The cathedral was originally a church which the Muslims destroyed and built an enormous mosque in it’s place. When the Christians then won this part of Spain back, they put a Cathedral over the top. Fortunately the architects in charge of designing it in the 1500s had the foresight to leave the perfectly beautiful Arab features in place. It is colossal and didn’t really have a feel of anything other than intense cold as the large carved wooden doors all along the sides are holey, (not holy).
After our visit and foundered with cold we returned for breakfast in the hostel, everyone wearing coats and hats throughout. We then made a quick excursion to the Alcazar where the Christian Kings used to stay, en route to the railway station. This is quite special but has been restored recently and somehow has lost the magic you feel in a really old palace.
The courtyard and old Arab baths at the Palace
View from the very top of the palace battlements looking down on the Arab baths.
Further view from the Palace roof.
So there we were back at the station still hoping to get to Malaga and this time we knew the only way out was by car. So for 3 hours and an awful expense we hired a car and drove to Malaga, exchanged the car for the one we’d already hired from there and headed south to Soto Grande.
A tree frog appeared in time for Christmas!
Harriet, Jim and Olivia arrive the day after tomorrow and Simon and Rosie on Christmas Eve, it’ll be the first time I’ve seen them all since 11th September and I’m quite excited.
We'll be signing off for a few days but Happy Christmas and New Year to anyone who may dip in to this. (We are still on our emails. alecarmitage@gmail.com and viviarmitage@gmail.com
Yes the whole family swam IN THE SEA on Christmas day!!
even me!
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