So yesterday I planned a day of a short walk to a thing to a short walk to another thing to lunch to an appointment at the Hammam Cordoba.

And generally it all worked out except that I didn’t bring my camera. I had read in one of the guidebooks that I would not be able to take pictures in the Palacio de Viana, and silly me figured that would also be the case with the Archie logical (archeological – curse you, autocorrect) museum.

Well, the truth is you can take pictures at the Palacio but only in the 13 (twelve original and one new) patios. Which are really the interesting part of the Palacio. They were spectacular, not all inviting as a place to sit but all inviting as what they were.

The tour of the insides was an hour, and hilarious because it was only in Spanish. I tried my best to figure out what she was saying based on the English translation of the tour that I held in my hand, sort of a Cliff’s Notes as it were. My favorite thing, beyond their patents of nobility (Knight’s Tale shout out) was the dishes- so many many dishes. At least fifty of the same plate – already crazy but then divide that fifty by the eight seats at the only table in the only dining room, and well, that’s a meal and a half for sure.

Next to the archeological museum. Built on top of a ruin of a Roman theatre, you can walk over the top of the dig and see the structure of the theatre. Two floors of artifacts from flint-napping, through bronze age and on to the Visigoths and the Romans. I loved the progression of Corinthian capitals – from plain to heavily carved in the moorish style. I was one of two visitors in the museum when I was there. For some reason being from Chicago or then United States scored me free admission. I’ll have to look that up.

Finally, lunch and then to the hammam. Now, the Arab bath is a modern recreation of an old model, but it was a wonderful ninety minutes. Three marble lined pools (warm, hot, cold) and a steam room (hot rock room) were there for us to choose from, move between. Warm, hot, cold is apparently the plan typically. It was like having the biggest most amazing bathtub all to yourself. I avoided the steam room (seemed counterintuitive when it was a hundred degrees outside) and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

I walked home and for the first time did not siesta.

Last night’s dinner is a blog post of it’s own.

After this – Granada.