Olive trees and windmills.

The trip from Toledo to Cordoba was a long one that saw most of the day on one bus or another. From a sunny but cold Toledo the bus took us back to a cold Madrid. On the metro to another bus station for a 2 1/2 hour wait and then 4 1/2 hours on the next bus to arrive in Cordoba just as the sun sank below the hills.
The bus ride south took us through some very dreary scenery near Madrid, gradually greening up as we got about an hour out. The country of Spain is obviously investing in alternative energy. There are lots of windmills and solar panels dotting the countryside. Then at the 3 hour mark we went through some very dramatic hills and gullies with bridge building toward a super highway going at full tilt. (Get it? tilt, windmills? Nevermind) Then the olive trees came on, as far as the eye could see. The other thing that we saw were large black cutout shapes of bulls and Don Quixote and Sancho and a guitar player, odd.
As the sun was going down we pulled into Cordoba. For some reason we both thought that it would be on a hill, but no it is in a flat low lying area. This used to be the largest city in the world. Not so any more. It has a very ancient heart, and a modern thriving city surrounding it. Of course we took a bus to our B&B. It dropped us off in the old town that was surprisingly quiet for a Spanish city at 8 pm. We had to go down dark deserted streets beside the ancient Mosque. It was a little scary, even for us who are getting used to being out in tiny dark streets at night. Rounding a corner we came to a more active street and were directed to Los Patios. The room is OK, not as charming as we have come to expect here.
This morning I went out for a walk at 7 am because I was awake but it seemed that I was about the only one awake and I was alone in the streets looking in vain for a charming cafe for coffee and a bun. When 8:30 rolled around we went across the 30 feet that separate us from the mosque and had a look. Very spectacular. This mosque was built in pieces over the 800's AD by various Islamic rulers. Then in the 1200's it was grabbed by the Christians and the minerette was covered by a spire and a church was built inside. The place is breath taking. I hope my pictures give you some idea of its grandeur. From then to now we went from coffee shop to gack store, (Graham's name for tourist souveneer shops) to restaurants trying to stay warm. Tonight we will go to a Flamenco Dance show at 10:30! Till tomorrow.