Marjan had lingered over breakfast, and we had a call home booked. After all that was over we headed out and checked out one last geothermal spot. The steam billowing out was impressive. There was a board up about a Dane who had set up around here as a flower grower. Apparently the warm ground helped him cultivate his flowers all year around.
Then all the boring flight stuff. Keflavik airport though seems very efficient and so it was less of a hassle than normal. We watched Rams on the flight home to finish our Icelandic dosage. We both felt sure we had been in that particular valley.
Got into Madrid at 11, checked into hotel by 12...took a bit to get to sleep. Because we set our watches but not the phone o local time we overslept and got into a bit of a panic. However breakfast....ain't it grand when you can breakfast on chorizo......and the train station, were mere metres away so all fine and we had time to settle before catching the fast train to Cordoba. It hit 275kph on the flat and was super comfortable. Much better way of travelling 400k than car, or plane.
We arrived in Cordoba, checked in to the Maimoides hotel, named after a Jewish philosopher and headed off for a bit of a shop.....Sim card for Spain, nightie for Marjan who left hers in Melbourne, nightshirt for Raf who left his in Iceland....warming up some sheep.....and we had a three course lunch that cost less for two than one soup in Iceland. Not outstanding, though the artichokes were, but nice. Walked back to the hotel in 40 degree heat checking out the now empty Jewish quarter and had a bit of a cold shower and lie down. Marjan got excited when she realised a couple of the places in the next couple of weeks have pools. I think the Mediterranean might be pool enough.
Back out when the temperature had dropped below 35...........it is an adjustment after Iceland......wondering if we should ship home a package of thermals and warm gear. Anyway if we had waited for 35 we may never have got to bed. It was still 38 around 8PM. We did what we usually do in cities wander aimlessly....well not so aimlessly, I was kind of taking Marjan towards La Plaza de la Corredera, we wandered through the old Jewish Quarter checking out the lovely lane ways and the glimpse or two of the luscious patios that are a feature of the architecture here. The guys in the leather workshop just ignored us. Our favourite scene though, was the communist party offices, directly opposite a religious artifact shop. Andalucia is a mystery.
We got to the plaza hot and thirsty, so an ice cold beer and some boquerones (half way between an anchovy and a sardine) were called for and eaten. Marjan in particular felt that the beer hit the spot.......not enough to stop us quaffing a litre and a half of cool water with the boquerones. Of course it was very early, about 7pm, so most of the cafes, particularly the ones in the sun, were still closed.
I planned to wander back via the Roman ruins, but they were digging some more up, or digging these in, at any rate we did not get to see them. The disappointment Marjan felt could only be assuaged by an albondiga (meatball) and fino (dry sherry). Marjan wondered why they brought out a bucket of fino for each of us, but it was cool so we drank it. As the sky darkened we wandered back towards the Mezquita (we are saving it for tomorrow morning)........the gates were closed so we could not sit in the Patio de las Naranjas, so instead we had another beer with croquetas (I think that speaks for itself) and gambas al ajo (garlic prawns). Through the alcoholic haze (for us anyway) we made it back to our hotel and Marjan collapsed on the bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment