Ok, last installment of Spanish pictures, as there is knitting & all sorts of other stuff to write about, and I am sure you are all sick of this. Today - Cordoba & Madrid.
Cordoba was very pretty & very very hot. The mesquite was spectacular. The newer Christian part was much less cool, but the Moorish part was incredible.
It was enormous and beautiful and well worth the visit.
We went to some palaces, which were also lovely, and had wicked gardens with them - not quite as beautiful as the Alhambra, but lovely on a hot day nonetheless.
If you ever thought those Spanish fans were an affectation, think again. They are a life saver. If you ever go to Spain in the summer, buy one as soon as you land - you'll love it. Also, you can learn to make a cool noise with them when you open and close them, and the local women in the towns give you a little nod when you use it. Mine was just a cheap one, but there are some gorgeous ones around - mostly in the hands of locals, rather than in the shops though. 
Madrid was great - a proper city full of living & working & stuff. Not touristy at all. Not a whole lot to see, but still good. The Prado had some lovely stuff (excellent Heironymous Bosch paintings!) Somehow, we didn't take any pictures, except of this yarn shop. We stumbled across it, and I was allowed in if I didn't buy anything (oh!). It was unbelievable - so many colours & weights & colours! Apparently, you bought it by weight (you chucked your required hanks on the scale there & added it up - just like at the butchers!) Seemed to be very reasonably priced. If you ever want to go there, it was on one corner of the main square where all the Inquisition stuff happened (your travel book will tell you what it is called, I'm sure).
Anyway, I guess I have had to revise my view on Spain. Prior to this trip, I hadn't really enjoyed our Spanish travel. Now, I'd recommend it. Even the food. Especially gazpacho & Espanol tortilla. Mmmm.
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