patrimonio cultural inmaterial

Being here in for The Fiesta De Los Patios De Cordoba frees you up from the burden of more simplistic self directed tourism. We don't need to buy things, we can just look in the courtyards, and there are a series of pathways through neighbourhoods of open courtyards that you can sign on to which puts some structure in the experience. That most of the visitors are Spanish and even local (although many aren't) kind of helps me deal with the situational challenge.

We took a guided tour through some of the patios in the antique areas of Cordoba this evening(Friday). It was in Spanish so I understood just a little. Grette understood a lot more.  But that was a good exercise for my Spanish ear. And a fine experience too given we mostly get things delivered to us in English and ready to consume.

This trip has strongly featured representative examples of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as proclaimed by UNESCO. Namely Flamenco, Fado and now this Fiesta de Patios. As our guide explained, in the middle of a residential street, hundreds of years old - with bars and loud music and a number the courtyards looking spectacular and with queues at their doors - it's not the material thing, it's about the life people lead. And that includes maintaining the patios, and their geraniums and ferns and wells and fountains, and holding the competition.  

UNESCO seems big in Europe. And cultural heritage makes a lot of work, particularly if people like us come along to see or enjoy it.

Reminds me of a plan a friend and I had in the early nineties of a dance led economic recovery.. After all a dance piece with only one dancer isn't a better more efficient product than a piece with a troupe of ten.

But this cultural heritage (patrimonio cultural inmaterial, in Spanish) is especially fun and powerful because it isn't just us visitors enjoying the festival, or the fado in Portugal, or the flamenco, it really is still a part of so many people's lives.