Day 11: Cordoba

September 26, 2004

We enjoyed an outstanding breakfast at our hotel- meats, cheese, breads, and mixed fruit (melons, figs, raisins). We also chatted a bit with the leader of a small bike tour group, just setting out on about a week-long ride through Cordoba to Granada.

The first half of the day was beautiful. The vegetation and crop mix steadily changed as we moved northeast and was now dominated by brilliant orange groves interspersed with olives and wheat. The terrain is a bit hillier, giving attractive contours to the land without adding much strain to the ride. Birdlife is abundant with egrets being the most obvious species.

At midday we stopped at Almadovar del Rio to tour the restored Moorish castle that crowns the hill above the town. Afterwards we ate a filling lunch at a pizzeria cafe, another very authentic feeling experience, the dining area packed with families and workers enjoying the menu of the day and wine mixed with lemon soda.

Almadovar del Rio, its castle dramatically crowning the hill above the town. Looks like it would be a fine place to stay, but a bit too far from Seville for us to have made it in one day.

The castle at Almadovar del Rio was originally a Roman Fort, but got its current structure in 760 as a Muslim Berber design.

The castle was restored in the 1930’s and remains in excellent condition.

The view from the ramparts over the Guadalquivir valley.

The rest of the ride to Cordoba was efficient, as in fast and flat;but quite hot. We arrived in the city by about 4. We found our hotel after dropping through a labyrinth of amazingly narrow streets, some only three or four feet wide, one of the most remarkable neighborhoods I’ve ever biked through.

From the distance & elevation lot in the journal: 50 miles, 1,500’

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For the day: 50 miles, 1,500’; for the tour: 385 miles, 22,230’

Today's ride: 50 miles (80 km)
Total: 277 miles (446 km)

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