Visit to Cordoba

Tuesday saw us off to Cordoba where we would stay for two nights at the Parador.   On arrival in the late afternoon we were welcomed by the reception staff who helped use the chairlift on to their level.   We checked into Room 111 (not 101!) and it was fitted out perfectly for disabled use.   That evening we found the restaurant and enjoyed an excellent meal with first class service.

Next day it was raining at breakfast time.   By the time we got in a taxi to go to the Mezquita - Cathedral the rain had stopped.   It was a cool day which was helpful as we wandered round the streets of Juderia (old Jewish quarter).

The best bit was at the beginning when we went round the Mezquita.   It is a former mosque and was the largest one in Europe.   As a historic building it has no equal.   There are over 800 double arches inside.   The actual arches are red and white.   The red is brick and the white is stone.   Around the outside walls are Christian chapels (capillas in Spanish) as the centre of the original mosque was removed to build the cathedral.   Over its life as a mosque it was enlarged three times until there were over a thousand arches inside.   When the Christians threw out the Muslims who had lived peacefully with them and the Jewish community the place was used for Christian worship.

On completion of the cathedral the King of Spain came to visit and turned on the architect, telling him that he had ruined the original building.   But he had not.   You enter the mosque and find that you flow from it into and out of the cathedral seamlessly.   The beauty of the cathedral, in our opinion, transcends that of any other we have seen.   To walk round this magnificent building is a unique experience.

It was now time for lunch and we patronised our usual restaurant and enjoyed good food washed down with Sangria.   Finally we ventured into Juderia and saw many courtyards and corners of interest as well as shops selling all sorts of goods.   I bought Pauline a couple of costume jewellery necklaces.

We then wandered back to the taxi rank outside the Mezquita and went back to the Parador.   That evening saw another excellent meal in a packed out restaurant.   The following day we had breakfast and checked out.   Two hours later we were back in Colmenar where I called in the local supermarket to top up on food.   The rest of the day was a lazy time in the pool.