“They say if you come to Buenos Aires and you haven't danced tango,
then you haven't been to Buenos Aires!”
Emilene Faria
As we docked into Buenos Aires the mist turned to drizzle and I could barely make out the high rise buildings of Puerto Madre. Once again, our touristic attitude left us bewildered at the baggage carousel as the savvy South Americans pushed and elbowed for their luggage. Everyone hustled so fast through the X-ray bag security and out to the taxi rank, we were soon straggling behind, blonde and bewildered. Its not that I don't realize these moments are the very point when you get ripped off, it's just there was no alternative. I knew we would pay over the odds to the taxi driver who was a suggestion of the port security worker. However, it did mean we dodged standing in line at the taxi rank in the rain. I figured if we paid double it was worth it, any more than that and those blonde hairs on my neck would start to hackle and my inner tourist would start snarling.
We arrived at the Hilton in two taxis, where of course the taxi driver demanded a second double payment. The concierge, with a long over coat and top hat, soon put a stop to the taxi driver's shenanigans and we stumbled gratefully inside.
"The great advantage of a hotel is that it's a refuge from home life."
George Bernard Shaw
The Hilton foyer is a magnificent glass atrium many stories high. The light floods the lobby and creates a feeling of modern efficiency.
"there comes a time in every woman's life
when the only thing that helps is a glass of Champagne"
Bette Davis
Check in was seamless and as we were a little early we were offered a glass of champagne while we waited in the foyer. Plenty friends in Uruguay had warned of stories of robberies and hold ups by gun toting street gangs. Sipping on the bubbly, in the sanctuary of the huge glass foyer, all the insecurities melted away.
"come quickly, I am tasting the stars!"
Dom Perignon
With my usual urgency to see everything in the guide book before nightfall, I rallied the gang and we slid down the glass elevator onto a new adventure.
Buenos Aires is often called the Paris of the Americas. Maybe its the gourmet food, that Latino culture, the European inspired architecture or perhaps the passion of the tango. With over 3 million people in the city proper plus 10 million more in the metro area, BA has way more people than Paris. Unfortunately, it also has a way worse crime rate with: muggers, scam artists, pickpockets and bag snatchers working in gangs and often armed. However, we barely saw anyone as a light rain began to fall on Woman's Bridge. The design is supposed to represent a couple embracing in a tango. Perhaps I needed heavier mist to really see it?
"Love is the bridge between two hearts.” Unknown
The River Plate and surrounding area has a history of marauding Indians and privateers. First settled by the conquistador Mendoza, he named the city Santa Maria del Buen Aire - Holy Mary of the Fair Winds. The city was abandoned in 1541 due to Indian attacks and only settled again in 1580, once again as a Spanish port. As the pirates of the 1600's and 1700's gained notoriety, the Spanish authorities preferred overland routes through Peru. This frustrated the Portenos (people of the port of BA) and the contraband business thrived. By 1800 the King of Spain declared Buenos Aires a free port, but it was too little too late. The Argentine war of independence was hard won and the new country emerged in 1816. This new Argentina would fight off both British and French attempts to take it in the coming centuries.
The flag is often thought to represent the clouds, the sky and the sun. By the late 1800's and early 1900's there was plenty immigration from Spain and Italy which was reflected in the city's European style architecture and developement. Many of the shanty towns around BA would provide the impoverished masses for the Peron voting block of the 1940's. The fighting between left and right factions has left Aregentina with a history of military dictorships, coups and a human rights legacy of 30,000 "desaparecidos" - those disappeared by the junta. Modern day Argentina while democratic, has plenty of issues, ranging from the Maldives/Falkland Islands to economic capital controls. Yet Buenos Aires is still a popular tourist destination with lots of culture, food and sights to see. We would only have a few days here in the city perhaps best known for Eva Peron and the birth place of Tango.
"I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by"
John Masefield
"Shopping is a woman thing.
It's a contact sport like football.
Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds,
the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase."
Erma Bombeck
“I went to a cafe that advertised breakfast anytime,
so I ordered French Toast during the Rennaisance.”
so I ordered French Toast during the Rennaisance.”
Stephen Wright
The wooden chairs and tables set under the high ceilings and mottled mirrors smacked early 19th century Parisienne style. The aged waiters with long black aprons and waistcoats worked their morning routine. Huge bowl like cups of steaming latte appeared before us while we watched the Saturday morning market crowds gather.
After a breakfast of coffee dipped croissants we wandered the antique stalls. From second hand fur coats to leather bags the stalls wound around the well worn cobbles of San Telmo square. Feather dusters vendors and pretty girls selling empanadas wandered the throng. This was my favorite kind of cultural experience, food, people shopping and theatre all in one spot. I meandered around in the cool morning air with a large smile, channelling Eva with my side swept bun hairdo.
We were enchanted by the street theatre of two aged lovers weaving their familiar tango, intertwined amongst the photo hungry tourists.
Buenos Aires is, of course synonymous with tango. The dance evolved from the poor immigrant dock workers who greatly outnumbered the women in the city. The brothels were busy places, while the men waited they would often dance with each other to the live music. Optimistically they practiced their skill so when an opportunity arose to get close to a woman and dance in a crowded tenement courtyard, their tango prowess would help them to win a sweetheart. With such fierce competition tango grew into a dance where the man's aim was to make sure the woman in his arms had a good time.
"Tango bubbled up from the brothels and low-life,
so when I see scruffy young people dancing tango in gym shoes and jeans,
I think that's great." Unknown
"The Tango is the natural pulse of Buenos Aires"
Leopoldo Marechal
From the San Telmo markets it was a quick cab ride to the Recoleta markets. Once again the crowds wound their way around the rows of stalls. Although, there was more an emphasis on arts and crafts and new goods for sale rather than the antiques. Exhausted, but with some of my travel hunger sated we returned to the hotel.
As the evening rolled around it was time again for mother to make a break for it and go off, alone into the night, in search of tango! The family would have an early night and I would head over to the tango show. What an amazing night, crammed into a tiny cellar. I had a mamaventure congratulatory glass of champagne while the curtain lifted to my first taste of professional tango. Well worth the late night, I was entertained by dance, music, song and bolero. The northern parts of Argentina are renowned for gaucho culture. These cowboys use bolas, a braided leather cord weighted with upto three stone balls. Using a lasso style throw, the cord is thrown to tangle the legs of the cattle or animal. However, for this night time bonanza a silky clad gaucho used his boots and bolas to whip up a frenzy of noise and stunts. The grand finale was a rendition of Andrew Lloyd Weber's famous "don't cry for me lyrics" - in Evitable.
As I crept back into the room, to the soft snores of my family, I grinned from ear to ear, safe in the knowledge I hadn't lost my sense of adventure (even if it was a privately chaffered, showtime escapde.).
As I crept back into the room, to the soft snores of my family, I grinned from ear to ear, safe in the knowledge I hadn't lost my sense of adventure (even if it was a privately chaffered, showtime escapde.).
On our last day in the city we decided to take a local tour to learn a little of the history and of course actually find Eva's tomb in the overcrowded cemetery of Recoleta. Every good euro city tour includes elaborate parliament buildings, obligatory equestrian statues, mandatory fountains, changing of the guards and of course pigeons. BA is no different.
"Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue” Unknown.
While the kids chased the birds, our tour guide explained the history of Plaza de Mayo, the main square and political hub of Buenos Aires.
"At every crossroads on the path that leads to the future,
tradition has placed 10,000 men to guard the past."
Maurice Masterlinck
“Coffee houses are frequented by people who want to be alone
but need company for that"
Alfred Polgar.
La Boca is a vibrant edgy district in the SE of the the city. With strong Italian Genoa roots, the area evolved as the port due to its location on the mouth or boca of the river. Artists and composers regenerated the area during the 1960's and its brightly painted houses and 19th century historical feel have made it a mecca for tourists. Weaving in and out of the side walk cafes the street art is amazing.
This was an area to stay well within the confines of the ever present tourist police. At either end of the Caminito pedestrian street officers lingered alongside their vehicles, armed and alert. We were warned by our guide to stay close by the taverns and street shows. This was no place to be after nightfall.
"Without the streets nor dusks of Buenos Aires a Tango cannot be written"
Jorge Luis Borges
La Boca is home to the beloved Boca Juniors soccer team. The area around the stadium was impoverished with litter and dogs scattered amongst the graffiti. Interestingly, this is the only place in the world where Coca Cola allows their logo to be changed from red and white to black and white. The reason of course is because the rival soccer club colors are red and white.
Driving on, through the city, gave us a chance to sit and stare at every day life. We wound our way through the paved grid towards Palermo, the affluent area of the metropolis. This area grew rapidly in the early days when yellow fever swept through the crowded San Telmo district. Many of the mansions there were abandoned and the poor immigrant population took up residencce. Palermo has lots of green spaces and is home to the zoological gardens.
"a synthesis of all the flowers and is both a hope that is reborn every day to open." Catalano
Eduardo Catalano donated this huge steel and aluminum Floralis Generica to the city in 2002. This eighteen ton, 23 meter high flower sits above a reflecting pool in a gated park. It represents all flowers and is supposed to close every night and reopen in the morning to symbolize rebirth. However, like many things in BA it is broken and the government deems the mechanism too expensive to fix.
“I will come again, and I will be millions.”
Evita Perón
The cemetery at Recoleta is the final resting place of Eva Peron. 70 years after her death she still gathers quite a crowd. Her tomb is in an obscure location so the burial grounds are busy with folks searching through the rows of vaults each one more elaborate than the next.
"If a man needs an elaborate tombstone in order to remain in the memory of his country, it is clear that his living at all was an act of absolute superfluity."
Oscar Wilde
Eva was very much a woman, larger than life during her short existence and increasing in fame after death. Born in 1919, an illegitimate fifth child, she grew up knowing poverty. At 15 she headed to the city to become an actress and singer. At 24 years of age she met Juan Peron, who was then 48. Peron drew her into the political arena and when he won the 1946 presidency bid he would make her his first lady. Through radio she supported his campaigns and roused the public with her understanding of the common woman. She died at 33 from cancer and the flower shops of BA ran out of blooms, such was the outpouring of grief from the people. Her body was embalmed and lay in state for 2 years. Juan Peron was then overthrown from government and fled the country without making arrangements for Eva. Her body disappeared for 16 years. With a ban on Peronism, it was not until 1971 that the military revealed the whereabouts of her body in Milan. An exhumation followed and Isabel, Peron's third wife and then president of Argentina, placed Eva in the Recoleta Cemetery. A very expensive resting place for a woman who sympathized with the poor. In Argentina there is a saying that it costs much more to die than it does to live.
Evita Perón
A woman and a place never to be forgotton. Like the tango, Argentina had seduced me. I had seen so much, enjoyed it all, yet I was left wanting more.
Hey, Thank you for this nice travel documentary, very interesting read and a great blog. Landed on this by chance but stayed on to read. Smart Blonde for sure.
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