First the latest News...
Portenos celebrate everything with fireworks. Christmas sum-up: 160 injured/burnt by fireworks in Buenos Aires alone (200 in Argentina). One 16 year old dead, after putting the wrong end of a lit fireworks stick in his mouth. 80% of injured under 15 years...
Holiday traffic accidents: 14 dead humans, one dead dog
Latter was one of 3 dogs 'abandoned' by owners, after they hit a tree at dawn, and took a taxi to hospital and left dogs tied to wreck. Police and TV on site early morning. Luggage on street, two shocked shaggy little dogs hiding under car and one 'anciano' setter motionless but alive laying against rear wheel. First no help for 'animalitos abandonados', as bureaucracy requires not to disturb 'evidence'. Outcry of viewers, donations for help over TV. Soon 'refugio' rescuers arrive, a vet looks after the motionless dog, the other two are taken for a walk by a 'refugio' helper. Injured dog is given painkiller and an exam in sitio. One of car owners arrives, injured dog too badly hurt...taken into shade on blanket and humanly put to sleep. Announcer on TV burst into tears...
The young government economist, Hayn, allegly having commited suicide, is now found to have died 'accidentally': apparently he indulged in some kind of sex involving nooses and hanging. I suppose, he died doing what he liked to do...I wonder if Cristina (la Presidenta) needed grief-councelling again, as she did when she first heard news of his suicide.
One wonders, what is the most dangerous Activity in Argentina...
Life goes on. A good day to take one of the unusually empty transit buses and head for Caminito, La Boca, tourist destination par excellence. Have to do this once during my stay.
Caminito, the little street, is an area, where dock workers of the late 19th and early 20th century lived in 'conventillos', poverty striken, desperate. Conventillos, housing projects, have the distinction here, that their walls were made from corrugated sheet metal. Many of them are like that to this day. La Boca, the district in which Caminito is situated, is also home to a soccer stadium, proud of champion teams and champion personalities, i.e. Madrona.
It is bordered by the filthiest river known to humankind, has an astronomical crime rate, and hosts the most overrated 'genuine' Argentinian tourist trap. Tourists are advised not to leave the imaginary lines surrounding the couple of blocks of attractions...
At the edge of tourist country, on the other side of the tracks...
Colourful Caminito, a tourist photographer's grab bag for 'tango on the streets'
Wall painting: Viva la Boca
Fun and entertainment: Folkloric Gaucho dancing
Every one of the Caminito restaurants puts on a continuous life tango show
Life music on every sidewalk
On the other side of the tracks...how to pass by a frightening door?
Another door:
Please! (Knok) Knock.
Bell does not work.
Don't break it!! ok
Guard Dog
Sign at a door
Tenement wall adjoining tourist area
La Boca real estate for sale
Note corrugated iron siding...people do live here.
Living on the fringe
Lunching in tourist area, a Portena.
Searching for lunch
Luncheon Serenade entertaining visitors
Porteno mixing with tourists at Caminito restaurant
Young Porteno guarding his nativity scene on the 'other side'
Boxing Day in street-side rotisserie scene
Painted Back...
Caminito 'tango' dancers, ready to pose in tango positions with tourists, hats at the ready..
If the life partners are too much, there are always the cut-outs - for a small donation
Caminito Show locals
Caminito Show tourists
Art for tourists
Art for and by locals - wall painting
Faces at a table
Face of Tita on a wall....
Boca, the soccer stadium - beyond Caminito's tourist spot
Wall painting of Madrona, both, soccer hero and anti-hero.
'Your children and your children's children will ask about him' says the inscription.
Fanatico is the long form of fan...
Historic Puento Viello Avellaneda in the foreground, with the 'Nueve' version behind it. Either one - it crosses into no-man's land....don't go there.
Romantisized version of the Puentos as depicted in a wall painting.
Yes, Tango was born in the old bordellos underneath this bridge...
