Exploring Cordoba

Here is the start of another Camino. Who knew? But I’m not going to do it: I’m just an ordinary tourist this year:

The lady on the train had advised me to cross the river for the best view of the Roman Bridge, which is what I did at 7.00 pm yesterday:

Apparently the river had been quite high after all the rain over Easter, but it has settled down again now. The enormous buttresses show how the flow has to be controlled at times. The Mezquita can be seen from across the Rio Guadalquivir.

This is the Torre de La Calahorra, a 14th century tower at the opposite end of the Roman Bridge.

The most important and impressive monument to be seen in Cordoba is the Mezquita (with the Christian Cathedral superimposed in the middle of it). I spent an hour of my first full day here looking round and taking too many photos! I had to come out in the end, or my phone would be full up. The red and white striped arches are mesmerising when you first see them, as they appear to go on forever:

Suddenly you are confronted with a Christian altar which seems quite out of place:

This is the mihrab with its worn flagstones indicating where pilgrims circled a Qur’an seven times on their knees. Ouch! This spot is now fenced off and you have to fight your way through the crowds to get to the front.

Roman mosaic below the floor. All history is here!


Outside is a lovely area with orange trees, carefully irrigated:

… Or you can go for a ride in a horse drawn carriage.

I wanted to find this famous restaurant which I visited on a group tour a few years ago:

… but I decided to patronise a convenient Carrefour Express near to my hotel to pick up a few provisions instead. I consumed these in our quiet courtyard and then went upstairs for a siesta.