Crazy Drivers in The Stunning City of Cordoba!

Cordoba is an impressive city! It’s modern buildings, gorgeous restaurants, and peaceful canal to walk along that connects through the entire downtown area – not to mention the wonderful parks – all make for an incredible time here!

I, however, was feeling a tad under the weather, as about a month earlier in my travels I had contracted a terrible inflammation in my respiratory system that was affecting my hearing, nasal passages, lungs and now it was creeping into the left side of my brain making me a little less attentive than usual.

When I arrived at my hostel I asked the owner whether he had seen this type of problem before with his guests – he had not. But I had seen many people in many towns and cities coughing with the same ragged phlegm-ridden throat hacks that I was having.

It was making my trip a little less lively and enjoyable than I would have liked, and if it wasn’t mending by tomorrow, I was thinking of going to see a doctor. But meanwhile, for my first full day in Cordoba I wanted to take a lovely long walk along the canal to the enormous Parque Sarmiento!

The walk along the canal passed at least a dozen beautiful restaurants!

Here’s an interesting relief sculpture set in a small park along the way!

And this old Spanish conquistador is reading a newspaper!

In another small park along the canal was a sculpture of a flag planting from a more modern era!

The most creative high-rise apartment buildings ever!

And the skinniest building in the world!

And then – BOOM! I was back in the past! This little home had been preserved alongside all the new modern development!

Open-air seating and activity space on top of these two high-rises are connected by a bridge!

Again, the restaurants were all so gorgeous!

Upon passing by this restaurant  – Il Nonnino (which is Italian for Grandpa) – I poked my head in and saw some fascinating art that reminded me of science fiction novels I’ve read in my deep past!

Stepping outside from that ‘Other World’, I saw this! If anybody knows who manufactures this scooter, please let me know!

Continuing along the canal to the park I passed yet more futuristic-style buildings!

And restaurants! The name of this one caught my attention … had the Russians invaded?

And then I was hit by a car! Thankfully he was not going too fast and I had seen him in time to turn my butt to him – I went flying through the air and landed on my rear with my legs out in front of me and my hands down on each side for support – it was a solid landing, fortunately!

It’s odd but I have no memory of flying through the air – must be because it happened so fast! I remember seeing the hood of the car and calmly thinking “We’re going to connect”, then turning away from it, and then ….the next memory I have is of being seated on the pavement thinking “Nothing’s broken!” I turned my head toward the car behind me and the fender was just a foot from my head – amazingly he had stopped in time to not run over me! I also spotted my sunglasses underneath his engine – I leaned under to grab them and then stood up!

He quickly got out of his car, and a woman and a man came hustling over from separate street corners at this intersection. We all stood and talked for a few minutes – they wanted to know how I was – could they take me to the hospital, etc. I assured them all that I felt fine – nothing was broken – that I was on my way to Parque Sarmiento and would carry on. The driver asked if he could take me there – I thanked him but declined. After about 5 minutes of standing in the road blocking traffic, we all headed our separate directions.

What an experience! I felt no pain at that time – just a little sore. But I did wonder whether this shock to my system might knock out the inflammation in my entire upper respiratory system that I had been suffering!

So, back to my walk! At the very entrance to Parque Sarmiento is a large tower off to the side!

A little further inside the park are water features – lakes, rivers, fountains – so beautiful!

I just loved these chairs and tables! What artistic imaginations these people have!

This pedestrian-only street had been taken over by the roller bladers!

Families and people were everywhere!

Cotton candy – their style!

And of course a sweet little outdoor market!

Walking back to the hostel I started to notice my right wrist was in pain and could hardly move! It was that palm that took the brunt of the pavement impact besides my butt – the other palm held tight to my camera and had not planted itself to the pavement when I’d landed. Since I’m right handed, I was a little worried.

That night I slept with an frozen water bottle on my wrist. The kind hostel workers had a number of them in their freezer and were happy to accommodate! But in the morning, though my wrist felt a lot better, the rest of me did not! And I had a walking tour and a bus tour to take throughout the beautiful city of Cordoba that day! Youch!