Last updated on November 24th, 2019 at 07:52 pm
It’s ten days into our two week trip through beautiful Spain. I have spent time in four Spanish cities and have only two more to go. Cordoba is the last city that we will visit that is considered part of Andalusia, from here we go onto the big metropolises – Madrid and Barcelona.
I’m standing elbow to elbow in La Bicicleta, a cute, Spanish bar that I probably wouldn’t have walked into if our host hadn’t given us tokens for two free cervazas. There are flies. I feel them tickle my skin occasionally as I sip my cervaza that we finally had the courage to order in this packed bar, too far away from the capital for anyone to speak English.
Suddenly, the street becomes crowded and the bar fills with the smell of incense. People in luminescent blue robes walk down the street followed by men carrying an ornately decorated golden float, or paso. It appears similar to the Holy Week processions that occur near Easter, but it is September. Musicians follow in their wake as the Spaniards in the bar suddenly become interested and pull out their phones to film the scene. I follow suit.
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The Perfect Day in Cordoba
In the morning we awake early. Our AirBnB is four flights, but I climb to the top of the stairs to greet the sun over Cordoba.
We walk to the Mosque-Cathedral. Only the tower of the Mosque is tall enough to touch the morning sunlight. Inside the Mosque is dark and the striped patterns repeat creating an illusion.
The city is slowly waking up as we walk to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos.
I get lost in the gardens. The flowers are in bloom everywhere. We sit by the water and smell the sweetness in the air, enjoying the feeling of the late summer sun on our skin.
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Cordoba is slow. We stroll down the whitewashed streets, the walls dotted with bright blue flower pots. Splashes of colors everywhere. Cats hidden in crevices.
We go back to La Bicicleta. We watch as they make drinks, dropping fruits and vegetables of all colors into a juicer. They bring us avocado toast topped with huge chucks of tomatoes, fuchsia peppercorns dotting the surface and adding a bit of spice to each bite.
We head to the Roman Bridge just before dinner. It is dusk now and the moon sits low and full on a pink and grey sky. The bridge is full of activity. Two Spaniards strumming their guitars have attracted a crowd. We find a spot on the side and join the crowd, watching people and families rush to their dinners. The Guadalquivir runs again under our feet. The guitarists play the perfect melody for the setting. This is Spain. We stay until it is dark.
How can I leave this place? This is the question I always ask. Because while travel is incredible, you leave a small piece of your heart everywhere you go. And you must accept that you may never see that place again. Even if you are lucky enough to return, it may be unrecognizable to you.
A piece of my heart lives in Cordoba now, listening to Spanish guitar, watching the sky turn black over the Guadalquivir.
Have you visited Cordoba? What did you love about exploring this city?
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