May In Córdoba

Just a quick entry here. I'm probably never going to get around to Málaga Part 2, and I should because it's a fantastic story, but for now I want to talk about Córdoba in May.

By the time May rolls around, the weather in Córdoba reaches a trifling 30º C which makes walking to and from work a sweaty ordeal. It's not very fun at all, but with the heat comes lots and lots of blooming flowers! So Córdoba has this tradition of the month long Feria which is divided into four parts, which is more or less one part per week.

First is the Cruces de Mayo, or the May Crosses, which is literally just an excuse for Spaniards to party. All around town their are crosses set up made out of flowers, and around them pop up these mobile bars where people hang out and eat the spring time Spanish delicacy -- snails! Here are some crosses now:






The magic of the mobile Spanish bar still astonishes me. I need to take a picture of one before I leave. They just pop up pretty much anywhere throughout the city and serve beer and appetizers.

Next on the agenda for Córdoba is the wine tasting festival, where vendors from all other southern Spain come to sell their wine! The problem is that for those of us who aren't used to southern Spanish wine it tastes mostly just like rubbing alcohol. Not tasty at all. Still, the Spaniards come out in their finest dress and they dance to and drink and eat Serrano Ham.

For the third week, Córdoba hosts the Concurso de los Patios, where people decorate their patios with a ton of flowers and then open it up for the public to see. And in case you're ever here to see them, do not get in the way of the little old Spanish ladies. They take their patio viewing very seriously, and will shove you out of the way even though you're about a foot taller than they are. They're vicious.

But here for your enjoyment are some patios!