30 Mar

We had train tickets to Cordoba and then to Sevilla that day so we got a very early start and checked out of our hotel. The train ride wasn’t a lot of fun ‘cause we were exhausted from not having slept much. I was dozing most of the ride so I don’t remember much of the outside scenery. I do remember it being rather dry and grassy.

At the Cordoba train station, we stored our bags in a locker and then sought out the information desk. The man there was very helpful and for a single Euro we bought a nice map to the city. Our first destination was the Mezquita which is an ancient and famous Muslim mosque.

This mosque is grand in scale and beautiful for its interior design. What struck me most about this Mezquita were the rows and rows of red marble pillars that created both a sense of closeness and infinity within the building. Unlike many of the Christian churches and cathedrals I have visited, this place did not seem to try to overwhelm you with high vaults and sweeping arches that force one to strain their necks skyward. Instead, this mosque enshrined beauty and heavenly grace largely at eye-level and within reach of the common man. After we had admired its beauty, we visited the tourist office located outside. The woman there was quite friendly and gave us several free posters after Dad inquired about one.

Cordoba is also famous for an old Roman bridge (Puente Roman) that has been straddling the rather small river there for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the bridge was closed for renovations and we could only admire it from one side. It was getting to be lunchtime after we finished with the bridge, so we went a bit further into town in search of a place to eat. We found this little falafel place which was empty except for us. The food was okay and the service not too great. Dad decided to get some sangria but I was disappointed to see the server just pour it out of a liter bottle. I know the stuff is really popular, but it’s still depressing to see it served that way.

After lunch, we walked around the city some more. I bought a postcard and we searched for souvenirs for the other two but couldn’t find the right things. We didn’t want to reach Sevilla too late (it’s still a couple hours train ride from Cordoba) so we headed back to the train station in the early afternoon to pick up our bags and buy our tickets to Sevilla. I had a bit of trouble finding the right ticket counter to go to, but once we did, getting the tickets was a simple matter. We were pretty early for the next train, so we just chilled out for a while. Dad and I tried to get some wireless internet but, expectedly, failed in this endeavor. When the time came, we headed over to the baggage scanner. After my bag went through, the guard motioned me to open it for him. I obliged and moved around some of my clothes and such before miming an innocent ‘what did you want to see’ question. He just looked at me and silently pointed to the X-ray screen. I could see the figure of my dagger in solid black against the white around it. ‘Oh’ I mimed, ‘that’s what you wanted to see.’ I immediately pulled out the box and let him examine it. He quickly discerned that it was just a toy (not really) due to the colorful and childish print on the box, and let me go. Hilarious.

A whole troop of schoolchildren followed us onto the train and I figured it might be a long ride. Still tired, I managed to doze most of the way. I must say, the Sevilla train station is one of the more impressive ones I’ve seen. One feature I really liked was in the bathroom where there was a panel on the far wall with LEDs. When a stall was occupied, the light would be out and vice versa. It was a simple and elegant means of letting people know how long they would have to wait and if a stall was vacant, exactly which one was. It’s the small things that matter. We first went to a tourist office to get some info and maps, and then caught a cab into the city. Unlike Madrid, Sevilla is a relatively small, relaxed town that is still bustling but not frantic and congested. The streets got narrower and more twisted as we headed into the Barrio Santa Cruz (one of the older and most famous parts of the city) until we stopped in a small square with a giant, elaborate iron cross and orange trees.

It took us a few minutes to find our bearings, but once we did, it was a simple matter to check into the hotel. The woman at the desk was kind and spoke perfect English. We were exhausted so fortunately our apartment was completely ready. Saket, the dear soul he is, had left us a message that the receptionist gave us. He wanted to make sure we were okay and since we didn’t have internet access, we had to write out a letter and then give it to the receptionist to type back, which she obligingly did (this was after we had settled in)

The apartment was amazing. I was blown away by how well stocked and arranged it was. I was extremely tired and feeling a little sick so I got into bed in the master bedroom and took a little nap. I woke to hear the phone ringing, but by the time I realized what it was, the ringing stopped. Moments later, the receptionist knocked on our door to inform us that Saket had written a second letter asking if we had made it to the hotel safely (this was before we sent the reply). Dad immediately drafted a reply. Mom wanted to get some groceries like fruit and bread so she got directions from downstairs and went out in search of food. After I woke up, Dad and I arranged the place a bit. For dinner, we had some fruit, bread, and some of the Indian packets Mom thoughtfully brought from home. I was still feeling unwell so I just had some strawberries while Mom and Dad ate. After they finished, we made plans for the next day and then got ready for bed. I slept in the living room on the sofa bed that was surprisingly comfortable. Cheers!