There are a few stories on how Buenos Aires got its name. One says that settlers in the 1300s established the town on a hill above the old settlement. The new location was free of the rotten smell of the old place down by the swamp. Hence the name in Spanish, Fresh Air. Another story suggests that the Virgin Mary helped calm the rough seas faced by sailors in the area. Another translation being Fair Winds.
Lisa and I got to tour the city yesterday. If you had been plopped here without knowing where you were, you might have thought you were in a European city. French, Roman, and Spanish architecture dominate the skyline. The energy of the city is palpable and the people are friendly and welcoming.
Our first stop, Plaza de Mayo (May Square) was named for the May 1810 revolution that ultimately led to the independence of Argentina from Spain. It is surrounded by Casa Rosada — the presidential palace, the National Bank of Argentina, and the Metropolitan Cathedral (where Pope Francis was the Cardinal). The plaza has been the site of many historic events in Buenos Aires; Evita’s famous speech to the people, protests of all sorts, and most recently, the celebration of the naming of Pope Francis. Take a look:
View of the city street off the plaza. The obelisk, built in 1936, commemorates the 4th centennial of the city
Lisa and Brad in front of the Casa Rosada
The Casa Rosada balcony where Evita Peron told Argentina not to cry for her.
A boy and his father playing with the pigeons.
The National Bank of Argentina — their Fed
The Metropolitan Cathedral. It is currently being renovated. Note the Greek or Roman look to the building.
Signs in the plaza protesting the Falklands War (Malvinas Islands) thirty years hence. They’re still upset about it.
Inside the beautiful Metropolitan Cathedral where Pope Francis used to preside.
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood near the city’s old port. Boca means “mouth” and it sits at the mouth of the Matanza river where it empties into the sea. This area has a distinctively Latin feel. It was the barrio where immigrants, mostly Italians, settled. The tenement houses have been converted to stores and cafes. But, the colorful feel remains. Nearby is the soccer stadium of the local team. It just so happened that they were playing their arch rival yesterday so the blue and yellow colors were flying. There was as much excitement as there will be in San Francisco when the Seahawks come to town later this Fall. Our guide told us that they don’t allow opposing team fans in the stadium to avoid riots. I hope that doesn’t happen in American sports.
A tenement house.
A relative?
A Whole City of Dead People!
La Recoleta Cemetery holds the graves of many of the rich, famous, and prominent people (now dead, of course) in Argentina. Eva Peron is here. There are a few former presidents, the founder of the Argentine Navy is here, and there are people with interesting and, for some, macabre stories.
This isn’t your ordinary cemetery. It consists of mausoleums arranged like streets and alleys in a city. There was even a locator map at the entrance so you could find any one of the four thousand people buried there. Entire families are interred in each, and, in most cases, the caskets and urns are open to those walking by. Sounds creepy. But, it was more fascinating than anything. As we roamed from street to street we noted the wide variation of designs and styles. Some mausoleums were fancy and ornate, others very plain. Some were old, some new. They were constructed of brick, stone, marble, metal — you name it.
There was the story of one family’s plot in which the teenage daughter, who had a heart condition, died and was interred in the family mausoleum. Except for one problem — she wasn’t dead. A few days later they found the casket moved, the lid askew. She ultimately died from her heart condition trying to get out. The father built a statue of a young girl opening a door to the front of the mausoleum as a symbol of her ultimate entry into paradise. Yeah, we thought the story was creepy too.
After wandering a few aisles, we came upon Eva Peron’s (Duarte) grave site. There were many fresh flowers on it. Even though she died in 1952, it is amazing the influence she still has on the Argentine people to this day. I must admit we were all a bit star struck standing there with the coffins inside visible to us.
A “street” in the cemetery.
And, finally, Eva Peron’s grave.
CJ’s cousin guarding the cemetery.
Alright, enough talk of the dead.
Finally, Lisa and I had to make a stop to buy Argentina’s signature product. The country is known for its cattle. Beef is an art form here. And, leather goods are among the best in the world. We both found leather jackets we loved at Casa Lopez, a well-known leather goods designer. Here we are with our very happy sales lady modeling our find:
Lisa and Brad's Travels 