Cordoba, Spain

CORDOBA

The city lies in Andalucia along the banks of the Guadalquivir river. We arrived there early in the morning. our hotel was located just near the historical center, the second biggest in importance in Europe. Michael and I are ready to explore the city. The temperature is over the 37ºC! It is April 2010, regardless the heat Cordoba looks wonderfully attractive!

We had heard that Cordoba had three towns with three different languages, religions and traditions. There were Muslims, Christians and Jewish all these three towns living in such impressive armony. It is hard for me to believe such thing, knowing that for centuries, and nowadays people still kill each other because their believings. This coexistence served to show that it is possible to live in tolerance, not even having a common language neither a tradition, it is possible.. Their will to live in peace was bigger than their desire to conquer minds. Among those groups, la Judería from the Jewish side, had notorious culture. in one of the plazas of la Juderia there is a notable statue from the great Jewish  teologist  philosopher and medico Ben Maimónides, born in 1,135. He looked the truth, the sense of life, the acknowledgment. Maimonides rejected blind faith in creeds, in the fanaticism that nullifies all the freedom of thought and action. 
Among the famous streets of La Juderia, where someone can easily get lost! We found the precious Mezquita de Cordoba although its composition looks as a big cathedral. Years later under the catholic dominio it is given the name "La Catedral de La Asuncion de Nuestra Señora". The Mosque of Cordoba was built in 786. It is the second biggest Muslim temple in the world after the Mecca Mosque.

Inside the Mosque, the edification has the impressive number of 1,300 columns with bicolor arches.
Cordoba has impressed us so much for all its architecture, balconies, walls with hanged pot flowers making the city truly nice!
I am so thrilled trying out a fan, the temperature had raised a lot! Playing with my new toy made me feel like a Spanish girl but I didn't have such abilities to turn it back and fort in her stylish way. Well, it was try... Sigh. Every time I think there is a good spot to shoot something interesting, like this one in a botanical garden of Cordoba, when Michael was trying to get rid of the sun for a while. I was just playing with my new xsi rebel Canon camera!

If someone get lost, which really happens, just looking around the corners or walls, you will find written "reminders" that you are lost. Cool!

Olé in Andalucia, Spain

SEVILLE - APRIL 2010

Mi first time in the Madre Patria! For Michael was another visit :)
Angie, Rogelio y Hector showed us a warm welcoming in their apartment in Seville, capital of Andalucia. We are very grateful for all their kind advices to visit the city. Because of them, we were able to taste and recognize the pure extra virgin oil olive, which is part of the daily cooking of Angie:). What a delicious paella we have eaten there! Thanks a lot Angie, Rogelio and little Hector!

We arrived on time for the celebration, it was April and La Fiesta de Abril is celebrated annually during a entire week. Hundreds of people walk around the city with their colorful dresses, specially women. Of course, I dressed up a colorful or sort of flamenco dress. I had fun walking the streets so easily as if I were Spaniard among the others. Hector, looked so cute on his tiny suit called 'corto' . 

Rogelio, Angie and little Hector.

Angie and I. She got this dress for me.

Hector and I

Finally, we have reached the fair, which begins each year two weeks after Semana Santa or Eastern. The day was a little bit cloudy with a nice temperature and the colorful flamenco dresses of the women waved from side to side trough out the streets making more cheerful the day. Several picturesque boots or casetas were set up all over the fair near the banks of the Guadalquivir river, people can eat some tapas, dance flamenco or drink some wine like "La Rioja". Those casetas looked so familiar to me... mmm... I have seen them in Peru in a mini version, yes! They are the famous "Retablos" of Ayacucho, I got it! retablos de Ayachucho. They were incredible alike. No doubt Peru and Spain had a strong connection through history, customs, food, language, folkclor, architecture, etc.

Casetas - Feria de Sevilla, España

Michael at the entrance of the
"La Maestranza"

PLAZA DE TOROS, SEVILLA

In Seville there is a well known Plaza de Toros, called "La Maestranza". Getting to the oldest bullring in Spain was not easy, we booked our tickets in advance. We indeed were attracted to this bullfighting festival. Many ladies dressed up in Sevillana style, with colorful flamenco dresses, shoes with heels, fans matching with the color of their outfit, delicate parfume, so stylish. While men are dressed in 'cortos' a sort of short jacket, tight trousers and boots with a handkerchief on the chest pocket and a flat big hat. 

At the beginning wasn't easy to get used to watch how man can provoke an animal who can not defend itself the attacks... Fooling and killing the bulls was just disgusting. I should admit that I wanted to run away leaving my photography practices. I sadly teared. And yes, I did not leave. Sigh...