There’s this tree in Seville we pass each day as we stroll through the park.
I have come to call it the Giger Tree or the Cthulhu Tree
It appears at times to be the face of Cthulhu and, at other times, I see a person or two being sucked up into it…
Córdoba – Addendum
When I say there’s not much else to see in Córdoba, that’s mostly correct. However, if you are fascinated by ongoing traditions and want a little more sense of history I recommend seeking out the statue of Moses Maimonides, the medieval Jewish philosopher sometimes called the “Jewish St. Thomas Aquinas“.
This statue sits next to the synagogue that was built in Córdoba in 1350.
They say that if you visit the statue and rub Moses Maimonides’ foot it will bring you good luck.
The foot of the statue is very shiny compared to the rest which is quite tarnished from age so it’s getting rubbed alot.
William The Sheep was not ashamed to rub the foot for luck!
Cordoba
Today we day-tripped to Córdoba to see the Mezquita which was, at one time, the second-largest mosque in the world. Construction of the mosque started in 784 A.D. and was reconsecrated a Christian church in 1236.
It’s a magnificent sight to see and well worth the 45 minutes it takes to ride the AVE train from Seville.
After wandering around outside for a bit we purchased our tickets for admission and went inside. You should see this place with the marble floors and the amazing arches…
It’s amazing that the Christian’s preserved so much of the original mosque. Of course they had to change it up a bit and put a Christian altar smack dab in the middle of it along with various other ornamentation, but they kept the original Mihrab which once contained an original copy of the Koran and relics of the prophet Mohammad (an arm bone)
It was indeed a wonderful place to visit. Sadly, there’s not much else to see in Córdoba. It’s kind of a one-trick-pony kind of town, but if you’re in the neighborhood (Seville) there’s really no excuse for not making the effort to get over there and see the Mezquita.
Cathedral And Bell Tower
The Cathedral in Seville is the third largest church in Europe (behind St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London) and the largest Gothic building in Europe.
Dimly lit and with flash photography not being allowed, it’s hard to shoot. Even then, it’s hard to capture the sheer immensity of this structure.
The cathedral houses one thing I was glad to be able to capture, the Tomb Of Christopher Columbus
That thing is magnificent! Even if there’s no actual proof that the remains of Christopher Columbus actually reside in the monument…
Some parts of the cathedral are grim and gloomy
While others are a bit more bright and hopeful
There was one thing Cynthia kept going on and on about and that was climbing the The Giralda which is the bell tower of the cathedral. At 320 feet, it’s daunting to consider for old fogies like ourselves
Fortunately it a series of ramps leading to the top rather than many, many tiny little stone steps as I recall was the case in the York Minster when we climbed that years ago.
The climb is worth it, though. Just for the view
We’re resting now. Tomorrow there is talk of taking the train to Cordoba
Toro!
Studebaker
Many advertising signs on the walls are done as paintings on tile. I have no idea if this is an original Studebaker ad or a reproduction. Based on the wear and tear it could easily be an original.
Alcazar of Seville
If you find your way to Seville be sure and visit the Alcazar, you won’t be disappointed. When we first passed it, I was not so sure I wanted to go inside but Cynthia was ever so slightly insistent so I agreed.
We queued up in a relatively short line and we were inside in no time.
The place really gives you a sense of the Moorish history of this region of Spain.
In all honestly, it was difficult to shoot in a way that captures the size and the magnificence of this place. All I could do is try to highlight some things that caught my eye:
The detail in much of the ornamentation was just gorgeous
The most surprising feature was the garden/park within the fortress walls. Fountains, giant palm trees, rose gardens and more on a scale as to boggle the mind. I bet we could have wandered for hours and not seen it all
Interestingly enough, the garden was very cool temperature-wise. It also seems to be the home of some wild parrots. They fly way up in the canopy of the tallest trees so we haven’t had a good look, but they appear to be some type of green ring-neck. Hopefully one of us will grab a snapshot of one before we leave.
Seville – B&W
