La Ciudad de Buenos Aires - large, beautiful, vibrant, gritty - hot.
El Obelisco in the centre of downtown, traffic choking the entiry width of the Avenida 9 de Julio, the Champs Elysee of South America.
First day of being a Nueva Portena...new short term resident of Buenos Aires
And the City is right in your face: huge metropolis, a constant movement of people, cars, buses. Unrelenting heat settles into every corner of the city between mid morning and early evening. I headed for Calle Florida, in the 'Microcentre' of the city, a long long pedestrians only street. One only has to brave murderous traffic once every block, when Florida crosses other thoroughfares. Happy memories sneak back into my head, of leisurely jaunts along this very same street, with a refreshing Kir Royal one late afternoon almost a year ago...
A street vendor of Mate paraphernalia takes a rest, probably the effects of too much mate (local herbal tea sipped through silver straws from a bowl), which has a slight mind altering effect
Galeria Pacifico, one of the oldest and most ornate 'shopping malls' in the Microcentre, in other words 'downtown'.
The city of statues, mostly memorials to national heroes waving from prancing bonze horses.
Shopping Mall art: Back in the Galeria Pacifico, I saw this mural, which looks like a painting of a woman having a nervous breakdown in a fitting room, whilst trying on the latest fashion statement.
El Tribunal, one of the hundreds of magnificient buildings in downtown Buenos Aires.
Calle Flores corner cafe - best people watching from the street side terrace. One has to deal with the agressive pidgeons, who take over the table and try to pick away at anything remotely looking like food. They have never heard of the word timidity, as they totally ignore newpapers, napkins, empty beer bottles being waved at them - nothing shooes them away. I was rescued by guests from neighbouring tables, after a whole bunch of these birds enveloped me in a noisy, dirty, fluttering mess - descending right onto my head and shoulders.
Old and new, a happy melange throughout the city...
Teatro Colon, the venerable Opera House of international renown both in terms of architectural beauty and outstanding performances, is only open for guided tours - no operas, no anything for that matter. I may wander through the neo classical/baroque marvel sometime later...
The SUBTE, Buenos Aires well functioning subway system. A number of 'Lineas' fan out from the city centre. Trains are frequent, fast, and best of all - cheap. My preferred mode of commuting around the city.
But - I also invested in a Pocket Guide to City Buses. I need a degree in calculus to figure it out, 749 bus lines....the guide is a marvel in logistics, though, considering we are faced with a city of 13 Million people, one third of the entire Argentinian population.
Plaza Italia, gateway to the Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Rurales (Agricultiural Exhibition Grounds) Rose Gardens, Japanes Gardens, Polo Club venue etc etc etc...
