La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
San Geraldo scheduled a massage Wednesday evening. It’s about a 20-minute walk from here, so I went out on my own and then met him there to have dinner by the river. I tried some churches, but it was time for mass. It’s quite awkward to enter a church where all others are kneeling, worshiping, genuflecting and I’m not. I feel peer pressure (although these are not my peers) to copy (but I don’t). So I simply wandered.
At one point, I realized I had wandered way off course and would have more of a hike to meet SG. I cut down some windy streets and ended up in a neighborhood I don’t know very well. I had overshot and needed Google Maps to make my way efficiently to SG. That took me down some streets I had never explored into Plaza de Seneca, so named because oral tradition tells that this is where the writer and philosopher was born around 4 B.C. Seneca was a Roman statesman who tutored Nero (a thankless and pointless job illustrated in our neighborhood statue above) and was later forced to commit suicide by his tutee.
Per Google, I continued through an archway (new to me) into a street called Calle Junio Galión. That street continued down some steps where a plaque was displayed honoring the esteemed family of Seneca (all admired in their own right). From there I still had another 10 minutes to go before I reached SG. And I was still early, which is when I walked back to the corner and recorded house martins (I first incorrectly wrote common swifts) building mud nests.
We went to Taberna del Rio, across the street from the river and not far from the Mezquita, and we both had bull’s tail risotto, which is always excellent there.
The Kid Brother’s financial saga continues. I just discovered that, although I have an American bank, which I was told I needed to send money to KB via Zelle, I cannot use a Spanish phone number to do so. Onward to those other options. There are several choices; I just keep choosing incorrectly. Maybe I’ll phone his bank Monday and ask why they refused the Western Union wire transfer.
Seneca would know what to do. Nero would fiddle.
San Geraldo tenía programado un masaje para el miércoles por la tarde. Está a unos 20 minutos a pie de aquí, así que salí por mi cuenta y luego me reuní con él allí para cenar junto al río. Intenté visitar algunas iglesias, pero era hora de misa. Resulta bastante incómodo entrar en una iglesia donde todos los demás están arrodillados, adorando o haciendo genuflexiones, y yo no. Siento la presión social de imitarles (pero no lo hago). Así que simplemente me dediqué a pasear.
En un momento dado, me di cuenta de que me había desviado considerablemente de la ruta y que tendría que caminar más para llegar a SG. Tomé un atajo por unas calles sinuosas y terminé en un barrio que no conozco muy bien. Me había pasado del punto de destino y necesité Google Maps para llegar a SG de manera eficiente. La ruta me llevó por calles que nunca había explorado hasta la Plaza de Séneca, llamada así porque la tradición oral cuenta que allí nació el escritor y filósofo hacia el año 4 a. C. Séneca fue un estadista romano que ejerció como tutor de Nerón (una labor ingrata y estéril, como ilustra la estatua del barrio que aparece más arriba) y que más tarde fue obligado a suicidarse por su propio pupilo.
Siguiendo las instrucciones de Google, continué a través de un arco (que no conocía) hacia una calle llamada Calle Junio Galión. Esa calle descendía por unas escaleras donde había una placa en honor a la ilustre familia de Séneca (todos ellos admirables por mérito propio). Desde allí, aún me quedaban otros 10 minutos de camino hasta llegar a SG. Como todavía tenía tiempo de sobra, regresé a la esquina y grabé a unos golondrinas domésticas construyendo nidos de barro.
Fuimos a la Taberna del Río, situada frente al río y no muy lejos de la Mezquita, y ambos pedimos el risotto de rabo de toro, que allí siempre está excelente.
La odisea financiera de El Hermanito continúa. Acabo de descubrir que, aunque tengo un banco estadounidense —que me dijeron que necesitaba para enviarle dinero a KB con Zelle, no puedo utilizar un número de teléfono español para hacerlo. Toca probar otras opciones. Hay varias alternativas; simplemente sigo eligiendo mal. Quizás llame a su banco el lunes para preguntar por qué rechazaron la transferencia de Western Union.
Séneca sabría qué hacer. Nerón tocaba el violín.
• Seneca sin cabeza.
• Acababa de subir las escaleras con esfuerzo tras hacer unas pequeñas compras.
• La ruta por la calle continúa.
• Un bajorrelieve dedicado a la familia Anneo (la familia de Séneca), calle Junio Galión.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
What a great maze of streets to get lost in … unless you’re really lost!
And looking at your video, so many of the streets seem very much the same!
Bob:
I think you’d be surprised at how easily recognizable the different streets are. At least I am. I find it difficult to get lost here in Córdoba. Sevilla was another story. Streets went in circles and I was always getting confused.
It seems like it would be easier to move Carlito to Spain than to deal with this bank stuff. Easier, but more exhausting maybe.
Deedles:
Oh, just the thought of that visa process. I doubt he would even be approved. Then there’s the thought of him losing his independence. Not to mention the language. I need a pill!
Sorry, Scoot! I was just being hyperbolic. or mildly snide, or both.
Deedles:
Oh, I know. It just got me thinking! Never apologize to me, please.
Oops, sorry! 🙂
I find out all these stone, pavements and stairs, have a feeling of permanence of eternal, which makes them beautiful and peaceful at once. You certainly have an incredible patience to deal with Banks and their regulations whenever you wanna do something, especially from a distance. tomorrow Sunday we fly to Barcelona. It looks like rain for several days on end. We’ll see no problem really.
larry:
Buen viaje. Can’t wait to hear about Barcelona. You get to see the “nearly finished” Sagrada Familia!
I love that warren of walkways.
I started pulling away from my christian upbringing early. When I was 16 I decided I would no longer kneel in church. The only time we went by then was christmas eve service that started at 10 pm. I told my mother before we left that I would not kneel. We got there late, the only seats in the last row of the balcony. When it came time to kneel for the first time I remained seated. My mother sitting next to me tried to force me to my knees unsuccessfully. She made the whole family get up and leave because I was making a scene. That was the last time we went to church as a family.
ellen abbott:
Good for you for sticking to your guns. Maybe a bit of overreaction from your mother? Last row of the balcony I’m sure wasn’t getting a lot of attention. I took my mother to my Catholic cousin’s funeral (more than 30 years ago). It was a full mass. My mother was indignant throughout. I whispered, “Mom, when they rise, you rise. When they sit, you sit. When they kneel, you sit.”
Seneca and Nero, eh? Talk about being forced to cast your pearls before swine.
Debra:
The statue says everything about the petulant Nero. What a job!
Holy cow, that Municipal Archives building from the last post, is amaaaaaaazing. What a joy to get to see it, and the walkways! Today’s views are a treat, too. Yumm!
Judy C:
I love surprises like the archives building. A great pick-me-up.
There’s always something a bit thrilling about getting almost-but-not-quite lost on the meandering back streets of a city! Previously undiscovered history. Love it! Jx
PS I think those are house martins – swifts aren’t known for making mud nests…
Jon:
Crud. Thank you for the correction. I even carefully looked them up, determined they were house martins, saw that swifts don’t build mud nests, and then identified them incorrectly anyway! So, it’s fixed.
Jon:
Thanks again. I woke up around 4:30 this morning and saw your comment. I then stewed for the next two hours until I got up again and corrected things. THEN I slept peacefully for 2 more hours.
Bless. Jx
You’d be a good movie scout for the chase scenes, all those steps, turns, and alleyways.
Bonnie in Minneapolis
Bonnie:
Great hide-outs, too!
Google Maps to the rescue. Maps on the phone is what sold me my first blackberry, about 25 years ago. Oh did I get lost in Barcelona last May, and Google Maps directed me back to the ship.
David:
I use Google Maps daily. It made life in Spain so much easier these past 15 years.
I can’t even always successfully follow a google map. I am not kidding. My poor husband. When we’re on a trip and he asks me to please help him with the google map situation as he’s driving I’ll say, “You know I can’t do this!” I simply have no sense of direction at all. I would be hopelessly lost on those streets, probably weeping.
Those birds fascinate me. They are potters working together on communal projects! I mean- what is a potter? Someone who creates objects from mud. Could people have gotten the idea from birds?
Poor Seneca. Poor woman having to tote all that shopping! She is a strong woman!
I can’t follow Google Maps on a phone, either, Ms Moon! I can read maps, I have a good sense of direction, but those little screens drive me loopy. We had taken a wrong turn on a visit to Seville a couple of years ago, and I tried making sense of our location on the other half’s phone, gave up and instead (thankfully) found a tourist map on a signpost. Within minutes, we were back on the right track. Jx
Jon:
I think it’s impossible to NOT get lost in Seville.
I do love a good “You Are Here” sign. Even those often leave me confused, however.
Mary Moon:
I know! I still have to figure which direction all those “theres” are.
Mary Moon:
I sometimes get confused on Google Maps and have to figure out which direction it’s sending me (it should be easy, but I make it complicated). I don’t think SG has ever used Google Maps on his phone. He has scoped things out from his computer. The bags that woman was toting were HEAVY. I was going to offer to help, but luckily she only had a few steps more to her door when I saw her come up the stairs. Besides, she could probably handle it better than I could. Have you ever seen the multi-unit nests monk parakeets and others like them build? Giant condos. They’re incredible. And seeing the nests so many birds create is astounding.
No! I have not! I need to go do a little research on that.
Okay. I just did. That is insane! They have many apartments for different couples. The entire structure can be as big as a car or a room. How could I never have ever heard of these amazing birds?
How big will the martins’ nest get??
And I love the daily, casual elegance that you capture in your photos. It just seems as if it would encourage calmer living. Olivia
Olivia:
The nests are less than a foot in any direction. Maybe half that. Although living can be stressful here (work, school, bills), it’s definitely very different and much calmer than anywhere I lived in the US.
How about if you send me the information to transfer funds to KB and then you can pay me back? I’m sure we can figure it out.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
Ha! Then I STILL have to get the funds to YOU! Maybe I should just mail cash… That would arrive safely, correct?
I can wait as long as it takes, though, whereas KB is already waiting. It really would not be a problem for me, and I would be happy to help.
janiejunebug:
That is so kind of you and I am touched. I think I’ve got it figured out and hope to have success Tuesday. Sending you an enormous hug!
How exciting to have such streets to explore.
Urspo:
It is truly a wonder.
I find the talking Google maps the easiest, I just hear and obey.
Kirk:
You should hear the English-speaking Google pronounce the Spanish street names. We actually drove around the block twice just to hear her say something.
I think I’d never get home again! No sense of direction even on my own street. I get a bit worried just looking at the pictures. Boud.
Boud:
It sure isn’t anything like the grid of NYC. Seville was hilarious. There are almost no right angles. Some streets go almost in complete circles. We would start off walking east and suddenly be walking south and then west. You should check out the map of THAT on google!
Love the video of the martins. I wonder whether the house owners mind them? Do they make a mess? Are they building those nests now, in the fall? Kind of weird, but I guess it IS warmer there.
I forgot that Seneca was born in Cordoba, though I do seem to remember reading that while we were there. I didn’t see that remarkable statue, though. Nero just looks like a petulant brat.