Surprises in Spain

Bottom left, statue of the Rambam in Cordoba, center- bell tower (formally the mosque's minaret)

There is nothing like a surprise trip to Spain to forget that an entire decade had disappeared.  Not that I was in a frump but the first time someone said Happy 40^th birthday I looked behind me to see who they were referring to.  With less than a day before our flight, there was no time to delve on this existential milestone; bags needed to be packed, passports found and children dropped at grandma’s house.

Somewhere between finding someone to feed our cockatiel, Bald Eagle, in our absence and giving extra keys to neighbors, I tweeted to Shawn Hennessey, Tapas Queen of Seville. “Would she by any chance be in Malaga next week” I inquired. Unexpectedly, she was, and for the same reason I was there- to celebrate her birthday.  What a sweet coincidence.

Scenes in Cordoba, bottom, gardens of the Great Mosque/Cathedral

I no longer have a romantic notion that getting lost in a new country somehow enhances the experience. As one of millions of tourists I would rather see a familiar face and then meander randomly between strangers. Sure, it might be less visceral, but in my mind a more connected way to travel.

Girls in the old city, Cordoba

So after a patchy bout of wifi, we finally arranged to meet at La Moraga at the Port, one of several establishments founded by Michelin starred Chef Dani Garcia. It’s a hot spot with the locals and tourists alike, serving unusual tapas prepared with traditional ingredients.

With Shawn at the helm I was coaxed into trying the ox tail burger. My verdict? “Mmmmyummy!”. “Is that the best you can do?” teased Hennessy. Perhaps not the most evocative food prose but with my mouth full, I couldn’t be bothered. Between sips of white wine, we chatted about the latest in culinary Spain, exchanged the names of our favorite cookbook authors (mine is Paula Wolfert, hers Janet Mendel) and finally discussed restaurant possibilities in Cordoba, next on our itinerary.

Pueblo blanco, the white washed villages of Andalucia- Mijas, Ronda and Coin

Early the following morning we left the heavily populated coastal area, Costa Del Sol, and into the interior of Andalucía, past hillsides dotted with olive groves, clusters of pines and into billowing acrid smoke. This was either a national disaster or…., as we found out later, farmers burning twigs and other agricultural debris to reduce the chance of summertime forest fires (there must be a better solution). The region surrounding Cordoba was riddled with individual bonfires but fortunately the city itself was clear, bright and cold.

The magnificent Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Like Jerusalem, Cordova has great religious importance to the three Abrahamic religions, their remnants marking the language, architecture and food with their intertwined history. It was once the economic and cultural center of Islamic Iberia which later regained its Christian dominance during the Reconquista. For Jews, it is the birth place of Maimonides, also known as the Rambam, who is considered one of the greatest torah scholars of the Middle Ages.

Sierra Nevada, views from Granada, Spain

Walking from the Great Mosque/Cathedral, we wandered in the Juderia neighborhood, searching for the ancient Synagogue. Instead I froze, utterly flummox to see two recognizable faces-friends from London!  While I was stunned into silence he made a noise of a vuvuzela.  After exuberant greetings and multiple “What are you doing heres?!”’ we decided to find a quiet place to chat.

“We just made reservations for lunch and the couple we wanted to meet cancelled”, he told us.  An unexpected rendezvous in one of the most beautiful cities in Spain seemed like a perfect way to spend the day.

Old city Cordoba

Later that night I removed a scrap of paper from my pocket. On it was written the name of two restaurants Shawn had recommended the night before. One of them was Campos Bodigas, where we had eaten that day.

Perhaps getting lost, and a bit of luck, makes all the difference.

Campos Bodigas, elegant little restaurant if a bit expensive, great rabo de toro (ox tail) stew