Day 28 Buenos Aires

Today I was the tourist. I had a list of things to see and do that I got last night at dinner with a local, and I think I have done them all in one day. I walked all day at my usual 70 miles per hour. The first thing that I discovered was that Buenos Aires didn't mean "good air". I know you think that you know Spanish but what it really means is "uneven pavement". At least that is the translation I am going with - I had a nice trip. In fact I had four nice trips today, wasn't watching where I walked well enough.

I guess it could also mean dripping air conditioners, as that seems to be a universal phenomenon. It is like a weird rain as you walk down the street.

Floralis Generica.

Big old Ficus Tree.
Recoleta Cemetery.

Everyone is in a mosalium, no one is buried here in the ground. Each one is for the whole family.

They are like little buildings and they are taxed that way. Families have to keep them up too.

A lot of them had pictures describing what the family did for a living in their life.

The obligatory photo in front of Evita's Family Crypt.

Don't cry for me Argentina......

They just stacked the coffins on shelves - yikes.

A book store that took over an opera house. Actually it was quite cool and I am going back tomorrow for a longer look.

A chalet - built on top of an office building - too much money.

Presidential Palace.

Most of the really cool buildings were built in the late 1800's. During that time Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world.

More government buildings

The Colonial Palace.

More stuff.

The Obelisco can be seen from many streets because of where they placed it - that's when they had a lot of money!

The widest Street in the world - supposedly. Av 9th de Julio.

More cool buildings from the late 1800's.

La Boca was the original port area. When they built it they also built a bunch of cheap houses for the immigrant workers. They were just corrugated metal and they brought paint from the ships - what ever they could get and painted their houses. So each was a different color and they were usually bright colors.. The style made it a unique place and today they have preserved it and made it a tourist place. Is that Madonna up there?

This used to be a freight train track, but now it is a walking street.

More.

Not fancy!

I forgot to include this on my flight day - I got to such a high altitude flying here that I could see all of Argentina at once. In fact the Nescalines are really in the Atlantic Ocean (not in Peru) and they spell out Republica Argentina - go figure.

Dancing Tango for the tourist at an outdoor cafe.

Shops.

They built a newer port - Puerto Madero, but it was obsolete shortly after completion so they developed it recently into high end condos and store and offices. Really nice. You can see a tall masted ship docked there.

A walking bridge.

I went to lunch at Cafe Tortoni - it was on my list. Here you can see 3 famous writers hard at work at the next table. I really disliked this place. The restaurant itself was old and charming. I walked in and it was huge - I walked to my table in the rear of the place, and every table was filled with American tourists. OK I am one too, but I didn't want to go to a place that is all Americans - I could do that in LA. Yikes!

On my way back to the hotel I stopped at the Bear Exhibit again. This is the bear from Argentina. Guess who's picture is on the front? Peron.

Like I said last night - there were hundreds of these from all over the world. This is only about a sixth of them in this photo.

The good old USA - weird bear.

More Bears.

Tonight I went to a Tango Show. It was a dinner club kind of thing.

The dancers and the band and the music were all really good.

The costums were great also.

I was experimenting with the camera but they came out OK for no light and a zoom.

This is supposedly the best show to see - and it was really good.

The pictures don't really do a dance and music show justice.

More.

The Band.

Tomorrow I have the full day to do whatever and I have no plan yet. That is just not the way this trip has been - it feels pretty good. Stay tuned.