Adventures in Argentina-Buenos Aires Neighborhoods

April 3, 2018April 3, 2018 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

Buenos Aires has many neighborhoods, areas with sometimes distinct character. Our hotel in San Telmo made it easy to see a lot of the city by walking. Other areas we strolled through include Centro and Recoleta. In the three days we stayed there, we walked 35 miles according to my Fitbit.

This Starbucks was exactly one block from our hotel. We went there the first morning for the typical Argentinian breakfast: coffee and a biscuit (not like the ones here) or a small croissant with some sweet glaze on top. Starbucks can be found throughout the city.

Everywhere you see beautiful parks and people use them for strolling, dog walking, jogging, relaxing, picnicking, hanging out–you name it. Plus the trees–on all major streets, on side streets, everywhere. Of course, it was the end of summer. Perhaps parks receive less use in winter.

Even on main thorough fares, like this one which is claimed to be the longest street in the world, trees reside on the sides, in the middle, everywhere.

This is a mall, seriously. We ate a delicious lunch here one day and came back the next day for a drink. I had coffee; Gaston had a green drink with mint and ginger which was refreshing and delicious. The ceiling is well–take a look!

Hard to believe this is a mall.

One day we took the train to its end at the train station. The recently restored train station contains the fanciest Starbucks ever with incredible murals.

The ceiling is beautiful too.

From this station it is possible to take a train to various parts of the city but also trains go from here way out into the suburbs. Reminded me of the subway and train system in New York City and its suburbs where I once lived.

San Martin, the hero who freed southern South America from Spain, crossed the Andes with mules, not horses–Hugo, Gaston’s dad, gave me lots of history lessons. However, when I saw this statue, I did not know all the history yet. This park, filled with huge trees, borders several streets where, like much of Buenos Aires, modern and antique coexist.

Suddenly we notice men on horseback riding out of a military area next to San Martin Park. We rushed across the park to watch, hoping they would ride around the park. They did not; they headed down a street.

We never discovered the purpose of this little parade of military personnel on horseback.

The buildings around the park provide a perfect example of the traditional, the centuries old beside the modern. The traditional building in the middle houses very exclusive apartments.

The opposite side of the park from the statue of San Martin overlooks the English Tower, given to Argentina by the English before the little war over the Falkland Islands which both countries claimed. The English won.

A friend told me to take tea at the Alvear Palace Hotel so we headed to Recoleta area. We strolled around, did not take tea, but we did have lunch in one of the small restaurants inside the hotel area.

Next to this restaurant resides a tea store, Tealosophy, where they sell nothing but tea. I quit counting at fifty different blends. In Argentina International Women’s Day was highly celebrated. This tea shop created a special blend just for that event, Mujeres Power. I bought some; it smells heavenly but have not tried it yet.

We walked down to another park near the famous cemetery where all the national heroes and important people have been buried for centuries. Nearby we saw the largest tree I have ever seen.

The branches, which were impossible to photo in one picture, extend far and are so heavy they are supported by cement or metal columns.

The tree is to the left in this photo. The walk leads to a monastery and the cemetery.

The cemetery was full of people.

The artwork here speaks for itself.

As we walked back we circled this famous piece–a tulip that opens and closes.

Then farther down the street which is close to the port–we could hear ship sounds, etc.–we saw this living wall.

Yes, this wall is made of living plants. I could not help but stop and stare.

IMG_E2972

The building which holds their equivalent of the US Congress. I continue to wonder how I managed to walk past the Pink House–like US White House–several times and never take a photo. Perhaps I was distracted by the protesters. Argentina is used to protests which appear to be legally protected. In the one we saw one evening, the protestors carried banners of Che Guevara.

And finally some typical views, this one along a side street.

Adventures in Argentina– Teatro Colon

April 1, 2018 / Juliana Lightle / 1 Comment

Teatro Colon, considered one of the world’s great theaters, began on May 25, 1908, with a performance of Verdi’s Aida. This theatre replaced the original theatre which began operation in 1857. Teatro Colon’s construction took twenty years even though its original cornerstone was laid in 1890. The original architect, Francesco Tamburini, died in 1891. His partner took over but also died. The final architect, Jules Dormal, completed the theatre.

Theater Colon is huge–originally 8,202 square meters, 3,196 of which is underground. Later 12,000 more meters were added. The total floor space equals 58,000 square meters. The design includes French and Italian styles, and includes dressing and practice rooms, rooms to design sets and create scenery, etc.–this part of the theatre is underground. Everything used in the productions here are created on site.

This is the curtain area. The actual curtain used during performances remains behind what you see here.

Marble, gold, other precious stones and metals are everywhere.

Due to design, its acoustics are known worldwide as one of the best. Every famous opera singer you have ever heard of performed here. This holds true for ballet dancers and orchestras as well.

Currently, the theatre provides a venue for operas, symphonies, ballet, choral music, and contemporary dance among other artistic endeavors. During this March alone, fifteen different performances of varying types occurred here. When we arrived the lines were long, some for buying tickets for performances, others for tours.

Adventure in Argentina–Buenos Aires

March 28, 2018 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

On March 4, a little before noon, I arrived in Buenos Aires EZE airport. Customs was relatively organized, straight forward, and simple. Once I acquired my luggage, I headed out. There stood Gaston waiting for me, the reverse of when he came to live with me a little more than eight years ago and I waited for him at the Amarillo airport. One thing remained the same–hugs. We hailed a cab, loaded my luggage, and headed for the hotel which his dad, Hugo, had arranged. In spite of the fact that neither of us had managed much sleep the night before (mine was sleep on a ten hour red eye flight and his was a night in the bus from Cordoba), we headed out to find some lunch and explore.

After a long walk (I have a Fitbit and we walked 35 miles in 2 1/2 days before we left Buenos Aires), we arrived here at this very modern business district on the right. The tall building in the distance is a Chinese bank.

To the left are many old warehouses which have been converted into apartment buildings, restaurants, and shops. It has become a fashionable place to live. Several of these sailing vessels floated in the water. Some could be boarded for a tour. We just strolled around and enjoyed the views, the weather.

We crossed the bridge and explored a rather exclusive area. Buenos Aries is an old city which combines the old and the new. Many of the sidewalks and streets have not changed in hundreds of years–the original cut stones remain.

We did have to laugh at our first lunch experience. Although the restaurant appeared to be quite traditional and Argentinian on the outside, the menu was mostly Tex-Mex food.

One of the longest streets in the world, this one goes from one end of the city to the other. Note the trees! Every city I visited contained an astonishing amount of trees. Except for the most narrow streets, trees lined them. Later I learned about an Argentinian saying: there are three things you must do in life, plant a tree, write a book, have a child. I feel grateful because I have done all three.

Parks, parks, and more parks–they are everywhere and people use them–children playing, dog walkers, runners exercising, people relaxing on park benches, chatting.

Hugo had given Gaston a list of some places to visit, one of which is an old area with colorful buildings, traditional dancing, e.g. tango, and lots of tourists. Many of the restaurants this time year–end of summer there–are open air, filled with people enjoying summer’s end.

We had a coffee (we drank quite a lot of coffee–for breakfast and after dinner almost every day), watched tango and traditional country dancers. Tango is a Buenos Aires dance tradition. People in other parts of the country dance the traditional dances, not tango. We watched while a woman in her 80s left her table and danced perfectly with a young man dressed in traditional clothes–everyone cheered. People there eat dinner late, 9-10 at night. One day in Buenos Aires we somehow sort of forgot lunch and were hungry so we went to this special restaurant (they have a very unique way of making a potato dish which Gaston likes) about eight. The waiters looked at us as if we were crazy. No one else arrived at the restaurant before nine and most even later. This suited me fine. I much rather eat late than early.