And now it was a long walk through some of the newer parts of the city to a little mosque in a park. We prayed Zuhr and Asr. As with most Arab mosques, it had a female section impressively despite its diminutive size.
I meant to ask about its history but everybody was either praying or reading the Qur'an and so didn't want to disturb. In hindsight, maybe I should have. The name for a start is intriguing.
It was Yousuf and Zainab's yogurt time...
We then went for a walkabout. Cordoba has a lot to offer but after the Mezquita everything seemed a bit of an anticlimax. Maybe there's a lesson in that - leave the best til last.
We vaguely aimed for a synagogue in the old Jewish quarter by over shot it and stumbled upon an surviving section of the old city wall.
The synagogue is only one of three survivors in all of Spain after the expulsion of the Jews by the Christians in 1492. Many of these Jews ended up in the Ottoman Empire where Sultan Beyzid gave them refuge. He even sent ships to transport them from Spain.
There didn't seem to be an obvious entrance to the synagogue so we carried on wondering. The narrow cobbled streets of Cordoba are as an enchanting as elsewhere in Andalucia and great for Zainab to roam unimpeded by traffic...
Yousuf and Zainab had their regular pasta lunch by the Patios de los Naranjos. We then followed a flyer to a little Pakistani place a few narrow streets away from the Mezquita.
The meals were quite good though not as good value as we were lead to believe by the flyer. Abdullah had a very hearty meal, MaShaAllah! I don't think I've ever seen him eat as much, finishing this plate and more. Alhamdulillah he always eats well in restaurants. We should go more often...
One can only imagine the magnificence of the Mezquita before the cathedral intrusion. The pillars and the double arches would have stretched the entire length and breadth of hall, creating the illusion of an oasis of date palms to remind the early Muslims of Spain of Arabia.
The original Mezquita was completed during the reign of Abd ar-Rahman I by the architect Sidi din Ayub. Before the fall of the Moors, it had been extended three times to its current size, which measures about 100m by 60m.
It has been highlighted by the Church that the Mezquita was built on a former Visigothic Cathedral. True. But what is not made well known is that before the construction of the mosque the land was bought by Abd ar-Rahman I from the Christians.
We can only pray that prayers will be allowed again in the mosque. Aameen...
Yousuf and Zainab had fun running around between the countless pillars of the mosque. Abdullah joined in by giving his brother a piggy back.
For Hamida and I, and to some extent Abdullah too, there was a sense of loss both of the mosque to a cathedral and architectural.
There are countless mosques in Spain that have been converted to churches but none is as symbolic as the Grand Mosque of Cordoba. Hamida couldn't hold back her tears.
We can only pray...
Because of all the clutter you have to look to find this work of art, where once its positioning would have automatically guided worshipers to it. Not surprisingly, this area of the mosque was not as busy as the cathedral coro. Shame.
The mihrab area is fenced off perhaps to protect its intricate artwork of mosaics of gold, rust-red, turquoise and green from the overreaching hands of tourists but probably also to prevent Muslims from praying there, as has happened in the past...
While during the time of the Muslims all 19 doors of the mosque were open, so that its pillars looked like extensions of the orange trees outside, now only a couple of doors at either end are open. The atmosphere of the building has been changed from that of airy and brightly lit simplicity to one of half-light and clutter.
While during the time of the Muslims the hundreds of pillars and arches extended like date palms in all directions, this unique view has been desecrated by a squatting Renaissance cathedral coro (1523) that stands in the centre of the hall like an uninvited guest.
The conquering of the Mezquita by the Christians was not only a religious affliction for the Muslims but also an architectural disaster for the world.
In the words of Carlos V, who sanctioned the building of the coro, "You have built what you or others might have built anywhere, but you have destroyed something that was unique in the world."
Nuff said...
As with mosques around the world both now and in the past, the Mezquita is approached by a courtyard. The Patios de los Naranjos is lined with orange trees and fountains for ablutions and though the original orange trees survive the current fountains are just ornamental.
On entering the mosque itself, we were told not to pray inside! To the Spanish authorities of course this is a cathedral now and there is much Church propagandists literature for tourists to read inside...
Corboda has many attractions, including the old city itself, but one thing of course dominates all others and that is where we were headed first.
The Mezquita was about 2km from our hotel and half of it was along the banks of the Rio Guadalquivir, a fast flowing river which was prone to flooding before the ingenuity of the Moors' flood controls.
Spanning the river at the point where it meets the Mezquita at its northern shores is the Puente Romano. As its name suggests it is of Roman origin (1st or 2nd century up AD) but has had extensive work done on it in the 8th and 10th centuries by the Muslims.
As in the picture, the Mezquita beckoned just beyond the bridge...
We hadn't prepaid paid for breakfast and it was just as well - there was no real hot selection. There were more than plenty to fill one's stomach but our breakfast expectations have forever been raised by Premier Inn.
The unruly men were sitting by the tables near us. And they were middle aged Pakistani men! Shame on them for their unruliness...
Arrived at our hotel in Cordoba just before sunset. We thought that his was the best of the hotel rooms, which was spacious and airy with a balcony for the kids to run around in.
Quick visit to Mercadona before Abdullah and I settled down to watch the El Clasico, Barcelona v Real Madrid, only that it wasn't on any of the channels in our room, as we didn't have the premium channels. We didn't go to the hotel's bar either, obviously.
Looked forward to a nice night's sleep only to be kept awake by a hoard of men arriving late in the adjoining room. They were so noisy and annoying. Called the hotel reception but to no avail. Called again and eventually the noise subsided a little. They need to install soundproofing...
Spotting rock sculptures of animals was fun in the beginning but real animals are much more interesting, especially for our resident zoologist, Abdullah Muhammad Haroon Rashid!
These are Iberian Ibex, which the zoologist tried to chase but was prevented by his dad.
A flamingo lake en route to Cordoba was also on the itinerary for today but had to be postponed due to time. It was now Cordoba all the way...
So we decided to just have lunch on this picturesque spot by this river that denied us the cave before moving on. Lunch was egg fried rice with mushrooms and tomatoes that we made in El Gastor. Yummy! All of us ate heartily except for Abdullah, who was more interested in picking out stones...
This is the incriminating image! On descending from a mirador at Setenil, Hamida finally gave way to temptation and Abdullah duly obliged.
But they were not ripe and tasted so bitter that we had spit them out. At least now we know...
The reason for visiting Setenil was because of its peculiar cave-like streets, formed from the overhanging ledge of a gorge of the Rio Trejo, with many houses of natural cave roofs.
You can see some of these in the distance but because of time we didn't get very close, which seems very silly as they were the main reason for going there. At the time it didn't seem to matter much as we had so much more planned for the day...
Rather than going directly to Cordoba we were to stop at a few places along the way - luxury of having your own transport. First we were heading for another White Town, Setenil de las Bodegas.
The drive through the rolling hills and farmland along totally empty country lanes passing tiny villages and farmsteads was very relaxing and uplifting. It fills my heart with yearning as I write this...
We stayed in El Gastor as we couldn't find reasonably priced accommodation in Cordoba. The £50/night for the full two bedroom flat was good value. This was the most spacious place we stayed at, and my personal favourite.
El Gastor is a very small town (but you have to call it a town rather than a village as it has a police station and a couple of banks) with single cobbled lanes for roads. I parked illegally both nights. Pointing at a nearby no parking sign, a police man quite sternly and yet forgivingly told me this, as we were departing. May Allah guide him. Aameen.
In this photo just above the town, Yousuf is putting on his camera smile!
It was a long day and we hadn't had a proper meal all day. And this made my second rendition of omelette taste even better. Two varities this time, mushroom and tomatoes.
During the filming of the cooking Zainab had an accident where she fell head first from the sofa to the tiled floor. It could have been serious but Alhamdulillah she was fine. Her mum caught it on camera but the viewing is certainly not comfortable!
While Hamida put Yousuf and Zainab to sleep, I made freshly squeezed orange juice for us. Nice!
Shabanah, whose senses were extremely hightened at the time of their visit two years earlier, told Hamida that Ronda smelt of ham. This must have been the reason. These dried legs of ham were to be found all over shops in Andalucia. Not a very pleasant sight.
We duly headed out of beautiful Ronda but not via the intended detour around the countryside to the east, the views from whence of the town above would have certainly added to the appreciation for it. It was not to be as it took too long due to the many one way roads that Ronda has and my free satnav not recognising them.
It was a shame but we can't really grumble as we enjoyed plenty of Ronda MaShaAllah...
Dating back to 1785, Ronda's bullring is the oldest and one of the largest in all of Spain. It is also the most venerated due to it being the stomping ground of Pedro Romero, considered the father of modern bullfighting.
Bullfighting is one of those guilty pleasures that I have always resisted in my adult life. Wanted to go on a tour the stadium but the entrance fee pushed us away.
A nice little play area for Zainab and Yousuf to enjoy briefly before heading back to El Gastor.
Our time in Ronda was fast coming to an end. Time for final views of the awe inspiring El Tajo. We took the cliff edge walkway that heads in a northwesterly direction following the meandering of the Guadalvin.
Yousuf lost his McDonald's balloon over the edge and Abdullah's efforts were in vain. To our west was open countryside and because of this exposure it was feeling a little windy, which made for great hairdoos! I love Zainab's expression in the first photo - marvellous!
On one side of Plaza Duquesa de Parcent is the church of Santa Maria La Mayor, which used to be the town's Friday Mosque (minaret pictured). It was sad to see another instance of this recurring theme of mosques converted to churches.
The very expensive ice cream were nice but not as nice as the surrounding, particularly the line of orange trees. The orange on blue sky was sumptuously colorful...
We carried on touring the little gem and its beautifully cobbled narrow streets, aiming for Ronda's most picturesque square in Plaza Duquesa de Parcent. Despite the tourists near Puente Nuevo and the squares, the rest of Ronda was relatively free and uncrowded.
Pushing and carrying the two young ones was not easy but enjoyable because of their enjoyment. Zainab of course prefers walking to being carried!
On one side of the plaza is the church of Santa Maria La Mayor, which used to be the town's Friday Mosque (minaret pictured). It was sad to see another instance of this recurring theme of mosques converted to churches.
The very expensive ice cream were nice but not as nice as the surrounding...
Just beyond the oldest Moorish bridge and beyond the old city wall is the Arabian Bathhouse. Ever since experiencing the Hammam Noor-Uddin in Damascus, I have been enthralled by these baths. I haven't been to one as good as that one in Syria. I pray that it is still there the next time we visit.
This one has long been out of use but one could still appreciate its former glory and ingenuity with its star shaped glass windows set in barrel-vaulted ceiling and octagonal brick columns supporting horseshoe arches. There was also once an aqueduct that used to bring fresh water from the nearby river. It was all fascinating stuff...
On climbing out of the Casa del Rey Moro and after a brief stop at what looked like a mihrab, we carried on walking along the southern bank of the Guadalvin, passing the town's two oldest bridges.
This is Hamida enjoying a view of Puente Viejo (1616) from the 14th century Moorish Puente de San Miguel beyond which the town ends as it always did...
Leading down from the Casa del Rey Moro is a 365 step underground stairway all the way to the bottom of the gorge and the Guadalvin. Abdullah lead the way with Yousuf guided by his mum, but managing the descent and accent 730 by himself, and Zainab on her dad's back. It was a mini-adventure for the kids.
As with the terrace there were very few other people, the best way to enjoy such things. At the bottom though there was a backpacking couple who obliged in taking a picture of us. The view from the bottom of the gorge was serene...
Moving to the southern side of Ronda, our first stop was an 18th century mansion built on Moorish foundations. It had a lovely terrace with pretty little pools and flower beds and with excellent views of the gorge and the countryside to the east. Soothing for the soul.
Not so soothing, but one that amused Abdullah, is the legend that the original Moorish palace was the residence of a king who used to drink wine from the skulls of those he'd beheaded. Such is legend...
Every time I go to McDonald's while travelling I feel embarrassed but sometimes it's convenient, especially with young kids who need to be fed in a hurry. They had free wi-fi too! This was on the northern side of Puente Nuevo...
