Ahhh Buenos Aires!!
After stepping off of the plane, it didn't take long for us to realize that we weren't in Brazil any longer. For starters, the weather was cold and gloomy--a welcome change from the balmy Brazil temperatures. The sleek and recently renovated airport in the Argentine capitol was enough to win Jason over. Thirty minutes into our taxi ride, it became quite obvious why so many acclaim Buenos Aires to be the "Paris of Latin America".
For four days, we felt like we were living in a bygone era: from the city which introduced tango to the world; to architecture styles of the grandiose, neo-classic, and art-noveau; mile-wide, tree-lined boulevards; to suited gentlemen who still read the daily print in sidewalk coffeehouses; to open-air markets in the midst of bohemian barrios; and those oh-so-savory "steaks so tender you can cut it with a spoon". European flair collides with Latin American culture. And yes, for three nights, this was our nostalgic oasis. Of course, we were swept away!
History
Since Buenos Aires was settled upon by Spanish settlers in 1536, it has endured an unsettling past-- political turmoil and economic collapses as recently as 2001. The colorful culture of Buenos Aires is largely attributed to its Spanish colonization and the Italian immigration during the 19th and early 20th century. Still today, Buenos Aires remains Argentina's epicenter for government affairs, commerce, and culture.
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The Casa Rosada or pink house is the Argentine presidential palace/office.
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| The inner courtyard of the palace. |
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| Plaza de Mayo has been the center for many political protests, speeches, and prayer vigils throughout Argentina's history. |
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| The Cabildo de Buenos Aires was the main government house during colonial times when Argentina fell under Spanish rule. Not many colonial structures stand today. |
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| Banco de la Nacion Argentina |
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| Plaza del Congresso (Argentine National Congress) was designed by an Italian architect, who incidentally was murdered before the building was ever completed in 1906. |
La Recoleta Cemetery
Buenos Aires' famed and first public cemetery was built on the former garden grounds of a disbanded Order of Recoletos monks in the upscale Recoleta barrio in 1822. With over 4,000 vaults, many of the elaborate marble and bronze tombs serve as the final resting place for Argentina's most noted religious leaders, military heroes, political and historical figures, and families of great prestige. Perhaps no tomb garners more visitors than that of the revered Eva 'Evita' Peron, former first lady of Argentina, whose life became the basis for the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, "Evita". (You may be more familiar with the movie bearing the same name, which co-starred Madonna and Antonio Banderas.)
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Most of the vaults are only etched with the deceased's date of death and doesn't include a birth date.
This practice continues today. |
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| "Where poets lie aside presidents..." |
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| Evita Peron's vault |
Café Culture
Even the café culture of Buenos Aires left an impression on Jason, "Now why can't we have this in Thibodaux?" Unlike the fast and frantic pace we are accustomed to back home, the opposite is true in Buenos Aires. Cafes are a central part of the daily life for the Portenos (locals); in fact, it is not uncommon to stumble upon a café or two or three with dapper waiters and white skirted tables along practically every avenue corner. This culture of cafes and coffee is deeply rooted in Italian immigrants from the 19th century. Patrons sip and stay, pour over the newspaper, mingle, or chatter about the state of politics--for hours. Coffee is still served in porcelain demitasse cups.
This unassuming café culture suited our dining preferences just fine! Something told us a 9 p.m. seating for a traditional Argentine three-hour, nine-course meal was not going to cut it with a toddler.
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| Dating back to the 1850's, this is the oldest and most famous coffee shop in all of Argentina. |
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| We sinfully indulged in way too many café con leches and medialunas, Argentina's smaller and denser rival to the croissant--and I am not even a coffee drinker. |
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A city full of landmarks, Buenos Aires seems to have some monument or statue commemorated at every turn.
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| Jason's expression sums up our morning on the double-decker bus...ha. We should have known. Chilly temperatures and a mobile toddler can only be a recipe for disaster on a three-hour bus tour. |
Architecture
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| Confiteria Del Molino |
Barrios
The city is divided into forty-eight districts or barrios as they are commonly referred to by the Portenos. Each neighborhood as their own distinct architecture, identity, and vibe. The barrios are subsequently grouped into 15 decentralized, political and administrative communes.
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La Boca district is home to the Estadio Club Boca Juniors stadium and one of the most successful soccer teams in Argentina.
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| Graffiti is a welcomed art in BA |
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| The San Telmo barrio is popular for its Sunday market. |
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The Obelisco was built in 1936 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Buenos Aires and stands only half as tall as its twin in Washington.
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| With up to seven lanes in each direction, Avenida 9 de Julho is known to be the widest avenue in the world. |
Tango
Tango is said to be a blend of African and European dance styles originating from the working poor in the 1800's. This dance practice wasn't widely accepted across all social classes until the 1920's, and even then, during times of economic depression and political oppression Tango declined. But today, Tango remains a vibrant pulse of the city.
Jason and I were back and forth about whether we should even attempt to sit in on a live Tango performance since most showings don't even begin until after 10:30 p.m. The chances of Graham sleeping through the performance were slim, but we chanced it anyway. Well, his "nap" was short lived, but as soon as the eight-piece orchestra started, Graham's eyes were glued to the stage until the final bow. We enjoyed a wonderful evening for sure--toddler and all!
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| Tango in the street - Plaza Dorrego |
Here is a short clip from the Tango Show we attended at Café de los Angelitos.
