Cordoba

Our second excursion of my time in spain was to a city about an hour and a half away from sevilla named Cordoba. Cordoba was the Moorish, or islamic capital of spain beween about 750 a.c.e. and 950 a.c.e; the first 200 or so years that the islamic caliphate controlled the iberian peninsula. We got up at 7:30 in the morning when the sun was still just an idea and begin our bus ride, which was surprisingly scenic. The spanish country side is made up of endless rolling grassland of a very particular bright green that seems as if it was manufactured, painted on by an enthusiastic artist trying hyperbolize real country side.
We arrived in Cordoba and Made our first stop at the Meseta, a 10th century mosque that has since been converted into a catholic church. It is an interesting picture of spain, filled with Christian icons and artwork only just covering the geometric designs and arabic script that decorated the building for centuries before. The design of the building demonstrates in someways certain precepts of the islamic faith. Islam is based on the premise of a very personal connection with alah, therefor there were no pews or anything to separate one believer from the next or anyone from Alah. There weren't places for clergy, because clergy as we know them in the Christian church did not exist. Instead there was an imam, a holy teacher who read from the Koran and led the people in prayer. As it was transformed it became filled with pews and sections for the rich and devout, embracing the Model of the christian churches but never losing the initial grand design left by the muslim empire.
In the middle of the wide open mosque is a pulpit in the boroque style. Mosques were made for utility not to flaunt wealth or demonstrate the power of the church as was the case with many christian churches in the middle ages. Though beautiful in parts, the mosque was not heavily adorned accept in the christian pulpit which is decorated with hundreds of angels carved out of ivory surrounding and emphasizing the mahogany pulpit adorned with precious pretty things. This church, which both demonstrated the vastness of the muslim empire through its size and utility, and the artistry of the christian empires through the various paintings and sculptures, reminded me that everything, no matter how foreign has a beautiful quality to it and that faith in all forms can create things of beauty. It also reminded me that beauty is universal. Every person has the capacity to look at a flower and marvel that god was so generous as to provide a small reflection of his person on earth. Every person as well has the capacity to be heartbreakingly gorgeous. My mother when she sees one of us walk in after being away too long or my brother when I've said something that isn't funny and he laughs anyway. In each I see a reflection of a reflection of perfection. God in all his glory smiling at a knock knock joke.

I took some pictures and I will post them all at the same time because its easier. Thanks to both grandma and mom for your emails and copyediting. I will do my best to remember my english grammar while constantly forgetting spanish.