Córdoba! (how many times am I going to say Mesquita in this post?)

Dan called me up and asked if I wanted to meet up in Córdoba for a weekend trip. I was pretty excited about it; my plan when I came to Spain was to travel just about every weekend. However, I ended up living in Cádiz. I love this city, and there is so much to do here that I don't feel the need to travel. Because of this, Córdoba would be my first weekend trip.

As it turned out, one of my friends here in Cádiz (Paige) was traveling to Córdoba as well, and had already bought her train ticket. I simply took her itinerary to the train station and asked the man to set me up in seats next to her. I was to arrive in Córdoba 5 hours or so before Dan.

Paige was going to visit her cousin's best friend, Tracy, who lives in Cordoba with her Spanish boyfriend and his friend. They all picked Paige and I up at the train station and took me to their flat (one block from the Mesquita). There they fed me and offered me a place to stay if something fell through with Dan's friends. All of this, even though I wasn't invited and they didn't even know I was coming.

Over the course of the weekend, they showed all of us around the streets during the day and the clubs during the night. They introduced us to their friends and were constantly buying me meals and drinks, not letting me repay them. Fernando even gave me a pair of his shoes so I could get into a night club. He and Jorge might be some of the most generous people I have ever met. On top of that, they are funny and great to hang out with.

Change of topic, kinda.

Cordoba is a city with two distinct personalities, both of which are very lovely. First off, there is the new city, full of shops and restaurants; new buildings mixed with the old. (Since this is Spain, "new" buildings are those built since the 1800's) There is a very beautiful Calle Ancha that 3 weeks ago was already being decorated for Christmas. The nightlife centers around this area with trendy bars and discos of all types.

At the center, there is the old part, the casco antiguo. This is an area of very beautiful buildings and gardens dominated by the Mesquita and the Cathedral of Cordoba. I don't even have the words to describe the beauty of this building and even though I took dozens of pictures, I don't think any can do it justice. The Mesquita is a beautiful Moorish mosque that was begun in 785, after the muslims demolished a Christian church on the site. The Catholics were still upset about this, and in the 1500s when they tore down a section in the middle of the building and built a gothic dome and chapel. The official literature, printed in 6 different languages and given to all who visit, has this to say about the origins of the "Cathedral of Córdoba" (its official name):

It is a historical fact that the basilica of San Vicente was expropriated and destroyed in order to build what would later be the mosque, a reality that questions the theme of tolerance that was supposedly cultivated in the Córdoba of the moment.

This is, I believe, rather indicative of the official Spanish historical position regarding the Moorish invasion. It makes me smile.

Right outside the Mesquita is a little bar with an incredible Spanish omelette and salmorejo that I enjoyed twice. It is a very small but famous place, and people carry food out to eat on the steps outside the Mesquita.

The last day, after one and a half hours of sleep, we visited to Arab baths. It was an incredible experience that lasted an hour and a half, alternating between a cold pool, medium pool, hot tub and aromatherapy sauna. There was a also a short massage included. The entire time was almost silent while some very soft arabic music played in the background. We went straight from this to a small breakfast and a nap by the river. Win!

More Pictures!!!

Mesquita count: 6