Jus´ chillin´

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Have been in Cordoba for about a week now and it´s been great just to base myself in one place with a little exploration of the surrounding Sierras. Cordoba itself is a funky town with a young, stundenty vibe, since it has the oldest University in Argentina. The hostel I moved to is in the heart of the student district and I´ve got to know a really nice group of people, nearly all of whom are travelling on their own and, just like me, have ended up chilling out in Cordoba, not wanting to move on! I wouldn´t say it´s the most amazing landscape at all but after all the non-stop travelling I´d done for the first month, it´s been nice to stay in one place and get to know some people.
My most interesting visit was probably the Che Guevara museum in Alta Gracia, where Che lived as a child because the dry climate was meant to be good for his asthma. Considering he was an Argentine, it´s surprising that there are hardly any monuments or musuems dedicated to him. I suppose the extreme right-wing governments of the past didn´t really want to celebrate the fact that one of the most successful Communists came from here! In my hostel at the moment, there´s a Canadian guy actually named after Che and a German communist, so we´ve had a few interesting discussions! Going to museums in Argentina reminds you that it´s still a 3rd world country because some of the exhibits are so poor (for example, a photograph of Guevara with a baby in an African village was entitled "Che with baby" - no reference to where or when or why - and they had colour photocopies of old Cuban notes from the era when Guevara was the Head of the Bank of Cuba, rather than the real thing).
One of the most unlikely places I´ve visted was the village of Villa General Belgrano, which is just like a German town because it was built by survivors from a German battleship during World War II. They even have their very own Oktoberfest! I was very pleased to get hold of some good chocolate (which is seriously lacking in Argentina in general!) and also decided to go for sauerkraut with pork and apple for dinner, to make a change from the standard beef, pizza or pasta on offer in most Argentine restaurants!
Have seen lots more Jesuit buildings from the 17th and 18th Centuries, some of which were surprisingly beautiful and out in the middle of nowhere. Most are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Plan is to move on tomorrow and perhaps try some paragliding over the Sierras...

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Photos

Quebrada de los Condoritos
Went on a trek in this National Park to see the baby condors being taught to fly by their parents.

Mist lifting at Quebrada de los Condoritos
Trek was almost cancelled due to heavy mist in the morning but fortunately it all lifted by the time we arrived at the valley so we could see the condors and then had a great view down towards Cordoba.

Comments

[Jo Hawley]

Oktoberfest and chocolate!
How odd that it is so German, but glad to hear that you got some good chocolate! I'll save you a xmas selection box! Baby condors too - so cool. Take care, honey. Jo x

[Sonia of Alta Gracia]

Argentine's response
16th April 2006 6:45PM...I am from Alta Gracia, Argentina. I must say that I find it strange to hear my country referred to as a "3rd world country". I completely acknowledge that Argentina is rather impoverished since Peron a few decades ago. So I would say a 2nd world country at best and at the moment. Argentines are very proud and resilient people and will bounce back.....in due time. I wish you could have been in Buenos Aires and smaller provinces that flurished about 50 years ago.