Round 'n round in Cordoba

Let's just say that this set up is a much more awkward position than my last entry. I am currently sitting on an Alsa bus on my way to Granada, also in the south of Spain between Cordoba and the Mediterranean coast. I've spent the last couple days visiting the sights and having a random man literally woof at me, even the locals looked perplexed and I still am not sure at the reasoning. For some reason I thought that the whole fitness thing was a North American fad, but there seems  to be a good deal of Spaniards who run outside. It is slightly entertaining as they are dressed for winter running and it is above zero, but to them it feels like winter. Also having kept track of my expenses, a first for me, I've been spending an average of 40 Euro per day without limiting myself excessively!

The hostel that I stayed at this time was quite nice, but much quieter, which depending on your perspective can be a nice break. I did manage to get more sleep that way, but since I'm travelling alone it is nice to meet people through the hostel, especially in the common area and kitchen. It doesn't help that I managed to sleep through the first morning's breakfast and didn't realize that I had access to the kitchen throughout the remainder of the day. Some have asked how travelling by myself is going and so far not bad - I am travelling with an ad hoc plan, making reservations each city at a time (for the next one while I'm in the previous one) and being by myself allows me to do that with relative ease. I am looking forward however to getting back to a more vibrant hostel so that my meals and down time will be a little more interesting. During my time in Cordoba, I ate three meals in restaurants on my own and overall they were succesful, albeit pricier than I would have prefered. The first night I wandered to city for a good, long time before settling on a tiny bar, I think. I ordered a glass of wine (cost 2.5 Euro when it's possible to buy a bottle for under 2 Euro) and an slice of frittatta. The owner was rather friendly and keep offering me what he was serving the other patrons, eventually I settled on a pastry filled with seafood, tomatoes, and something else (olives?). The next day I settled on a café - coffee & ham filled pastry - and later a little restaurant - seafood paella, or risotto. A downside to  getting up and eating at strange intervals is that I am most definitely not on the Spanish schedule - small breakfast, lunch after 2, and dinner between 7-9. I was eating my paella lunch while the school kids were having their post-school day coffee - their version of afternoon teatime.

I would say that 50% of my time exploring the city involves me wandering the city streets (calle) usually in the right directino, but not always in the right sequence or following a set route. Before an exercusion, I will have an idea of where I am going and look at a map beforehand. Once I am out and about,  I will keep my map in my pocket and weave my way until I either reach my destination, find another one, or find a point of reference to make a u-turn. This town was no exception, I walked in many a circle, but also saw many hidden cornerstone I would have otherwised missed and garnered a better sense of the area.

The main appeal and attracting in Cordoba is the Mezquita - a catherdral, turned mosque, turned cathedral. The original cathedral is all but lost with the most impressive, and unique, architecture is the combination of Moorish and Christian styles. There are over 800 arches as well as the typical cathedral, ornate designs. Despite being impressive, it is slightly disappointing when you consider that every piece off the structure has been either excavated and/or refurbished, or is a replica. A neat, but eery, aspect which I think has previously evaded me is that on the floor there are stone placards of important personnel with their date of death and their exact age (down to the amount of days old that they were). I also visited the Alcazar of the Christian Monarch. The interior display was nothing spectacular, but the gardens were very well maintained and preserved. It reminded me of the gardens your read about in old literature that were within castle grounds. Throughout the city centre there are relics and artifacts from the city's long history and the myriad of ruling bodies, even the city walls are integrated into the modern city design (e.g. the highway around the city follows the path of the walls).

Arriving and leaving Cordoba were both a little hectic, so far the only times I have felt as if I am on the Amazing Race. After arriving on the train, I knew I had to go find the #3 bus (apparently the 3 in all cities is the bus that goes to the bus/train station and downtown). So as I was going through the various bus stalls, I looked up and saw the three facing the opposite direction on the other or side of the street so after a slight jump and hustle, I managed to catch it as it was about to leave! This morning went fairly smoothly, I got up and packed up my things (finally settling into place), showered, and had breakfast. On my way out the door, I said goodbye to the Dutch girl I met and forgot my water. Then as I was walking towards the bus stop, the bus went by me (think it was a couple minutes early). Thankfully the next bus was only 12 minutes behind and I had left with plenty of spare time. As we were reaching the bus and train station, I needed up hoping off the bus a stop early which meant I was a little disoriented and did a few about-turns before I pointed myself in the right direction. Getting the bus ticket was a breeze,I used the automated machine, but for some reason my credit card seems uncooperative, even after talking with the bank helpline last night. I managed to scoot across the road to the train station to find a replacement water bottle and after tossing my bag on the bus find/use the washroom before we took off.

We are pulling into Granada soon and I have quite the hike ahead of me as I chose a hostel on the top of a hill (offers a delightful view of the ctiy).

-Alex

PS: if I were to go on an actual round-the-world (RTW) trip, not only would I lose the books (for school), but also at least half my outfits and the small backpack (which other than the plane ride I have not used and currently have it strapped to my ruck). Which means, some things might be getting the heave-ho after my semester.