We walked across the bridge and started our exploration of the old city. We began at the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (a really old palace and its gardens). As we were walking in, the attendants were there getting themselves organized, and right beside them was a cat, getting himself all organized as well and having a very public bath. The gardens were lovely, another big show of how fabulous water ponds and fountains can be. Long narrow ponds with small arches of water fountains along the side, were lined with bright red geraniums and different coloured roses. We made our way into the accompanying building which was the palace of the Catholic Monarchs of the 14th century. Sadly, the smell of sewerage was pretty overpowering throughout most of the building, but it was still interesting to look around. There was a tower as well, and Mark went up to take some photos while I sat myself down on a very old chair.
The temperature was rising, and was around the 36 degree mark when we headed off to wander through some of the streets. We started through the old Jewish quarter and found ourselves at the Sinagoga (Synagogue). It was small, built in the 14th century, but was very well preserved and had Hebrew script covering the walls. Next was the Capilla de San Bartoleme – an old church covered in painted plasterwork and tiles. A lot of the plaster work had fallen off, but you could see the remnants of colourful iconography high up on the walls. From there, it was a short wander to the Callejón de las Flores, a tiny and narrow alley with whitewashed walls, covered in pots of bright red geraniums, ending in a little square with a very cool and much needed water fountain. Splashing occurred!
Needless to say, all of the streets on the way were lined with shops, bars and restaurants, many of which we stopped in at. We found ourselves another fabulous plate for our collection, a fridge magnet (of course) and some very cool clothes – it’s been so bloody hot, we have needed much lighter clothes which dry faster after the washing machine of M&M in the bath at night. Yay also for the great Aussie invention of ‘Ezy-line’ which has no doubt impressed every chambermaid who has had the pleasure of working around it in our bathrooms.
THE MEZQUITA:
Our last stop on our Córdoba walkabout tour was the piece de la resistance – the Mezquita. This was once the greatest Mosque on the Iberian Peninsula. The original building was started in 785, so from memory, that’s only around 50 years after Mohammed’s revelations and the birth of Islam. Over the next few hundred years there were many alterations and lavish additions, while in the 16th century, a Cathedral was built in the heart of the reconsecrated Mosque, part of which had been destroyed. As soon as you enter, you are faced with hundreds of columns and arches made out of a dark orange stone, intersected with pale creamy coloured stones. My little book here says “850 columns of granite, jasper and marble”. We must have spent around 15 minutes in this area as it was just so breathtaking. We finally figured out how to do ‘panoramic’ photos on our camera as well, so I was trying to get one that would show how incredible this entrance was.
Wandering around inside the Mezquita was like a clash of cultures. There was all this fabulous Islamic design in architecture, tiles and sculpture, and then smack bang in the centre was this enormous typical inside of a Catholic Cathedral with all its gold and white stucco ceilings. It felt like Christianity was impressing itself upon Islam, saying ‘we are bigger, better and brighter, look, see’? And as much as we have enjoyed the soaring ceilings of the Cathedrals, this just looked gaudy and ostentatious compared to the elegance of the Moorish side.
Next we saw the Mihrab, an Islamic prayer niche. The doorway was covered in Islamic designs in gold and silver and the marble floor stones had indents from where pilgrims had circled the Mihrab on their knees over the centuries. We were completely impressed by the Mezquita and agreed it was the best religious structure we had seen on the trip so far. We spent at least an hour inside – not only was it fabulous to look at and wander through, but it was also nice and cool (well needed when it seems to always be above 40 degrees after noon). If you go to Spain to see anything at all, you would be mad not to make the trip to Córdoba to see the Mezquita.
HAMMAM BATH:
We caught a cab back across the bridge to our hotel as it was just way too hot to walk. We spent a few hours just relaxing and cooling down and headed back into the old town for a traditional Hammam bath. We had read about these when we were in Granada as there was a traditional bathhouse there as well, but we didn’t have the time and so decided to visit the one in Córdoba instead. Now this was both a bit of luxury and a real experience as well.
We were shown into separate change rooms – and then met up again in cossies and towels in the main bathing area. There were three baths; warm, hot and cold, and we followed the “good for the circulation” suggestion and hit the warm bath first. It was about 4m x 4m with steps leading down into it and about half a dozen men and women (mainly in couples) just lazing on the edges in the water. Around the bath was a platform which had massage tables with people getting massages and above the bath was a domed roof with the star and moon cutout skylights we had seen in the old baths at Granada. The room was very dimly lit with gorgeous Morrocan lanterns everywhere, the air was warm and moist and smelt strongly of the aromatherapy oils they used in the massages. It was very relaxing to say the least, and I really enjoyed just sitting there in the pool with my head tilted back resting on the platform, looking up at the ceiling.
After about 10 minutes, we decided it was time to try out the hot bath, and it was indeed hot! They recommended no more than 5 minutes, and so we jumped out of the hot bath and into the cold. The cold was indeed cold. Very, very cold. But, we’re here for the experience so we fully dunked ourselves and then raced back into the warm bath again. It was definitely good for the circulation – got the heart pumping, the breathing going, and my arms and legs were all tingly and alive.
We waited our turn to be called for the massage and scrub and when it came around, we were ushered up onto a big marble platform. We laid down face up and they proceeded to smother us in stuff, I think it was some sort of oil. They flicked it on which felt bizarre but great and then rubbed it in. Next came a big soap up, with a little bit of a scrub thrown in. I had my eyes closed (and a big grin on my face) and then they did something that just made me giggle. The best way to describe it was that they were putting clouds on me. Now I know that sounds strange, but just stop and think about that for a moment. I felt something unbelievably soft and light just envelop me. It started on my feet and moved up my legs, and by the time they hit my belly I just had to open my eyes to look. I was being covered in soap suds, like the bubbles from bubble bath, and they were putting it on by letting it fall out of a big bag. Very bizarre, and the most amazing feeling ever. They followed that with bowls of warm water that they poured over me, at equal times, so that it washed over both feet and both legs (and so on and so on) at the same time. Again, a fabulous feeling. Then we got a big scrub, a good hard, fast scrub. Best of all, we then got to turn over and have it happen all over again on our other side!
From there, we were ushered over to the massage tables and got a lovely 15 minute relaxation massage with aromatherapy oils. I chose jasmine and Mark went with orange, so we smelt like a lovely orchard in bloom for the rest of the night. Massage over, we headed to the showers, and then back into the warm, hot, cold, warm bath routine again. It was totally blissful. I now need to find the Brisbane equivalent I think!
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