City of Cathedrals

Tuesday night, a strike by Argentina's long-distance bus drivers had Buenos Aires's main bus terminal, Retiro, filled with irate travelers trying to escape the city for a vacation at the end of the holy week. Fortunately for me, the strike only lasted from 8-10pm, when government labor officials caved into having talks; my 1 a.m. departure time was saved.

Ever since I came down with the cold, I have been looking forward to leaving for Còrdoba to have time to rest as much as I needed to, and to be able to slow down. All of my time and energy were at a premium in BsAs. Còrdoba did not disappoint; I slept well on the bus ride there, checked myself into a hotel, and spent the day lazily walking around the city's historic downtown. Còrdoba is known as one of Argentina's most Catholic cities, and the city seems to have cathedrals on the corner of every other cobblestone street block.

Holy week certainly magnifies this impression, but Còrdoba seems to be a haven for Argentinean tourists, I have only run into a handful of foreign tourists thus far. The town is hosting a series of exhibits, plays, and processions in recognition of the holy week, or semana santa, culminating in a re-enactment of Christ's journey through the streets to Mount Calvary on Friday night. (I already regret that I will miss it.)

It strikes me that here people are not as squeamish about re-enacting and vividly experiencing these events as Christians in the U.S. might be. I even saw a live television program with an acted depiction of Christ in the Garden of Glesemethe that would have been downright controversial back in the states. Also, Catholics of various types, whether they are fundamentalist believers, or rare attenders, prominently display religious imagery, such as images of Jesus and Mary, and almost everyone wears some sort of cross around their neck or wrist. I don't know quite what to make of it yet, but to me there are the same echoes of sincerity, simplicity, and effortlessness that I have observed in the culture of most of the places I've visited thus far, and I find those characteristics admirable.

Tonight I have the feeling that I am prematurely leaving for Mendoza, not only because I'll miss the end of the semana santa festivities here, but because I didn't have the chance to explore some of the beautiful hills and tranquil towns that I've heard about that the are in the countryside just outside the city.