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!