San Telmo cafe
The old municipal jail in San Telmo - now a museum, entry gratis
Jail Pharmacy - the odour of the many powders and lotions still lingers acridly in the air.
Cabildon Jail - replica of a cell
Accommodation for transients in striped suits.
The bell tolled probably for quite a few of the old inmates
Entry hall to 'private quarters' for male prisoners, who were allowed conjugal visits.
Wall sculpture in front of the 'privacy room' - just in case the poor prisoner had forgotten what it is all about.
Church of San Telmo, adjoining the prison - which originally was a sacred site: A Jesuit Cloister.
The neighbourhood of San Telmo was stricken by a Yellow Fever epidemic in 1871 - here a plaque commemorating the heroic efforts of people in San Telmo during the 'Dantesque Contortions' of the plague.
For anyone who has not made the connection San Telmo is the same Saint who is famous for Saint Elmos fire.
Baroque Entrance to San Telmos church.
And - Carlito Gardels 'replica' still proclaims that 'Gardel Lives'!
Oswaldo y Pochi, another year older, still dance Tango on a couple of square meters of ply-wood in Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo.
The Antique Fair, a Sunday attraction of Plaza Dorrego still sells the same type of copper pots.
...and coloured glass vases....
with a few free tango shows in surrounding restaurants rounding the picture...
..and tango hats for the tourists, to make them feel authentic...
...and old neck bells of 'madrinas' (herd mothers of Gaucho horse teams) living out their last days in a vendor's stall until purchased by anybody but a Gaucho.
The traditional purchase at San Telmo's antique market: Old Soda dispensers...
One finishes the day off at Bar Seddon, another 'bar notable' of Buenos Aires, which seems unchanged since donkey's ages. However, nowadays, it is a tourist haven, a place one has to tick off the 'places to see' list. So - I saw it. Had a 'gaseosa' and a couple of empanadas, which were not quite as tasty as the ones of my neighbourhood bakery.
To go or not to go to Tango...that was the question. But, after one of the 'carritos' (vendor's carts) driving into the back of my leg, I thought it may be advisable to forego tango. Not much damage to talk about...
Hasta Luego Argentina, Hasta Luego Buenos Aires....I hope to return again. Crazy country, crazy city, crazy people - but - ever so captivating and fascinating.
Sitting at Ezeiza Airport of Buenos Aires, waiting for my departure to snowed-in, chilly, ever so civilized and quiet British Columbia. It will be quite a challenge to listen to the sounds of silence when going to bed, instead of falling asleep to a background sound of garbage trucks, neighbourhood fiestas, next door folkloric concerts, upstairs TV programs, cars crashing around the corner, and police car sirens.
OK - off to nearly 24 hours of homeward aerial trek....
