Argentina, January 5 - 17, 2007
Friday, January 5, 2007 - We arrive in Buenos Aires at 9:30AM, having left MSP early afternoon the day before. We cab to our hotel, the Kempinski Park Plaza, where Thad and Heather Withers meet us; Our abode for 10 days. After we clean up we head around the block to Withers' apartment; Thad and Jack peruse Bianca's photo book; Bianca's room; 6 month old Bianca gets cleaned up after lunch; So she can join us on a walk around Recoleta.
Recoleta is one of the nicest neighborhoods in B.A. but the hotel is still locked at 8PM! Pillar Church built by Recoleta Order of the Franciscans; Mother Theresa of Calcutta; View from altar back to door.
Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of many of Argentina's most famous citizens; These trees (rubber, magnolia leaf) shade many of B.A.'s parks and squares.
Saturday, February 5 - Jack and I walk for several hours, quite warm there, we are always grateful for shade; Argentines love to sun selves on any square of green. The above are less serious! Statues of heroes (most unknown to us) abound in B.A.; Winsome; Lots of poodles in B.A., their owners watching...Some martial arts balletic moves.
Ministry of Culture and Education, note French influence; Typical street scene in Recoleta; Petitions in neighborhood church; We all drive to Tigre, North of B.A.; We join Thad, Heather, and Meagan (here I'm giving Bianca her first water from a glass).
Tigre scenes; Lots of rowers and rowing clubs; Family breaks with a parcel of puppies; Lunch on the riverside. Light clouds and a steady breeze helped.
Naval History Museum. Boats from earliest times are modeled; We take a boat trip on the river; Sarmiento's home preserved (a 19th C. president).
Scenes along the river; A fixer upper.
Seaworthy vessels? Sunday, January 7 - We head to Pillar Church after touring Bellas Artes Museum, great; A living statue outside church; In PM, we go with Thad and Heather to San Telmo Feria.
Tango at San Telmo Feria! Fun tango band.
Former grand home that became a tenement (conventillo) for immigrants who came starting in 1880s; Conventillo is now an Emporium series; Thad and Heather rest so we head to campy Evita Museum, Malba (modern art) and walk home through snazzy and not so neighborhoods; Recoleta Feria at night.
Monday, January 8 - We take off and tour downtown to Plaza de Mayo; Columned cathedral in main square; Main altar; Tomb of liberation hero, San Martin, and changing of tomb guards.
Plaza de Mayo, Cabildo (white Spanish Colonial building) housed early government; Casa Rosado, Presidential palace where Perons spoke to crowds on the square; Santo Domingo; Lovely old apothecary.
Chapel of St. Rocque by Franciscan church; Along 9th of July, water at cafe Torton, famous turn of century cafe. At 5PM we go to meet composer Alejandro Riutty, at Las Voletas, tea, lovely old Tiffany era cafe; After tea we take a subway (1913 cars) and go to theater transformed to book store; Tuesday, January 9 - Jack, Meagan and Withers fly to Iguazu Falls. I take fabulous 11AM English language tour of Recoleta Cemetery where I learn more history than in any museums; Roverano, immigrant steps off boat.
Plaques from admirers of Sarmiento placed on his tomb.
Eva Peron's tomb cum admirers' plaques; After Evita's death in 1953 her body was stolen then buried in Italy. It was finally returned then buried with her sister's family.
In the afternoon, I tour city with Delegation. here, La Boca; Ship painters (Italian) took extra paint and applied it on their homes; Matching cars!
Colorful paintings of colorful street; National Library; Perons tore down a Colonial home to build this home, never occupied; Sad la Boca Harbor; Tea at the Alvear Hotel, lovely multi-course high tea, followed by briefing. Regula Nigo, assistant to Delia, me and Carol Whitmore.
Wednesday, January 10 - Iguazu Falls (Tues-Thurs)
Coatis (Raccoon relatives).
