Back In My Happy Place

It's not that I am unhappy at home.....far from it.....a wonderful family, great friends, nice neighbours and a busy and active life.....it's just that world travel takes it up another notch. Visiting places we have never been to before, experiencing different cultures and meeting happy people who live their lives quite differently than we do. It provides an interesting perspective and definitely keeps one thinking about the big picture and world events rather than existing within our comfortable bubble.

Our adventure this time will focus primarily on Morocco and the Canary Islands. We started off with a very short stay in Madrid to catch our breath, followed by a train ride south to Cordoba where we have been for the past 3 days. Finding it very difficult to get accommodations, we ended up staying in both a hostal and a pension for our 3 nights. Upon arrival at our hostal we discovered the main reasons.....Friday was a national holiday (Fiesta Nacional de Espana celebrating Christopher Columbus' landing in America but I suspect these days the Spaniards are just happy for a long week-end) and the International Game Festival which was taking place during the upcoming week-end, scooping up almost every available bed in the city. Being game lovers ourselves, one of our first stops was over to the beautiful Palacio de la Merced which was hosting the event. We were pleased to discover that the large, packed room was full of board games rather than video games (showing our age, perhaps). Hundreds of different games were being presented, many being relatively new games trying to expand their market. Representatives from each of the games were at tables instructing mostly young people (30 and under) how to play their game and then letting them try it on their own. It was fascinating to watch them laugh and play while interacting with other participants rather than being self-absorbed in a video game with no social interaction. Perhaps board games are making a comeback and a crowded room with the younger generation provides some hope.

We enjoyed our time in Cordoba, spending our time in the older part of the city which was easy to walk around with many pedestrian friendly streets and narrow winding alleys discouraging vehicle traffic. The alleys provided plenty of shade to help us manage the 30C temperatures (above normal). The prime must-see spot was the Mezquita which dates back to the 7th and 8th centuries, currently a Cathedral but previously a Mosque and a church before that. Every time it was taken over by a new religious faction it was enlarged and made even more beautiful as a show of power to the point where it can now hold over 40,000 worshipers. The clash of Christian and Islamic architecture was interesting to see. The line-ups to get in were long but once inside there was plenty of room for the crowd to disperse and it was easy to walk around with our audio guides explaining the history and the meaning behind each of the treasures within.

Other Cordoba highlights included the 16th century Palace of Flowers with it's 12 different beautifully designed courtyards. The abundant flora and well-fed fountains provided a cooler environment for the 16th century aristocratic residents in the summer heat. The 1st century Roman Bridge crossing the wide Guidalquivir River, the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos (1328 palace and fortress) and the Plaza de la Corredera, a former bullring and public execution spot now transformed into a large public square also got our attention. The clock tower in the main square played a short guitar riff before the bells rung but I was left wanting for a Jimi Hendrix riff or one from any of my classic rock buddies.

This morning we took a 3 hour high speed train further south to the Mediterranean coastal town of Algeciras which will be our base for our foray into Gibralter tomorrow, a short bus ride away.

Adios for now.

The 1st century Roman Bridge which was the only bridge in the city for 20 centuries (albeit with a few facelifts). It appeared in the Game of Thrones for anyone watching closely, and is now a pedestrian friendly crossing.

The Alcazar gardens, part of the medieval palace and fortress.

The Mezquita bell tower. I tried to get a ticket to climb it the next day for spectacular views of Cordoba but they only allow 20 people at a time to climb the narrow stairway so I passed on the 3 hour wait time.

The International Game Festival held at the lovely Palacio de la Merced. The game instructors hung around until the participants were able to proceed on their own. There were a few card based games but none using a 52 card deck or games that we were familiar with.

The Plaza de la Corredera which was originally a bull ring but now is a popular public plaza with the former stands converted into condominium apartments.

We had an excellent traditional meal at El Rincon de las Beatillas which was bullfight crowd friendly in its' time. One room had a portrait of a famous bullfighter beside his prize for that day. My personal thought is that this should be a 2 part event. In the first part of the competition the bullfighter must ride the bull for 8 seconds (as in the Calgary Stampede). If the rider is successful then he gets to go into the ring with his sword, otherwise he enters without his sword and is fair game for the bull. Then we will see how tough they really are.

The entrance courtyard at the Palace of Flowers (Viana Palace). After visiting all 12 courtyards I suspect there might have been more gardeners employed than residents in the palace.

The fabulous Mezquita, the jewel of the city, with it's 856 columns in a Mosque built to hold over 40,000 people kneeling towards Mecca on marble floors.

The Mezquita Reconquista occurred in 1238 and the ornate Cathedral was built in the centre of the former Mosque. There was an awful lot of gold inside for gold diggers looking for an alternative to the Klondike.