Arrive at Madrid

Well - I finally got around to blogging about our first day in Spain.  We got into Madrid late the night before and went right to bed.  We met Karen for breakfast the next morning and headed right for Cordoba - our first destination.  Cordoba is a lovely town that boasts of one of the largest Moor-Christian cathedrals and the summer palace of the kings of Spain.

We got to our hotel and then started looking around the old part of town.  The cathedral and the old city walls (600 AD) are right across from our hotel.  The cathedral was originally built by the Moors starting in the 800's and continuing for the next two hundred years.  In 1236, after a ten year siege of the city, the Moors surrender the city and the Mosque was rededicated as the "Mother Cathedral."  Later on the center of the Mosque was torn apart to form a cross shaped section which was then rebuilt as the church.

We then went down to the palace.  This was started in 1328 as the palace of the Christian kings in this region.  It was alter used by Ferdinand and Isabel as their political seat of power for the Inquisition.  It is also the place where Columbus was given his formal charter and funding for his journey of exploration.

Next we went down to the old Roman gate and bridge over the river.  You can climb up the old tower guarding the bridge entrance on the far side of the river.  Form here you have a great view of the old city.

For supper we went walking into the old city and stopped at a bar.  Sandy and Karen shared a pitcher of wine and I had water!  Off to Seville tomorrow.

We take the train to Cordoba

The cathedral and old city walls are right across from our hotel.

We enter the cathedral through the "khan's gate"

The mosque is enormous as is the area that was rebuilt to form the cathedral.  The altar area is beautiful.

There is a great view of the old city from the Roman tower on the other side.  The palace is on the left, the Roman city gate is at the end of the bridge, and the Cathedral can be seen at the right.

Sandy and Karen had to share a pitcher of Sangria!