Monday 23 January Kulture and stuff
Apparently Dave got home at 5am, utterly rooted, tried to climb up to the top bunk, collapsed on Richard (bottom bunk) and stayed poleaxed until 2pm. We were oblivious to this. I found Stephie on Skyp very early and thence Warren, who mentioned in passing that Courtney had signed up with a modelling agency, which I knew, but he said she sounded excited about it. I thought I would check and just as well – it seems she had just got back from her first shoot for a national clothing chain! Wow ! I was quite blown away by that.
We took to the bus (what a pleasure to sit in a motorised transport vehicle and proclaim to all and sundry “Bus bus bus this is a bus” without fear of having to wear undies a la Superman). A short trip to La Boca, sharply contrasted with Rio by the calm driving and the ability to board fully and even reach a seat without being slung around like a pinball.
La Boca is a quintessential part of BA, characterised by brightly multi-coloured houses, restaurants and tango dancing. Also a lot of touristy souvenir shops. I should explain that we have noticed over the past few days that the Argentines have a strong cultural attachment to the Beatles and the Simpsons. Why? I dunno, but they keep cropping up in their art. And of course football (soccer).
Lots of balcony, window and door people, these are Maradona, Evita & Carlos Gardel (famous tango singer)
Tango at lunchtime
Four years after the Falklands war (England 1 - Argentina 0), Argentina met England in the quarter finals of the 1986 World Cup. Argentina won the match and the Cup, thanks to a goal by Diego Maradona that was very obviously handballed by him. He professed innocence, insisting that what the cameras showed was “The Hand Of God”.
The Argentines are delighted with the outcome and not at all phased by the controversy. The main wall of our hostel’s bar is emblazoned with a hilarious image of the goal (see under)
We managed to collect fridge magnets which succinctly captured the very essence of this cultural hotchpotch. Have a giggle.
We came back to the main city centre for lunch – splurging out on a sirloin steak (very nicely cut and perfectly cooked) and fish and chips. We noticed that there was no girly stuff on the plate – the steak and chips consisted of a steak and chips. Similarly the other plate was denuded of tomato, lettuce etc and just had chips and some very creatively textured fish pieces with random spirals of batter branching in all directions. All that for $20.
Then it was time to head off to Recolletto, the suburb most consistently recommended in guide books. It is a cemetery for the rich, including Eva Peron in her family crypt (Duarte) and a number of other former presidents and revolutionary leaders. We will just let a few pictures tell a thousand words – certainly the place was worth an hour or so and it had a decided spirit all its own.
Eva Peron's family crypt
Very elaborate crypts, some with underground caverns several floors deep
This is a recent addition, a past Argentine President
Above is adorned with Egyptian symbols and right is actually a pyramid with a portico jutting forward. No clue as to who they belong to.
Professional dog walker dropping one of her charges back home - a happy lab
Back to the ultra cheap lolly shop, quick baguette dinner, happy hour cocktail (just one) Soho. Then down to the bar where there is a Spanish lesson/quiz/drinking session afoot. Apparently some Government office over the road has complained about the washing hanging over our balconies and now there is a 1,000 ($200) peso fine. Only one more day in BA then about 5 days driving south with 5 extra bodies aboard.
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