El Seis de Julio

The fourth of July came and went here, and barely registered as a blip in my mind. No Independence Day sales, no fireworks, nothing. However, today is the anniversary of Córdoba´s founding and as such the streets and squares were filled with thousands of people, out to celebrate and see the parade (most of them having off from work or school). The parade consisted primarily of (lots of) soldiers and cadets in a variety of uniforms, marching bands, and a cadre of "gauchos" on horseback. It is a beautiful, sunny day for a celebration, and even though it is winter here I found myself wearing short sleeves and eating helado (a sort of gelato-meets-ice-cream). July 9th is the national day of independence for Argentina, so I shall be getting my share of patriotism. Córdoba is a delightful city. Lacking Mendoza´s lazy charm but capturing Bs As´s urban feel without the overwhelming size, Córdoba is apparently where all the young, hip Argentines live. This may be due to the local university. The city owes much of its heritage to the Jesuits, whose architectural influences grace the town center. Preliminary observations indicate that people smoke a lot less here, and I am very grateful for this. The city center is also built around several "peotenales" or roads dedicated to pedestrian traffic. With storefronts, outdoor cafés, street vendors and performers, and generally bustling foot traffic, it allows glimpses of a city without cars, and it is a vision I like. This week is also, apparently, "Semana de las Dulces," or the week of sweets. This means various vendors are selling dulces artesenales (fancy sweet things) in the Plaza San Martín. This afternoon I am going to take a serious siesta in preparation for an evening free concert of Cordoban Guitar and then (oh my) a night on the town.