Monday, April 6, 2015

Sunday, March 29 - Córdoba



WARNING:  this post has 100+ pictures.  Therefore, I'm planning to put a summary of the day up top and then add captions to some pictures.  Read what you want.  Not only is it enjoyable for me to capture a bit of what's happening most days with this blog, I also look forward to looking back on it in the future.  And, I look forward to the kids perusing it when they return to Sevilla.  All of them talk about wanting to come back here someday.  Yay!  Success!  We're all loving it here.  Now onto our day trip to Córdoba.

The drive was about 1.5 hours each way.  It took about 15 minutes to get outside of Sevilla, and then it was farmland.  We saw a number of olive trees growing.  We also saw rolling hills (Sevilla's center is flat).  And we saw some solar panel plants and windmills.

Once in Córdoba we found a parking garage.  It was so tight that the SUV in front of us had to go forward, reverse, and then go forward again to make the tight turns to climb the ramps.  We wound our way up until a parking garage worker guided us into a spot that was too small for the SUV.  Scott had to reverse in, and it was so tight doing it, that the worker worked with Scott for the multi-point turn.

First we went to the Jewish synagogue.  At one period of time the Moors, Christians, and Jews all lived harmoniously and thriving together in Spain.  But, in 1492, the Jews were expelled.  Now there are only 3 synagogues left in the country.  One is in Córdoba and the other two are in Toledo - a day trip from Madrid.  Maimonides, a prolific Torah scholar, is from Córdoba.

After viewing the synagogue, we sat in a plaza and had lunch ourdoors.  At first there was one guitar player in the plaza playing what seemed more like muzak.  Thankfully there was a shift change and the guitarist who took over played more traditional Spanish music.

From there we headed to the Mezquita-Catedral.  The arches and colors and size are stunning.  Thus, the ridiculous number of pictures.  It was originally a christian church.  The Moors then built the mosque on top of the church.  And then the Catholics built a church within the mosque.  Today it is an active church, and thus, was closed mid-day for services.  We toured it in the early afternoon.

The kids started getting antsy, and you can the video of "Gilly Gilly".  It's a game that Devon has devised.  Basically, one kid says "Gilly Gilly" and then the 3 of them wrap their arms around one another and start giggling and moving together saying "Gilly Gilly".  It's really quite cute (writes a biased mother) and it's one of the only times I'm hands free from the kids and can hold Scott's hand.

To do something for the kids, we then walked across a pedestrian-only bridge to a playground.  They had a blast there.

Our plan was to leave town after that.  But, people were starting to line up for a Semana Santa processional and so we figured we'd stay and watch.  We had front row seats - and we were perched up about 5 feet off the ground.  It was an incredible site and experience.  BEWARE:  the penitents look like they belong in the KKK.  There is absolutely nothing sinister about them.  The pictures and seeing it in person is, though, incredibly disconcerting to Americans.

After 2 late nights in a row and a fabulous day trip, we ate at home and went to bed exhausted.


A billboard, sort of, along the highway.

Doorway to the synagogue





Family photo in the sanctuary - by the altar


Gorgeous, intricate carvings

A view upstairs, from the lower sanctuary.  The men would have prayed downstairs and the women would have been upstairs.


Lots of tourists





Key hole at the front door of the synagogue

Plaque acknowledging Maimonides

Carving on the ground just outside the synagogue









At the orange grove within the Mezquita








Scotty with 3 smiling kids
Three very happy kids




At one of the entrances to the Mezquita orange grove

Within the Mezquita orange grove.  A different type of cobblestone walking surface.








Lots of gold


Arch after arch after arch



Here's the main cathedral part within the Mezquita
Playing Gilly Gilly





Next to the Mezquita, looking down the street to the river
Menu with Arabic writing in town
A street within the city lined with flower pots


Yes, we find playgrounds everywhere.  A typical day either includes multiple hours at one playground, or going from one to the next to the next.  Here the boys are having a blast playing with sand.  Sand is actually something we're not seeing at a lot of playgrounds.  Another thing we're not seeing much of in Sevilla is grass.  Nor in Cordoba.
Rosa and Scott explored other parts of the playground.

A view looking back across the river.

View of the bridge we crossed to get to the playground.



Walking on the bridge back to old Cordoba

Entranceway to old Cordoba after crossing back over the bridge





A bus advertising a Semana Santa trip.  Semana Santa is a HUGE deal here.
We were ready to leave Cordoba and start our journey back to Sevilla, when we realized that a Semana Santa procession was about to begin.  We had front-row seats and so we settled in to watch.  I think I'll need to do a whole entry on just Semana Santa.  Plus, each day of the Semana Santa week will have more on what it's all about.  It's a really neat thing to experience.











While these are very religious parades, there's also a lot of fiesta around them.  And, family members were walking with Nazarenos sharing water with them and keeping them company.


Often there is incense just in front of each paso.

A paso (religious float).  There are up to 3 pasos in each procession.  The first 2 have Jesus and the last has Mary.  There are 20-40 men carrying each paso.  They switch out as they get tired.



Band



Nazarenos

Semana Santa Band
View of solar panels


Check out the billboard of a bull




1 comment:

  1. Just now getting caught up on your blog. What an amazing journey! Love to you all from me, Jason, and Abby xoxo

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