Two hours to Cordoba

It was hot in Cordoba, pushing 40º but I was there on business. I have driven the stretch of road from Marbella, around and up behind Malaga, past Antequera and then inland to Cordoba many times and there was no real need to have the TomTom switched on but it was good to see we would have time to have a quick meal by the Guadalquivier river in sight of the famous Cordoba cathedral and right next to our destination, the private business administration university in Cordoba.

Three hours of oral examining with students doing the Cambridge Business English Certificate examinations (BEC) were to follow. It's always a pleasure to assess well prepared and highly motivated candidates and the time raced by.

Another of life's many other pleasures is to drive through the rolling landscapes of Andalucia in the evening. On the way home the earth changed colour from shades of white through to greys, the olives trees gave way to vast yellow tracts of sunflower fields with the heads turning to face the setting sun. Now and again the smell of the olives from the co-operative processing plants washed through the car windows, open in the cool of the evening.

We stopped for old time's sake at the venta nearest the spring between Antequera and Malaga. Twenty nine years ago we would top up the car radiator here or bathe our faces and drink from the pure mountain water which runs all year round under the willow trees.

The setas con ajo and perejil were excellent. That's mushrooms in garlic and served with parsley. Two immaculately dressed Guardia Civil policemen came in for a snack. I turned the blue label of my cerveza sin alcol so that it would be more easily visible.

You will know by now how much I like travelling through Spain by car, bus, train or by plane. If I can give you any travel help please write to me using the tiny comments link below the blog. If you tick the box you will get a reply from me emailed to you directly and you don't have to revisit the blog. Nobody sees your email address either.