Radiohead / Bat for Lashes (Victoria Park) 24/06/08

Radiohead setlist:
15 Step
Bodysnatchers
All I Need
The National Anthem
Pyramid Song
Nude
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
The Gloaming
Dollars & Cents
Faust Arp
There There
Just
Climbing Up The Walls
Reckoner
Everything In Its Right Place
How To Disappear Completely
Jigsaw Falling Into Place

1st Encore:
Videotape
Airbag
Bangers and Mash
Planet Telex
The Tourist

2nd Encore:
Cymbal Rush
You And Whose Army?
Idioteque

Andalucia - Granada

Thursday - Left ASAP for Granada - though the car got stuck in a very narrow street first. I couldn't put one side up onto the sidewalk, as the curbs are a couple of feet deep. It was pretty much the exact width of our car, so I had little option but to inch forward, with the tyres on both side being squeezed. I'm still amazed none of the tyres blew. Was a pretty horrible experience, but it was the only way out (one way system), and there was no amount of manouvreing that would have made a difference. Tourists were taking photos of us. Nice.

Anyway, pleasant drive through the countryside, though it got a bit long winded at times. I think we were on a motorway circling the city for a half an hour or so. I had a nice big bag of corn snacks to eat in the car - they were shaped like mini cornucopias. Yum yum!

The last of my notes say "Big hot hill walkies - Arab tea and hookah pipe". Though I do remember buying a groovy leather wrist strap at a fine little shop on the side of said "hot hill".

We did also visit the castle, which had great views, and a veritable infestation of swooping, hooping swallows.

Andalucia - Córdoba

Tuesday ctd - Drove to Cordoba. Wrestled with the GPS and ended up driving around the city in ever decreasing circles. Finally found our hotel, tucked away as it was. Went for walkies, saw the ruins of an ancient synagogue, I climbed an orange tree, and apparently suffered some kind of a wound (according to my notes - I think I snagged a bracnh or something...). Orange wasn't very nice, and certainly not for the effort. The climb was fun though.

Anna and I went for some solo walkies - saw lots of gypsies - perched ourselves by the old Roman bridge - saw an Islamic water wheel. Everything was closed, so we spent several hours in a lovely plaza, eating tapas, drinking sangria, and feeding the local cat (who was clearly a mummy cat).

Wednesday - Lots of sightseeing today. Did the Mezquita nice and early. Fascinating mix of Muslim and Christian architecture and art, overlapping each other quite dramatically. Then we went to the small Castel/Alcazar, which had lovely gardens. Then we had lunch at our new favourite place, before dropping into the Archaeological Museum next door.

Then I went for walks by myself, to the Sefardic Museum (pretty samll), and sat in the Mezquita courtyard with my feet in a freezing cold fountain. Bliss!

According to my notes: baths no good - De Torres museum (a local artist) closed - Saw Belles Artes museum -had ice cream - then back to Jeronimo Paez plaza again.

Andalucia - Seville

Sunday - Had brekkie on the lovely hotel rooftop. Great views. No chance to see much - drove off to Seville (Sevilla). Lovely old city. Did big walks, ate tapas (recommended: Adalusian speciality - spinach with chickpeas), dran beer and sangria.

Visited the Cathedral, saw tomb for Cristobel Colon (ie. Christopher Colombus - though he's not actually buried there). Climbed the bell tower, which was wide enough on the way up to allow horses to the top! Great views, and lots of bells. Walked to the bullring, river and back. Ate tapas (lots of squid rings) and sat outside the Cathedral at night.

Monday - Took a horse ride through the parks and around and about. Walked through the shopping areas. Bought some shorts. Anna and Jennifer bought shoes. Found a nice garden area with a friendly cat. Had a nice dinner (great tortilla - also broad beans with egg - and paella). Fed some sparrows. Tried some new cervezas - Alhambra, and Alhambra Negra.

Went to flamenco show, in an old synagagogue adjacant to our hotel. Very abstract vocals and guiatrs. I couldn't discern a clear time signature - yet the dancer and musicians co-ordinated perfectly. Fascinating. I want to hear the Venetian Snares remix...

Tuesday - Woke early, and went to the Alcazar. Had a guided tour, very good. Apparently built during a bit of a golden age, when Muslims, Jews and Christians all got along famously. The building therefore mixes motifs from all three religions, which is pretty novel. Lots of stars and geometic patterns (arabesques).

The Alcazar also has amazing grounds, and we wandered around the orchids and ponds. Fed some enormous carp, and some ducks, with old bread I had pinched from the hotel breakfast buffet. I climbed up one of the royal lemon trees, to retrieve a lemon for my cervezas later. Got myself a splinter for my efforts.