Thursday, April 10, 2014

Córdoba: Pollen Gets In Your Eyes

The Guadalquivir River runs north through Sevilla from the Mediterranean Sea and continues on through Córdoba. This was the river used by Christopher Columbus when he set sail to discover Ray Charles (click here). After lunch Tuesday (pictures to come), San Geraldo and I did a stroll of Córdoba's old city. That walk, the pre-lunch 2-hour exploration of the Mezquita/Cathedral (pictures to come), not to mention the 32C/89F heat, got to San Geraldo. I planted him in an air-conditioned café and I headed off on my own for another 1-1/2-hour walk. I'm paying for it now — allergies — but it was worth every stuffy headed, itchy eyed, respiration-limited moment. (Click any image for a closer look at the beauty... and, eventually, the pollen.)

ROMAN BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIVER GUADALQUIVIR.
BUILT IN THE 1ST CENTURY BC — MOST RECENTLY RESTORED IN 2006.
THE 12TH-CENTURY CALAHORRA TOWER AT THE FAR END.
RESTORED AND CHANGED IN 1369.
RUINS OF ARAB WATER MILLS ON ISLANDS IN THE RIVER.
CENTER OF IMAGE: WATER WHEEL OF MOLINA DE LA ALBOLAFIA (ALBOLAFIA MILL).
FIRST BUILT BY THE ROMANS MORE THAN 2,000 YEARS AGO.
LOOKING BACK AT THE MEZQUITA/CATHEDRAL AND MORE.
CALLE RONDA DE ISASA, THE STREET THAT PARALLELS THE RIVER.
I THOUGHT I WAS WALKING THROUGH CLOUDS OF LAUNDRY LINT.
UH OH... NOT LINT.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS IS? SOME TYPE OF ACACIA?
THE FALLING POLLEN STUCK TO THE STUBBLE (VELCRO) ON MY HEAD AND FACE.

The real reason I've been so teary eyed (San Geraldo)...

25 comments:

  1. I just LOVE that bridge!! Exquisite!

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    1. Knatolee:
      Travel writer Rick Steves didn't have good things to say about the 2006 restoration. I thought it was brilliant.

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  2. Definitely great city to visit.

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  3. As always I'm loving the Mitchell San Geraldo Travelogue!

    Great pictures!

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  4. The Romans sure left their mark in Spain. If I'm not mistaken one of the first Roman emperors not born in Italy came from Iberia.

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    1. Stephen:
      Yep. Check out my blog post on Italica (near Sevilla) for that.

      Delete
  5. I am blown away by the beauty of this place, Mitchell. Not to mention the history!! Hard to get my head around as 'we' (not including the indigenous peoples) are so young here in North America in comparison.
    What a wonderful place to walk too! Good that you were able to do what you needed and that San Geraldo was in a comfy spot.
    Now that pollen! Holy moly! Hang in there are get out those sinus meds ASAP!

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    1. Jim:
      I took an allergy pill the other day. The cure is worse than the illness. But much improved today. The history here still amazes me.

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  6. What a wonderful place.
    One day I will visit Spain again, I have only ever been once. I envy you the heat. It was 12°C here today, quite warm for the time of year!

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    Replies
    1. Jean:
      Uff! You're clearly of much hardier stock. We complain about 12C.

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  7. I don't know the tree species, but it sure reminds me of the cottonwoods along the rivers in the SW and even in Alaska.... horrible sinus reaction for me! Lovely place... isn't that the same river that flows through Sevilla? I'm listening to the ending song... brings back some bittersweet memories.... met my first husband when I was 15, in 1957.... danced to that song when still in high school... but... guess my first love wasn't "true".... didn't meet the real thing until I was 40 and the music was different ;-)

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  8. You get around, mister....

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  9. Such a beautiful bridge1 I feel as though your blog is an education about Spain, at least some aspects of it. Thank you!

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    1. Kristi:
      I'm glad you see my blog that way. I don't want it to be academic (obviously) but I do want to share my experience of Spain. I learn something new every day.

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  10. Which way does that river run? Maybe you need to lie down on some soft Corinthian leather...

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    1. Walt the Fourth:
      Did you know that before the Chrysler ad campaign in the '70s, there was no such thing as "Corinthian" leather (fine or not-so-fine)? And... I especially love this... Most of the "fine Corinthian leather" in Chryslers came from a supplier outside Newark, New Jersey!

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    2. I read that when I was looking up the tag line the other day. How did I get through my first forty years without the internet?

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    3. Walt the Fourth:
      I'm with you. Have a question? Google it. Immediately. I'm so much smarter than I used to be.

      Delete
  11. My first thought about the tree, too, was cottonwood or poplar. Ask someone if it is an álamo -- Spanish for poplar/cottonwood. And yes, that is where the Alamo got its name.

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    1. Michael:
      Could be a poplar! I'll see if I can find someone who knows. Check out my alameda blog post from our second month living in Spain: http://mitchellismoving.blogspot.com.es/2011/08/poplars-of-hercules.html

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  12. Looks like the tree is shedding candy floss. Have you tasted it?

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    Replies
    1. Raybeard:
      I breathed it! Nothing sweet about it.

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