11/22/08 The Mesquita, la Caballo Rojo, the Jardin de Los Reyes Catolicas, the Roman Bridge, and the square of Cordoba

La es una dia estupenda! Una problema para me es las personas. Yo una mala chica con muchas personas y los grupos grandes.

This was one incredible day.

We ate in the hotel, got dressed, and headed down the windy-one way street (jumping into doorsteps when a car or van would squeeze through) to the Mesquita. On the way there we peeked into incredible courtyards that made me drool, and shop windows which were selling jewelry and other goods (like touristy stuff). Once in the main square we walked around the Mesquita, searching for the restaurant: El Caballo Rojo, in English this is The Red Horse. This restaurant is the oldest restaurant in Cordoba and happens to be one of the best. Even though Ahmee and Poppy had been there before, we could not find it the first time we went around the square. Instead of walking around the square a second time we decided we'd better go into the Mesquita.

Before we even went into the courtyard Ahmee told me what she knew about the Mesquita. The last time she and Poppy were there they were with a tour group and the head of the group, a man by the name of David Hershburg, had been Jewish and had often opted to take the group to see more Jewish Synagogue's than the Christian Cathedrals. In Cordoba he was for the oppressed people, the Muslims. An influential man had the Mosque built (Mesquita was originally a Mosque) to display the Muslim's power in the community.



This eventually became the largest Mosque in the Western World. Later after King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella pushed out all religions except for Catholicism they also ordered for Muslims (and other faiths) to either convert to Christianity or leave/be killed. Later King Henry X (I think) took it upon himself to Christianize buildings, despite the public outcry. He put into the Mesquita an alter and many chapels (this was what the book said and what I knew-the book turned out to be understating the "work" Henry X had done). Ahmee told me that David had thought the Mesquita had been ruined by these Christian modifications. I couldn't wait to go in to see what all they'd done (and to finally be in the picture that I love so much).

The courtyard was the "entryway" for the Mesquita. It was composed of fountains (the Moors-being desert people, loved the sound of trickling water), pebbles, Orange trees, Palm trees, and people. While Ahmee and Poppy grabbed the tickets and the audioguides I grabbed the camera and took pictures of the space. One of my favorite pictures was of the water system they had going. The orange trees were all lined up perfectly. Between each tree was a ditch (concrete/pebbled sides), and around each tree was a circle of dirt and then concrete. The water was directed down one of these ditches and the circles around the trees would fill up with water. It looked like a fountain when this happened and it reminded me of the bird bath I wanted Ahmee and Poppy to have.

I didn't have much time to take pictures before we were getting in line to go into the arch-filled space. It was amazing. The first step in was just like stepping into a picture (you know, of the one with all the columns and their red and white double arches and with the light filtering through). Once we stepped in though we came to see things that aren't normally put into the guide books as must-sees. The doors were decorated with Geometric patterns, their were arches in the distance that weren't the same, and the ceiling's varied from place to place (some places they'd be stone, while others would be painted wood).



Something that was surprising was just how Christianized the building had become. There was a section that was blocked off that I realized when I looked at the map was the nave of the Cathedral. The ceilings that were of stone and contained Christian symbols and icons. Some of the arches had been filled in to create chapels (although the audio guide did say that they'd gotten rid of some of these to display the Mosque's original Architecture). It was as if there was a competition amongst religions under one roof. The favorite of the competition was easy to see.

While the people of Cordoba have recently striven to make the Mosque look less Christianized, the guides and the tour groups did not. I saw more people taking pictures of the chapels than I did of the arches and the columns. I saw more guides going on and on about the stone ceiling that was just in front of the Cathedral, than guides who were explaining why there was a change in Moorish decoration around one doorway. I refuse to do that to you all. There was an area where a man would sit and read aloud the prayers, this room also showed the direction of Mecca. This room was what all the Muslims faced when they spread their mats out on the floor and commenced into prayer.

I was not enthusiastic about the Christian symbols, I was more interested in the Moorish influence and the Muslim religious importance. I'd seen enough chapels and gory paintings of martyred Saints. I'd seen enough of treasury rooms (which by the way were right next to the sacred area of the Muslims). I was slowly becoming very annoyed with those groups that simply passed by the deteriorating Muslim symbols. Their "alter" had beautiful paintings around it and wonderful sculptures above and killer decoration in the arches, but did the tourist groups hog the fence? Nope. They were more interested in the chapels, in the christian paintings, in what I call religious plunder (the treasury), and in the modifications the Christian Church gave to the building. It sickened me to see how the guides weren't giving this originally Muslim piece of architecture it's full history, or that the people simply did not care and went ahead and did their cross symbols anyway. I also thought that the Moorish form of architecture was ten times better than the Christian add ins. To be fair I realized that this was indeed a building that's now dominated by the Christian faith. Even though I was completely content to only look at the Moorish architecture and hear the history of the building, I knew I needed to at least check out something of the Christian faith. The audioguide's map went over a chapel that supposedly had stunning paintings on the walls, I went to check them out. The guard said something to me in mumbled Spanish and then said abruptly, "Closed." I grumpily walked out of the chapel to head over to the Cathedral, or the alter.

I went from filtered light and homey-ness to tons of light and spaciousness. I wasn't surprised when I saw all the frill and fluff and pomp. The only part I liked about the cathedral was the supportive purpose it served: to take some of the stress off of the courtyard (due to the columns and the 11 aisles the wall on the courtyard was getting a lot of pressure). This I learned from the audioguide.

When we walked back out into the courtyard I'd decided that I completely agreed with David. Ahmee and I also decided that in this instance it was almost like the Christians were trying to say, "We're better than you. Our faith is the higher one, look at all the splendor our beliefs have brought us while your faith has only brought you to exile. Look at our "superior" architecture. Look at how wealthy we are. Look at all our gilded symbols of faith." Ha! That makes a religious crusade sound downright childish, but I have to say that it irked me to see so much of that present in that building. Before we went on to find the Caballo Rojo I had to run back into the Mesquita to take pictures of my favorite things, and my least favorite things. I also made sure to take pictures of the courtyard, which managed to pull me out of a considerably bitchy mood (can love the building but have people put you in a foul mood), at least for a bit.

We left the Mesquita entrance, took a right to walk around the square again and voila! I spotted the Caballo Rojo tucked back in an alleyway. The alleyway was decorated with a sign, with tons of potted plants, and with the thin but lovely building at the back.

We were driven by food and moved fairly quickly in and up the stairs to our seats (following the waiter of course). From those seats we ordered Gazpacho (cold Spanish soup), and other wonderful goodies. Of course, I say other wonderful goodies because I no longer remember what Ahmee and Poppy got. I just remember what I ordered. I ordered rabbit in a wine sauce and then later a chocolate cake (more like a really really rich brownie). This was the first time I'd ever had rabbit and it was absolutely delicious. I didn't know if it was so much the meat or the sauce (probably the sauce because the sauce can make or break a meal, but then again nasty things can't be eaten-even with a good sauce) that made the rabbit killer, and I didn't really care. I was too busy peeling the meat off the bones to care.

While I devoured the rabbit legs I did think to myself, "You realize you're eating a fuzzy bunny and that someone would be appalled for you eating a pet?" I'd look at the meat and try to picture a rabbit, and I'd think about whether or not I could ever really give up meat (because this was just as good as a steak) for the sake of an animal. Half a second later I'd be back and forking more meat into my mouth. I think within 2 seconds I firmly asserted I'm not a vegetarian and that I've got a very slim chance of ever becoming one.

After eating our amazing almuerzo (oh oh! a Moorish influence: words that begin with 'al' are said to have come from the Moors) and paying quite a price for it we went back out into the sunshine to walk towards the Jardin de los Reyes Catolicas before it closed. We had one hour to look around this garden and we made sure to walk faster over to it. We got quite an incredible welcome into the Garden. Before we passed through the garden gates to view the beauty beyond we got absorbed into a family. Outside the gate was a crowd of well dressed people who were all waiting for someone to pass through the gate.

As I looked around I realized that it was a wedding. When the bride and groom came out of the tunnel, the groom cautious and anxiously looking at his relatives as he guarded the bride, the family threw rice at them as hard as they could, causing the groom to gather the bride in close as they got closer to their family. It was such a scene! The bride and groom laughed and shouted in amazement as the rice just kept coming while their family members laughed as the kids enjoyed their throwing abilities. There was a crowd of smiling faces around the newly wedded couple and it showed just how great a close family can be. At that moment everyone was happy for the couple, and the entire family was enjoying a moment of pure amusement (after the serious business of the wedding it's nice to have that).

We forgot about the garden for a few minutes as we became one with the family, laughing along with everyone else and being right in the seat of the action. Of course, after most of the rice was thrown we decided it was time we left the family alone and we scooted through the crowd (with some surprised faces seeing complete strangers coming from the center of the mass) to reach the wall and pass quickly and quietly through into the sunlight garden.

When we first entered we couldn't see the fountains that the garden is famous for (most photographs are of these), we could instead see a shaded garden that was similar to the one at Hostel Cardinal in Toledo. Lemon trees gave the shade while a few flowers were still catching the rays of light that were coming through. After the commotion of the wedding party it was soothing to be alone with a different form of beauty and we enjoyed walking around this a great deal. When we came into sight of the fountains however I soon found that there were several large groups there, many of them school groups. They didn't bother me then (note the diplomatic phrasing).

I was given free range with the camera and I adored it. Yet again the light was perfect and I found sooo many things in that garden gorgeous. The arrangements were well done, the beds well taken care of, and I found it fairly easy to find picturesque items to photograph. Something I thought would be really really cool to get was the way the light shone through the rivulets of water that were flying through the air to make a tunnel. In order to get this picture I wanted to get down right at the end of the rectangular pool, squat down in the center and take a picture where the water from the fountains would make an arbor over the sitting water in the pool and all the plants within.

I think I must've been just overly testy this day because I started to get annoyed with people when I stood there waiting to grab my picture for 10 minutes. Those groups of people had spread out and some people were posing in front of these pools for a picture, I'd wait for one group to go and I'd take several fast steps forward only to have another group jump in front of me. They were standing right where I wanted to squat and it wasn't like I could get it without shoving someone out of the way or tip toeing on the edge of the water. Eventually I got my picture and when I did I was significantly cheered up because it was just what I'd expected it to be. Not to mention I'd gotten what I wanted quickly and had gotten out of someone else's way (I didn't want to annoy someone else like those groups had annoyed me).



As I walked to catch up with Ahmee and Poppy, who were getting towards the back of the garden, I spotted a smaller planting that had many different colors in it. I thought it looked very lovely, and I wanted to try and get a picture of it, so I walked around to the other side to be in the shade, and moved about the garden to try and find a spot. When I heard someone catcalling I turned slightly and caught the sight of three high-school guys walking along the outer path, all three of them looking at me and shouting and whistling. I took a picture of the section that had all the color and I walked away and out of the middle of the garden and towards my grandparents.

I was very glad that the guys didn't follow or do anything beyond shouting, but I was also distinctly reminded of a few guys who I'd seen last year call out of a school window, "Yuv gotta purty mouth...." It's stupid, it's not attracting, and it does not make me feel pretty whatsoever. Some people would adore commanding the attention of strangers through their looks. I do not. It annoyed the snot out of me when those boys whistled, and what annoyed me even more is that I felt like I'd been rushed off to my grandparents before I could get the picture I wanted. Their shouting made me want to get away from the area (partially the self-preservation type-just in case, and partially due to the fact that I wasn't going to stand there and take it) and I moved away from the picture.

As I stood away with Ahmee, I grumbled and growled about the guys and about the "people" (say this with a sharp snap at the end and that's what you had with me). Later it was commented on that I'd gotten pretty bitchy. It's true, I was on the verge of anger, if not there. After that I was just about ready to take back what I'd said at Villandry about holding parties in a garden. All of a sudden I was angry with others, particularly large clusters of people. Ahmee knew I was talking about the other people in the garden though. She and Poppy are fun to walk through a garden with, shoot we can walk almost anywhere and have a good time (just so long as we aren't walking too much and we aren't dodging things). Now that I've calmed down I'll simply say I would have a party in a garden with only the people I respect and admire (therefore those boys wouldn't be invited).


Luckily the gardeners had a good sense of time and got the large groups out first (it was closing time), so we got to roam a bit more with less people (was great), and I got to get pictures without getting further annoyed. When we passed back out of the gate I was cooled off from the garden. We then walked back to the Mesquita Square to look at the horse-drawn carriages for a short moment and to then turn and walk to the Roman Bridge.

Ahmee disliked the bridge on sight. Later she said that it had been restored to the point where it took out all the mystery of it and all of the romantics. The bridge looked almost like a modern-day bridge. I say almost simply because I knew that it wasn't and therefore my previous knowledge stained the possibilities of me thinking it looked like a downright modern bridge (was kinda chunky to be a modern bridge anyway).

The great thing about this bridge was I got to get away from the people more. Ahmee, Poppy, and I did this by walking along one side and looking down at the ducks moving on the water and the current. We talked about which river we'd found the most polluted (one right next to Rome was by far), which ones we'd found the smallest, which ones we found were the largest, and then we talked about other things. As we walked I looked west at the old mills and saw that they were definitely not as well "preserved" as the bridge.

One in particular had been left to the pigeons. There was a coating of white (pigeons in Cordoba are white) on the top and along the walls which moved constantly and white reflected the light. The sun, the river, and the wings made it difficult to be certain however and I pointed it out to Ahmee and kept going.





On the way back I gave the musicians a 50 cent and leaned against the wall and pointed out with enthusiasm the pigeons that were taking flight, and the two blue heron's who were busy waiting for fish (or other food) to come through with the current. Both of these ended up moving as we got closer to the end and when we left the bridge they were gone.

After the bridge the streets had mostly cleared of both tourists and locals due to the hour. It was siesta time AND many of the sights had closed their doors. We walked back to the hotel and set up camp in the room. I wrote blogs and emails and Ahmee and Poppy wrote emails (Poppy also wrote in his journal) until dinner time. We then walked to the square and to the same restaurant we'd eaten at the night before. This time I grabbed something small, only Gazpacho for me. I've had bad luck with my belly recently and I wanted to ensure I didn't get too much-the good thing about too little is you can always get more whereas with too much it's hard to get rid of and when you're traveling it's a shame to waste money like that.

While I sipped on my soup I had the wonderful view of the square again. Since it was Friday night there were a lot of people dressing up to go out to the theater. They'd come and parade through the square (some of them were just plain lost) with their fur coats and fancy dresses and tuxedos. They looked really nice and it was interesting watching the reactions of the people closest to them. Since we were inside and watching through the glass it really felt as if we were watching from the outside and that this party (which we'd seen the night before) wasn't really happening.

It was like the busy lifestyle of the city had met up with the neighbor-loving friendliness (or rather clustering of friends) of the small town. The square had become the center of the town, and had become the center of the social life there. It was great to watch but I'm not entirely sure I'd want to go out and do that every night. It seemed like the mall or like the hallways at school in between class periods or just before school starts. Everyone is talking to other people and are busy walking around or doing something and everyone can see everyone else.

I'm not a big fan of it. Before school I've always either gone straight to my first period class to sit and get out of the commotion or I go somewhere else. The past year a few friends of mine have come with me to sit in the library where we kick back, we sit, we talk, and we relax without all of the people. Then again, I did watch the clusters of high-school people who took root on the benches. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad taking root in a cafe with your friends. It's not like everyone really knows everyone else and are into everyone else's business, they're just hanging out with the people they do know.

We walked back through the crowded streets to go back to the hotel where I pulled on my pj's and went to bed. That night I had some very very very strange dreams about Ahmee, Poppy, and I traveling through the Rocky Mountains till it got dark out and the only place around was a log cabin. We went up to the log cabin and knocked on the door to see if we could stay the night and four people came out. Dad picked up an electric chainsaw and started chasing Poppy with it while the Mom cheered him on (had hyper hillbilly accents by the way). Ahmee unplugged the cord, causing the Mom and the Dad to get really angry-as if Ahmee had forever wrecked their chainsaw. Then the two young boys spoke up (the part in between has become blurred so I have to apologize for the confusion). The oldest one brought out a bat and a ball and hit it and then he proudly said that he and his brother were experts at hitting baseballs and roasting softballs and that the softballs were gooooooood. When I told Ahmee and Poppy about that one they both laughed, I can't say I blame them.