Buenos Aires - June 9th to June 12th
09.06.08
24 hours on three different planes, across 3 continents.
Mumbai, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires. When I reached, the city was cold – 7 degrees. I felt energized. Finally, I am in Buenos Aires. In a dormitory with 7 other people, my first objective was to beat the jet lag. It didn't take long for me to sleep.
10.06.08
I’m awake. Everybody’s asleep. I twist in my bed. I really need to piss. Will I disturb them if I wake up? What time is it? I twirled around my bed for 1 hour until I couldn’t hold it anymore.
La Boca – I went on a walking group tour organized by the hostel I’m staying at. La Boca is one of the poorest areas of Buenos Aires. The shape of the waterway is a mouth, and hence its name. Once a rich area filled with Italians who disembarked here as they immigrated to Argentina, the place slowly fell apart as the richer moved to other areas of Buenos Aires. The residents of la Boca had no option but to use the metal of the unused ships to build their houses. This added color to their homes, and I guess their artistic intuitions followed up. Like a painting, the houses of various colors are lined up one after the other – a picture perfect postcard.
La Bomborena – the home to Boca Juniors Football Club. The place where Diego Maradonna grew up with Football. The place where they still argue over the hand of god. Our guide said "if the referee doesn't see it, it doesn't count." The place I should go back on Sunday to watch Argentina play against Ecuador. I can hardly wait! Another thing I can scratch off my list – watch a live football match. I need to get my Argentina jersey!
Tango – At first, the Tango was danced amongst men. Then, the men danced with prostitutes and as part of keeping up the tradition, the attire of the women who dance the tango is a bit naughty. The Tango now is the pride, sensuality and beauty that perfectly describes Argentina. Buenos Aires is the city that gave birth to Tango. I was lucky to go to one of the most famous cafés of Buenos Aires – Café Tortoni - to witness a spectacle of Tango. The dance was absolutely fantastic. The grace, the posture, the movements and the music are just … there’s not really a word to describe it. It was simply wonderful!
11.06.08
Walking in Buenos Aires. It very much has a feel of a European city. A combination of buildings with French architecture, and tall buildings, they somehow manage to intertwine with each other and fit to make a very beautiful city. A combination of small lanes, à la Parisienne, and the largest avenue of the world - Avenida de 9 Julio – which has 7 vehicle lanes for each way, along with the roadside cafés, make this city a joy to walk in.
San Telmo – the oldest part of the city. San Telmo is supposed to come alive on Sundays (will report back on Sunday). It’s also supposed to be the best place to watch free Tango. It is adorned with many art shops, a market with old artifacts and typical French architecture. I couldn’t help but look like a tourist as I looked on my left and my right in awe. I will go back on Sunday.
Sitting at cafés – It’s called the cortado - a small coffee with milk. I decided that everyday here I will go to a different café and just sit there for hours. It’s the best place to observe the porteños (port city dwellers), the locals. So far, the impression I've gotten on the people here, is that they love to talk, they like to joke and have fun, to laugh, and they are very good looking. So many good looking women! They usually give a free pastry and a free soda to go along with the coffee. Needless to say, the pastry is yummy!
12.06.08
The thing about sharing a room with 7 other people is you tend to go through the same thing every morning. Specially, if the people come back from their parties at 7am and you’re an early riser. Will I disturb them when I wake up? The whole room is so dark; How will I find my underwear for today? Am I going to step on somebody’s clothes on the floor? Although, I’m getting a bit used to this, and now it takes me only about 30mins of twirling around before I finally wake up. I don’t depend on how soon I’ve got to go….
I love walking. Today, I walked for almost 6 hours and yesterday pretty much the same. I take breaks at parks where I sit under the sun and in cafés where I spend a long time just reading, looking, writing, breathing…
I visited the Cementerio de la Recoleta, the cemetery where Evita (Eva Peron) is buried. Her tomb is not as extravagant as compared to the others there. The whole cemetery is filled with very impressive tombs of the upper class dead of Buenos Aires. It felt like I was walking around Père Lachaise all over again. Another reminiscence of Paris. After the cemetery, I walked towards Puerto Madero, the port area of the city which faces all the sky scrapers.
Tomorrow I plan my trip to El Calafate.
24 hours on three different planes, across 3 continents.
Mumbai, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires. When I reached, the city was cold – 7 degrees. I felt energized. Finally, I am in Buenos Aires. In a dormitory with 7 other people, my first objective was to beat the jet lag. It didn't take long for me to sleep.
10.06.08
I’m awake. Everybody’s asleep. I twist in my bed. I really need to piss. Will I disturb them if I wake up? What time is it? I twirled around my bed for 1 hour until I couldn’t hold it anymore.
La Boca – I went on a walking group tour organized by the hostel I’m staying at. La Boca is one of the poorest areas of Buenos Aires. The shape of the waterway is a mouth, and hence its name. Once a rich area filled with Italians who disembarked here as they immigrated to Argentina, the place slowly fell apart as the richer moved to other areas of Buenos Aires. The residents of la Boca had no option but to use the metal of the unused ships to build their houses. This added color to their homes, and I guess their artistic intuitions followed up. Like a painting, the houses of various colors are lined up one after the other – a picture perfect postcard.
La Bomborena – the home to Boca Juniors Football Club. The place where Diego Maradonna grew up with Football. The place where they still argue over the hand of god. Our guide said "if the referee doesn't see it, it doesn't count." The place I should go back on Sunday to watch Argentina play against Ecuador. I can hardly wait! Another thing I can scratch off my list – watch a live football match. I need to get my Argentina jersey!
Tango – At first, the Tango was danced amongst men. Then, the men danced with prostitutes and as part of keeping up the tradition, the attire of the women who dance the tango is a bit naughty. The Tango now is the pride, sensuality and beauty that perfectly describes Argentina. Buenos Aires is the city that gave birth to Tango. I was lucky to go to one of the most famous cafés of Buenos Aires – Café Tortoni - to witness a spectacle of Tango. The dance was absolutely fantastic. The grace, the posture, the movements and the music are just … there’s not really a word to describe it. It was simply wonderful!
11.06.08
Walking in Buenos Aires. It very much has a feel of a European city. A combination of buildings with French architecture, and tall buildings, they somehow manage to intertwine with each other and fit to make a very beautiful city. A combination of small lanes, à la Parisienne, and the largest avenue of the world - Avenida de 9 Julio – which has 7 vehicle lanes for each way, along with the roadside cafés, make this city a joy to walk in.
San Telmo – the oldest part of the city. San Telmo is supposed to come alive on Sundays (will report back on Sunday). It’s also supposed to be the best place to watch free Tango. It is adorned with many art shops, a market with old artifacts and typical French architecture. I couldn’t help but look like a tourist as I looked on my left and my right in awe. I will go back on Sunday.
Sitting at cafés – It’s called the cortado - a small coffee with milk. I decided that everyday here I will go to a different café and just sit there for hours. It’s the best place to observe the porteños (port city dwellers), the locals. So far, the impression I've gotten on the people here, is that they love to talk, they like to joke and have fun, to laugh, and they are very good looking. So many good looking women! They usually give a free pastry and a free soda to go along with the coffee. Needless to say, the pastry is yummy!
12.06.08
The thing about sharing a room with 7 other people is you tend to go through the same thing every morning. Specially, if the people come back from their parties at 7am and you’re an early riser. Will I disturb them when I wake up? The whole room is so dark; How will I find my underwear for today? Am I going to step on somebody’s clothes on the floor? Although, I’m getting a bit used to this, and now it takes me only about 30mins of twirling around before I finally wake up. I don’t depend on how soon I’ve got to go….
I love walking. Today, I walked for almost 6 hours and yesterday pretty much the same. I take breaks at parks where I sit under the sun and in cafés where I spend a long time just reading, looking, writing, breathing…
I visited the Cementerio de la Recoleta, the cemetery where Evita (Eva Peron) is buried. Her tomb is not as extravagant as compared to the others there. The whole cemetery is filled with very impressive tombs of the upper class dead of Buenos Aires. It felt like I was walking around Père Lachaise all over again. Another reminiscence of Paris. After the cemetery, I walked towards Puerto Madero, the port area of the city which faces all the sky scrapers.
Tomorrow I plan my trip to El Calafate.
posted by manu at 3:38 PM
5 Comments:
TROP BEAU TROP BEAU TROP BEAU!
it sounds like an amazing journey so far :) thanks for sharing it with us.
Go and take some Tango-lessons ... I will too. At the end of the world they surely will play Tango and nothing else, and it would be a pity if we can't join the dance.
hey don, and who might you be?
ok, the indian light tube is taking longer and longer to light up.... it took me a long time to realize who you were don! :p
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