6 October 2019: Cordoba to Bujalance (34 miles-182 total)

Route

Random Thoughts After 4 Days

The only room available in Cordoba was a quad with four twin beds. While this could be an issue, everyone easily settled in and showered promptly. We get along great and everyone contributes.

Roadside Litter: Recycling in many areas seems ignored. The dry roadsides are often burned to clear out the weeds, exposing the bottles and cans.

Who tosses out shoes? On Thursday, I saw a tall, woman's leather cowboy boot, a pair of ankle-high cowboy boots, and a single red sandal. Not in the same place, but scattered along the 18 miles from Lora del Rio to Constantina. Could be an interesting short story theme.

I purchased the best perfectly ripe peach at a roadside gas station. Seeing my smile and the juice dripping off my chin, John purchased one.

Friendly people: We stopped about 2 pm on Saturday about 10 miles outside Cordoba at a bustling roadside restaurant, packed with families dining under a large sun shade. We drew stares as we ventured inside to order 4 beers, where seating was plentiful. As I ordered, the bar tender offered to refill my water bottle, adding two ice cubes without any prompting.

Having experienced crowds at the major tourist cities, Seville and Cordoba, we are wishing for stays in quieter towns without hordes of tourists, where the waiters and shopkeepers are genuinely welcoming.

Chance Encounters: The wildly gesturing policeman in Carmona was the only reason we discovered the Roman tombs. I had no idea what he was saying, but he clearly wanted us to visit the tombs.

Climate Change and Wildlife: The surprising lack of birds, except for noisy starlings in the trees in the evenings, are likely due to agricultural chemicals. Cotton and citrus are big users of chemicals. As we cycle east, I sense that olive trees that require less water are replacing grain crops and fruit trees.

Todays route was rolling with large hills and quiet roads. We heard occasional shots from wild bird hunters and encountered perhaps 15 passing cars. The closer to Bujalance, the more prevalent the olive fields. Temperatures were nearing 90F for the last few hours of our ride.

Four Guys in a Quad Room. Two clothes lines separating the occasional snorers from the non-snorers. 

True Hot Chocolate. Better than in Seville, a churro could stand up in it. 

Drinks and Churros. 

Who Knew? We thought we were ordering tortillas, but this egg & tomato tortilla was served in a bocadillo. 

 The bocadillo or bocata, in Spain, is a sandwich made with Spanish bread, usually a baguette or similar type of bread, cut lengthwise. Traditionally seen as a humble food, its low cost has allowed it to evolve over time into an iconic piece of cuisine.

Note how the saucers are lined up on the bar, ready to place coffee orders.

Pre-departure Preparation. John, Michael, and Robin, left to right.

Ready to Roll

Exiting Cordoba, we rode past this Roman temple, undergoing excavation and restoration. It appears that the majority will be a reconstruction.

Dog of the Day. As we departed, many were out for morning walks.

Cordoba from the South. We departed south over a river bridge and then southeast over a series of large, rolling hills.

Initially, the fields were harvested, mostly wheat and sunflowers. Except for a rough section with a failed surface, this was our typical road.

Preparing the ground to plant more olive trees. The lines are trenches where drip irrigation is either placed or to be placed.

Olives in every direction.

  Robin, patiently waiting for Michael and I to arrive. Bujalance, our destination, is on the horizon.

Exploring Bujalance.

El Tomate was Closed.  I had a fabulous meal with John, Stuart, and Bob when cycling through Bujalance in 2014 and had been raving about it. Contrary to what I found on the web, El Tomate is closed on Sunday.

While Spanish buildings might appear drab on the outside, many are like this inside. 

Typical Tile-Lined Foyer.

Door. Yes, you knew that, but this one is pretty special.

Paco. After finding El Tomato closed, we looked for an alternative. Paco, the manager of a Senior Center, showed us about his center, escorted us to his preferred restaurant where we bought him a beer, and then he invited us to join him for breakfast tomorrow.