The Synagogue, the Mesquita, and the Equestrian Show

After a fabulous breakfast, which includes fresh pomegranate seeds for the granola - yum - we're off in the sunshine to take a look at the ancient synagogue up another narrrow alley, a modest square hall with finely incribed walls.

On the way there's a statue of Maimonides, 12th century Spanish Philsopher, who famously wrote Guía para los Perplejos - meaning perhaps this:

"If a person studies too much and exhausts his reflective powers, he will be confused, and will not be able to apprehend even that which had been within the power of his apprehension. For the powers of the body are all alike in this respect."

Then we go to the the Mesquita and Cathedral, which you enter through an ample courtyard with orange trees and water grooves. A couple of robust dogs fly by chasing pigeons and their owners race after them to leash them.

Then we enter the stunning mesquita part of the construction with low red and white shaped arches. One can easily imagine quiet heartfelt conversations taking place in this shaded and yet airy space

As we walk on, we enter the much more lavish Christian part where a huge central golden alter is surrounded by many other places of worship with striking details on the sarcophagi

 delicate treasures

 and a beautiful and intricate ceiling.

We realize we haven't eaten anything but tapas for several days and decide to have special lunch at La Almudaína on the Plaza de los Mártires. It's a traditional Andalusian restaurant with a beautiful stained-glass ceiling

and filled with large groups of cheerful guests served by old-school male waiters, who look as they they know what they're doing. Soon we're settled with a chilled bottle of local Chardonnay and a plate of grilled artichokes with an interesting oily green sauce, the latter long gone by the time our fish dishes arrive, "rape" a kind of flatfish, we gather, with champignon, and a "merluza" with shrimps. We share and they are both delicious. For dessert the waiter recommends a local delicacy, "Calahorra" a trembling white almond pudding filled with liqoursoaked raisins - a scoof pf strawberry icecream on the side. Incredibly delicious - like one of those cordon Bleau receipes from the 70s. We finish off with a small glass of 'digestif' which tastes as if you'd squeezed out the juice of very ripe, and very sweet rainins. Then we go home to rest.

When we feel we can move again we leave for our horsehow, which begins at 8pm. It is now quite cold, but fortunately the show is inside in a huge hall. We're shown dressage of the stylish Andalusian horses, some of which have their tails ties up in intricate ways and all have decorations on their head and woven into their manes, as well as scenes from Andalusina lives involving horses - farming, dating, and so on. The most beautiful parts are when a slender young woman dances around the horse imitating the prancing way it moves

and when exquisite white horses are make to stand on their hind legs.

We finish the night in an Arabian Teteria, where we order Andalusian teas served in a small tiled room full of cushions. Who knows what's in my 1001 Night in Arabia tea. All I know I don't close my eyes for the rest of the night!

Photos from our day: https://plus.google.com/photos/108088723826036223432/albums/5952875322902312737?authkey=CISm9dKjwsC7fg