A beautiful day in Córdoba on Tuesday...not a cloud in the sky by the time we emerged after breakfast and doing laundry! Off we went to the Palacio de Los Marquesses de Viana, renowned in Córdoba for its thirteen patios or courtyards, and we spent a happy hour or so wandering through. 
This would be amazing in the spring.
Then over to the Museo Archeologico, a purpose-built building on top of the ruins of a Roman theatre which can be seen in the basement. There are many splendid artifacts as far back as Paleolithic times, and up to medieval times...well designed and nicely laid out. This was an intricately carved sarcophagus:
This museum highlighted the many cultural influences over the centuries which has created a unique Andalusian culture. Our walking tour guide had also emphasized this point in discussing the idiosyncrasies of the language here--they speak Spanish (Castillian) with many words derived from Arabic, for example "Olé" is thought to be derived from the Arabic for "Allah"...now used throughout the peninsula...
We sat down for lunch in a courtyard café, La Cávea, immediately outside the museum, just as a couple of musicians were setting up. My initial fears upon seeing the amplifier were unfounded...they played at just the right level...so we happily dined listening to music reminiscent of Django Reinhard, but more like Neil Fraser and Shelby Wall, two favourites from home. It was so pleasant while we ate salmorejo (a cold tomato soup thickened with bread and garnished with chopped jamón), potatas bravas and bacalao croquettes...while yet another fountain gurgled and gushed in the background (I am having difficulty finding exactly the right words to describe the fountain...it wasn't obtrusive and loud but obvious. It didn't "burble"...oh well...)
Then to the Alcázar de Los Reyes Cristianos (Palace of the Christian Kings)..."alcázar" is another Arabic word which means palace...which was built on the ruins of first Roman and then Arabic fortresses. Amazing mosaics are on display; these were unearthed below the Plaza de la Corredera in 1959. First here's a reminder about what this plaza looks like on a normal day (not Carnival)...
And the murals...
The Alcázar gardens are wonderful and were inspired by the Nasrid gardens of the Alhambra...
This set of statues doesn't have a label, but because we know that Christopher Columbus made his pitch to Isabel and Ferdinand in this palace, we assume it is the three of them...
And Lloyd with another medieval statue, maybe Ferdinand? 
Cordoba is on our bucket list, and probably the main motivation for booking another trip to Spain. Enjoying the fabulous Iberica ham runs a close second. I hope you are taking advantage of that during tapas hour. This area's lack of a jambon musee is altogether too bad.
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