influences, the Mezquita is certainly the most famous sight in Córdoba, and I'm glad I finally got to see it. When I came to Spain in 1994 and passed through Andalucía, I was traveling with a friend, and we opted to go to Granada rather than Córdoba -- and I've always felt like I missed something!

After the Mezquita, Dave came back to the hotel for a nap, and I went for a photo walk through some of the newer parts of town. I love Spain's quirky mix of retro old shopfronts and newer, swankier retailers. I walked up toward a large linear park that cuts through that part of town, and then back down to the Judería (historically the Jewish quarter, hence the name).

I passed through public gardens where tree-trimmers were pruning the palms -- seems like the thing to do at this time of year -- and oranges littered the footpaths. I've never seen so many oranges lying around in my life. They are literally underfoot. (Our driver from Monday, Richard, told us they're inedible -- I keep meaning to try one to find out if that's true. I suppose it must be or people would be picking them.)

Dave keeps commenting on how gay-friendly Spain seems. Yesterday he said he hadn't seen many rainbow flags, though -- and as if to prove him wrong I came across these benches on my walk. A little battered, but the sentiment is right.

In the afternoon we had a fantastic lunch at a restaurant on the river, La Regadera. We ate out front, streetside, with the sun so intense that the people next to us asked for an umbrella for their table. I just basked in it. Probably terrible for my skin, but oh well. For lunch I had a carrot with ginger and miso appetizer, followed by pig's trotter and a fantastic lemon sorbet/cake/foam dessert.

Then I went walking on the Roman bridge (above) which Mitchell recently featured on his own blog. I climbed the historic tower at the southern end, the Calahorra, which gives a great view of the bridge and the city beyond. The Guadalquivir River -- the name comes from Wadi al-Kebir, Arabic for "big river" -- still seems quite high after all the recent rain. All that water flows westward through Sevilla and eventually into the Atlantic.

That's the Mezquita from the roof of the Calahorra. The pigeon was not impressed.

Last night we had a quiet dinner of tapas at a nearby restaurant, which was almost empty when we sat down at 8 p.m. There was a stage for flamenco dancing and I was terrified they would crank up a show while we were sitting there, so we got in and out. (I'm sure, given Spanish timetables, any after-dinner entertainment wouldn't begin for several hours at least.)

Today, off to Granada!