Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
I wish I could be more positive about Buenos Aires, whilst it was ok, it wasn't what I had built it up to be. To be fair it probably just highlights what I already know about myself, I'm not really a city chick and still prefer smaller towns. Which is probably why I have lived in Bournemouth for so long and can't tear myself away!!
We spent just over a week here though and I will do my best to summarise and concentrate on the highlights....
4 days of Spanish lessons, which has definitely helped me, although I wouldn't say I'm a spanish speaking genius, I can definitely get by, booking buses, hostels, in restaurants and shops the most important. What is weird is that I find myself thinking in French, I didn't realise I knew so much and the spanish equivalent is never that different!!
Our best night by far was our Tango experience, we got a few hour lessons - enough time to find out just how hard it is and to gain a new found respect for the professional performers later on that evening. Such a romantic dance, luckily we met a couple of english guys that partnered us, none of us were good, but it was much fun trying!
Bomba La Tiempo, a local percussion night was also good fun and we bumped into Jess and Gregor, whom we had previously met on mountain bikes drinking wine in Mendoza. So we ended up continuing the night with them, with a midnight evening meal of steak - very normal for over here, nothing is done until very late!
Phantom of the Opera, in Spanish, get us! Luckily one of my favourite shows ever so I was translating the story for Sharon. The lead male had an amzing voice which was sadly not matched by the female, but never the less a very good evening.
We did experience some history whilst here too, with a trip to Evita's museum. The Museum was very well done and I learnt loads about what Evita did for the people of Argentina and gained an understanding into why they loved her so much. She achieves an amazing amount in her short life, women get the right to vote, she sets up loads of schools for nurses, whole towns of houses and rights for elderly get introduced. Some over here hated her and thought what she was doing was for selfish reasons, I can't believe this and in any case whatever her motives she left a great legacy of improvement in conditions in Argentina and set up loads of trusts that in her absence today continue the work that she started!
Evita's grave was impressive, but the actual graveyard even more so, I have never seen anything like it. Recoletta, like a town of minature houses, shrines and churches, that were actually graves. Some with stairs, photos, stained glass windows, all very decorative and grand, it was so big that we had a map to navigate around.
We looked around the historical building sector of town, some very impressive buildings. Notably the cathedral which was very impressive and looked very roman and the national bank, which actually had gold doors! I really felt like I could be in Europe over here, you can definately tell that there is a Spanish and Italian influence in the architecture as well as the people and culture. La Boca, was the direct opposite of this area, very touristy, brightly coloured houses, restaurants with tango shows and tat shops. They sold everything you could ever want to buy here, included jeans for dogs, check out the photos!
With a quick stop in the famous shopping centre for supplies as we know it will be a while before we will be in a city again, we head off south. Another 1st class bus as we are now hooked! We got a whole bottle of champagne and wine, watched films and played Bingo. With only 3 of us on the bus the whole way we were really treated like royalty, this is the life!!
- comments