12,400 steps, 4.5 miles, 17 floors. Had a not great sleep night. Got up at 8:00, breakfast at 8:30, wandered around the streets a bit, and all of us left with our guide Joachin at 10:00. First stop was the Cordoba Alcazar with its history through the Moslem and Christian eras. Lovely gardens as well. Oh, saw the main hall where the Inquisition was housed. Yuck.
We walked over to the Jewish Quarter (of course there are about no Jews there now) and visited the tiny synagogue (only one in Andalusia that is left) which is a hull of its former self having been converted by the Christians after 1492. Hoards of tourists, one group after another, to see this relic. The we walked through some of the nearby streets, all narrow as are most of the streets in these cities. On streets where cars/vans can go, you have to squeeze yourself against a wall when they pass.
The main attraction of the day was the Mezquita. We were given a full hour’s worth of information from the guide an had another hour to wander on our own to take pictures. It’s an amazing place. Still the Cordoba Cathedral with its treasures, main alter, side chapels, intricately carved choir, but has the main focus of Islam when it was a mosque revealed as well. Of course, the red/white arches go in every direction, so lots and lots of images.
At 2:30 we went to Restaurant Almudaina for a set lunch paid by Strabo. Lovely food and wine of course. We were done about 3:30 and went back to hotel to drop off stuff, potty, etc. Then five of us went back to the Mezquita and got tickets to climb the bell tower at 4:30, which we did. I remember being on top, but not the climb, which was okay. Wanted to go up there to see the roof of the Mezquita with the cathedral sticking up in the middle surrounded by the roof for the mosque.
5:00, Jose met us and we walked over to the place where we were going to see an equestrian show tonight and visited the stables, which are old and really a museum now. Also, we could go inside to watch horses being warmed up for tonight, which we did. Back to the hotel to get stuff for tonight. At about 7:15, we walked over to where the Cordoba Ecuestre show is and got a half-an-hour to wander around the horses being tacked. Show started at 8:00 and went until 9:30. Lovely. Lots of dressage moves. Some airs above the ground. Also, some Flamenco dancing with a woman dancing while a horse danced around her. Very good show.
Back and the hotel, it’s the normal routine. We leave here at 8:30 to catch a train to Barcelona, about a 4.5 hour trip.
Image count (net of rejected images): 5,300 so far, 900+ today. Mezquita and horse show did it.
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