Antequera Rocks: Paraje Natural Torcal De Antequera

When the Romans got to Antequera, lower Andalusia, 1st or 2nd century BC, I guess, they looked around and quickly surmised a much older people had once lived there. That is megalithic Antequera, which we'll see in the next post, one of the great stone monuments of the neolithic era. It was closed the Monday we got there, after driving down from Cordoba, so we drove up to the national park, the Torcal de Antequera, way high above Antequera, and hiked among the region's other interesting rocks.

In the visitor center, interesting description of how the pancake
rocks were formed (karst limestone, differential erosion, the
usual)

Helpful model of the area, 3,500 feet above the nearby sea

History of the area; we are on the far right

On the trail

Still spring at this altitude

Vicki and others said this was a mountain goat

Although it was described as moderate difficulty,
the trail was over fairly difficult terrain

Spring springing

Pancakes

From the mirador, looking across Malaga and the Mediterranean
toward Africa; the white line I thought might be snow in the
Atlas Mountains...

Perfect end to a hike: cava-based sangria; homemade

We had pancakes for dinner a night or two later

With real Canadian maple syrup

Cordoba's Fiesta of Patios, 2

Lots of flowers, but not nearly enough for me...

Half-time treat: salmorejo, a Cordoban specialty: an especially
thick gazpachoey soup, very complex spices, topped with jamon
bits and bits of hard-boiled egg; we shared 3 of these

From this place, which was just a temporary snack place in the
alley...loved the name, San Basilio En Patios (all this was on
Calle San Basilio

We followed some others, obviously not church-goers, ducking
into this church

And were amazed at the gold leaf in just a little
parish church

Another patio

Another well and a collection of old implements

Old washboard

Another shrimp plant...a major ornamental
here

Pots in a street window

More lines

More patios

More wells

Watering can for high pots

And another shrimp plant

No patio (the sign says); no problem; just paint one on the wall

Cordoba's Fiesta of Patios, 1

The librarian in Ecija had told us about Cordoba's Fiesta de los Patios--here homeowners in the old city annually open their patio gardens to the public--and we resolved to see what we could. As it turned out, despite long lines on a Saturday afternoon, we saw five patios, a respectable showing for tourists passing through, and enjoyed the flowery spectacle greatly.

But first we had to walk all the way around the Mezquita and
then into a nearby neighborhood, past interesting churches
and other things

A Spanish equestrian show...lots of equine prancing, etc.

Not our thing

In Cordoba we saw numerous stag and hen parties...not as many
as in Barcelona or especially Dublin; they are always interesting,
momentarily

Street scene

Foreshadowing

Here the lines begin

Long lines; but they move

No patio? No problem; just convert your garage into a
temporary bar...

The Fiesta is very popular among Cordobans

Finally, we are in one of the patios

Official signage

More lines

In another patio

A shrimp plant, something I have not seen for
many years; my mother acquainted me with it,
and most certainly gave me my interest in
plants

All of the old houses we visited had functioning wells