Buenos Aires cemetery and more walking

Overnight rain and the temperature has dropped to 20° by the morning. After breakfast we walk to a shopping center not very far from the apartment. There's still a little bit of drizzle around, but it's easy to avoid. The shopping center is not particularly interesting and it isn't very big either which I found surprising given the size of the city. Of course there will be many more. On the third floor of the building overlooks the main cemetery of Buenos Aires.

I'm not sure why we have a fascination for cemeteries but people clearly like visiting them. As with the cemetery in Paris, this one is very large and old. It is Tuesday and quiet so there aren't too many tourists wandering through. Interest in this cemetery could of course be because Eva Peron is buried here, Jim Morrison the attraction in Paris. The cost of entry is quite high, around $60 for the two of us. The price for locals is $5 but that's ok it's a struggle for locals. A wet overcast day seems appropriate for a wander around the tombstones and mausoleums. Some of the mausoleums are so large it seems a whole village could be buried there. Many of them have stained glass windows and a crypt which of course you can't see but can see a staircase going down.

I am struck by the elaborate decorations on the grave sites. Some have sculptures of soldiers perhaps representing the person who has died and most have religious figures or symbols, many cherubs and angels as you would expect. One has what appears to be a monk bowing down and another is of a young girl and her dog. We do find Eva Peron's grave very well sign posted of course, we had to see it. The large plaques on the wall near the door are all for her except one. She died very young just 31 years old. The guide we are given shows a number of sites of people who are clearly of interest in it but hers was the only name we knew.

The walk back to the apartment today was cool, more buildings and architecture to look at. Tomorrow we move to the Hilton for pre trip details and dinner, packing and tidying are therefore our next tasks.

Bob noticed a restaurant serving regional dishes, it was close by so we ate there. Most small, less touristy places, this one was very local, usually have beer but not wine by the glass. Annoying because I like just a couple of wines with dinner. Never mind a bottle it is but no beer here. The waiter has limited English and so Bob ends up ordering a dish which is very local beans and vegetables. It looks really good. Again, there is a selection of gluten-free dishes including ravioli which I order with a bolognese sauce. I know not exactly an Argentinian dish. The bowl was huge enough to serve. At least two people. The meal was good and there were prices on the menu, wine was good as well, a Malbec of course.

The Sunday before we left to my chagrin, Bob's Sunday bike ride saw him engage with the bitumen. The worst of the injury was the cut on his nose from his glasses. He looked like he come off second best from a fight. The stitches have dissolved and he looks much better. Thought I should explain the scabs on his face.Read more