Mezquita–C”ordoba

Mezquita

Cathedral or Mosque? You decide.

Roman Bridge

I was here!

Renaissance Triumphal Arch–Unfinished

For the last few days we traveled to Córdoba and then to Sevilla.   Córdoba was a first for both of us, and I wonder why it took us so long to visit this city with it’s amazing sights and history.   The highlight, of course, is the famous Mezquita, an enormous former mosque which is now a 16^th-century church.   Cordoba’s cultural history includes contributions by two 12-th Century Córdoba natives and renowned scholar/philosophers—one Jewish, (Maimonides) one Arab (Averroes).   The Mezquita, the unfinished Renaissance arch leading to a Roman bridge, the Jewish quarter and 14th Century Synogogue, and the modern part of town with Art Deco architecture gives a little of the sense of the passage of time and the many violent changes of power that Córdoba has survived.

…And, as I said on the facebook page—anita and ray—I was followed around the Mezquita by a group of English tourists.  Apparently, having read the scholarship of the Dean of Sarah Lawrence College—Jerrilynn Dodds—I fooled them into thinking I was some kind of expert!   Thanks, Jerri!

Since my last wine post, we have enjoyed quite a few bottles both at home and in restaurants. (What a surprise!) Starting with the wines we bought retail at one of the markets, as before the costs are between 4 and 8 Euros. The most inexpensive, at 3 Euros, from the OpenCor market right here in the Puerto Deportivo, is a Rioja from Casa Antono. It is a little young, a 2010 , but quite good. A Marques de Caceres 2009 Crianza  was excellent. This bottle was only 7 Euros. I have seen it in the U.S. for $20+. One of the best bargains so far was a Campo Viejo 2009 Crianza for 5.50 Euros.  Really very tasty. When enjoying tapas in Sevilla it was actually the house red at a couple of the Santa Cruz area taverns.

The wines in the restaurants and Chiringuitos continue to surprise with their quality. There is a tapas bar around the corner from our apartment called the Taberna del Puerto. You sit outside where there is a big screen TV, something the local Spanish as well as English and Dutch expats really appreciate. One evening there, we watched a Champions League game between Barcelona and Ajax. Messi had the hat trick (three goals in one game). I don’t think they call it a hat trick in Spain, but the shouting and celebration required no translation.  The routine is to walk inside and pick out your tapas, then have them served to you as they are ready. They leave the bottle on your table, and charge according to your consumption. It was a non-vintage Rioja bottled for themselves. Believe me it was great. We had four tapas and 1 1/3 bottles of wine. The cost 19 Euros. You can truly live cheaply here.

 We’ve had a few splurge dinners, one of which was a good Italian-style dinner at El Rincon Toscana in the old town of Estepona. A bottle of Baron de Ley 2008 was 28 Euros but an absolutely perfect pairing with our pastas.

The last two days consisted of our side trips to Cordoba and Sevilla. We had a terrific lunch in Cordoba  near the “Mezquita” but paired it with sangria. Our most expensive meal was in Sevilla before the bullfight at the “Corral del Agua”. Anita had the merluza while I had a magnificient  rabbit stew washed down with a Luis Cana 2009 Rioja that was great at 18 Euros. We’ll be leaving Estepona for San Sebastian in a couple of days.   We’ll miss this place.

Yes—another beach. A place we would happily spend a week or two.    The video gives a little idea of the breathtaking scenery–in spite of the lack of skill of the videographer.  (Anita–with her finger in the first several frames!) 

Nerja is an absolutely gorgeous place just east of Malaga on the Costa del Sol.   We loved it because of two things—the amazing caverns discovered 225″ class=”size-medium wp-image-219″ /> Balcon de Europa[/caption]about 60 years ago –Las Cuevas de Nerja are impressive.   The the town itself manages to be a real Spanish town and a seaside retreat at the same time.   Very special.   The video was taken standing on the “Balcón de Europa” –Balcony of Europe, central to the Nerja waterfront.  There are several beaches along the coves  on either side.  It seems you can see the entire Med from there—and once again, we got very lucky with incredible weather.

We also walked to the 4^th beach east of the Balcón for lunch, Playa Burriana.  We headed for AYO—an terrific  restaurant with hundreds of tables set up under a canopy right on the beach—apparently,  a Nerja institution for 50 years.  (I was immediately attracted by the name—AYO—my initials!) They cook paella over an open fire in pans FIVE FEET in diameter.    From about 1 to 5 pm, people pop by for Sangria, wine, or beer and the all-you-can-eat paella feast—for 6.50€.   What’s could be better?  We pigged out before heading for the caves.   Wish you were here!

Entrance to the Kasbah

Come with us to the Kasbah!

Every neighborhood needs five things–the hamam (baths), a public fountain for water, a bakery, a school, and a mosque.  We’ve included photos of each of these from just one small neighborhood in the Medina.

I think the photos speak for themselves.  Enjoy the slide show.  Click on the first small thumbnail photo and then toggle through using the arrows.   
Oh–one other funny note–we met the manager of the Continental Hotel–one of the fancy hotels right near the harbor. He is a childhood friend of our guide’s. He is born and raised in Tangiers, but has a home in Elachove—in the Basque country just next door to my family in Ibarrengelu. He took one look at me and said, “you’re not American–where are you grandparent’s from?” And then he proceded to speak to me in Basque! Agur!