La Mancha to Andalucía

Leaving Zaragoza around 9.30 am, we crossed half of Spain, or so it felt, through Aragon and then all of dry, dusty, barren La Mancha  - Don Quixote country, the odd windmills still visible on parched brown hillsides. Dead straight highways stretching forever in burning sun, de Falla and Rodrigo playing on the car speakers for (contextually appropriate) distraction.

And finally into the greener, lusher hills of Andalucía, arriving in Córdoba a little before 5 pm - 

- to find the Hospes Palacio del Bailío a little oasis of green and luxury after a day crossing the semi-desert. A room off a quiet inner courtyard and a garden filled with orange and plum trees, flowers, fountains and a pool.

The interiors were all cool white, and I loved the cultural references in the classical Arabic ceilings and architraves

We set out to make best use of the rest of the day by exploring the historic old town on our doorstep

Córdoba is called the city of flowers, and it's the first thing you notice. In  June the orange blossom and jasmine were still in full flower and their scent hanging heavy in the air of the streets and courtyards

Purple jacarandas were in bloom too

And one of my favourite features of Moorish architecture - the private, secluded inner courtyards, shut off from the noise of the streets 

We crossed the big central Plaza de las Tendillas

and the smaller squares of the barrio de la Juderia

An unexpected surprise was coming across this fine looking caballero with his beautiful Andalusian horse!

As we got closer to the Great Mosque/Mezquita, the streets became ever narrower, in this oldest part of the city

 As the Mezquita was closed for the night, we walked down to the river of Guadalquivir (from the Arabic for big river valley) and the Roman bridge that goes back to 1 BC, where around 8.30 the sun was just starting to set.

Next to the river a table for dinner was waiting 

Later we walked back to the Hospes, passing the closed, lit-up Mezquita at night, in awe of the massive walls in pale gold stone, heavy doors, minimal decoration in subtle colours ...

Córdoba, Spain

Iberian road trip, Day 4, June 2017