Buenas Aires, Day 2

Day 37

Position (same as yesterday): 34° 34.98'S by 58° 21.82'W. Sunrise 0623. Sunset 1951. Total distance: 9910 nm.

We had a fine heavy rain last night. The locals say they like rain.

In the passenger terminal we met the guide and driver we hired for the day and set out to explore. While this is an expensive way to tour, it provides and excellent way to cover more territory, see just what we want and learn more about the people and the culture that comes with a one to one (or 2 to 2)

day with local people. In Argentina the licensed guides have a college degree in tourism; a 3 year program that is similar to the Associate Degree in the US, and a 5 year degree which is similar to the Masters degree in the US. Our guide has a 5 year degree. Our driver is Argentine, lived in Israel for 6 years and is a chef. Both spoke excellent English.

We took Avenada de Liberatror to view the law school and the metal sculpture at the nearby park, then drove through the old housing district of the wealthy. Several nations maintain homes there for their Ambassadors. Visited Palermo and walked the Rose Garden and the Garden of Poets.

The Argentine Polo club was interesting. Polo started with using a duck and now is of two types; one uses a soccer ball with handles (instead of a duck) and the other uses a ball and polo sticks. Palermo Soho gave us a look at the old homes fronting on the streets, the old facades disguising mostly new apartments behind. We walked a few blocks looking into restaurants and entryways as the day was beginning. Off Playa Serrano we got back into the car and went to a square in Ricoleta and the Church of the Virgin of the Pillar. 

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Church behind us we headed to the Cementerio del Norte, or Cementerio Recoleta, a cemetery full of mausoleums, narrow walkways and plenty of cats. We peered into tombs at caskets and ancient dried up flowers, more recent structures with glass doors and most with narrow stairs leading to underground crypts holding racks of coffins. There we paid a visit to the mausoleum of the Eva Duarte (Evita Perón). The architecture of the mausoleums is fascinating.

Mausoleums

Tomb of Eva Duarte (Eva Peron)

front of another mausoleum

More driving through neighborhoods to downtown to the opera house, Teatro Colón which we saw in detail with a theater tour. Our driver then took us down Avenida 9 de Julio, the wide avenue running through the center of the city, and off to the area Puerto Madero where the old warehouses and river front have been converted into trendy apartments, walkways, restaurants, shops and marina. Our quest for Argentine beef landed us at the Cabaňa las Lilas restaurant where we enjoyed huge steaks, salads, fried cheese and Malbec. We walked this off with our guide while the driver went back across the river to wait for us. Our route then took us around the Casa Rosada (Pink House, like the American White House), the park complete with low key protesters, then down to another barrio called La Boca. This place has a lively bohemian atmosphere. Almost surreal with paper-maché figures on second floor balconies and brightly painted fronts, the small central area was packed with people. Restaurants had seating on the street and competed for business by having tango dancers dipping away an the music adding the appropriate flair. Meat was cooking on wood fires and along the street vendors were selling artwork and wool clothing items.

Teatro Colon

The Womens' Bridge

Casa Rosada

in La Boca

Street Tango

The day was winding up so we headed back toward the ship, passing the graveyard of ships, or the dumping ground for worn out boats. We climbed aboard at 1700, just in time for a boat drill, so we dashed to our lifeboat station, stood the drill and finally were able to return to our stateroom and bathroom. Whew. Still full of that Argentinian beef we took a light dinner then headed up to the cocktail lounge/observation lounge to join the celebration of the 70^th birthday of the piano player.