Day 4 - To Cordoba

The long, tiring days are taking their toll, we get up at 8.50, pack the suitcases and we're on the road (cobbled streets, initially) at 10.30, and get out of Granada a lot easier than we got into it.

We have decided to do a bit of sightseeing en route and the first stop is Jaen. It is fortunate that it is Sunday because this largish city would not have given up a parking space so easily were it not - indeed this is the case for all the stops today.
We only have a quick look at the Cathedral, before setting off again to Baeza - the only problem, which seems to be common with these old Andalucian town is the narrow streets which demand one way systems. We are not going out the same way we came in. Enter Andrew's new toy - a GPS. The equipment was on during our approach to the town, so a map had been drawn of our route in, and was now displaying our route out in relation to it. A quick consultation of the road map and the graphical representation is easily compared showing exactly which road we're on so we continue with full confidence.

We lunch at Baeza around the Paseo de la Constitucion.

After lunch we follow the "street-by-street" route set out in our guide book, which describes Baeza as a small town, unusually rich in Renaissance architecture - which I dare say it is. The long and the short of it is, is that it is a very nice town. Unfortunately the cathedral was closed - we seem to hit our sightseeing during siesta time.

The next stop is Ubeda where parking proved to be no problem. Again we walk around the streets admiring architecture, indeed the book describes Ubeda as "a showcase of Renaissance magnificence" and the public buildings in the town centre are quite attractive. We have a drink in the magnificent patio of "Parador of Ubeda" (Hotel) - the ambience of the place was quite exceptional.

Next on to Cordoba, where we find the hotel is a mere 10 yards from the Mezquita - the principal tourist attraction of the city - so it is fortunate that the hotel has its own underground parking facilities.

The busy day sightseeing in the 33-37 degree heat has made us hot and sticky. Unfortunately the air conditioning in the room (and hotel as it turns out) isn't working, so the late night bath results in me using up a whole bar of hotel soap to get clean and fresh feeling.

Go to Day 5
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Author: val_and_andrew@hotmail.com