TUESDAY, OUR LAST DAY IN CORDOBA

Well, we were up EARLY this morning--for some odd reason we both woke up at 4:30 am!  Way to early to go out and about, sow we had several cups of coffee, relaxed, work on the blog and pictures and did some preliminary organization and packing.  Today is our last day in lovely Cordoba--we have really enjoyed our time here.

We had a loose plan of what we wanted to see today, and we started with a street market in another area of Cordoba.   Our plan was to pick up a little something at the market for breakfast--but there weren't many food vendors.  It was a real "where the locals shop" kind of market, with everything from bras to flowers, fine "pleather" handbags to pickled vegetables!  We always enjoy a good market, and this one was no exception.

Flower and plant vendor:

Assorted olives and pickled vegetables, they are delicious.  We bought some to keep in our fridge for a snack:

Snails!  For some reason, these grossed David out!  And he really likes escargot--but I guess seeing them "for real" didn't make them look so tasty…..

After the market we took a taxi to the Palacio Viana, a stately old Cordoban home that is open to tour. From the 15th to the 18th centuries it was owned by several noble families.  From the  street-side it's quite unassuming, but as soon as we walked through the entrance courtyard, we were charmed.  There are 12 different patios or courtyards, each with it's own unique style and design.  One can also tour the interior, but the tours are done in groups only and in Spanish only--so we passed.  I peeked in a few windows, and it looked very elegant.

I took several pictures--but they really don't capture how lovely the gardens and patios are.  They're such a quiet respite from the hustle & bustle, very lush and peaceful.

The entrance courtyard:

The reception courtyard with a beautiful date palm:

I love the inlaid rock design floor, we've seen this type of floor all over Cordoba--both old and new ones.  

There are pots of flowers everywhere, I'm sure these will be incredible in a month or so:

Peeking out the window into an interior patio----I could just live like this!

There are several fountains:

Geraniums are everywhere in Cordoba--in flower boxes and pots hung on walls like these.  I can only imagine how beautiful all these flowers will be later in the season.

Sure like these pots:

Reflecting pool and fountain:

Several patios are surrounded by verandas--most are furnished with beautiful old furniture and some have displays of ancient artifacts.  This one had a restored ancient Roman mosaic on the wall.

After an hour or so enjoying the pretty patios and gardens, we consulted our map, and realized it wasn't too far from Mercado Victoria, the fun food court we'd discovered yesterday.  We were both hungry, as we hadn't had breakfast and it was past 1:00 pm.

It was a nice walk through the pretty neighborhood around the Palacio, and then through a bustling shopping area.  David even spotted a bike shop, of course he popped in to take a look!

We wander around the Mercado--checking out all the offerings for lunch, and decided on a plate of "pulpo ajillo"--or octopus with garlic.

Here's the octopus.  The cook took three nice sized tentacles and sliced them up, then sautéed it in delicious olive oil and garlic.

It was served with chunks of potatoes, and it was delicious.  The pulpo was sweet and tender--we're looking forward to eating more octopus!

We also enjoyed a small plate of those wonderful olive tapas.  We both like the ones stuffed with a yummy mussel.:

After our delicious and much needed lunch, we walked the few blocks back to our hotel.  We dropped off our packages and relaxed for just a few minutes before heading back out for a little souvenir shopping.  We want to pick up a little something for our special neighbor kids Super Nate and Hailey.  I'm pretty sure Miss Hailey wants to be a Flamenco dancer--complete with the ruffly dress and a pair of  red and black polka dot dancing shoes!  I wonder just how much trouble I'll be in if I throw in a pair of those clickety-clackety castanets?

While we were wandering the back streets here in old town, we found a local micro-brewery!  It was our lucky day, I guess.  We had a nice conversation with the manager about beer brewing, and sampled a couple of their brews.  They were very good, especially the IPA, which we both agreed was one the best we've had anywhere.

Here we are, enjoying those delicious brews:

We walked back to our hotel, spent some time packing up our bags and making sure we were ready to leave in the morning.  We relaxed for a couple of hours--we are T-I-R-E-D!  We walked 9 miles today!  No wonder my feet hurt…….

We ventured back out for dinner, just wandering the streets, enjoying the beautiful evening.  We looked at menus along the way, and finally settled in at a small sidewalk cafe.  We each had a glass of wine, and shared a couple of starters; croquettas, and a local specialty called salmorejo.  Salmorejo is a cold tomato based soup that's made by pureeing tomatoes with day old bread and olive oil--and large quantities of garlic.  It was delicious!  We shared a pan of seafood paella, and it was pretty good.  I'm thinking most restaurants serve a pre-made version of paella; I'd sure like to sample a truly authentic one!

We enjoyed one last stroll through the pretty streets of old town Cordoba.  We really like this beautiful town.

Tomorrow:  Morning train to Seville.  We have 5 days to explore and enjoy Seville!