As we enter our last week in Buenos Aires I thought it was time to share some more of the sights we have been checking out. We have done a couple more walking tours and spent a day utilizing the Hop on Hop off bus (a bit over priced and lacking in content I felt). What an amazing city. So much variety to take in.
Certainly one of the most impressive cemeteries in the world is Recoleta Cemetery. Doing a walking tour here is a must. The stories behind some of these tombs and mausoleums are better than fiction.The cemetery is the resting place for the rich and famous from Argentina’s Golden Age. From the former president in the previous photo to the boxer Luis Ángel Firpo who is said to have defeated Jack Dempsey, only to be robbed of his victory by biased judges.Of course, the mausoleum containing Eva Perron is here. A check box on many peoples travel itinerary. Honestly it is one of the least impressive spots in the cemetery.Eva’s family name was Duarte, hence the name on the tomb.Nearly all the mausoleums here were built after the main occupant died. However the ego of the super rich is just as inflated in Argentina as in other countries in the world. A local billionaire bought this lot (yes the former occupant would have been moved elsewhere) and is building a mausoleum for when he dies.He was even good enough to post the architects drawing on the outside for everyone to see.It is a beautiful area to walk around in with plenty of trees.The variety of statues is sure to keep you entertained and impressed. And no, the dog is not in the mausoleum with her.
As we have wandered the streets and checked out our fair share of restaurants and bars we started to notice the effects of Argentina’s unhealthy economic condition. With the aide of the internet we were able to check out menus from the past and compare it to todays prices. We had the best empanadas of our time in South America so far at this little hole in the wall. In the last 2 years they have gone from 900 pesos to 4000 pesos each. Still worth every peso, but quite an increase. Beer prices in several bars had tripled in the last year. Now don’t get me wrong, it is still cheaper than eating out in Canada but I wonder how the Argentinians manage.
There is wonderful artwork throughout the city. Powered by solar cells, this flower’s petals open and close with the rising and setting of the sun.We stumbled across this statue of the iconic Argentine comic character Mafalda. The comic strip stopped running in 1973 however the love for the character Mafalda is evidenced across Buenos Aires.
During our bus ride around the city we came upon the district of La Boca. What an incredible neighbourhood. It is at the mouth of the river, hence the name, and was settled by the millions of immigrants who came to Argentina in the 20th century. The occupants were instrumental in the development of the tango and is home to one of the two biggest junior football teams in Argentina.
One of the local heroes in La Boca is Benito Martin. He was an artist who helped transform the area after it became rundown when the port was moved from there.Through his work and money the area was revitalized. The most impressive thing I saw was the orthodontic hospital for children that provides free dental work to children who would never be able to afford it.Because they were such a poor neighbourhood on the edge of the city they had to organize their own volunteer fire service, which is still in service today. This is a memorial to the firefighters who have been killed keeping their homes safe.Impressive murals as well.This edifice is the beginning of La Caminita, or little walkway. Touristy as hell, but still lots of great artwork and restaurants worth checking out.As our guide told us, if you don’t eat meat it would be best to go to a different neighbourhood for your meals.The grilled meat here was excellent. Some of the best beef and sausage we have ever had.One of the things La Boca is known for are its colourful homes. This came about because they used whatever materials they could find to build their homes.I know, enough about La Boca. One last thing, The transporter bridge in the background, the silver one, is an iconic symbol of La Boca. This horizontal transporter was the first link that allowed residents to cross the river. It appears in nearly all artwork you’ll see about La Boca.
Yes I loved La Boca, however there are many other fantastic places in Buenos Aires. The street art abounds in the city and serves to remind everyone of its history.
During the reign of the Military Junta from 1974 to 1983 thousands of citizens were “disappeared” by the security forces and death squads. One of the things that occurred was women who where pregnant when they were taken had their babies taken from them, before the mothers were killed, and were illegally put up for adoption. The murals of the old ladies with the white headwear represent the grandmothers who to this day continue to hold marches and search for these offspring. We saw several of these murals in the city and even managed to get delayed by one of their marches. Everywhere you look there is art. Notice the Transporter Bridge in the painting.Some is just great entertainment.When our walking guide started tearing up as she was talking about Diego Maradona I started to see just how deep the love of football runs in this country. Diego and Pelé were co-named the greatest football players of the 20th century. Even though he died 26 years ago he is still held in reverence by the people of Argentina.
I hoped you enjoyed my glimpse of Buenos Aires. We have loved our time here and look forward to at least another couple of steak dinners this week before we move on.
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