Spanish Culture – Page 2 – Chasing Butterflies

As promised…Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

So I promised in one of my posts, while on a high from my little adventure, that I would write an individual blog on the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos for you. And, seeing as I hate to disappoint, here it is! I only hope that my words manage to do it the justice that it deserves. However, if they fail, as I´m sure they will, then the slideshow at the end should do the trick! So sit back, relax and enjoy your trip! 🙂

The Alcázar is one of the most important monuments in Córdoba. Why you might ask, well the answer is simple really! The Alcázar is one of the only buildings here in Córdoba that retains fragments from practically all cultures that have passed through here from the Roman period to present day. It is a great representation of each of the cultures and provides an interesting insight into how Córdoba has been moulded into the beautiful historic city it is today.

Even before I entered the grounds I knew I was going to be blown away by what lay before me. The grounds outside the main entrance are beautiful, especially as they are set against the beautiful sandstone main walls and entrance. As you go through the main gates you are greeted not only by several european flags and friendly staff members but also by the prestigious sculpture of King Alfonso x el Sabio, wonderful! Located just behind him is the entrance to the main Gallery which is situated in the main building between the two towers; La torre del homenaje and la torre de los leones.

View from the towers — One of the towers

Located on the first floor of this building is the salón de los mosaicos. The salón de los mosaicos is home to the most beautiful mosaic artwork which was extracted from the Corridera and brought here to be put on display. During the period of Roman rule here in Córdoba the Corridera was home to the Roman circus and the mosaic artwork that can be found in this room dates back to this period. On the ground floor you can explore the once famous royal baths and take a wander through the Morisco patio which leads you to my favourite part of the Alcazar; the gardens.

It has to be said the gardens are magnificent. They manage to capture the true splendor of the Califal period and in my opinion put the botanical gardens to shame! We all know I enjoyed the botanical gardens but seriously they weren´t a patch on this perfectly manicured piece of heaven! I have no words to describe just how beautiful they are but all I will say is it´s the perfect place to go to relax and lose yourself in beauty!

In summing up, the Alcazar is well worth a visit whether you´re interested in history, culture, architecture or gardens there is definitely something there for everyone and for all ages! It´s a historical gem which reflects the positive aspects of each culture that resided there! It has also been the home to many important events like in 1486 when Christopher Columbus had his first audience with the monarchs Elizabeth and Ferdinand before he was granted permission to set sail and discover America!

The statue of Columbus and Elizabeth and Ferdinand

As I expected, my words fail to capture just how great the Alcázar is. So I leave you now with a photo slideshow in the hope that my photos will capture what my feeble words failed to express!

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As always Thank you for Reading and I hope you´ve had a fantastic Sunday!

Giana xoxo

In the footsteps of a stranger…

This Saturday was a first for me, I was all alone in the city. With my friends gone to the beach I found myself at a lost as to what to do with myself! After a brief moment of humming and hawing I decided to embark on a new adventure, take on a new role for the day and that was: Irish tourist. Ever so challenging I know, I can´t help it, my imagination just runs wild sometimes! Anyway, while I´m quiet used to being mistaken for a tourist here, not being Spanish and all, actually being a tourist for the day was something totally new for me and, I must say, I rather enjoyed it!

Having lived in Córdoba for almost a year you´d imagine that I´d know the place pretty well by now. Well at least that´s what I thought anyway but, as it turns out, I don´t! Obviously I know enough about the place to have fallen in love with it and to have a life here. However, I´ve come to discover, since today really, that I´m quiet ignorant when it comes to the history of this beautiful city and also what it has to offer tourists! I´d never taken the time to explore those areas, odd considering as I live in the most touristic area in the city!

In any case I got up this morning and reached for my map, selecting places I had heard my friends talking about during the course of the academic year and also places that were located near me. I made a route and a schedule, I do make quiet a professional tourist if I do say so myself, got myself ready and excitedly left the apartment layered in sun-cream and accessorized with flip-flops and my camera ready to take on my role for the day!

First stop: Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. I´m not going to go into too much detail about it in this post as I´m going to write individual posts on each place I liked throughout the course of the week. I´ve way too much to say about each and I don´t want you falling asleep while reading and missing out on anything!

Anyway back to the Alcázar. The Alcázar is a former Roman fortress and residence of Christian Kings. It is said to be in this very compound that Spain discussed and planned its vogage to discover America, there is even a monument dedicated to this very event right in the middle of the grounds; a statue of Columbus and the King and Queen! Amazing! Not only can you see the former residence but also the royal baths, the Moorish inspired gardens and the spectacular view of the city from its towers! I´m delighted I decided to start here, I had been a bit uncertain about going as one of my friends had mentioned that there wasn´t much to see there. Maybe it´s because I had low expectations starting out that made the visit so good, who knows! All I know is I really loved every minute I was there!

Colmbus — Monument of Columbus and the King and Queen

Next stop; Caballerizas Reales or Royal Stables, as thery´re known in English! These stables were built in the year 1570 as an order from King Felipe II. It was in these stables that the pure breed Andalusian horses were first bread. Nowadays these stables are known for their equestrian shows which depict “the passion and spirit of the Andalusian horse”. However, during the day you may wander through the stables and look at the horses, the arenas and the antique buggies that are on display! A nice way to pass the time it you ask me, the Irish tourist!

From Buggies to Baths, the next stop brought me to the Baños del Alcázar Califal or The Royal Baths Museum. This museum reflects the order in which the Roman Baths followed; cold rooms, warm rooms and hot rooms. It´s a surprising insight into the role of baths in the Roman times, it´s well preserved and very informative. However, as I´m not big into history, it was slightly on the dry side for me! I did learn from it and enjoyed the experience but it was probably my least favourite stop of the day and I´m pretty sure, unlike the others places I visited today, I won´t be going back!

After the Baths it was time for a quick spot of lunch and a siesta to prepare myself for the evening ahead! Once refueled, washed and re-layered with sun-cream I set off for my next destination: Museo Arquelógico or The Archaeological museum. This museum is famed as being one of the most complete museums in Spain and I know I wouldn´t feel the need to question that! The museum guides you through the different lifestyles that have existed in Córdoba from pre-history to the middle ages. There is everything you could imagine there from jewellery to pots and pans to headstones. You can even see part of the area that these artifacts were retrieved from and what´s more; it´s free! It´s defienately worth a stop into if you ever find yourself in my role: a tourist in the area!

Next stop: Museo de Bellas Artes or Museum of beautiful art, ´don´t let the slightly cliché title put you off, it really is beautiful with beautiful art! The art work, consisting of paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints, that´s on display in this museum is spread out over several rooms. The works themselves date from the 14th to the 21st century. While the works were amazing what really grabbed my attention was the entrance. To get to the museum you have to walk through this beautifully manicured garden with a fountain in the centre, I´ve no other words for it other than…breath-taking! Again, this museum was free, so even if art isn´t your thing, I´d definately recommend going in to see the courtyard and the building – Beautiful!

Final stop of the day, you must be getting tired by now, I know I am: Posada del Potro. This Inn dates from the 14th century and is the only example of an Inn which remains in the City. It is said that Cervantes stayed here and used this Inn to draw inspiration for Don Quixote, how true this is I don´t know! Today, however, it´s no longer an Inn but instead a cultural centre and exhibition place. I must say, I´m not sure if it was because it was my last stop and I was tired, this was my favourite stop of the day! It was refreshing to see modern crafts and culture in such a quaint settling. Fantastic!

Well I hope you´ve managed to stay awake through my fun-filled adventure as a tourist! I think it´s time for me to take a nap now! Hope you´ve had a good Saturday!

As always, thank you for reading!

Giana xoxo

La feria: A splendid way to end any month!

From the moment I arrived in Córdoba, in July of last year, all I heard about was La Fería or The Fair. People kept telling me: “You haven´t experienced Córdoba until you´ve been to the Fair”; so obviously, after hearing this over and over again, I had huge expectations and, I´m glad to say, I wasn´t one bit disappointed!

Too me, La Feria celebrates everything Córdoba has to be proud of: music, tradition, fashion, folklore and gastronomy. La Feria takes place in a huge arena located beside the river Guadalquivir. For one week every year this arena transforms into what one can only described as olden day Spain.

La Feria is filled with hundreds of casetas, or huts in which you can soak up the traditional fun-loving party atmosphere. In each caseta you can dance and sing along to the typical Andalucian music and also try some of the gastronomy that is typical to the fair. Indulge in the typical dishes Córdoba has to offer, dishes such as ham, fried eggs, omelette, stuffed potatoes and churros. While you´re at it, why not try the wine that this region is known for – Montilla – Moriles, or even a traditional Córdoban cocktail; Reboijto.

As you wander through the artificially created streets it´s easy to feel like you´ve been transported back in time with the lack of cars, tarmac and concrete buildings. It really feels like something out of the wild west. The men are dressed in traditional suits accessorised with elegant hats which are typical to Córdoba while the women are decked out in bright coloured gypsy or flamenca style dresses usually covered in patterns or polka dots accompanied by a beautiful flower in their hair.

Other typical things you can except to find are the horses and buggies which are so important to the culture here and also a fun fair. For me, Feria is a way of retaining the values and traditions that the people of Córdoba are so proud of while also modernising them in order to make the festival appeal to every generation! In order to truly enjoy this festival make sure you stay out until the early hours of the morning, that way you get the best of both worlds, the traditional and the contemporary!

As I feel that words fail to do La Feria justice I´m going to leave you with a slideshow which hopefully can give you some bit of insight into the music, tradition, folklore, fashion and gastronomy that is so integral to Córdoba.

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Thank you for reading, I hope you´ve enjoyed it, as they say “you haven´t eperienced Córdoba until you´ve been to the fair!”

Giana xoxo

Relaxing Sundays: Six ingredients to success!

“Que hermoso hacer nada y descansar después” or, in other more familiar words, How beautiful it is to do nothing and then rest afterwards. – Spanish Proverb

What better way to capture the mentality of a lazy Sunday than through the words of this proverb? Sundays, for me anyway, are days of nothingness. They are about enjoying what life has to offer, appreciating the simple things we sometimes, due to our hectic lives, take for granted – things like warm sunny days, strolls through the park and spending time with our friends and family . Above all, Sundays are about unwinding and disconnecting from the strains of the week. One of the best things about Sundays is that you have nowhere you need to be and nothing you need to do, you are perfectly entitled to revel in the beauty of idleness. Last Sunday was the epitome of pleasure and relaxation for me and luckily I got to share it all with one of my dear friends, who, for the propose of this blog, shall be called Alice. So sit back and relax as I share the six ingredients behind the success of our perfect Sunday with you!I

Ingredient numero uno: Arab Bath time:

We decided, after quite a few late nights in a row, to begin our delightful Sunday morning by treating ourselves to a well deserved lie in so: at twelve o´clock we awoke fresh-faced and ready to embrace our day of relaxation. Once washed and dressed we quickly packed a bag with two swimsuits, shampoo, a hairbrush and some other bits of toiletries and headed out the door with a spring in our step, destination: Hammam Arab Baths.

Conveniently located just a few minutes from my house, in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, is the Hammam Al Andalusí. The Hammam, which originally was a place in which people gathered together, provides the ideal historical and architectural setting to escape from the day-to-day stresses of life and lose yourself in its peace and tranquility!

Alice and I, feeling the need to pamper ourselves, decided to go for the bath and double relaxing massage package and what a treat that was! We followed our circuit of relaxation contentedly moving from the largest pool – the warm pool, to the middle sized pool – the hot pool, to the eucalyptus effused steam room to our final destination which was the smallest pool – the cold pool. We did this circuit twice before giving ourself a nice little “break” in order to have a sip of mint tea and soak up the beautiful surroundings while blissfully listening to quiet Andalusí music in the background. Once our “break” was over it was time for our massage, life can be tough sometimes!

We had a choice of four different scented oils for our massage: rose, lavender, red amber or orange blossom. Having taken the time to familiarise myself with each aroma before my massage I opted for the rose scented oil! As I lay on the table, listening to the faint Andalusí music, I could feel my worries just drift away into thin air! Total and utter bliss and after half and hour of such bliss I was devastated when it had to come to an end!

The total experience lasted for two hours and I must say I enjoyed every minute of it! I emerged from there relaxed, refreshed and feeling like I could take on the world! The only down side was that it´s forbidden to take photos inside the Hammam; so sadly I can´t share its beautiful architecture with you!

Ingredient numero dos: Time to refuel!:

After such a tough morning of relaxation we felt, seeing as it was a day for pampering ourselves, that it was time to refuel. We walked a few steps down the road to Plaza de Potros where there are a number of good restaurants. We made a bee-line for our restaurant of choice – Mueso – where we selected a lovely table outside under the Andalusían sun.

Both famished and parched from our few hours at the Hammam we scanned through the menu and ordered as quickly as we could! I settled for a tapa of Salmerejo, a potion of spinach and chickpea croquettes and a sparkling water while Alice decided to go for a portion of Iberic ham and melon and, like me, a tapa of Salmejero, it´s just too good to pass up in this weather, and a sparkling water!

I have to say I love this little gem of a restaurant. Not only is the service amazing but the food is incredible, it´s easy to see why it has been featured in a French travel guide for the last three years!

Ingredient numero tres: Action cool down:

Once refueled Alice and I headed towards the mosque in search of some horse-drawn carriages. We thought it might be fun to indulge in something extremely touristic and cliché. However, upon finding out the cost of such horse-drawn carriages, we weren´t long changing our minds and decided to settle for a short meander through the old quarter and a quick stop for some frozen yoghurt instead! Yum!

After a Short sit down and walk through the water features at Plaza Tendillas we decided it was time to head home and relax for the evening! After all – we were after having a hard day!

Ingredient numero cuatro: Something a little fishy:

By the time dinner time rolled round we were consumed with laziness and couldn´t face the task of leaving the apartment to hunt down some food so we decided to do what any other intelligent/ lazy young girls would do – order in! I had been dying to try this new sushi home delivery service that I had heard about and figured there was no better time to try it. We were having a healthy relaxing day after all!

Alice and I, having excitedly read through the menu, settled on the 32 piece menu thinking it would be the perfect size for us! So I made the dreaded call to Sushi color, I still hate having conversations on the phone in spanish, only for the guy on the other end to ask me if the meal was for five people! What an insult! However I soon got over it, the service was amazing, the food was great and the packaging was adorable! Overall, highly satisfactory. I will definitely be ordering from there again!

Ingredient numero cinco: Embrace the beast:

Embracing the inner child in us we settled down with our sushi to watch our favourite movie; Beauty and the Beast! What more could you ask for from the evening? Relaxation, good food and a chance to be a child again. There honestly is no better to escape your worries – believe me, I´ve tried and tested quiet a few at this stage!

Ingredient numero seis: Sleeping Beauties:

Worn out from pampering ourselves we decided to end our perfect day by going to bed early. In true fairy-tale fashion we became the most satisfied sleeping beauties in the world; completely unwilling to accept that come Monday morning the dream would be over and we would once again be back to the day-to-day stresses of the working world!

I hope you´ve enjoyed reading about our relaxing day and that, whatever you did yesterday, you had a fantastic day!

Also, thank you to Alice, without you the day wouldn´t have been possible. Good luck tomorrow as you embark on a brand new adventure in wonderland!

Thank you for reading, sorry it´s been so long since my last post, life got in the way!

Giana xoxo

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