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)...

Córdoba: Along Comes Mary

San Geraldo and I took the train up to Córdoba. It's about an hour away from Málaga on the high-speed train. It was our first visit to Córdoba and we wish we had made plans to stay overnight. So much to explore.

READ ON... YOU'LL UNDERSTAND HOW SHE FEELS.

For now (because I'm so tired), I'll tell you about one chapel inside Córdoba's Mezquita (aka, the Great Mosque of Córdoba... aka, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady). I'll share much more in the coming days.

Fortunately, we did our research and, therefore, arrived as early as we could at the Mezquita. Still it was bustling. Tour groups —busloads — kept arriving. Late in our own independently taken audio tour (number 16 on the 27 stops along the way), we were inside an important chapel that became overwhelmingly crowded with two different tour groups.

EVEN THE STATUARY APPEARED STRESSED. (SERENITY NOW!)

THE CROWDS STARTED TO MAKE ME DIZZY.

Before we made our escape from the touristic frenzy, San Geraldo looked at the statue prominently placed at the center of the chapel's back wall.

"WHAT'S SHE DOING WITH A BOOK?!?"

"She's got a book," he said. "What's she doing with a book?!?

He then muttered, "Is that supposed to be Mary?"

Clearly he had missed something during the audio tour.

I whispered, "We're in the Chapel of Santa Teresa. That's supposed to be Santa Teresa." (Note: Santa Teresa de Avila, 1515–1582, was a prolific writer.)

"Ohhhhhh," San Geraldo laughed."I wondered why she was dressed like a nun."

AND, FINALLY, AT ANOTHER CHURCH... ALONG COMES MARY.

My Shadow Self[ie]

It's been like summer here in Fuengirola. I've been trying to spend as much time outside as I can. This afternoon, I managed to get in an hour on the beach — walking, lying in the sand, splashing in the water, and discovering more sea glass.

Never big on "selfies," I took one to send to the Dowager Duchess (which I immediately emailed from the beach). But then I spotted my shadow in the surf and I got a better idea. An idea that could easily become an obsession.

There was an American writer named Djuna Barnes, active in the 1920s and 1930s, who said: "A man is whole only when he takes into account his shadow."

(Click any image to cast a giant shadow.)

I know it's only a shadow.
But it's all mine!

Walking on Broken Glass

San Geraldo and I had an art glass collection that we began in 1981 and continued to add to (with breaks when we weren't quite so flush) until 2007. Contemporary art glass was a great retirement investment — we were told... by the people who regularly sold us the art glass. What we learned when we were ready to retire was that our grand-niece Eloise was once again correct when she said, "Ummmm... Maybe not." (Click here to learn a little about our attempt to make good on our investment.)

We ended up donating most of the collection to the San Diego LGBT Community Center for their fund-raising auctions. So, not a retirement investment but at least it wasn't a waste of time. We enjoyed collecting it and when we were through it was put to good use.

But now that we're settled (we've been in Spain 2 years and 8 months and in Fuengirola 1 year and 2 months. Could this be stability?), I've decided to start collecting glass again. Before our contemporary art glass collection, I had quite a variety of this glass. As before, I'm sticking to what I can afford. No Dale Chilhully or Ira Sapir originals for me. I'm back to combing the beach.

SEA GLASS... MY NEW RETIREMENT INVESTMENT.
(CLICK ANY IMAGE TO SEE THE MAGNIFICENCE.)

CARRYING MY CAMERA WAS NOT THE BEST IDEA TODAY.
(I HAD TO SACRIFICE SOME 'FINE' PIECES TO THE SURF.)

DISPLAYED IN A QUALITY (REALLY) CRYSTAL BOWL. 

MATT AND LINDY FOUND THE FIRST PIECE OF AMBER FOR ME LAST WEEK
AND I FOUND ANOTHER TODAY.

Ooh, Little Sleepy Boy

It's nearly midnight and I don't have much to share with you. Just a photo and a lullaby. And now I hope to close my weary eyes. Sweet dreams.

TODAY AT DUSK ON LOS BOLICHES BEACH. (CLICK IT.)

Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat

The weather has been mostly rainy and dreary since Linda and Tom went home. Sadly, since "home" is in South Dakota, they've had rainy, dreary, snowy and cold. I'll stick with plain old rainy and dreary. (We won't ask San Geraldo for his opinion.)

The fishermen love this weather. Between showers (around noon) I walked on the beach and took some pictures. (Click any image to enlarge.)

I dreamed last night I was on a boat to heaven... 
Watch and listen:

STUBBY KAYE AS NICELY NICELY JOHNSON IN "GUYS AND DOLLS," 1955.

Basic Anatomy, Málaga

Matt and Lindy (nephew and niece-in-law), left Fuengirola Monday to spend some time in Málaga. They've rented an ático (top floor/attic/penthouse) apartment in the old part of town. San Geraldo and I took the train into the center of Málaga to join them for dinner Tuesday night. Matt met us at the station so we wouldn't have to find our way to their apartment through the maze of streets.

MATT BUYING FLOWERS ON THE WAY HOME.

MORE CHOICES ON FLOWER-LINED ALAMEDA PRINCIPAL.

SAN GERALDO AT RIGHT LEADING THE WAY
(ALTHOUGH HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE WERE GOING).

LINDY AS RAPUNZEL (SEE BELOW).

SHE DIDN'T LET DOWN HER HAIR...

... SO WE HAD TO CLIMB THE GOLDEN STAIR (NO ELEVATOR).

WELL WORTH THE CLIMB.

ON A CLEAR DAY... JUST IMAGINE.

POTTERY PATCHWORK.

LINDY AND MATT CALL HIM STEVEN... AS IN, STEVEN SEAGULL.
(IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIS NAMESAKE, ACTOR STEVEN SEAGAL, YOU'RE NOT MISSING A THING.)

HEADING DOWN FOR DINNER.

Matt and Lindy took us to a restaurant called Citrón, which was incredible. My food pictures came out awful, so you'll have to trust me. The menu was unusual and everything was perfectly prepared and presented. (Check out their website here.) The service was exceptional and there was a gifted flamenco guitarist. Our server told us that she and her wife were the first same-sex couple to be legally married in Málaga, 10 years ago. So a very special place in many ways.

THE LAST TRAIN LEFT MÁLAGA AT 11:30, SO WE DINED REALLY EARLY (BEFORE 9).
THAT GAVE US WAY TOO MANY SEATING CHOICES.

OUR FIRST TABLE.
(WE CHANGED OUR MINDS.)

SETTLED AND LOOKING BACK FROM WHENCE WE CAME.

Between courses, San Geraldo excused himself to use the "facilities." When he returned, he told us the signs on the restroom doors left him completely befuddled. Based on his interpretation, he chose Door #1. The toilet seat was down. He did his business and then peeked behind Door #2. That seat was up. He explained that the image on Door #1 looked to him like testicles. Lindy said, "Funny, I would have described those as "breasts."

So, of course, I had to see for myself. I then asked one of the staff. Apparently, San Geraldo had chosen incorrectly. As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out. And maybe that's the way it should be.

DOOR #1:  TESTICLES OR BREASTS?

DOOR #2:  PHALLUS OR FALLOPIAN?