Move Over Barcelona, Cordoba You're My New Love

Remember how I said it would be hard to top Barcelona?  Well, that lasted for the first 10 minutes in Cordoba.

Oh, the charm of this city.  It's like the first time your tongue ever touched a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.  Sliding your toes into a brand new pair of socks for the first time.  That first bite of an In-n-Out burger.  Saturday nights watching Petticoat Junction.  (If you weren't alive in the 60's, you won't get that reference).

I'm not even going to start this episode with the good stuff.  How about a hotel like this?

With, get this....   Roman ruins in the hotel.  Yes, those Romans.

Let me tell you what the folder in the room says.  It reads "Estimados Cleintes.  Nuestro hotel despone de una serie de articulos y productos a su disponsicion."  Oops, wrong side of the page.

"Las Casas de la Judería de Córdoba, is the emblematic hotel of Córdoba, full of history and tradition.  For most of its long history it has been a stately home, having belonged to noble families including the Fernández de Córdoba, Sigler de Espinosa, Aguilar, Góngora and Argote."

Now, I don't have a clue who any of those people are, but I'm not above a little name dropping now and then.  Have I mentioned my old classmate Meghan Markle?

Sorry, get back on track Bill.

After we stopped drooling over the hotel, we stepped out into the streets of Cordoba.  After the first 10 minutes, we needed coffee.

And, then we were off to see the wizard.  

We heard he was over there.

On the other side of that bridge.

Or in that castle, across the moat.

Starting to taste that peanut butter, aren't you?  Well, let's see if we can get those new socks out.

We're in the Andulusia region of Spain.  That translates to English as the Andalucia region of Spain.  And we all learned as kids what this region is known for?  C'mon, I know you know it.  That's right....  Flamenco!  Our first night in Cordoba was topped off by our first flamenco show.  And it did not disappoint.  

Unlike in high school, I had done quite a bit of research to determine how we wanted our first time.  To my kids, I'm talking about my first algebra class.  There are plenty of "touristy" flamenco shows out there but that wasn't for us.  I wasn't looking for a show where a cheesy comedian opens it up, telling stale old jokes before the main attraction.  No, I wanted one where the dancers didn't speak with a Brooklyn accent and their shoes weren't from the clearance rack at Walmart.

That's right.  I wanted to real enchilada.  Wait a sec.  That's Mexico.  I wanted the real paella.  What could be more authentic that an intimate venue in a real Roman bath house?  Artes y Sabores did not disappoint.  We sat there with our mouths open the whole night.  That was because the dinner was a bit spicy, but the show was fantastic too.

It was while watching this fast paced, passionate show that I realized I had missed my calling.

With that, I'm going to cut this off for today.  It's late at night here and we've got a big road trip starting tomorrow.  I still have more to share about Cordoba and I'll do that in the next segment.

Adios amigos.

1- Here We Go Again
1b - A Bit of A Rocky Start
2 - 21,396 Steps
3 - Cordoba, You're My New Love
4 - Cordoba 2.0
5 - The Rock
6 - Tangier, Morocco
7 - Spanish Countryside
8 - And Then There Was Ronda

9 - Seville