Returning to a city we've visited before and having only two full days here, deciding how to spend our time was a challenge. We asked ourselves, do we revisit favorite places or try to see as many new things as possible. We opted for new sights using a two-day ticket on the Hop On Hop Off Bus. These buses which operate virtually all over the world provide a quick, drive-by glimpse of a city's most notable and historic sites and famous areas, allowing a quick run through any tourist's wish list. We've used these bus tours in the past in several cities to allow us to see the area in quick fashion. These rides allowed us to find the most appealing places where we might return in the next few days for more in-depth visits.
Here's the kind of day we encountered as we left our apartment. The sky was the kind of blue that can only be seen in perfectly clean air on perfectly clear days. The gentle, dry breeze made us think of a fresh fall day. Walking through Parc San Martin toward our bus, birds in the trees high above us sang sweet bird songs as if they, like us, were celebrating the amazing day. It was brilliant! Usually the temperature here averages about 80 degrees in late January; it was in the lower seventies today! Magnificent!! Simply magnificent!
We rode through the city's central and south portions today. We hope to see the north section tomorrow and yet have time to visit three areas that appealed most to us today -- the Eco Parc (zoo), the Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays) and the Palermo SoHo neighborhood, a cool eclectic neighborhood with lots of good-looking places to eat. Oh boy, we will have to get a much earlier start tomorrow than we did today, however.
Buenos Aires metro area is big, both geographically and by population. There are about 3 million people in the true City of Buenos Aires but over 15 million in Greater Buenos Aires. It is the largest metropolitan area in Latin America. While the greenspace per person in the overall metro area is very low, the number and size of parks in the City itself is great. We were impressed over and over again today with the number of beautiful, green and well-maintained parks we passed. I read that there are over 260 parks and green spaces in the city proper. And if today was any indication, the residents here thoroughly use and enjoy these lovely areas.
I get the impression that much of the city was built around the turn of the century and was heavily influenced by European architecture. Rows of grand palaces make one think of Paris and maybe Madrid, but buildings of art deco style can be seen randomly thrown in as well. Newer buildings have clean, beautiful lines and it seems the favored material is reflective glass.
As far as our overall impression today, several major things really stood out. First the beautiful parks - I just cannot say enough about their abundance and beauty. Next, is the city's pace. Like most major cities, cosmopolitan Buenos Aires is very BZ, with steady streams of people with phones in hand or at ear going about their busy day on sidewalks and in cars, as fast as they can go, making the most of every moment. Ultimately though, I guess the saddest impression is the number of beggars. I know, you might be picturing men sleeping on cardboard and begging for money for their next drink or fix. These people were families. Stunned, I did a little research. According to an October article in the Buenos Aires Times "Argentina has been experiencing a serious economic crisis since 2018, with high inflation (37.7 percent between January and September alone) and rising unemployment (10.6 percent) and poverty (35.4 percent, with 7.7 percent living in extreme poverty." Most of the poor families came to the city seeking work which just isn't here. Seems it's the same everywhere, there are some who are thriving, making money and on top of the world, there are others who get by and doing ok; then there are those who suffer. As we sat at an outdoor bistro having a little lunch we were approached maybe 7 or 8 times by men and women but mostly kids selling socks, packets of tissues, or placemats. Some just asked for change. We passed makeshift neighborhoods made of cardboard and other gathered materials where families were living right there on the city sidewalks. Children were running about and playing as natural as can be, just as all kids do at home in their own neighborhood. Hmmm.
One final note, you all know that Stan and I don't mind paying fairly for what we get. Well . . . we kept thinking that our bill for salad, breads and breakfast stuff that we bought last night was rather high. Stan studied the receipt this morning and discovered that we had been charged the equivalent of $10 for a $2.99 salad. Tonight, he took the receipt back to Jumbo's, the neighborhood market across the street. What a grand communicator he must be! Naturally, clerks in a grocery store do not speak English (right!?), but Stan did his thing and we got our adjustment! Yaay! I wonder . . . do they do that to all the gringos???
Buenos Aires means good air!