Some Say...

Early on, Ed noticed guidebook writing invariably uses this expression, as in "Some say this is the most important Gothic cathedral in the world." So we've been joking around about it "Some say this is the most minty chocolate chip gelato in all of Spain." And so we went to Cordoba with pretty high expectations because "Some say this is the most beautiful Arabic monument in the world." Fortunately, "Some" were right in the case of La Mezquita in Cordoba.

First, though, I thought I should show the previously mentioned statue of Columbus petitioning Isabella and Ferdinand. Which we all liked as their stances seem to reflect a real conversation. You can almost imagine how hard he's sucking up to make another trip to the Bahamas (you would too if you could, given the Inquisition was just starting thanks to Isabella/Ferdinand).

Because we didn't have much time in Cordoba, we focused on the gorgeous La Mezquita-Catedral built in 785 AD by the Moors. The red/white arches are really 1000 columns holding up two levels of arches made of marble, jasper and onyx. It's like a sea of red and white--unbelievable really. The kids had a lot of fun hiding behind columns (I mean, solemnly touring). What's really bizarre is after the Christians took power, Charles V decided to plop a huge cathedral right in the center of the Mezquita. The cathedral is beautiful in its own way but in sharp contrast to the powerful feeling you get amidst the endless rows of the Moorish arches of the Mezquita. I don't show any pictures of the cathedral's white dome/light-filled space but you can kind of see how they used and transformed some of the arches in the 2nd photo here. We learned Charles V later regretted his architectural/religious mash-up. Cordoba is a pretty little town and La Mezquita-Catedral was truly a wonder.