In which I discover you really don't need a car and do a little bit more living

 Last Saturday I was lucky enough to be invited by my conversation partner to go on a hike. It was Día de Andalucía, so all of the stores were closed, there was a parade of horses through town, and by some gift from the gods the weather was perfection. A group of translators, teachers, and students met in the center of town, and rather than drive to the mountain to go for a hike, the intrepid natives led us on a path out of the city, to the foot of the mountain, and then promptly up it. The truth is I have never straight walked out of a city before. This was a completely new experience for me.

 On the last hike I went on, we drove to the hermitage, with the statue watching over Córdoba. It was closed that time, and it was closed this time, but when the groundskeeper heard that we had people from Spain, America, England, and Germany, he let us take a sneak peak for five minutes. I no longer believe the statue is San Rafael. It looks like Jesus to me.

 The views from the top of the mountain were beautiful.

 Also, over the fence there were a bunch of cacti. It's a strange mix of plant life here: palm trees, flowers, cacti. But a good number of the people who have visited before left their mark on the landscape.

 The day after, as a reward for hiking through the cave and also up a mountain, I went with a group of friends to the Arab Baths. This is just the waiting room, but the baths are absolutely beautiful. When you walk in, there are three rooms: one with cold baths, another with a warmer larger bath that most people soak in, and another room with jacuzzis and a sauna. Archways like those in the Mezquita line all of the pools, and the sent of incense and also the massage oil fills the air as you are lulled into relaxation by steam, ambient lighting, and Arabic music. It was my first spa experience, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

 Life isn't all play though (but mostly) and every once in a while I have to do some homework. I tried the Cappuccino at my favorite cafe, OMundo, only to discover the best whipped cream ever to be placed on coffee.

 In art class, we have been studying Baroque architecture and have also started talking about sculptures. We made a visit to the Brick Church to look at the altar piece, but I was fascinated by the sculptures throughout the church. Especially as Semana Santa approaches, these figures are going to become very important.