This time, it takes me a minute to tune out the human-produced sounds. There’s an endless stream of tweeting birds; some caw loudly from a distance, some tweet softly from trees right next to me, nearly all of them invisible to my eye. I hear, too, the low rumble of the river. It roared from the sheer amount of water in it during the month of intense rain here, and although the water level is still higher than normal, it has now calmed to a steady flow. My sit spot is unique in that it’s Cordoba’s only green space that isn’t truly manicured – it’s not a park with benches and a vegetable garden, rather, it’s simply a protected stretch of woods. Apart from this woods-y hideaway, Cordoba has a green landscape typical of any given medium-sized Spanish city. There are lots of small patios, plazas, gardens; I appreciate the intentionality of these spaces, which make the city feel more communal and social. But coming from a city in California with an abundance of robust parks which boast free expanses of uninterrupted grass, I can’t help but feel a lack of green space here. 

However, I understand that imbuing Cordoba with huge expanses of greenery is incompatible with its urban layout. Cordoba was not a planned urban city like New York or Chicago. Rather, its winding, narrow streets and blend of different neighborhoods developed slowly over time, reflecting its history of colonization. Cordoba has been ruled by many: originally the Romans, followed by the Visigoths, Muslims, and finally, the Christians yet again. And of course, with each ruling power came the addition or change of its urban layout according to their particular preferences. Its strange urban layout, however, has some benefits: walking and public transportation are the two main means of transportation. Few own cars, and those who do rarely drive them. The bus system could certainly be better, but in terms of availability (and at least for the trains, functionality), they’re very accessible and affordable. I do think, however, that given Cordoba’s continually-rising levels of tourism, the city needs to promote or institute a program regarding sustainable tourism. I don’t quite know what this would look like or what efforts are already in place, but the huge number of tourists in the city’s historic center definitely takes a toll on the city and the citizens’ well being.