30 Dec 2011 - Abasto to Puerto Madero

After Christmas one plunges into a 'Shopping Spree' - if not for buying, then for looking...
I headed for the district of Abasto, home of many tango stores, tango shows, and a shopping centre with an artistic flair.


Interior of Abasto Shopping Mall, another architectural marvel, somewhat removed from present day Walmart style big box stores.

My Christmas Present, not quite 'compliments' of the Artesanal, a small shoe and clothing store catering to tango, just across the street from Abasto Shopping Centre.
Prices are still reasonable...even shortening the heel by one centimetre only set me back an extra 8 dollars.
One must remember, attention during tango is drawn to feet and legs, ergo attention-getting shoes are de rigueur. The above pair is relatively 'tame'.
To see some more 'exciting' samples sold by this store
www.shoes-susanaartesanal.com
.....just in case someone wants to mail-order a pair...

A small shopping arcade at Calle Florida still sports the old fashioned brass and copper trimmed elevators - the cage type, with polished buttons.

Ceilings in the old arcades are always a surprise....

A few blocks away is the 'new' part of Buenos Aires, Puerto Madero, a forest of glass sky scrapers built along the old docks of the port. Opposite, on the other side of the navigable canal, a row of refurbished warehouses, with restaurants, offices, boutique stores, and condos.

The old gantry cranes are left on the pedestrian promenades for decoration.

Amongst the bland glass buildings is a museum, the Hilton Hotel, condo and office buildings and the Buenos Aires Yacht Club. Backing onto this collection of newest construction in the City is a large ecological reserve where the River Plate rolls by with lazy mud coloured wavelets.

There are quite a number of restaurants, frequented by office workers and tourists. Quite 'civilized', some of the terraces have netting to keep pigeons from bothering diners.

Any drinks and even local beer are twice as expensive than anywhere else; so are meals.

Despite modern conveniences, brand new buildings, the area feels sterile, cold and lifeless. The famous bridge 'Puente de Mujer' connects Buenos Aires proper with the new development. This bridge as well as three others crossing the channel girate to open for water traffic.

Apart from renting a bicycle or walk through the Eco Reserve, there is really absolutely nothing captivating to do or see. Sanitized Buenos Aires does not seem to possess a soul.

Plaque beside the Puente de la Mujer...

A couple of retired sailing ships are tied up, and are open for visits.

On the City side of Puerto Madero, crossing railway lines (still used by commuter trams) and another one of the many multi lane thoroughfares is the Ministry of Communication.

'Snow' near Plaza de Mayo. Portenos are paper throwers, whether it is the latest restaurant menu flyer, political messages, torn up old calendars, show advertising or red light activity notes....ever so often the ground is covered with paper....

Cristina promises work for all Argentinians, here a work in progress subway station, near Plaza de Mayo.

A bit of a 'British' streak in Portenos...even at the most humble bus station (this one also near Plaza de Mayo, a block from Casa Rosada) they line up quietly for the next bus to arrive.

Argentina's National Bank, across from the main entrance of Casa Rosada.

Just a regular Office Building entrance..

Portal of Banca Frances

Portal of the Catedral...

Windowsill of the Banca Frances...

Entrance to Catedral Subway Station...this man had one hand in the garbage bin (there are garbage bins in the city) and the other buried deeply inside his pants. One of the 'descamisados' (homeless?) with hair that looked as if had never seen water since the day of his birth. Not someone I would want to run into during a midnight Subway Ride...

All that at the Perimeter of Plaza Mayo with it's sumptious Casa Rosada at one end, and sanitized Puerto Madero a block away.

30 Dec 2011 - Teatro Colon

First - the News..
Cristina, the President has cancer of the thorax, discovered 22. Dec. Operation 4 Jan. Prognosis optimistic. Nation shows unanimous support.
Messi, the soccer player, is declared Latin America's Sportsman of the Year. Critics maintain, he is not as good as Pele or Diego Madrona. Well...that was then.
Holiday Exodus towards the beach of La Plata is on. 850.000 Portenos are seeking R&R in the Sea Side city, more than ever. 4000 micro (buses) per day, and innumerable private cars creep from city to beach. Good time to stay home.
100 year old Nelly Omar, the 'Nation's Singer', is performing on TV. She looks and talks and sings not showing her age.
Demonstration march of relatives of 194 victims of Nightclub fire 7 years ago...the emergency exits were chained and locked, to keep non paying revellers out. 16 year old lit fireworks inside, fumes from teddy bear stuffing insulation and plastic sound props poisened discoers...
The dog, presumed humanely put down after a traffic accident, is alive and recovering from a broken hip. TV coverage from animal hospital shows him peeking from a hospital cage.

Tango Lesson schedule and milongas off the usual schedule, so one heads for another discovery. The venerable Opera House of Buenos Aires, newly restored and open again for Performances. Unfortunately the last performance for 2011 was one day before I made it to the Theatre.
Never mind, the palacial building is worth a visit for it's own sake.


Wrought iron and glass entrance canopy of the Opera House


Built between 1890 and 1903, built by Tamburini, and the Architects Meano & Dormal, has been declared a National Historic Monument.

The Entry Hall soaring over red carpeted marble stair-cases, an impressive introduction...

Part of balustrade on entry stair case. Italian marble from Carrera (?) and intricate tile floors.

Leaded ceiling windows, intricately designed, and vividly coloured

Painted ceilings supported by classic columns, and adorned with massive chandeliers.

How about meandering in these halls during intermission, balancing a little Kir Royal in one's hand and mingling with opera aficionados.

And another glance heavenwards to gild edged ceiling adornments, frescoes and glittering candelabras.

French antique furniture (please do not sit here) line the walls of the anterooms. Small chamber music concerts delight in these intimate venues.

Proof that Buenos Aires, at the beginning of the 20th century, was considered the Paris of the South. The splendour and luxury of these mirrored halls remind one of Versailles.

3000 people find room in the actual performance hall. A large round fresco, el Paraiso, tops it off. Sometimes people hold wedding ceremonies up there...a marriage made in heaven.

The building is oval, with six levels of balconies raising straight up from the general seating area.

The accustics are world famous, one of the best ten venues world wide. Pavarotti is said to have complained about the accustics...so perfect, that every minute error can be heard in the farthest corner and every seat.

As a last stop of one of the very small tour groups (security I suppose) one enters the Presidential balcony. Lousy view of the stage, I would say, but lots of room behind the viewing chairs to conduct a bit of lobbying and political intrigue.

I just have to come back again...January to March are off season; only tours are lead through, to get but an inkling, of the elegant performances of concerts, ballet and opera in this magnificient building.

26 Dec 2011 - Boxing Day Buenos Aires Style

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...