High Sierras

Left Cordoba for the high sierra town of La Cumbre earlier today via a bus so hot and stuffy that, had I the ability to do so, I would have removed my skin, upholstery be damned. Shaking a fever isn't the easiest thing in the dry dusty streets of Cordoba, but I have hope in fresh air.


But to recap, Cordoba was a pretty cool place. On the plus side, they've got loads of colonial architecture, some great museums (we visited both the Fine and Modern art museums) and a cathedral laced with striking statuary. On the negative, there's pizza to eat, and almost only pizza (it's a college town), a pedestrian mall that stretches endlessly lined with ice cream shops, clothing stores, and shoe vendors that repeat indistinguishably for blocks, so that after a few minutes of walking you begin to feel like Wile E. Coyote stuck before a loop background of things you don't want to buy.

Cordoba was also a focal point for Argentina's darkest time. The Memory Museum, located right around the corner from a colonial church, is housed in offices once used as detainment and torture cells for the countless (around 30 thousand) "desaparecidos" who lost their lives because they disagreed with the dictatorship that took power in 1976 and held power until 1983 (only forgoing rule because they lost a war and basically abdicated power). It was striking that something like that could have happened in the near past (though it continues to happen right now in Myanmar) in such a seemingly modern place, and also very sad to see the images and possessions of the lost. Many were students; young, idealistic and certainly not expecting to die for thinking differently.

Probably the coolest thing we did in Cordoba was catch a ballet. Our tickets were the price of an empanada, and though we were totally up in the nosebleed ring (euphemistically named "paradise"), it was heavenly to see the inside of El Teatro del Libertador San Martin, a gorgeous old theater with glamorous red velvet box seating. The ballets were danced with spirit, if not precision, accompanied by a great sounding orchestra. The clip is from Manuel de Fallas "Amor Bruja" and also has some singing. Check it!