So yesterday was ridiculously busy. We wokeup at about 5:30 because some crazy australian people thought it would be polite to shout that early in the morning. I think they ot taken away because after like quarter of an hour they went quiet and we managed to get back to sleep only to reawake at 7:30 whch was ok coz it meant that breakfast would be in half an hour. After cereal and toast we down to Puerto Madero which to Toby's delight was much like Gunwharf Quays if not a little nicer as it was filled with Portsmouth folk.
It was about 5km there and back. There were professional dogwalkers walking along the side of the water, they had like 8 or so dogs all on leads and there were lots of posh restaurants with snappy modern names.
Afterwards we went back to the hostel to plan our afternoon an we decided to visit Recoleta and move on to Palermo in the evening for dinner. On the way we crossed some HUGE roads that were up to 10 lanes wide on each side! We had to run across when the 'safe to walk' sign came up because it often changed when you were half way across. The traffic just drives at you beeping their horns but they don't slow down so i'ts in your interest to get across that road asap. We came to the casa Rosada which is where the scene atthe end of Evita is filmed where she is on the balcony (i think) it is huge and has a wonderful statue in the garden of someone like Christopher Columbus. Thne we did some more walking and found a garage that sold diesel for 30p a litre and we contemplated filling a large vat of it and shippng it home.
We had lunch at a cafe called La Biela which was full of the elite sipping teas and coffee watching the throngs of people outside. We had 'afternon tea' there for our lunch which consisted of tea, 3 cakes, croissants, a ham and cheese toatie and water o we were pretty full after that. And it only cost 5GBP each.
Afterwards we went to Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Pilar which was absolutely beautiful and for just 3 pesos each (about 50p) we could get in to the Cloisters which had been shut up 3 centuries before (i think) 1997. There were paintings dating from the 1700s, robes, figurines and old scriptures. From a window below the bell tower we could see rigt across the Cementerio de la Recoleta which we went to next.
The cemetery was eery as you could see into all the tombs and the coffins were easily within reaching distance. They were huge monuments to the family and the very ornate ones had furniture, flowers, carpets and gold inside. Many of the older ones had long been forgotten and were broken and crumbling. After some wandering we came across tomb 114. A relatively unassuming tomb when in situe with the rest but it was different. The atmosphere round that tomb was so peacefull and quiet and you could sense alot of emotion in the air. It wa the tomb of La Familia Duarte, it wa sthe tomb where Eva Peron was buried.
After much more walking round we left the cemetry and went outsde to aamazing markettha sold amazing leathergoods, funny cupsand beautiful jewelery withpikn stones initwhich is apparently the national stone ofArgentina.
Then we headed for Palermo at about 5pm. We visited the Jardin Japones which had huge Ko Karp in it,literally hundreds of them being fed by children thrahing about in the water open mouthed waiting forthe next morsel of food. Then after sometime we came across the holy grail, La Cabrera. Producers of teh BEST steak ever. You can't complain at 15GBP per head.
So all in all we travelled about 15km by foot today and this morning my feet certainly know about it.
Lots of love, tegan