A return to Buenos Aires – Part 1

This weekend seemed like it had been too short when we got up on Monday and began to prepare for our return to Rio.  We had had 4 days of clouds with brief sunshine and rain, and even one day of heavy rain in which we walked for 4 hours, under an umbrella but still whet to the knees.  Monday morning broke clear and sunny and we found ourselves thinking about when the next time would be to come back to visit Buenos Aires.  There are a few places that become your favorite vacation spots.

I don’t know where to begin to talk specifics.  I took a few hundred photos, loved the gardens and park spaces, the statues - big and small along the avenues, and the architecture that is so French with the large double doors and tall windows aproned with wrought iron. 

Friday - First day - We saw the Japanese Gardens – the only botanical gardens, walked to the MALBA which is small but quality, and then the national museum and found it didn’t open until 2pm  but was time for lunch - we hopped into a taxi and went to one of our favorite local restaurants – Los Chilenos - where the waiter that Camillo has know for 30 years or more sat a while to talk politics.  Then the Claridge Hotel for a nap before the late night tango show with dinner.  Tango was okay, the music was some of the best we’ve heard.  Please click the link below to see some of the photos.

 

Buenos Aires - First day VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

Saturday – 2nd Day.  We started out at the Museo Evita.  I have never had much interest in her or her life, but she is presented well in this museum.  The legacy of a bankrupt country that was left after her death was offset by the many changes that were made for the poor and the helpless (abused women and elderly) implemented by Evita.  The building in which the permanent exhibition is housed was a private home which was bought and converted to a halfway house for homeless women and children by Eva Peron.  There were several highlights including the coffee shop and bar that made this a worthwhile stop.  Then a taxi ride - and once again I only saw the outside of the Casa Rosada (the pink house) because it is only open to the public on Sundays and we had other plans for Sunday.  We walked through the national cathedral and the Cabildo de Buenos Aires‎ (a small museum) and then walked into the nearby neighborhood where Camillo tried to find an old restaurant he remembered, it was closed but we found another very simple place that had papa (potato) soufflé (like a French fry but puffy).    Then we hiked back to the hotel.  I spent a lot of time confused about how this all fits together on a map because walking seemed short and the taxi rides long.  Saturday is the day we seemed to do the most walking and that was the day it was the wettest – small pocket umbrellas are only good for keeping your head dry in a heavy rain everything else gets soaked.   We went to Recoleta (cemetery) for dinner, food was good, a little pricy – it was still raining so we didn’t get to walk around for night time photos – plus I was ready to the day to be done….. Camillo could have gone on for a couple more hours…. he wears me out.

 

2nd Day - Buenos Aires VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

 

Part two tomorrow