I usually sit down and write these after the trip but today I’m beginning this early since it’s still raining here. We’ve had showers off and on since Tom and Phyllis left the 27th of April. In that post I told friends that May may be preferable to April when visiting. This could be associated with any of the following: climate change, weather, Tom and Phyllis left Vermont weather behind in the closet, or lastly, we have too many friends from the UK and we all know what their weather is, Old England or New England, it’s all the same. So I’ll just sit here watching the Giro Italia, stage 6, and pound on the keys.
When we lived in Vermont I read about a flower show every spring in Córdoba and since Cindy likes flowers and Córdoba is only 200 km away it’s pretty much a no brainer. And with this weather it’ll be nice to see an area we really haven’t explored. Also, we are taking our friends Ed and Judi Culwell, native Texans, so company for the road trip will be fun.
Ronda to Córdoba 200 km
Spaniards love their flowers, especially when they have a courtyard to display the beauty. Interestingly when you walk down these narrows streets with high walls they look like a continuous white cement barriers but unbeknownst to many is living space open to the warm blue sky with courtyards, a barbecue areas, and in some cases a swimming pool.
Below is a map and the neighborhoods that participate. They’re all, as you’ll be able to see, very close and this area of Córdoba is also a short walking distance to La Mezquita and Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos that I put in the January 2015 post.
This link will take you to the website where you can access the map. and click on a dot which will show you the patio and the flowers patios.cordoba.es/es/patios . On the left side of the map above and in the link you’ll see for example Regina Realejo, the area. Click on the #1 Isabel II, 25 (address) and you’ll see the view of that particular patio. You can take the entire tour of all the patios this way. The patios open at 11 a.m. and close at 2 p.m.. They reopen from 6 p.m to 10 p.m.. There’s no admission fee, gratis, but people leave some money to help the owners defray cost of maintaining the patios. Also expect lines, so be patient as here in Spain we wait at the bank, post office, supermarkets, and police station but this is life here and really isn’t a big problem. If this bothers you just reflect on the TSA line at the airport that you cursed but now are in sunny Spain and it was all worth it.
Summer like weather has returned, 25° today and sunny and sunny for the foreseeable future. We have another fiesta this week, Ronda Romántica. Locals will dress in period costumes from the 19th century reflecting the bandelero (bandit) history of this region. I did a post on this last year and will put something together for my next one.
Adiós amigos y hasta pronto!
Oh, I almost forgot to add this photo of our friend Judi in Córdoba. To all my male friends visiting, ¡cuidate!
¡Adiós amigos y hasta pronto!
Ok not yet. Here are some photos I took today at 14:45, 19th of May on our terrace.
This last flower is the best, and yes Baleigh your Dad’s a geek.
Our España 