Buenos Aires, Let's Start Over

As Chad has pointed out, we didn't have the greatest welcome to Buenos Aires.  Over the next few days we gave it a chance to redeem itself, as we wandered about soaking up atmosphere and seeing the sights.

It was a Sunday, so there were mostly only other tourists about as we wandered through the somewhat empty Microcentro (the business district).  We started in the Plaza de Mayo,

These amazing purple blossoms were on trees all over the city.

Apparently the current Argentinian president (usually called only by her first name, Cristina) is stoking the flames of controversy over the Falkland Islands ownership again.  If you talk to an Argentinian, they're the Islas Malvinas.

Casa Rosada, which contains Cristina's offices.  From the balconies politicians (including Evita) have preached to their people; true to history, Madonna sang from here in the movie Evita.

The next neighbourhood we visited was Puerto Madero, a recently revitalized waterfront area.  In the mid-19th century this area was turned into a modern port for Argentina's growing international commerce but within 12 years the amount of cargo was already too great for the port.

Two former naval ships serve as museums.

Chad crosses the bridge across the waterway.

Construction continues... this area is kind of like a more commercial Coal Harbour.  

This compass points south instead of north.

We actually thought these very colourfully dressed old ladies were statues until they started moving!  It was just naptime, apparently.

Chad makes friends with his potential dinner (don't worry, it's not real).

On the bow of a ship that came to the rescue of a stranded Antarctic expedition many years ago

Our friends Luke and Grace write in their blog about how after six months in Asia they grew 'templed out'.  The McFrothys are marketed out.  Since it was right in our neighbourhood, we visited the Feria de San Telmo.  Although they did have some different goods to what we've seen before, we didn't linger too long in the busy streets.  [Chad: and the goods repeated every block.]

We did, however, stay long enough for this guy to make us a freshly squeezed orange juice.

What do you think?  Should he buy one or not?

More wandering ensued...

Evita looms large atop this building.  On the other side she speaks into a microphone.

Then a walk through the upscale Retiro area (though you are warned not to go behind its train station, as apparently there are slums back there).

The tower in the background was a gift from the Brits to the Argentinians.  Nice gift, though it didn't exactly sooth relations between the two.

The next day we saw a bit more sunshine and set out again.

We spent some time in the famous Cementerio de la Recoleta, where the 'streets' are lined with huge tombs and lovely statues.

This is Evita's grave, probably the most visited but certainly less impressive than some of the others.

We wondered whether the dog is buried here too?

Finally we headed up to the neighbourhood of Palermo (like a grittier Yaletown) to spend the afternoon.  This was our favourite spot, and where we will probably stay when we return to Buenos Aires before flying home.  Apparently we were too busy looking around to take many pictures...

Chad's lunch time desert - dulce de leche ice cream.

These unfriendly looking tracks run through Palermo.  But I promise, it's much nicer than this.

After three days we still didn't love Buenos Aires, or even like it all that much.  The day we left for Uruguay, Argentina was having a general strike (apparently Argentinians love to strike) meaning that many busses and trains were cancelled, as well as all domestic flights.  There were many closed roads, protests in the streets, and broken windows showing on television as we ate our breakfast.  It was the perfect time to escape!