Beautiful Buenos Aires

“God is everywhere but his office is in Buenos Aires”. With that, our tour guide, Fabian from Tours by Locals, began our 4 hour city overview.

It is a beautiful day, sunny and mid-80’s. Our tour focussed on 2 parts of the city, downtown and La Boca. Both have historic significance.

Downtown Buenos Aires has 3 million people who are joined each day by another 6-7 million commuters. Despite wide boulevards, the traffic is stop and go on a good day. On a protest day, which happens more often than one might expect, traffic is gridlocked. Playa de Mayos the site for protests, including the “mothers of the disappeared” who have been protesting every Thursday since the late 70’s. They protest the government’s murder of their son’s and daughters. The government of the day attempted to discourage them by disallowing groups of people standing around. So they circle a monument in the centre of the square. There’s are so many protests that most BA citizens just accommodate them and the traffic gridlock which is created.

Playa de Mayos is circled by banks, insurance companies etc. and is home to the cathedral. San Martin is buried in the cathedral. Surprisingly, he is not a saint, rather a revolutionary who envisioned a united South American. He was not successful but is still revered for his role in the independence of Argentina, Peru, Chile and Uraguay.

The downtown has hundreds of Jacanda trees which bloom twice per year. Right now they are covered with wispy purple-blue flowers which will last for about 10 days.

A significant monument in the downtown is a whir obelisk erected in 1936. It is one half the size of the Washington Monument.

Most native citizens have some Italian and/or Spanish heritage. So, with the comment that a BA native has been described as “ an Italian who speaks Spanish and thinks he lives in Paris”, we were off to La Boca.

La Boca is the site of the first port (it has been moved twice) and where most of the immigrants in the 1800s, settled. It is colourful maze of twisty streets with cafes, artists and little stores. The original house’s were built out of corrugated sheet metal and painted with whatever colour could be had. Many of the original houses remain. It also claims to be the birthplace of the tango so actors are on-hand to pose with tourists. Lots of fun for a stroll on a beautiful day.

Soccer is a national passion and La Boca is home to a successful soccer team. I learned more than I needed to know about soccer!

Tonight Brian, Wendy and I are going to a Tango lesson and then on to a malanga (Tango Club).Read more