Madrid to Córdoba: Returning with My Son, 32 Years Later
Archive: a recollection of the 2026 journey, first published on 3 August. Ages and times belong to that moment, not to current travel information.
Thirty-two years later, I return to Córdoba with my son.
After our first night in Madrid, we got up very early to catch the seven o’clock AVE high-speed train to Córdoba.
We had barely slept and were still tired from the flight, but our excitement was stronger than our sleepiness.
As Madrid slipped behind us, dawn began to break. Through the train window, the landscape gradually filled with a beautiful orange light.
— ◆ —
And watching that sunrise, I remembered another journey.
When I was 16, I made this same journey in the opposite direction. I was travelling alone to Madrid, and from there I would continue on to Japan.
I had a suitcase and an enormous dream: to dance, to work, and to make my way as a professional flamenco dancer.
I had no idea how long I would live there or just how much that journey would change my life.
Today I am 48, and once again I am travelling by AVE towards Córdoba. But this time I am not alone.
Beside me is Teo, my son, half Japanese and half Spanish. After making the journey from Japan together, we are returning to his father’s homeland and to a part of his own roots.
Who would have thought… That 16-year-old left for Japan alone and, thirty-two years later, returns with his son.
That 16-year-old left for Japan alone and, thirty-two years later, returns with his son.
— ◆ —
When we arrived in Córdoba, I was finally able to see my family again.
I hugged my mother, my brother, my brother-in-law, and all the other people who have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. The joy of seeing them after so long was immense.
But something moved me even more: seeing Teo hugging them all.
He lives in Japan and cannot spend as much time with his Spanish family as we would like. Seeing him there, receiving all that affection and feeling part of the family, was one of the most important moments of the trip.
After our reunion, we did some shopping and spent the rest of the day quietly, trying to rest and gradually adjust to the time in Spain.
— ◆ —
But the day still had a surprise in store.
At around half past nine that evening, we went to the country house of my cousins Juani, Rafa, Pepito, and Luis. We thought we were simply going to spend a quiet evening with the family.
But when we arrived, we discovered they had prepared something very special for Teo: a cake to celebrate his 17th birthday.
And then the whole family began singing happy birthday to him… in Japanese.
They did it with all the charm of Córdoba and all the love in the world.
The pronunciation may not have been perfect, but that was precisely what made it even more fun, genuine, and moving.
As everyone sang, Teo could not stop smiling.
And as I watched him surrounded by his family, I understood that this moment was one of the most important reasons we had made this journey.
It was a beautiful night, full of laughter, food, cake, hugs, and so much love. One of those evenings my cousins know how to put together like no one else, making you feel at home again from the very first moment.
I will never forget this day. I will never forget the whole family singing the Japanese words “お誕生日おめでとう”, meaning “Happy birthday”. And above all, I will never forget my son’s smile.
— ◆ —
Thank you to Juani, Rafa, Pepito, Luis, and our entire family for giving us such a wonderful evening.
Thank you also to the teachers at BG Flamenco Academy. While we experience these moments, they continue keeping the studio going and taking care of Batres. Thanks to them, we can make this journey with peace of mind.
At 16, I left Córdoba alone, bound for Japan. Thirty-two years later, I have returned with my son.
This time, a part of Japan was sitting beside me.
https://www.youtube.com/@bgflamenco; Benito García’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benitogarcia_japon
AlitaDePollo
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