Christmas and New Year at the Olive Mill
Christmas is a difficult time of year here at the Olive Mill, there are grandkids and festivities going on back in the UK that we just can’t be part of, we have to be here for the animals. So normally we just close ourselves in and ride it out. This year, however we decided to try and visit the beautiful city of Cordoba for the celebrations as this is our fourth Christmas here, but we have never experienced it.
Firstly, thanks to a Christmas donation from my Mum, we treated ourselves to a lastminute.com deal at a top secret hotel in the city. This meant we could enjoy the luxury of a warm room and heating for the night. We paid £36 for a night, but you don’t find out which hotel until after you book, so it is a bit exciting. We fed all the animals and headed in to the City for a late lunch at El Corte Ingles, the best burgers in Cordoba. Then we checked in to the hotel, the NH Armistad based in the ancient walls of the city. Perfect location for checking out the Christmas celebrations.
We then spent a lovely evening, in temperatures more akin to a UK spring, wandering around the city taking in the Christmas lights, and visiting the ‘belenes‘, nativity scenes set up in all the churches. Some photos below.
So, while we were in Cordoba, we read that there was to be a New Years Eve concert, in the Plaza de Tendillas in the centre. It was to start at 11pm. So we left the house at around 9pm, thinking we would get there early, have a drink somewhere and chill for a while, but when we arrived in the city, there was not a soul anywhere. The place was like a ghost town. Even the bars were closed. WTF. So we headed to the concert area, and sat on a bench, with our eight layers of clothes on. Gradually as the time got later, the place started to fill up, and by midnight there were thousands of people jumping and singing along to the music. At midnight, as expected all the Spanish popped their grapes in to their mouths on each ‘bong’ of midnight, followed by lot of kisses, drinks and fireworks.
And finally, we went to watch the parade for the arrival of the three kings, which is the Spanish equivalent of Christmas Eve and therefore a time of much excitement for all the boys and girls. On the way home, we warmed ourselves with gorgeous churros and chocolate.
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