Love sick in Cordoba

We arrived in Cordoba to even hotter weather than in San Luis (Yes I know most of you have had arctic conditions back home recently but there is a limit with hot weather especially when it leaves you struggling to breath...).

Even the local canines couldn't hack the heat...

Thankfully our hostel for the night had a little surprise for us to take our mind off the heat. We had booked a standard private double room and were expecting our usual bunk bed scenario, however the room, or should I say, apartment that we were given was a little different to say the least.


It was huge. With a capital H. Literally our very own apartment downstairs from the hostel with its own lock and key. Neither of us could work out why wed been given an apartment rather than a usual room, but given we were paying the same price we weren't going to complain! Counting the beds we established that it could sleep seven people and house another hoard of them sleeping on the floor if necessary. Perfect party place, if only wed have known enough people...

two beds...

A third bed...

Two more beds and some random small wooden stage in the corner?!

The apartment

Our double bed with easyjet bed sheets...

The kitchen. Where none of the appliances worked. The bathroom is to the right

With our stomachs rumbling we set off for a spot of lunch and a wander around the area. I found Cordoba to be much prettier and smaller than Buenos Aires which had been the last big Argentinian city Id been to (Mendoza, I don't count you as a city...). Cordoba had more in the way of churches and colonial architecture, and, most importantly, it felt much safer. There were police - of every type, tourist, guardia civil etc - everywhere.

No idea who this statue is of...

This building reminded me of Paris for some reason...

View looking out of the main doors of the cathedral

The cathedral

The side of the cathedral 

The cathedral from the main square

That evening, we ate at the hostel as they were putting on a free chop suey. Now, I wouldn't have usually gone with this as an option (not a big fan of it), but we were both tired and couldn't be bothered to leave the hostel. Besides there was a quite impressive roof terrace at the top of the building from which we could have a few beers and chill out. It was here that we met a lovely Californian couple called Hayley and Gabe who were travelling around Central and South America and then onto the Far East. We ended up eating the chop suey together and generally discussing everything and anything as you do when you are travelling.

View from the roof terrace looking south

View from the roof terrace still looking south but just a little bit to the right : )

The next day, both of us awoke to not so settled tummies - I knew eating hostel food was a bad idea! - but they seemed to settle towards the end of the day...


It was time to check out of the hostel as the BF has secretly booked the Azur Real Boutique Hotel for the remaining two nights of our stay in Cordoba. Yipee! I must explain my excitement behind the prospect of staying in a hotel. Id been staying in hostels, with the exception of a couple of days with my friends Tom and Manuela when I started in Rio and a few weeks with the Piombi family in BA, oh and the one night I spent in hospital in Iguaçu, since Id started traveling in December last year. Given that most of my work colleagues back home had thought Id succumb to staying in a hotel within days of traveling, I think Ive done pretty well : D


We walked the short distance from the hostel to the hotel, which from the outside looked like nothing special. However the minute we entered the small door into the cool lobby we were faced with an elevator that looked straight out of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator...but more cylindrical! We failed to fit all our luggage and ourselves into the tight space that made up the elevator, so I went up first followed shortly afterwards by the BF.

Not much to look at from the outside, the hotel is just to the right of the picture above the bus

The Great Glass Elevator!

Oh before I forget, I must mention that prior to seeing the elevator, we had been more preoccupied with the smell of the lobby. I mean this in a good way. It smelt amazing, like walking into a Diptique candle shop (legendary French perfumer and maker of luxury extortionately priced scented candles for those of you not in the know). The fragrance continued throughout the rest of the hotel and we were later told that it was a mixture or orange and black pepper essence. Id have never have guessed that in a million years! Delightful.


Once we reached the reception we got a better view of the rest of the hotel which was a rich mix of old and new design all imaginatively blended together. A complete oasis from the bustling city that lay just a few metres beneath us.


No wonder it made Conde Nasts Hot List 2010 and won the Travellers Choice award for being the number one hotel in Cordoba according to Trip Advisor. You did well BF, well done! : D


The bedroom, especially the bed was perfect. I have a thing for hotel beds - I aim to one day replicate one at home (obviously once I get myself an abode as I am currently homeless...) as they're always the comfiest mattresses I ever sleep on. I also love the immaculate white linen, something I never seem to be able to maintain given Id probably get make up on it or dye it a funny colour in the wash...


Anyway, needless to say I was very happy and relaxed in my new surroundings, so much so I had to be dragged out for a walk by the BF as I wouldn't get out of the emperor sized bed which seemed to swallow me up!


That evening the BF took me to a Galician restaurant for dinner, given my mama is from Galicia in Spain, I was looking forward to the menu as they are famed for their seafood. Plus seeing as all Ive been eating in South America is meat my body was crying out for some other form of food.


Dinner started off well, with the most delicious tomato salsa to dip our bread into. I requested the recipe from the waiter but he said that it was a secret! We guessed it was a mixture of tomato, garlic, onion, olive oil, parsley, anchovy and maybe something else...?


This was following by big fat juicy prawns fried in garlic and swimming in a oily tomato salsa which tasted like nothing wed ever eaten before. We both licked the plate clean.


After such an amazing start to the meal, the main was the biggest let down. It was a medley of fresh fish but none were cooked very well and they lacked flavour and the presentation was non existent. Such a shame! Our waiter was also pretty useless, spilling everything everywhere and generally being incompetent. As for our wine, well I wont even get started on that as it tasted rank and came in the most bizarre stubby ugly looking bottle...


Needless to say we didn't leave a tip.


En route back to the hotel, in amongst all the beautifully lit up historic buildings, we walked past a magnificent site which the BF made me capture on film...

The cathedral lit up at night

Another one of Cordoba´s "sites" which wasn't lit up but was clearly visible...

The following day was Valentines day. It started off amazingly and then of all the days in the year to get ill. I did. Massively.


We ate a tasty breakfast in the hotel and then decided to chill out on the roof terrace by the plunge pool (its a hard life...). In amongst relaxing, I started to get cramps in my stomach which just got worse as the day progressed. We couldn't work out whether it was still the chop suey from the other night, the lunch we had the day before (chicken) or the seafood dinner we eaten the night before...

The roof terrace

Either way I was unable to consume any dinner and throughout the night I couldn't sleep due to my high temperature and body shivering from fever. Poor BF tried his hardest to make me feel better (and also get some sleep himself as his flight home was at 7am the following morning) but it was no use. At 5am he called the hotel doctor who given the time of day and also that were working to Latin American time, wouldn't turn up for another two hours. 


Lucky for him, but unlucky for me, the BF left me just as my illness began to get worse :(


Finally the doctor arrived and told me she thought I had gastroenteritis. I was actually quite glad of this prognosis as I was worried that the symptoms I had were similar to the last time I got ill in week three of traveling and had to spent the night in hospital with suspected dengue fever! eek.


In order to relieve the pain and bring my temperature down, she gave me the most painful injection in my right bottom cheek (pain to relieve pain - where is the logic?!) My right leg went numb as a result which meant I was stuck on my front rubbing my now sore cheek for what seemed like eternity. Not great when you're trying to converse with a doctor who is sat at the end of the bed...


I was then prescribed some medicine which the hotel concierge service very kindly went to pick up for me, in addition to generally looking after my well-being and ensuring I had meals especially made. (None of which unfortunately I managed to finish and obviously I had to pay room service for I may add!)


I ended up staying at extra two, quite expensive, nights at the hotel but given where I was (in the lap of luxury) with my own bathroom (ESSENTIAL when you're suffering from what I had) and with the hotel staff at my beck and call, I could think of worse places...


Unfortunately after the two extra nights, I still wasn't better. I wont go into detail, but one day I pretty much spent the entire time in the bathroom. It was farcical. Ive no idea where it all came from. Literally. I was wasting away pretty fast.


I managed to get myself to the local hospital where they ran some blood and urine tests which thankfully all came back fine. I was therefore told I just needed to rest up and drinks lots of liquids until the bug passed. 


My uncle and aunt got in touch and said that some friends of theirs lived two hours north of Cordoba and would come and pick me up and take me to theirs to be looked after. My stomach at this stage had slowed itself down so I hopefully I would make the journey with no accident..


To be continued...