There nowhere to be but Córdoba en Mayo

After [unintentionally] going the whole year without returning to Córdoba, I finally made it back at the end, twice.

The first time I got back this month was for the glorious celebration of Los Patios.  Ok, so a lot of people probably wouldn't think Patios is nearly as awesome as I do (and as my dad commented last year, once you've seen one, you've seen them all). But I love flowers and gardens and I love the love and dedication that goes into each display.  

One of the award-winning patios

I arrived early on the high speed train to catch the morning session (because of course they close for siesta) and being sola, I was able to weasel my way through the narrow streets of the juderia quickly and skip the lines of seniors waiting to see a patio.  In the morning, I was able to get 2 of the 3 routes done, minus a couple of the patios on those routes.  After lunch and a quick respite (no time for siesta!) I headed back out to see the rest with my friend Alex, who had yet to really see the patios.  In the evening, we did the whole of the third route and even made it back to the patios I had skipped in the morning.  Counting them, I had managed to see all but one of the patios in the contest (plus a couple that had been disqualified, but refused to die quietly).  In all, I saw 50 patios, probably about 35 more than I saw the year before (ironic?).  Because the heat had already been strong this year, without the sheer amounts of rain of the year before, I must admit that they weren't as spectacular as last year.  And maybe my dad does have a point: many started to look and feel the same after hitting the midway point.  But I can't say that any of that took away from the beautiful and unique experience that is the Patios festival.  Sharing something you love with the world is always a treasure.  

Even the very-young must
get in their trajes.

The second time I went back was not even two weeks later, for the Córdoba Feria.  There's not really an experience quite like the feria celebrations of Andalucia, and for the three of you who read my blog from the last year, you might already be a little familiar with it.  

During the days, the fair grounds are a mesh of air-conditioned white tents filled with the smoke of grills and the colors of the traje gitana the women and girls are wearing.  Older men dress in their traditional suits and hats and ride their horses through the dirt streets, occasionally donning a beautiful woman riding sidesaddle behind him with a flower in her hair as big as her face.

Fireworks for the Alumbrado
seen through the main entrance

At night, few traditions remain as the hotter-than-hell dresses are kicked to the curb and exchanged for clothes more appropriate for a night at the discoteca, which is what has become of all the casetas, tents, after dark (which isn't until nearly 10:30 or 11 this time of year).  Outside the enormous portada, thousands of young kids and adults gather to drink their homemade cocktails in a mob that would leave few unintimidated.  Inside the fair, the ground almost vibrates with the loud music coming from the 100+ tents.  Young adults mingle with the not-so-young-anymore, where they enjoy dancing to the traditional Sevillanas as well as bouncing to Black Eyed Peas.  It's the ultimate meeting of young and old, traditional and modern, Córdoba and the rest of the world.  But mostly, it's Córdoba. 

I loved being in Malaga this year.  But in May, Córdoba is the place to be.