Our train to Córdoba didn’t leave until 11 am, so we had time to pick up a kilo of coffee from our favorite shop in Malaga. After a an hour-long train ride, we exited the train station and we found Córdoba as warm as forecast – temps were above 30°C (near 80°F) and weren't we smart be wearing shorts! Anna was navigating today and once we had our bearings outside the train station, we found our way to the Jewish Quarter (La Judería) where our hotel lay directly across from the Mezquita (the Córdoban Cathedral). Along the way, we savored a leisurely lunch with tapas from the region. It was our first time tasting Iberian ham. It won't be our last! YUM! Our room wasn’t quite ready, so we left our luggage in the hotel and walked around for a bit. The warm temps were taxing, so we availed ourselves of a refreshing helado (ice cream) before returning to the hotel for a quick nap. There was more stuff to see that afternoon, we needed to rest up for it.
Fortunately, our hotel was smack in the middle of the most of the main sights (http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/mainsights.htm): Mezquita, Puente Romano, Torre de la Calahorra, and others. The Mezquita was closed for the rest of the day in preparation for Semana Santa (Easter Week) processions that evening, so we walked down to the Puente Romano (Roman Bridge), passing the majestic Saint Rafael Triunfo column and the Puente Gate (a triumphal arch built atop the original Roman gate to the city) on the northwestern side of the Puente. In the center of the Puente, we found a statue of Saint Rafael (Córdoba's patron saint). The Torre de la Calahorra rose on the southeastern side of the Puente and housed the Al-Andalus Museum. The nicely detailed exhibits in the museum depicted the coexistence of multiple cultures within the city, mainly Christian, Islamic, and Jewish. We also saw a mock up of the Alhambra (in Granada), which immediately went on our "must see" list. We bought tickets online that night.
