Bailen to Córdoba

Andujar  Population: 30,000. Though small, this is a very old city. It was a busy town in Roman times, and remained one under the Moors, who built a castle which still stands (rebuilt, 18th century). A palace stands in the town where the Capitulation of Bailen was signed by Napoleon's general in 1809, following the defeat of the French at Bailen. The town's major industry today is pottery making.

River Guadalquivir: We cross this river on a bridge in the town — our first sight of it. This river will be popping in and out of view from this point on. It flows through the center of Cordoba and the center of Seville, and is the major river of Andalusia.

Moorish Castles  We'll be seeing more and more of these as we proceed deeper into Andalusia. Other castles we spot are older: Roman. At other times, we'll see ruins of more modern farmhouses — victims of the Spanish Civil War. Notice the change in landscape from Castile: instead of parched wheat fields, there are luxuriant, dark-green farmlands, kept well-watered by the Guadalquivir — the lifeline of this part of Andalusia.

(COURIER: A little after Pedro Abad, and certainly by Alcolea, begin your introduction to Cordoba.)