Cordoba

Can you believe it, we were both so cold in our room last night due to an over efficient air conditioner? We can't control the temperature, only how fast the fan is, so eventually turned it off altogether. At breakfast, others were saying the same thing. But we are all still in good spirits although somewhat tired.
We've decided to do an optional tour to Córdoba today. It is about a 2 hr drive from Seville and although we didn't have to have suitcases out the door at an ungodly hour we still had to be ready for the coach at 8 am. I think there were about 27 of us doing it. Our local guide Enrique met us in Córdoba and then took us through the Mezquita which was an 8th century mosque with a Christian church built inside it. I have never seen anything like it. More gob smacking magnificent structures. We were fortunate enough to to be there while someone was working on tuning one of the 2 organs and even though it wasn't a professional organist as such, it was quite beautiful. And if Enrique hadn't told us that it wasn't the actual organist we never would have known. The building is huge and the mosque influence is seen everywhere with horseshoe shaped arches, one on top of the other in the high ceilings throughout the structure. The Christian influence is seen in all the baroque fancy woodwork, particularly in the choir stalls. I am amazed at the different styles we've seen in the cathedrals we've already visited. European history talks of buildings or structures from centuries ago. I can only imagine how boring a tour through Australia must be for overseas visitors as we have such a short history. Anyway, back to the matter at hand...
We then were taken on a walking tour through a well preserved old Moorish city to the Jewish sector and eventually back to our starting point. Time for lunch so Jo and I wander off down a lane and stumble onto a wonderful little gem of a local restaurant. We both order salads and Jo had a red wine while I had a Sangria. The fresh crusty bread and green olives stuffed with jalapeño peppers in oil were excellent to nibble on while we waited for our lunch. The manager came over and chatted to us. He was really friendly and helped me with my Spanish when I asked him how to say 'excellent' in Spanish. I was then able to tell him that my lunch was 'excellente'! He then treated us each to a glass of dessert wine. It was too sweet for me, but Jo really liked it and ordered a bottle!
Time to head back to our meeting point and then the 2 hour return coach trip which saw us back at the hotel just on 3 pm.
As I haven't had enough sleep for a while I elected not to head out shopping, or go to the pool or anything else requiring strenuous effort, but instead came back to our very cool room, had a rest and the obligatory afternoon scotch while I pen these lines to you. Tonight we are doing an optional dinner where we are going for Andalusian Tapas ( wine included) and then we end the evening by taking a carriage ride through the old quarter of Seville.  I will be well and truly ready for my bed by then...