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| iPhone Photos I Took |
Buenos Aires is considered to be
“the Paris of South America”. It’s the second largest city after
San Paulo.
It’s big, let me tell
you. The majority of the people (portenos) have European roots with Italian
& Spanish being the largest followed by Irish, Polish, Arab, German,
French, Armenian, Dutch, Greek, Portuguese, Norwegian, Russian, Swedish,
Croatian & British.
As you can
see, it’s very European focus with its roots. The Jewish community is the
largest in Latin America & the second largest in the Americas & you can
also see the Japanese, Chinese & Korean communities as well. It’s a well
diversified rich city. As with most of Latin America it does have a very rich
Roman Catholic history as well.
Argentina of course was a Spanish colony. Historically Buenos Aires has
been Argentina’s liberal & free trade city. The city is famous for
introducing the Tango to the world, has the busiest live theater industry in
Latin America, is a very important fashion capital, nightclubs, cinemas &
orchestra to name a few of the arts. Rich in the arts, oh don’t I love hearing
& seeing that. The architecture is very eclectic in nature with styles from
Barcelona, Paris & Madrid. There’s a mixture of sure by the immigration of
Colonial, Art Deco, Art Nouveau & Neo-Gothic & French Bourbon styles.
How can you not know about the history of Buenos Aires from the musical
Evita about the life of Eva Peron, too?
The city does sound like me in a way, but I don’t have
enough time to explore it. I did
love Lima & wished that I had more time to explore it as well. Peru is
magical for sure. Argentina is just as great. There’s something about the
people of Latin America that are very genuine with their spirit of hostility
that it reminds you of being back in Europe.
After an eight hour or so flight from Miami I found myself
not relaxing in the way that one would traditionally do after being jet
lagged.
I found myself some how at
the Casear Park Hotel in the Recoleta district.
It’s a charming hotel.
However, my afternoon was packed full with a tour of all the major
districts.
I did find out that the
city is itself the capital of Argentina, but also it has twenty-three
providences that make up the city.
It’s really an independent in a way, much in the same sense that
Washington, D.C. is to people from the States. The Recoleta district is a very
wealthy district. There’s mansions around the corner that once belonged to
wealthy families today’s they are the Hyatt and Papal Embassy to name a few.
The city was once home to the cattle, meat & grain industry that back in
the 1820’s it was a city of priest of silent monks.
I did visit the famous cemetery that is home to Evita’s
family grave in Recoleta.
It was
beautiful with heaps of French & Italian influences. It really reminded me
of being back in Europe.
Buenos Aires name comes from the virgin saint of lady of
good air. Something about the ledged has it that the virgin blew wind safely
into port. Also, I learned that
the city was flat when the Spanish arrived with not much vegetation in terms of
trees. The silent monks and Spanish planted trees, like the fig &
eucalyptus. There’s a plant called ombu that is not a tree at all, but this
plant does look like one. Plaza de Mayo has a historical importance to the city
in terms of the foundation of the city. From there I went into the Cathedral Metropolitan & got to see the Pink House, the
home of the Argentina President.
The left balconies were significant during Evita’s time & today the
president commutes to work by helicopter.
I concluded my journey on Caminito Street that is famous for introducing
Tango to the world & traditionally it was an immigrant neighborhood. The
buildings are different colors due to the left over paint from the boats that
were in dock. It had a very
bohemian vibe to it & I quite enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed walking along
the streets looking at the different artisans. I will have to admit that I’ve
seen a lot of the city in a short period of time. I would have enjoyed visiting
the many art museums & taking the subway too. I couldn’t believe how big it
is. I did find out if that you went to university at a state funded school you
do not have to pay, it’s free.
Over all Buenos Aires has a lot to offer & you can’t possibly see it
all in one day.
I must get some rest cos I didn’t really sleep too well on
the plane from Miami. Tomorrow, I’m
off to Ushuaia to the southernmost city in the world to catch the Explorer before it set sails for
Antarctica from Cape Horn in Tierra del Fuego.
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| Beagle Channel |
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| Start or Finish to the Pan America System of Roads |
I did have quite the rested sleep while I was at the Caesar
Park Hotel & I didn’t want to wake up to be honest.
The beds were very comfortable. I woke
up at the crack of dawn to go down to Patagonia via plane. I flew into Ushuaia;
it was about three and a half hours from Buenos Aires. Yes, Patagonia is the
name of the southern most regions of Chile & Argentina not the famous
clothing company from California.
I do love their stuff, but I was fascinating to actually visit the
region.
It’s very beautiful with
the Andes & the Beagle Channel that surrounds the region. I found out that
the Pan American System of Roads either begins or starts in Lapataia & goes
all the way far up to Fairbanks, Alaska. The majority of people traveling on
the road are Europeans & travel either by automobile, motorbike or
bicycle.
I enjoyed my
adventure on the road today traveling threw the national park before embarking
a catamaran for lunch & scenic cruise in the Beagle Channel. The cruise was
very nice.
I enjoyed it before
embarking onto
the Explore to being my journey this evening sailing through the
Drake’s Passage.
The passage is
famous for its unpredictable weather & sea conditions where there is no
landmass to stop or alter the weather systems going around the southern part of
the southern hemisphere. The adventure will begin soon to Antarctica. This
should be a good one. I’m already at home on the boat & there’s known
telling on whom I will talk their ear off…
