Tourist Time

After class on Friday, we all set off to be tourists. After walking to class each day, it is easy to forget that my university's street has the highest concentration of colonial architecture in the city. This street has the feel of a European city, yet the vibrancy and flair one can only find in Latin America. It's impressive structures are interspersed among lively cafes and street vendors add to the general cacophony of a daily stroll.

However, we started our journey in Plaza San Martin, the heart of the city. This plaza contains a tribute to the flora of South America. Each tree within it comes from a different part of the continent. It is beautiful and a peaceful retreat in the urban center.Overlooking the plaza is the main cathedral, begun in 1577. It has a Romanesque dome and Emilio Caraffa painted the interior, although many styles are apparent through the 200 years it took to complete.

Afterwards, we visited the Jesuit crypts, which have lain undisturbed under the city for centuries. They were recently discovered when repairs on Ave. Colon knocked through one of the ceilings of the crypts. We were a little disappointed at the lack of skeletons and creepy crypts, but it was a good experience to take a step into the past. It is strange to think what all lays silently beneath a city like Cordoba.