New Year, Old Stories

I’m back!

Things have been a bit quiet here over in blogland, due to the usual culprits of holiday recovery time, computer issues, and epic laziness.  However, I return to you now full of updates from the past month, which will be split into a few portions organized by my various travels.

I was lucky enough to have two weeks off work at the end of December, which made for a lovely holiday season full of friends, travel and food.  Bryson gave me the best Christmas present of all—a two and a half week-long visit for the entire holiday season!  We began with a week in Córdoba while I finished up my last week of work and he reacquainted himself with ordering Spanish beers and tapas. 

the  happy traveler caught on quickly

The holiday season in Spain is something that you truly must experience to understand.  For example, around the first week of November, general commotion around El Corte Inglés (the only large department store in downtown Córdoba) gives way to extremely bright, gaudy Christmas lights that cover the entire front wall of the building.  Did I mention that they shriek Christmas carols periodically throughout the day?  Bryson was lucky enough to be able to witness this, as well as some other holiday cheer pictured below.

in all its glory

yes, this is a balloon nativity scene

Another highlight of our week at home was a traditional Spanish lunch that we attended at my friend Hugh’s piso.  His roommates Miguel and Emilio invited us for an afternoon of food, drink and plenty of singing.  Lunchtime in Spain is serious business, and this occasion did not disappoint.  We dined for roughly four hours and then sat around the table singing along to old flamenco tunes and familiar Beatles songs.  Both Emilio and Miguel are musicians, so there was rarely a quiet (or dull) moment.  This, combined with their limited English skills and Bryson’s equally imperfect Spanish, provided an incredibly entertaining evening.

migas, pimientos, and sardines

Becky, Em and I

Hugh and Emilio

Having Bryson in Córdoba was fantastic, because I got to show my best friend the life that I have here, and luckily he fit right in!  Stay tuned for tales from our travels…