A thousand years ago Córdoba (Spain) was the largest city in the world...

The land of scholars, scented patios of flowers and everything Spanish

The mosque's clock tower rose high above the surrounding buildings pointing to the blue sky above.  Coming back to the city where so much history is embedded into the stone, where flowers drift and dance around arched doorways and the sound of music permeates the air...makes my heart sing.  Since Steven had never been here, I was happy to lead him through the narrow streets, around the mosque and into the heart of the historic area where I spent so many lovely days last year.

Today, we walked across the Roman bridge that I can see from my hotel room.  Steven is two stories above me and I think his view is straight to the mosque.  The bridge was built in the early first century BC across the Guadalquivir river, although it has been reconstructed at various times since then.  The stones are massive and the bridge is wide.  I noticed a statue on the end that I hadn't remembered... and then Steven told me it was a man, stock still with makeup and costume to look like olden times.  Ah, no wonder I didn't remember.  

The thunder of footsteps from others sharing the bridge as we crossed the expanse made us dodge other explorers, but we twisted and turned until we walked through the stone archway that led to the mosque.  The walls are high, doors so old that some of the paint is barely discernible.  When we arrive at the large archway into the Patio of the Oranges, we were lured inside.  Massive, beautiful and breathtaking.  The clock tower bell began to ring loudly above us.  Cordoba.  Magical.

Steven wanted to see the Jewish Quarter and I knew the way, but I had to start from my hotel from last year since I go everywhere by landmarks, not street names.  And, we found it.  Wandering in and out of the narrow streets, past shops spilling with touristy gifts, we felt the ambiance that these old world cities will never stop sharing with the people who, like us, expect to find.  

Last year, my friend Sue Navas Frank and her husband David treated me to lunch at their favorite restaurant and she shared her favorite meal, berenjenas a la miel (eggplant with molasses/honey)  I remembered the steps and found  Bodega Taberna Rafae exactly where we'd left it!  The thrill of it.  We ordered a salad with goat cheese on top of greens, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked salmon and sprinkled olive oil and balsamic vinegar over it.  Then, the berenjenas, perfecto.

We wandered back toward the mosque so that we could wind our way back to the hotel across the bridge.  When I wasn't taking photos, I lost Steven once while he had his camera pointed in every direction.  Near the bridge was a huge statue that mesmerized him.  

I sat down to wait and ate ice cream...