"¡Nadie me dijo que iba a llover!"

This past Saturday I took a day trip with the students of GRIIS to Córdoba, a city located just about a three hour's drive to the northwest of Granada. I have to say that if I weren't teaching in Granada this year, I'd have been very happy in Córdoba- it's a beautiful city, rich in both history and culture, and definitely one of my favorite places to visit in Spain. Currently, Córdoba is in a competition to be "Europe's Culture Capital is 2016" and I really think that the city would be a great winner! Between the 8th and 11th centuries, Córdoba was one of the most developed, advanced, artistic and wealthy cities in the world. At this point in history, it was controlled by Islamic leaders who made it the capital of the Al-Andalus region. The city's impressive Mezquita (Mosque) dates back to this time. Like Granada, the city's rich Islamic heritage and its historical importance are still very much evident today.

Leaving Granada around 8am Saturday morning, we arrived in Córdoba around 11:30am after only having stopped for a quick breakfast and coffee break. We were all bummed to see that it was raining... and me most of all. I (foolishly) forgot to check the weather before leaving the house and thus showed up for the day without an umbrella, without a hood and wearing white flats. Luckily, one of the other girls lent me her scarf and I used it as a make-shift hood all day. Despite the rain, it was a fun day and we had a good time!

First, we entered the city through its well-preserved medieval walls and began walking around the city's judería, or Jewish quarters. Our first stop of the day was a museum, the Casa Andalusí, where we received a guided tour about Córdoba's Muslim and Jewish history and influences. Next, we walked through the Jewish quarters to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. The Alcázar is a beautiful monument- it contains a castle, a Moorish bathhouse and numerous garden used by the Catholic rulers once they retook the city from the Moorish leaders. After walking around the grounds and gardens of the Alcázar, we had some free time for lunch, shopping and coffee. Our last stop of the day was to the Mezquita-Catedral, the highlight of any visit to Córdoba. The Mezquita dates back to the 10th century and is one of the largest, best-preserved mosques in the world. In the 15th century, Catholic King Carlos I gave permission to rip out the center of the Mezquita in order to construct the city's cathedral inside of the existing building. Later on, the king would come to regret his decision and luckily, most of the mosque is still preserved and intact today. Finally, around 6pm, we crossed el Puente Romano (the Roman Bridge) and caught the bus back to Granada.

Here are some pictures from our day in Córdoba. Although I prefer the city in the spring, it was lovely nonetheless!

Part of Córdoba's medieval wall, this is "La Puerta de Almodovar," a door leading to the Jewish quarters.

Entering the Jewish quarters.

I am in love with the white walls and yellow trim. This is what comes to my mind when I think about Spain.

A fountain, one of my favorite little nooks in the city.

The group! GRIIS Fall '10.

View from one of the towers in the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos.

One of the many garden-patios in the Alcázar.

On "Calle de las Flores" (Flower Street). Note the Mosque's tower in the background.

The "Patio de las Naranjas" (Patio of the Oranges) from within the Mosque's grounds.

Inside la Mezquita (the Mosque).

La Capilla Real (the alter/church) of the city's cathedral, located in the center of the mosque.

...and it stopped raining just as we prepared to leave the city! One last photo of the group with the Roman Bridge and Cathedral in the background.

 Now I've got to prepare some lessons for tutoring later on today. At 8:15pm, I'm meeting John in the center of the city to walk with him to Hannigan's, an Irish bar in Granada, where we'll meet up with everyone for Monday night pub quiz! Sometimes we're really good at the trivia, other times we're absolutely horrible, but our group always has a good time. Wish us luck tonight!