Córdoba

Three nights down, four(?) to go.

I've extended my stay here for a couple extra days already, while awaiting the magical box from dad containing my new camera and a couple credit cards (hallelujah!).  Córdoba, luckily, is one of my favorite cities so far.  It's calm, quiet, inexpensive, and gorgeous.  There are orange trees everywhere, lots of little side streets that are not even the tiniest bit sketchy, the most beautiful river, and good food all over the place.  Tapas, I love you.

The only problem is that the city is about this big and you can walk it in about 30 minutes.  I've quickly become a creature of habit and have staked out my favorite tapas bars which I visit daily.  Lunch from Santos sitting on the wall by the cathedral, walk by the river, gaze at the roman bridge, go back to the hostel and read a while, wander some more, walk past the shops, eat more, early to bed.  

I actually count myself lucky that this is the place I came down with a head cold, since I wasn't worried about losing a day or two.  But still glad to be feeling better now.

In my time here I have discovered the following magical foods: tortilla de patatas, and salmorejo.  Santos, my favorite tapas place, specializes in tortilla de patatas.  To call it an omelette is not exactly accurate.  It does involve eggs, but mostly it's just layers of thinly sliced potatoes that apparently they fry first and then bake with eggs in a frittata-like shape.  I'm 100% addicted to the stuff.  I guess most recipes use onions too but I have yet to find an onion in Santos' tortillas.  I don't know how they do it, but it's unbelievable.  And then salmorejo.  It's some sort of thick, cold soup involving tomato and who knows what else (I think they use bread to thicken it?), and they top it with everything from tuna to crispy ham to hard boiled egg.  It's unreal.  The girl at the front desk described the taste as umami, which I think is pretty accurate.

The best part is that all of this magical food is exceptionally cheap.  I'm spending more on my hostel at 17 euros a day than I am on eating and drinking.  Which is muy importante until I'm done relying on overseas money transfers.  

Today I visited the cathedral, which was gorgeous, but can you believe they charge 8 euros to get in?  I think that's pretty cheeky for a self guided walk around a building that, let's be honest, is no Notre Dame or Les Jacobins.  But I'm glad I did it, in the long run.  Yesterday I visited the archaeological museum, which was 1.50 euros (and frankly I liked it more).  Yep, I am becoming the world's biggest cheapskate.  Although I'm still not staying at the Travelodge, dad, so forget that.   

That's about all for now, my box should arrive Thursday in which case I'll start sharing pictures again!  I've got a couple more stops in Spain, then I'm thinking Portugal...

Adios!

~Swan