OLD HABITS: DULCES AND SALMOREJO

In the sun-warmed hills and river valleys around Córdoba, the rocks tell a story that stretches back more than 500 million years. 

This part of southern Spain sits within the Baetic Cordillera, a geologically complex region shaped by the slow collision of the African and Iberian plates. 

Here, ancient marine sediments—limestones, marls, and sandstones—record the rise and fall of long-vanished seas. In older Paleozoic rocks, particularly those linked to the nearby Sierra Morena, we find traces of early marine life: trilobites, brachiopods, and crinoids that once thrived on shallow seafloors. 

These fossils speak of a time when Córdoba lay beneath warm, equatorial waters teeming with life, long before the landscape we know today took shape.

As we move forward in time into the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, the fossil record shifts with changing environments. Marine deposits yield ammonites, bivalves, and microfossils that help scientists reconstruct ancient coastlines and ocean conditions. Later, as seas retreated and land environments expanded, the region began preserving terrestrial life—though these finds are rarer and often fragmentary. 

The Guadalquivir Basin, which cradles Córdoba, holds younger sediments rich in foraminifera and other microfossils that are invaluable for dating and interpreting the area’s geological history. Together, these layers reveal a dynamic past of shifting seas, rising mountains, and evolving ecosystems, all quietly recorded in the stones beneath Córdoba’s historic streets.

While it is the fossils and geology that have drawn me here, it is the charm of the old world nuns stepping out in Córdoba, Spain that fills today's agenda. The nuns of the Convento de Santa Isabel make sweets and cookies from centuries-old recipes passed down from the Romans and Moors. 

It is a lost art as fewer and fewer nuns take their vows. living selling sweets and confections using recipes handed down from the Romans and Moors.  

Have a bit of a sweet tooth? You will appreciate their efforts. Head to the Calle Santa Isabel with Euros on you. Once you enter the convent you'll not see any of the nuns, but will find yourself quite alone in a smallish room with a lazy Susan installed on the wall. 

While I did see some nuns in the street, many do not leave the cloister or appear in public. You never see the nun with whom you do the transaction since these are cloistered nuns who do not look upon the outside world.

On the wall, you will see a price list. Once you have chosen your goodies, you ring the buzzer. A lovely voice will ask you what you would like to enjoy. Many of these egg yolk and sugary treats are sold by the box and offerings range from 11-88 Euros.

You place your verbal order, set the monies on the lazy Susan and give it a spin. And la voila, your sweets arrive. Beyond the tasty baking, you may want to try salmorejo. It is famous in the region and owes its origins to Moorish cuisine. 

The dish is a thick, cold, tomato-based soup made with garlic, sherry vinegar and sometimes topped with a hard-boiled egg or jamón. The tomatoes are a recent addition to the recipe, but this region grows some of the best so I can see the appeal. Think gazpacho only tastier. Simple and delicious.

Roman Bridge on Guadalquivir River, Córdoba

The entire city is walkable and a picture postcard from every view. It is also a lovely testament to Roman engineering and building structures that last. Most of the bridges in Spain and certainly those in Córdoba all hail from Roman times.

The Convento de Santa Cruz, a convent n the historic centre, barrio de San Pedro, Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain, is well worth a visit. It was founded in 1435, by Pedro de los Ríos y Gutiérrez de Aguayo and his wife, Teresa Zurita. 

The building has maintained close ties to the Ríos family who have worked to maintain it. They have added to the complex to interesting effect. It is notable for its originality, its architecture, and the artistic setting. 

These include the cloister, convent, church, house of the novices of the eighteenth century, and courtyard. In the main structure, there are architectural elements in Roman, Muslim, Moorish and Baroque styles, which witness the historic and artistic development of Córdoba. The retablos which decorate the church interior, tiling, and paintings are of note. It was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural site in 2011.

Photos: Nuns taking a stroll & the Roman Bridge on the Guadalquivir River and The Great Mosque — Mezquita Cathedral — at twilight in the city of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain.

Foodie? You are welcome to drool over at https://spanishsabores.com/12-must-try-foods-in-cordoba-eat-like-a-local-in-cordoba/