February 27-28, 2015
Buenos Aires, Argentina
In the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial
port
into a cosmopolitan metropolis - the "Paris of the South" - by the cattle boom
of the
1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop
Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted
grandeur,
Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city
where the
elegant Colon Theater, one of the world's great opera houses, stands in
counterpoint to
the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city's
enigmas and
contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens - the reclusive
librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First
Lady, Evita
Peron.
The "Paris of the South" flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of
Buenos
Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias
- cafés - to
the city's popular tango clubs.
Buenos Aires
We spent two days in
Buenos Aires. We took a bus tour of the city, visited Eva Peron's
grave at La Recoleta Cemetery and then went to
a fabulous restaurant called "La Ventana" where we enjoyed steak, wine
and an amazing 1 1/2 hour tango show. Below are the pictures we took of
the city, including the inside of the
Buenos Aires Metropolitan
Cathedral where the current pope (Pope Francis) held services.
Click on a picture to view large
La Recoleta Cemetery
Evita, the second wife of President Juan Perón, was the First Lady of
Argentina from 1946 until her death from cancer at the age of 33. She gained
influence by speaking on behalf of labor rights, and founded Argentina's
first large-scale female political party. Eva also devoted herself to the
plight of the impoverished lower classes into which she herself was born.
For her work, she was bestowed the official title of "Spiritual Leader of
the Nation" and is still revered long after her death.
At La Recoleta Cemetery, you'll wander through the last resting place for
many of Buenos Aires' most influential people, including the immortal Evita.
A fanciful array of 6,400 Neoclassical, Neogothic, Art Nuevo and Art
Deco-style mausoleums are laid out like a city with street names and a
town center.
Click on a picture to view large
Estancia
Estancia is a ranch about
an hour away from Buenos Aires. On the way there, we saw pampas
grass growing wild. We sampled "tita" which is a tea enjoyed by
the Argentines. During our visit
to the ranch, we explored
the grounds and enjoyed a traditional asado al
asador, the gaucho-style country barbecue featuring famous Argentine
beef. After lunch, we were treated to a
colorful folkloric show of Argentine music, dance and renowned feats of
horsemanship.
Click on a picture to view large
Video:
Argentina Gauchos
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