lost track of how many hours and how many blocks I've walked, but the
scenery has had lots of contrasts.
San Telmo was the first settlement and it is a very popular town with
lower middle class people; it is next of city center. They say this is
the birthplace of the Tango. There, I was able to see the new
sculpture honoring the cartoon character Mafalda, created by Quino. I
grew up with those comic strips that are basically a critique to
society and politics in the 1960s' Buenos Aires; its content is pure
irony and sarcasm.
I will post a picture of the bench were Mafalda is seating down,
almost right outside the building on Chile St. were "she grew up".
Quino grew tired of the strip and wanted to move on to other things
and, well, basically got rid of her when she was still little.
I also went to La Boca, home of La Bombonera, the soccer stadium. This
is a tourist trap. Oh, yes. It is home for low class people and they
say it is dangerous after 6PM.
The first inhabitants built their houses out of scraps from the boats
in that bay. It was until last century that someone had the idea of
using the paint remnants from those boats and used it to paint their
metal sheet and wood houses. It is a colorful place.
Barracas is also a place for poor people but it is going through some
gentrification especially on Lanín Street. There, the neighbors have
consented to let an artist redo their façades with little pieces of
ceramic tile.
Palermo is the biggest district, and it subdivides in three areas:
Palermo, Palermo Hollywood (because all the TV studios are there) and
Palermo Soho (as in NYC's Soho).
Palermo Soho is the bohemian district, full of galeries, antique
shops, bars and restaurants. It is where all the bohemian burgeoises
live, kinda like Los Feliz and Silverlake in LA. There, I had the best
meal at La Cabrera.
Once is mainly the Jewish district: synagogues and shops are
everywhere. There is even a Kosher McDonald's at the Abasto Mall. This
is where two terrorist attacks happened after 9/11.
Recoleta is one of the nicest districts (where I stayed). It is upper
middle class people with all the luxuries of a big city. Restaurants,
bars, the biggest bookshop, clothing shops, etc. Lots of flats all
over and lots of dog walkers.
El Rosedal is the posh district. Boutiques like in Rodeo Drive, luxury
car dealerships, mansions, museums, parks, lofts, you name it. The
rich people who lived here one century ago, lost all their money on
the 1929 market crash and had to sell their mansions.
Most of these were bought my different countries and they now house
embassies from all over the globe. The Vatican owns one of the most
lavish ones, really disgusting.
And of course, the city centre with the Plaza de Mayo were all the
Madres de Los Desaparecidos get together and keep protesting and
demanding to locate their children. It is located right across from
the Casa Rosada, the office of the President, the Cathedral and City
Hall.
Nearby, the Plaza de la República, this huge obelisk where people
unite to celebrate and also to protest. It is on Avenida 9 de Julio,
the widest street, 12 lanes wide.
I will go to La Plata this afternoon, located in the suburbs. I have
no idea what it'll look like so I'm excited.
Gotta finish up my coffee (it is always served along with a mini scoop
of ice cream, or a tiny pastry, or a bite or chocolate, etc, and a
shot of fissy mineral water) and continue with my day.
Sent from my iPhone
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