Day 25 Medina Azahara

Day 25 of my Gratitude/Walk/Photo Challenge. 
Today I am grateful for birdsong. 
This morning we took a bus to the Medina Azahara, built by order of the first caliph of al-Andalus, Abd al-Rahman III in 936 or 940, and situated about 8km from Córdoba. 
A fascinating archaeological site that was an important seat of power and government. 
Amidst the archaeological ruins stood tall dark trees, shorter gnarled olives, and long dead dark trunks. Storks settled on their nests down in the farmlands below, and a solitary Black Kite surveyed the tourists picking their way through history. And all around was birdsong. I imagined how it would have felt to have access to the hammams, the cool gardens, and the protection from the harsh Andalucian sun hundreds of years ago. And how the birds probably sang then too...
Total walk today came to just over seven miles and included walking to and from bus stops, wandering around the Medina Azahara, then a meandering route back through the narrow streets of Córdoba. 
Photo of myself (rarely seen) and one of the "Tres Amigas" - we met  in 1986 as terrified Freshers and our adventures have continued annually...Love these ladies.