“Don’t cry for me, Argentina. I’ve got a prime spot in Recoleta Cemetary, a few meters from General Alvear’s final resting spot…”

Thus said Evita, the Argentine Rose.

General Carlos Maria de Alvear was a professional officer in the Spanish army who unexpectedly took the side of the revolutionaries in the Argentine War of Independence.

Not a bad spot, if you ask me.

Recoleta Cemetary is an enclosed area full of ornate, and some simple, mausoleums. The statues adorning some are very moving, and yet, some of the departed have been severely neglected. One can only assume that these people’s families have also passed on.

Why else would you leave broken glass and dead flowers on your loved one’s stones?

For as touristy as this place is, and there are groups of people lead on english-speaking tours around the cemetary to look at the famous people’s graves, you can find wonderfully isolated spots great for shooting pictures of the gothic statues.

There are also very many cats living in the cemetary. They slink around and sun themselves, take naps and watch birds… People, they generally ignore.

Outside of this feline haven is an interesting open-air market selling handicrafts and snacks. I wandered around quite a bit before I bought a ring for my mother. This area is what I would call a tourist trap… The long winding covered booths selling beautiful jewelry, leather works, and hand-made shaws can have you shopping for hours.

An interesting comparison to make, though, is that not too many people are in the retail stores here in Recoleta, which is an area known for shopping.

It may just be the holiday, however, as many locals were frequenting the cafes for a nice glass of vino tinto (red wine, which, by the way, I’ve found gives me headaches…) and a refreashing salad. We’ll see what tomorrow holds when it’s business as usual.

It’s very hot here today, and it’s siesta time right now.

I’m back in my hotel room, and I’ve had a cool shower. Now, I think I’ll take a nap.

When in Rome, right? Or make that Buenos Aires…

Now, I consider myself to be a fairly big soccer fan, but that’s nothing compared to the fanaticism I saw today at the match between La Plata and the Boca Juniors.

Just getting to the stadium was a cultural experience.

First, we set off in a tour bus and picked up a couple more tourists on the way. Then we stopped at this dodgy gas station to pick up our tickets. Our purveyor then guided us to the stadium in his little, old, beat-up VW Rabbit.

On the way, we were told the rules… Turns out we were sitting with La Plata, not Boca Juniors… So we were told not to chant any Boca songs, or have any Boca colors. Also, if Boca were to score a goal, we shouldn’t cheer for that either.

Even if we wanted Boca to win. We might be killed.

As first I thought they were exaggerating a bit, but no… There are actually gangs of futbol fans that have been known to kill fans of a rival team.

Talk about scary. Continue Reading »

The first night of the Tango Festival was very beautiful…

The streets are lines with white Christmas lights, and four separate stages, each with a mini-orchestra, were playing well into the night. There were seats out in front for the crowds to watch the professional dancers on stage, who were magnificent, but the real view was behind the seats.

Crowds gathered in a large circle, and in the middle, couples - married for ages or complete strangers - danced the sultry tango. Continue Reading »

You know how I told you I was going to an “underground” tango show tonight? Well, plans have changed. There’s actually a tango festival starting at 8:00pm right around the corner from my hotel!

(And by the way, I’m staying in an actual hotel this time, not a hostel. I have a hairdryer!)

So I’ll probably pop into a cafe for my “Las Onces” - that’s elevensies, like brunch, only at five or six in the evening - and then grab the camera and head to the festival. Then, it’ll be off to dinner, and finally out to see the town.

It is Saturday night, after all…