Today was part touring, part travelling kind of day. We had a private coach for the trip from Granada to Córdoba to Sevilla, which was rather nice. Our stop in Córdoba was mainly to take in the famous Mezquite, or Mosque.This is a structure that was once a Visigoth Basilica, then in 765, the Great Mosque was constructed on the same site. Over the years, additions were made to the mosque, including a minaret. In 1236 the mosque was converted to a cathedral when Córdoba was captured by the Christian forces of Castile.during the Reconquista. In the 16th century the structure underwent further renovations, with the minaret now becoming a belltower for the cathedral. The building now continues to serve as the city’s main cathedral. It is an absolutely amazing structure with its “bones” evidence of its Islamic origins, but plenty of Christian elements as well.
On the bus headed to Sevilla where we will again spend two nights. We went on our orientation walk to get ourselves familiar with the lay of the land, then I met up with Irv underneath the “mushroom”,as the Metropol Parasol is called here. It is a very modernistic structure made of wood and is most impressive in its design. We got to see it at night lit up, which is even more impressive. We walked down to the square of El Salvador and found a great spot for some wine and tapas - patatas bravas, bacalao and chicken strips that are nothing like what you get at McDonalds.A walk home through the streets now dwindling in numbers.