Day 3 - Wednesday November 22, 2023 - Touring Buenos Aires

By Ellen Outten



The words from the song, Don't Cry For Me Argentina, from the musical, Evita, keep floating through my head.  
Don't cry for me, ArgentinaThe truth is, I never left youAll through my wild days, my mad existenceI kept my promiseDon't keep your distance

From the breakfast buffet, bananas with caramel and granola


We had a full day touring by bus today leaving the hotel at 9 am.  Today was all about traveling through and stopping in some of the most recognizably 'famous' neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.

Driving by this clock tower which used to be called the Monumental Tower.  It was previously called the English Clock tower until the Falklands War when Argentina went to war against England.  It was a gift from the local British community in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the May 1810 Revolution for freedom from Spain commanded by their famous general San Martin'.  



From there we drove and parked in front of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral where their famous general San Martin' is buried. We were lucky to see the changing of the guard.  Two soldiers guard the crypt and change every two hours.





  





From the church we walked through the Plaza de Mayo.  The main statute celebrates the May 1810 revolution where Argentina fought and won their freedom from Spain. There was also a statute that had stones around the base.  Each stone represents someone who died of COVID. The country was slow in negotiations with pharmaceuticals and didn't offer their residents the Covid vaccine until well past the US.  













Across the street is the pink building named Casa Rosada, it's their county's 'white house'.  The famous balcony on the left is where Eva Peron made her speeches.  She never did take the office of Vice President as she was already too sick from cervical cancer.  She died at the age of 33.




Back on the bus again, we drove through San Telmo, their old city with cobblestone streets. The neighborhood is well preserved with older mansions, and is full of antique shops, cafes, and tango parlors.




some street art on the walls as we drove through the various neighbrorhoods

On our way to our next stop, we drove down Avenue 9th of July with the Obelisk that looks like the Washington Monument dedicated to their date of independence in 1816.  

Our next stop was in the part of the city called La Boca.  We had some free time for a little shopping and a walk down Caminito street with it's multi colored buildings, vendors selling art work and pretend tango dancers wanting payment to take their picture.  We did catch an impromptu tango session as we walked around  Wayne bought a few souvenirs and I bought one cup for my collection.  I think it's a soda can retrofitted with a handle.  3700 peso which turned out to be $4.67.  After shopping, we drove to the neighborhood called Recoleta.  We had lunch and had to try the local beer.  


















Buenos Aires Obelisk and the BA topiary - Buenos Aires affectionately called BA by the locals

statute made by a local - just because and dedicated to the neighborhood of Recoleta.
Another country, another beer

After lunch we walked to the Cementerio de la Recoleta (a cemetery of mausoleums including the mausoleum of Eva Peron.  The mausoleums were very intricate; built and owned by respective families of the deceased.  The present family owning each mausoleum has to pay real estate taxes as if they were houses.  They have a 99 year lease on the property site and only then can the city retake ownership and improve and/or sell the mausoleum in the event there is no family left.

The pictures below are from the cemetery and some of the mausoleums in there

the entrance - written in Latin - Rest in Peace




Eva Peron's mausoleum under her maiden, family name, Duarte




Wayne found another bench.     Eva Peron lights up at night


I kept trying to get pictures of the pretty purple trees and finally asked what they were.   They are jacaranda trees (like in front of the PDS clubhouse).
My jacaranda trees, pretty in purple

After our walk through the mausoleum, we were back on the bus and a trip back to the hotel.   We have three hours of 'rest' while I'm typing this before we head off to dinner (which i do not need) and the tango show.

The tango show was very interesting.  Watching the dancing and the gauchos twirling the boleadoras makes you realize the skill and practice it takes.


  

 




























Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 24, 2023 at 5:38 AM

    Beautiful pictures of the city and performance. 💕

    ReplyDelete

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