I started this post in Buenos Aires, but I´m a bit behind on posting it (by about a week). I´ve got to learn to keep up with this blog stuff...Anyways, sorry Mom...and anyone else that has been awaiting new posts.
One of the last few days in BA we got to go to a free concert near the Ecological park and hear some Argentinian music (Julian Roos). It was a good time. Although we didn´t know any of the lyrics weren´t able to sing along with any of the songs, we could take in some good music and enjoy being some of the only extranjeros around.
On Sunday we rambled over to San Telmo for the huge street vendor/antique fair that takes place every week. We again scored some good music to listen to from a street band in San Telmo and got to see some free Tango dances in the street. San Telmo is the center of Tango culture in Buenos Aires. It is also an older part of town with alot of cobble stoned streets, old mansions, botiques, and antique stores. We then walked down to La Boca to check out El Caminito, a street with brightly colored tin facades. La Boca is also home of one of the areas most popular soccer teams in an area where soccer reigns supreme. The caminito was overwhelmingly touristy, and not as interesting as other areas that we had been. We grabbed a beer from a cafe across from the area, and watched as the streets went from hopping with hundreds of tourists to being completely empty within the course of an hour. We had read (in guide books), and heard that La Boca was a rough area at night, but it was only about 530, and it was amazing to see a place clean out so fast. As we were paying our bill, the waitor let us know that everything closes down at 6 PM, as this is the time that security leaves the area. Business owners and others in the area rush to try to get everyone out of the area, as tourists are a large target for crime. We payed our bill and caught a bus back to our hostel. We also had the most amazing ginger ice cream I´ve ever had (in my entire life....it was that good) at an organic vegetarian restaurant in Palermo that night.
Street band at San Telmo. Las hormigas negras.
Some interesting graffiti on the streets of San Telmo...the only church that illuminates is the one that burns
We spent the next day at MALBA wondering at the depths of contemporary art in Palermo. We caught a plane out to Rio Gallegos later that night where we would be off to Patagonia for some trekking.
A city park in Palermo Area.
A few failed attempts at me being creative with my picture taking while we waited on the rain to stop at MALBA.
You hear about how Buenos Aires is the ¨Paris of South America¨, and there was a definite similarity in the sidewalk cafe culture of the city. It also reminded me a lot of other Spanish cities with the laid-back-close-around-lunch-take-your-time kind of atmosphere. I felt there were also some tropical undertones...in climate, dress. I enjoyed getting to know the streets of Buenos Aires. However, it is a huge city, and we found ourselves seeking out the green spots - parks - in the city. I am ready for some real green...headed to Patagonia!
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