La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I forgot to mention more of our comedy of errors upon our arrival in Córdoba. We arrived to no hot water in the apartment. The gas tank needed replacing (there was a full one on hand). We didn’t know we had a gas tank that would need replacing until we had the keys in our hands. Oh well. San Geraldo rolled the new one into place and couldn’t get the hose connected. It’s easy! I tried. Nope. And since we had no experience with these, we didn’t want to force it. Our landlady came over to show us how easy it was. Nope! After several more tries, it worked. She said, “That’s never been temperamental before.” Oh, yeah, we need to order a spare tank.
When we first wanted to go to the public health centre, we thought we would need a copy of our lease. We also thought we would need it to change our internet service from one province to the other. SG couldn’t find the hard copy, although he had kept it separate from what was packed. He couldn’t get it from his computer (we hadn’t found the cables yet). So I went across the street to a printer and asked if he could get it from the iPad. I had to wait an hour at the print shop because a teacher was having every page of an art book copied (100 pages front and back) for a class. Finally, he tried and couldn’t retrieve it. He suggested I find free WiFi and email it to him. I went across the street to Burger King. A staffer gave me their WiFi. I emailed the document and it was printed. The entire mini fiasco took about 2 hours, including having another cup of coffee with SG. Oh, we didn’t need a copy of the contract after all. We will only need that when we register at City Hall. Maybe this week. Maybe next.
Visible from our terrace is a statue on the Plaza de España called Nero and Seneca. Philosopher Lucio Anneo Seneca was born in Córdoba but went to Rome at a young age. There was a lot of tragedy in his life as a result of powerful Roman egos I think and he was banished for a while, but he ended up returning to Rome and tutoring Nero for 8 years. You can see in the statue how well Nero took to his studies.
Our regular breakfast place a few minutes from home is Café Sultana. It’s a hugely popular neighborhood gathering spot with the best, I mean it, coffee. We’re learning about the different tostadas here in Córdoba and are not completely up to speed yet. Our first day, San Geraldo asked for a pitufo (if you remember, that’s the small size tostada we would get in Fuengirola; the large size was called vienna). The waiter had no idea what SG was talking about.
Every time SG asked for agua sin gas (still water as opposed to agua con gas, sparkling water), there would be confusion. It turns out that, here, if you want still water, you just ask for water (agua). Otherwise you specify “sparkling” (con gas). I think it’s going to take us a while to catch up.
We have at least caught on to Sultana’s tostadas. We’ve been ordering tostada de lino, which is a flax seed tostada. We have it with olive oil, tomato puree, and what is simply called “ham.” If you prefer sliced ham, you ask for jamon York. It’s delicious. Cafe Sultana is also a pastry shop, which can be very dangerous. And the best part, they all recognize us now although we haven’t introduced ourselves yet (they’re always too busy). But, today, the waiter smiled and said “The usual?”
Olvidé mencionar más de nuestra comedia de errores al llegar a Córdoba. Llegamos y no había agua caliente en el apartamento. El tanque de gas necesitaba ser reemplazado (había uno lleno a mano). No sabíamos que teníamos un tanque de gas que debía ser reemplazado hasta que tuvimos las llaves en nuestras manos. Oh, bueno. San Geraldo puso el nuevo en su lugar y no pudo conectar la manguera. ¡Es fácil! Lo intenté. No. Nuestra casera vino a mostrarnos lo fácil que era. ¡No! Después de varios intentos más, funcionó. Dijo: “Eso nunca ha sido temperamental antes”. Ah, sí, necesitamos pedir un tanque de repuesto.
Cuando quisimos ir al centro de salud pública, pensamos que necesitaríamos una copia de nuestro contrato de alquiler. También pensamos que la necesitaríamos para cambiar nuestro servicio de Internet de una provincia a otra. SG no pudo encontrar la copia impresa, aunque la había guardado separada de lo que venía empaquetado. No pudo sacarla de su computadora (aún no habíamos encontrado los cables). Entonces fui al otro lado de la calle a una imprenta y le pregunté si podía sacarla del iPad. Tuve que esperar una hora en la imprenta porque un profesor estaba haciendo que le copiaran todas las páginas de un libro de arte (100 páginas de frente y de atrás) para una clase. Finalmente, lo intentó y no pudo recuperarla. Me sugirió que buscara WiFi gratis y se la enviara por correo electrónico. Fui al otro lado de la calle a Burger King. Un empleado me dio su WiFi. Envié el documento por correo electrónico y se imprimió. Todo el pequeño fiasco llevó alrededor de 2 horas, incluida otra taza de café con SG. Oh, después de todo no necesitábamos una copia del contrato. Solo la necesitaremos cuando nos registremos en el Ayuntamiento. Tal vez esta semana. Quizás la próxima.
Visible desde nuestra terraza hay una estatua en la Plaza de España llamada Nerón y Séneca. El filósofo Lucio Anneo Séneca nació en Córdoba, pero se fue a Roma a una edad temprana. Hubo mucha tragedia en su vida como resultado de los poderosos egos romanos, creo, y fue desterrado por un tiempo, pero terminó regresando a Roma y fue tutor de Nerón durante 8 años. Puedes ver en la estatua lo bien que Nerón se tomó sus estudios.
Nuestro lugar habitual para desayunar a unos minutos de casa es el Café Sultana. Es un lugar de reunión del barrio muy popular con el mejor café, lo digo en serio. Estamos aprendiendo sobre las diferentes tostadas aquí en Córdoba y todavía no estamos completamente al día. Nuestro primer día, San Geraldo pidió un pitufo (si recuerdas, esa es la tostada de tamaño pequeño que comíamos en Fuengirola; la de tamaño grande se llamaba vienna). El camarero no tenía idea de lo que estaba hablando SG.
Cada vez que pedía agua sin gas, había confusión. Resulta que, aquí, si quieres agua sin gas, simplemente pides agua. De lo contrario, especificas “con gas”. Creo que nos va a llevar un tiempo ponernos al día.
Al menos nos hemos puesto al día con las tostadas de Sultana. Hemos estado pidiendo tostada de lino. La pedimos con aceite de oliva, puré de tomate y lo que simplemente se llama “jamón”. Es deliciosa. El Café Sultana también es una pastelería, lo que puede ser muy peligroso. Y lo mejor es que ahora todos nos reconocen aunque todavía no nos hemos presentado (siempre están demasiado ocupados). Pero, hoy, el camarero sonrió y dijo: “¿Lo de siempre?”
• Un Séneca diligente y un Nero obviamente aburrido.
• Hablando de aburrimiento.
• Compartimos (tres veces ya) media crema Boston. Sultana la llama negrito.
• A esto lo llaman cannoli. No tiene nada que ver con los cannoli italianos, pero no nos quejaremos. ¿Te recuerda a algo?
• Todavía no he visto el estilo de Fuengirola aquí, pero no hemos estado en los barrios ultra turísticos. A alguien le gusta su estampado de leopardo.
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Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
New experiences, new foods, new places to see, new people to meet! You have brought some “new” to my life and I appreciate it! – sillygirl
sillygirl:
We need some new in our lives right now!
Apparently leopard print is “THE” hot look right now. And here’s me without a single item of it! And don’t you be posting any more of those suggestive cannoli photos.
Debra:
I wish I could have gotten a shot of that woman out walking with her black and leopard duffel and her leopard jacket. That must have been some look. As for the cannoli, you just have a dirty mind.
I love The Boys yawning in unison!
Sounds like you’re settling in and finding good people and good food!
Bob:
The place looks a little (very little) better each day. But we’re eating well and the cats are happy.
New discoveries of all kinds, the food ones the best. I think you guys are probably distinctive, no wonder the waiter knew you. For one thing, the absence of leopard print. Funny how regions everywhere have different terms. I remember being laughed at newly in NJ when I mentioned sodapop!
Boud forgot to sign, there. Too carried away by food pix.
Boud:
I grew up with soda. SG grew up with pop. If you asked for a soda where he was from, they thought you meant ice cream soda. I told him we called that “ice cream soda.” In Boston, soda or pop or soda pop is generically called tonic. Talk about confusing!
It is good to hear that you are beginning to get into the grove. It is amazing to me that there would be such regional differences in a place that seems relatively close to where you used to live.
Michael:
Less than 2 hours away. And, yes, very different. I grew up in the NYC area. We drank soda. A couple of hours north, people drank pop. It’s a funny world.
Change is good. New adventures!
Frank D:
We do love change and this has been a long time coming.
Love the double yawn!
Kelly:
I had no idea I caught them both yawning (Moose started after Dudo) until I downloaded the photo.
Oh, fun! New language experiences! It’s great that they already recognize you 🙂 That tostada looks SOOOO good! Crunchy and yummy! Thanks for taking us along, Mitch 🙂
Judy C:
The woman at the health centre told me I spoke perfect Castillano. Then we went to a restaurant where I couldn’t understand them and they couldn’t understand me.
Getting experience with the ‘new’ language and finding those special friendly restaurants.
Different ‘ways’ in most provinces here as well…..just a matter of time and all will be well once again.
Jim:
We were out last night and found another wonderful place. This is fun!
We could do with a cannoli, any kind today! Need sugar!
Anon:
I could always do with a cannoli. We had two more this morning. (This has to stop.)
That statue cracked me up! It just serves to prove that “the sulky teen face” is definitely not merely a modern concept 😄 Jx
PS “Does it remind you of anything?” If I saw that sort of thing I would be off to the special clinic right away!
Jon:
Perfect description of Nero’s face. The clinic… Should I not have eaten it?
Why can’t I ever meet a man with a chocolate-tipped dick? Cannoli, my ass. At least the leopard print lady isn’t mixing the leopard with plaid. People who tell you to do something always give you that bullshit “it’s easy,” or “if I can do it, anybody can.” Well, fuck you because it’s not easy and I can’t do it so do it yourself.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
When the gas top worked, it WAS easy. I hope the next one is challenging!
The cannoli has rendered me speechless.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
When was the last time someone’s cannoli rendered you speechless?!?
Oh my god. I could answer that in such a juvenile manner. I shall not though.
MM
Ms. Moonthematuresigh:
I know what you’re thinking!
This made me smile, I don’t know why, but I needed that. Can’t wait to visit there.
David:
A fascinating city.
One if those cats planned that yawn ahead of time.
Kirk:
Dudo was yawning when I snapped. I had no idea Moose joined in and I caught them both.
That so-called cannoli did remind me of something. I’d have been afraid to eat it, especially with that yellow goop peeking out. The baker must have been bored that day, decided to have a bit of fun with the design of the pastries.
Shirley:
We had cannolis again today. They ALL look like that. Entertaining.
These two cats look very prosperous, will they join cross fit soon? You know Seneca was forced to commit suicide by Nero. So far you appear to be safe from the intense rain and floods, let’s keep it that way.
larrymuffin:
Dudo is still skinny. Moose has gone from husky to fat. We were fortunate to have no flooding or severe weather here. Just lots of rain. But beautiful sunshine these past three days.
That picture of the cats is the best one yet! You’ve got to get that framed, or at least use it as wallpaper on your computer or phone.
Google translates “pitufo” as “smurf” — for some reason it auto-translated your post and I read that SG asked for a “smurf,” and I thought, “Well, that’s kind of weird!” Then I clicked over to Spanish and read it like you wrote it, which made more sense.
Nero does look very bored. Wasn’t he the one who fiddled while Rome burned? Sounds like he just couldn’t be bothered with life in general.
Steve:
Thanks regarding the cat photo. As for pitufo, I was going to mention again that pitufo also means Smurf. Also, if you use translator on my English version (as someone I know did to check up on me) you’ll find that Moose can come up as alce, which is moose in Spanish. The statue isn’t identified (as far as I could find outside), so I had no idea who they were except for a teacher and a very bored and indifferent student. Yeah, Nero was a hot mess. He even reportedly forced Seneca to commit suicide.