Remember the words … Don’t cry for me Argentina! Evita Peron – love her or hate her …she left her mark on Argentina and any tour you do in Buenos Aires is going to take in some part of her history.
Our tour guide took us to Recoleta Cemetary which is like a mini city of above ground tombs.
Of course a visit to Evita’s tomb which is decorated daily with fresh flowers. Back on the bus the tour guide made it clear that she was not an Evita fan – personally I don’t know enough about the history – but what was interesting is that Evita still is able to evoke such passion.
But Buenos Aires is a passionate place. Just think about the tango – a dance that was once frowned upon in polite company. It is a dance that has influences from African and European culture and former slave people of South America. The dance originated in lower-class districts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Just about every corner in popular places like La Boca and El Caminto you can find tango entertainment at street cafes.
Buenos Aires is a huge city with a population of 3 million but another 13 million call the great Buenos Aires home and commute to the all areas of the city. And yet – the traffic is strangely quiet for such a passionate country – not too much hooting and everyone seems to keep their cool. And they love their dogs …. All over I saw dogs – mostly in Buenos Aires with owners or dog sitters / walkers. Now this is apparently a well paid job. You need someone trustworthy who you can provide with your house key and who will collect your dog each day – along with 5 or 6 others – and take them for a long walk. It is obvious that both the dogs and the walkers enjoy this.
One of our lecturers on board the Silver Muse said that Argentina is a country inhabited by Italians who speak Spanish and think they are British. Indeed all around the influence of British culture can be seen in the many cafes in Buenos Aires offering afternoon tea with sandwiches and scones.
There are so many areas of Buenos Aires to discover – parks, flowers and amazing trees.
Argentina is a big country with lots to offer. I travelled to the End of the World (Ushuaia), ate some amazing beef, met some incredible people and there is still so much more to see there – the winelands, Iguassu Falls, the campos and the gauchos.
I guess I will just have to return ….
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