Cordoba

Corduba is a much cleaner and smaller and slightly more boring, dare I say, version of BA! Its certainly nice not to have to watch where you are putting your feet all the time to avoid dog poo and rubbish though! The weather has warmed up temporarily again and I fell asleep reading my book this afternoon on the rooftop that looks out over the concrete blocks of appartments and corrugated iron roofs stretching out to reach the crisp blue sky, pierced by the sun. I could hear the bird next door accompanied by the traffic in the street below and the hostel's dog. I dont know what type it is as I cant see it but it can sound like a screech, a child, or a cocatoo or something! It also sings tunes! Anyway, yesterday we wondered towards the Plaza San Martin hoping to get into the peachy coloured cathedral that looks like a sandcastle that someone has put far too much work into! Unfortunately, due to the Catholic nature of the country, EVERYTHING was closed! So we sat and read amongst the pidgeons in the deserted square on the wooden benches, looking across at the fountain and statue which has a rider too big for the horse! (similar to the BA one) Considering people tend to be shorter than the average UK resident out here, I dont think I can put it down to just being in a different country! I have discovered the 2 best treats in the world out here: Alfahores and sugared donuts filled with dulche de leche!! Heaven in a mouthful. They do them too well! The parks out here are nothing on Hyde park, partly as the grass is all dead! But, we had fun in the playground and also went on a fairground we stumbled upon with our new Israeli friend, Naor, who left with 8 days left of his trip yesterday! I myself have just passed the halfway point, can't believe how quickly its flown by but it seems like an age until I return too. Had a fantastic spanish style omlette cooked on the beast of an oven in this place! I am appreciating the cheap cost of living more and more each day I spend out here. For referance: A good bottle of wine = 2pounds (thers no pound sign on this keyboard, sorry folks :P!) excellent steak with drinks out in a restaurant = 10 pounds, bottled water = 20p and my wonderful, clean, spacious and faultless accommodation is 8 pounds a night (in a room supposed to be shared by 6 that we have all to ourselves at the moment!!) Such a treat. I love the high ceilings everywhere we go in Argentina, it gives you an extra sense of space even if you are in a small bedroom. We met a Danish couple today who bravely, or stupidly, are travelling with a 5 month old baby!! I don't know how, think of all the stuff you have to take out for one AFTERNOON in the park with a kid, now try and fit that into a backpack! Then the space for a travel cot and buggy doesnt bear thinking about! We've also met quite a few people who live out here but work via the internet, to name one, Martin, who is a 40 year old Danish historian, very interesting fellow! Something I wouldnt mind doing myself in the years to come! Now back to my fantastic book, Shantaram! Lots of Love XX