Date of Entry: January 12th 2016
Date of Writing: January 24th 2016, Hostal Empedrado, Mendoza, Argentina.
One of the strangest things about Argentina is that almost every time I’ve looked to cross a distance of more than 8 hours by bus, there’s been a flight for cheaper or the same price as a semi cama bus. Unfortunately this isn’t really because flights are so cheap, but more because buses are so expensive. Argentina is definitely the most expensive country in south America so far but it’s also an incredible one and well worth the money. Just when travelling long differences don’t forget to have a look at flights online, sometimes they are noticeably cheaper, just don’t forget to factor in costs of getting to and from the airports.
At any rate much like I did from Iguazu to Salta I end up on an Aerolineas Argentina flight from Salta to Cordoba for 130 CAD, about the same as the 18 hour bus journey would have cost, and much more comfortable. I get there on time and grab a taxi to Tango Hostel which proves to be a great home base for Argentinas second biggest city. The buses to exist but you need to buy a special card and walk aways out of the terminal and I figure it’s worth the luxury to spring for the taxi (on a meter but around 200 ARS or 20 CAD)
I end up not spending much time in Cordoba, it’s not that it’s not a nice city, it is, it just has a feeling of being too big and too small all at once. I think it would be a very nice place to live, or potentially to spend a few weeks studying Spanish. It has an active nightlife scene and is full of students which makes it an attractive city to spend some real time in, but in terms of tourist attractions there’s not a whole lot to see. Still the next two days I fill with wanders through the centre without any real plan, just exploring the city, smiling at locals I pass, and seeing what it has to offer.
It’s an immensely pleasant time, though there is nothing that really stuns me or shocks me, though I will say the locals seem quite friendly for a big city. Sadly I’ve come during the summer break for students so the city is a little less lively than normal and this may have coloured my experience of it a bit. My two days of wandering did lead to some nice pictures which you’ll see below. Basically my verdict on Cordoba is it’s a pleasant stop over and a nice mid size big city with a great nightlife. It’s definitely worth a stop in Argentina if you have lots of time, but If you’re only seeing the highlights you could likely give it a miss. Tango hostel though was wonderful and I highly recommend staying there.
