When I started this adventure in Almeria, I packed a box of cold weather gear and sent it to the post office in Córdoba. But the post office only holds parcels for a fortnight (“15 days” in Spanish), and after my rest days in Guadix and Granada I needed to run ahead and collect my things. After collecting the box, I forwarded it to Merida – This time with the hotel that I plan to stay at as the return address. I hope that will save me from having to do this again.
The bus to Córdoba passed through some of the towns where I’ll stop on my walk – Pinos Puente, Alcaudete, Baena, and so on. It was good to get a preview of the route. I was struck by the scale of the olive groves and farms. So much larger than the ones that I’ve walked past so far.
Somehow, today just seemed to be one of those days when other people’s attitudes and behaviours got me down – in particular, the tutting employee at the post office who seemed to resent my presence and scowled when I thanked her for getting my parcel.
Not much time for sightseeing in Córdoba – Just a bit of a stroll down its tree lined streets and an undistinguished salad for lunch. I’ll visit the mezquita and other sites when I pass through in a week or so.
Bus stations are generally very utilitarian things – shaped by the dimensions of buses and their turning circles rather than by the dreams of entrepreneurs and visionaries. Córdoba bus station is a rare exception to this rule – with bus bays around a central garden where I enjoyed waiting a few minutes until the bus boarded its passengers for the trip to Granada. On my return, I picked up my rucksack from the hotel and walked to the convent – the Hermanas Comendadoras De Santiago. There, a nun showed me to my private room and showed me where I will eat breakfast tomorrow. I took a look at the beautiful courtyard garden before going out for dinner.