Córdoba, Late Arrival and Early Departure
What I got in just 15 hours was much more than expected
On December 19, 2016, we arrived in Córdoba at around 3 p.m. after a short train ride from Seville. I was positively delighted that the Mezquita-Catedral was literally 3-minute away from our hostel, and it was still open. I took my time to experience the greatness of the structure, then had a lovely meal at Restaurante La Boca, followed by an evening stroll on the Roman bridge. We left 6 a.m. the next morning.
Landmark, Candy Canes, the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba
The name alone could tell: it’s a mosque, and it’s also a cathedral. Through its history of 1300 years, the structure was a Visigoth temple, then divided into Catholic and Muslim halves, then a mosque, then a Roman Catholic church. This power struggle resulted in a rich architectural heritage for the Mezquita-Catedral.
Until that day, I hadn’t really seen any memorable mosques, and was immediately captivated by the beauty of the hypostyle hall: 856 columns with voussoirs of alternating red and white stripes. I was thinking about candy canes the whole time as I walked among the columns in wonder.
And the mihrab, very special indeed. It signifies the direction of Mecca (this one faces Damascus, however), thus a crucial element of any mosque. In addition, Mezquita-Catedral is different in the sense that the mihrab caves in as a full chamber, instead of a shallow niche as found in most mosques.
Then I arrived at the main chapel, the cathedral part of the structure. I have seen so many Roman Catholic churches that I’m no longer easily impressed. But what a beautiful chapel this was! The carvings and decorations, albeit complicated, were well-balanced by the white base color. It was just serene.
Food, La Boca, False Risotto of Squid
Spaniards take their time when it comes to eating, and they are in no rush. And they generally eat very late, compared to the schedule in China or the US. Most restaurants close between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. So after the visit to the Mezquita-Catedral, we found ourselves in an awkward dining hour.
I felt very luck to be able to catch the last round of service at La Boca. I could never resist anything with squid ink in it so I went for the Risotto of Squid (although I’m generally on a low-carb diet). What a surprise! Half of the risotto rice was actually false: they are squid meat in rice shape. And the flavor was rich and complex, just what I needed at the time.
Encounter, the Saxophone player on Roman Bridge
It got dramatically colder after sunset. To make the most of our stay, we still went for a walk on the Roman Bridge, which was built during 1 century BC. After crossing the bridge, standing on the opposite side of the old town, the Mezquita-Catedral looked formidable when lit up at night.
There was a man playing saxophone on the bridge. I wanted to give him some change, but found I didn’t have any. I wish I had some change.
2016.12.19
Cordoba, 爱的罗曼史
白色的小巷
Mezquita
Pan de pueblo
墨鱼饭与布丁
罗马桥上
萨克斯风吹奏者
我用光了零钱
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