The Amazing Race Came to Cordoba City... But There Was a Twist

The Amazing Race, spanning 36 seasons, has ventured across different Argentine provinces like Buenos Aires and Mendoza. However, in a notable turn, Season 36, Episode 6 marked its debut in Cordoba City, with an intriguing production twist that I'll delve into shortly.

For some reason, witnessing locales we've frequented over the past 12 years on television felt significant to us.

As depicted in the screenshots I captured from the episode, the majority of the challenges unfolded in downtown Cordoba and Nueva Cordoba.

As you can see, the aerial shots of the city were amazing.

The teams read their clues by the Cañada, which is basically a canal that crosses the city and is generally a great place to take photos, when you're not racing on "The Amazing Race."

The teams also visited Plaza Bicentenario to get their next clues.

One of the challenges involved riding these stationary bikes that  actually crush plastic bottles to prep them for recycling.

The teams also went to Plaza Sarmiento, which had been turned into a farm for this particular challenge. There were bales of hay and even a guy dressed as a gaucho (Argentine cowboy). I'd like to point out that no one dresses like this in Argentina. In fact, in the 12 years I have lived in Argentina, I have never seen a gaucho. That's not to say they don't exist, but it's not the norm in the city. Think of it like this. Cowboys are synonymous with the United States. Right? But how often do you see one walking around New York City. Alright, maybe the Naked Cowboy in Times Square, but that's an exception.

Also, I'd like to mention that Parque Sarmiento doesn't have bales of hays or a contraption like this. Actually, you might see some hale in the former site of the Cordoba City Zoo, but that's about it. Most of the time, you'll simply see people jogging or enjoying a nice picnic.

Another challenge that followed was this rally car race where teams had to drive a specific path and finish the course within a short amount of time.

Then, they had to complete a puzzle that depicted the route they had driven before moving on to the next challenge.

The following challenge involved the teams going to this stadium (I don't remember the name of it) and playing soccer. But the players had to score a goal while wearing these inflatable bubbles.

For the final challenge, contestants had to learn what parts of the cow the different types of meat in front of them came from. Afterwards, they went to another location and placed them in the correct order. 

And finally, with their final clues, it was time to head to Plaza San Martin to meet Phil at the mat.

The contestants were greeted by Phil and an Argentine dressed in ancient colonial uniform. I can only assume that he was playing Jose de San Martin, a military commander.  But again, it goes without saying that this was simply for the show. You won't see people dressed like this in Argentina. 

Now, onto the twist I mentioned earlier. Despite airing in April 2024, the episode was actually filmed three years prior.

This revelation came to light when one of my students mentioned being acquainted with the individual overseeing the car racing segment (pictured below).

According to their friend, the show filmed in Cordoba City in 2021, which astounded me. While I had assumed "The Amazing Race" typically filmed their seasons six months to a year before airing, the idea of Season 36 being shot so long ago never crossed my mind. This may well account for Cordoba City's pristine appearance in the episode. When I say pristine, I refer to its lack of overcrowding, clean streets, and relatively graffiti-free environment. 2021 marked a period when the Covid pandemic was beginning to recede. So the locals were just starting to come out of their homes and socialize again.

Also, given that neither the contestants nor the locals were attired in winter clothing, it suggests filming likely took place in late 2021, during Argentina's spring/summer season.

Regardless of the filming timeline, it was heartening to witness Cordoba City receiving screen time. I can only hope this exposure encourages more visits from Americans and potentially attract American businesses to Argentina's second-largest city. Naturally, they'll need to contend with the recent increase in thefts and dengue cases, but that's a tale for another occasion.