The setting sun over Cordoba

After driving the A-40 from Jerez de la Frontera, around Sevilla, and to Cordoba for two hours, I was dropped off, in the city by my Spanish family, for an afternoon of exploring by myself as they visited family there.

At first, and like I always do, I wanted to orient myself. So I picked up a map from the tourist center next to the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos, and impulsively I paid 2 Euros to enter into the old palace and I climbed the tower to have my first view of the uber famous Moorish Mosque turned Christian Cathedral.

Sadly I was not drawn in by the magic of the place, or at least not at first. I even brought my Nikon D-90 for its first trip in Spain and could not get inspired even in my pictures of Cordoba.

I wandered the compact winding streets and still I could not understand the "magic" of Cordoba.

So I did what I do best, I went shopping. I found a cute purple blouse/dress for 10 Euros from H&M and I tried on many more crazy and super cute dresses to pass the time.

After buying some wheat bread for .70 cents and having a cafe con leche a little later I felt much better and ready to give Cordoba another chance to inspire and enchant me.

By then it was 17:30 and the lighting was beginning to greatly improve for my photos, which of course made me instantly like the city more. I guess you could say I began to see it in a new light! (Sorry I set that up for a perfect pun and had to throw it in there, I dedicate my first pun in this blog to Jessica Davis)

Finally, as the sun was setting and I crossed the Guadalquivir River on an ancient Roman Bridge, I began to fall in love with the city.

I had read that much of the interest in Cordoba today is knowing the significant history the city holds, but that the best time to see the city is at nightfall. And so it captured my heart too as the sun set over the river and I looked back into the city once again.

Also of interest in the shopping in Cordoba, I made a couple of touristic purchases. I bought small silver hoops from a typical silver jewelry shop for 3 Euros and a hand crafted and painted ceramic bowl to decorate my room in Jerez that was actually made in Cordoba for 5 Euros at an Andalucian ceramics exposition across from the Cathedral.

So even though I did not instantly fall in love with Cordoba like I did with Sevilla last weekend and Cadiz yesterday(more blogs on that soon), I am glad I gave the city a second chance and that I was able, in the end, to capture some of its magic and bring a little bit of it home with me too!