A Day in Cordoba + More Tapas at Las Teresas

I split my Andalusian adventure up into three parts: Five days in Sevilla, a day and a half in Ronda, and three days in Granada. The extra days in Sevilla left me time to take a day trip to the beautiful city of Córdoba. The train ride is fairly short, around an hour and half. Or you can take the fast AVE train and get there in 45 minutes, but shell out a bit more money. I took the longer ride and it was just fine. I really lucked out on weather, it was a warm, sunny day with perfect blue skies.

First up, a wander up and down the Puente Romano. The bridge crosses the Guadalquivir River punctuated by the Triumphal Arch on one side and the Torre de la Calahorra on the other. Originally built by the Romans in the 1st century, then reconstructed by the Moors in the 8th century, the bridge underwent significant restoration ten years ago. After my walk I visited the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, a stunning building brimming with history which deserves a post of its own.

My last stop was the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, or, the Castle of the Christian Monarchs, once the home of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. The buildings are more in the style of a fortress than castle, but the gardens are as grand as can be. They're definitely the real draw of the property. I spent some time exploring the grounds, discovering hidden sculptures and lounging around on shaded benches.

After a bit of a snooze at my hotel I hopped across the street for another meal of tapas at Last Teresas. I ordered my new go to drink, a tinto al limon, and settled in with a bowl of plump cured olives and a tapa of nutty hand sliced Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. I chatted a bit with a nice couple from Australia who had just arrived from Granada. Once the kitchen opened up I ordered a racione (like a larger portion of tapa or a small entrée) of fried puntillitas, baby squid. The squids were lightly battered and seasoned with just salt and pepper. A lovely end to a busy day in Andalucia.

Amsterdam - Modern Art + A Seafood Feast

One of my favorite things about Amsterdam is the Museumplein. Just a few steps from the canals that circle the center of the city, the Musuemplein is where you'll find three of the city's most iconic museums; The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum.

After an epic morning at The Rijksmuseum I stopped for some much needed sustenance at the conveniently located Seafood Bar. I wanted a little bit of everything so I chose the Fruits de Mer platter plus a side of frites for good measure. When my food arrived it was so epic that I had a brief moment of panic that I had accidentally ordered Fruits de Mer ‘Seafood bar’ a much more expensive option. But no, my order was correct, it was just a massive platter of mussels, cockles, scallop, razor clams, periwinkles, shrimp, crab, and oysters. The seafood was fresh and sweet and definitely shareable. Skip the fries, the included baguette is offers plenty of carbs.

After lunch I made my way to the Stedelijk Museum. The modern and contemporary art museum is sometimes referred to as "The Bathtub" for its unique architecture. Bright, airy, and calm; the museum was a nice contrast to the overcrowded madness of the Van Gogh Museum. I enjoyed my relaxed tour of the collection, especially the 360 lego room, a temporary installation.