Cordoba

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The wet weather is behind us and it is hot and sunny again. We are in Andalusia and there are so many olive trees. I don't think Tim appreciated me saying “what a lot of olive trees” every 5 minutes on the drive here.

One of the reasons that I wanted to visit Cordoba is the Mezquita, and it certainly didn't disappoint. The mesquita is a massive mosque that has been converted into a Catholic cathedral. Because of this the interior has an interesting mix of styles. Inside there are lots of orange and white giant arches that are supported by over 800 columns. The photos don't due it justice, not to mention that they are a bit fuzzy as it was fairly dark in there. Some of the arches have been painted with Frescos as they are now in small Catholic chapels off the main area. The whole building is amazing and definitely worth a visit.

As well as generally wandering the streets of Cordoba and buying the obligatory fridge magnet (we need to get a bigger fridge or travel less!) we also went to the Alcazar (Spanish castle). The main attraction was the gardens which are lovely. This being Spain it did not open for the afternoon session until 5:30pm! While we were there they were setting up for a wedding. It looked to be a very posh affair based on the amount of waiters and waitress they had, and what they were wearing. It was a stunning venue for a reception. When we were leaving looking our usual hot and sweaty there were lots of very glam people waiting to come in. Talk about a contrast in styles!

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