I'm new...Buenos Aires

People of Argentina - I send you the gift of The World of Anton…. 

**Cue the music..**

Picked up by the driver known as John Boyle, the 'go-to' man for the fast track tour, his insights of town means you'll never get bored. He gave me a taste of the best B.A. has to offer, but when there's so many things on offer, choosing's hard!  

Stunning European Architecture

My senses were at a loss. Sight, sound, smell all indicated I was in a grand European city. A smorgasbord of architectural gems flanked bustling streets full of European made cars zooming past romance language speaking peoples. Clearly this place would prove far different from my exploits in Colombia.

John pointed out the Floralis Generica, a mighty tulip sculpture made from aluminum that opens and closes depending on the time of day (and amount of sunlight). It was a gift from the Queen Consort of The Netherlands, who is Argentine. Her father was suspected of being involved in the Dirty War of the late 70s. When she became engaged to the future King, her father wasn't invited to the wedding for fear that he soon would be charged with crimes against humanity, thus placing the royal family in an awkward situation. He eventually was charged, but found not guilty. 

Rose Garden

Just off Avenue Libertador we visited the famous Rose Garden. Varieties by the hundreds from all over the world can be seen, many of which were planted long ago. Winning specimens are proudly presented with plaques commemorating their creator. I was surprised that such a beautiful garden could be so empty of people; then again, there are so many large parks in Buenos Aires that one hardly encounters anyone. 

With fine parks come fine residences. Ambassadors to Argentina live quite comfortably in mini-palaces. The landowners and industry magnates of early Argentina clearly did very well for themselves, enough to build stately homes the size of hotels. I imagine when the economy hit rock bottom, governments were able to snatch the places up for pennies on the dollar. Some were simply abandoned.

One such example is the Palacio Duhau, currently home to the Park Hyatt. Nestled between two equally massive homes, the hotel ran into complications with one of its neighbors - the Vatican embassy. In addition to renovating the main house, the hotel constructed a separate high rise on the lower end of the property. Problem was it overlooks the swimming pool and gardens of the Vatican embassy where priests allegedly enjoyed skinny dipping. The building's grand facade begs the question of whether Pope Francis [the humble] shall ever dispose of it. 

Palacio Duhau's other neighbor is far more intriguing. No one seems to know who owns the mysterious manor. One person said it belongs to an elder lady who lives in New York. Another suggested a wealthy Scottish family owns it but only visits twice a year. The only consistent part of the story was that a housekeeper still lives there, evident by a single upstairs room lit each evening. But don't think about trying to get through the 12 foot high cast iron gates to knock on the front door - several Rottweilers guard the perimeter like mad, barking ferociously several times throughout the day.

English-built clock tower
adjacent Falklands War
Memorial

While driving through the city a peculiar mural of a male soldier caught my attention. According to John, he was the first Argentine killed during the Falklands War. The circumstances around this were curious to say the least given that he too was soon to face criminal charges for his role in the Dirty War. As Harvey Dent exclaimed, you either die hero or live long enough to be the villain. This one opted for the former.

A must-see for every first-timer in Buenos Aires is Recoleta Cemetery, often touted as the most beautiful cemetery in the world. Grand mausoleums in the form of Greek temples, Roman chapels, gothic masterpieces, and minimalist designs sit squeezed together along narrow walkways. The cemetery houses the remains of Argentina's elite - from aristocrats and moguls to generals and presidents. Strolling past the ornate designed tombs my thoughts were torn between an appreciation for their beauty and utter disgust for the amount of money spent by these narcissistic assholes partaking in an eternal pissing contest. My belief that hypocrisy abounds proved not disappointing when my eyes fixated on the massive tomb for the nuns who ran a foundation helping the poor. On the contrary, Eva Peron's final resting place is a humble marker on the Duarte Family plot, down a quiet, narrow alley. 

Rufina Cambaceras' Tomb

One of the most interesting tombs belongs to a woman named Rufina Cambaceras. Her life ended tragically at just 19 years old. As the legend goes, she collapsed at home on the eve of her wedding. Three doctors pronounced her dead of a heart attack. She was quickly sealed in a coffin and buried the next day. Soon after cemetery workers reported hearing screaming from an unknown origin. A few days later while cleaning the cemetery, a worker noticed her coffin had moved and was punctured. Upon opening it workers and family members discovered scratch marks lining the inside and on her face. Poor Rufina was buried alive. 

My final stop with John was Plaza de Mayo located in front of Casa Rosada. The small park is famous for many instances in its history, most involving great assemblies of the Argentine people. It was here that crowds listened attentively to the profound words of Evita, and later rioted when the economy collapsed overnight in the early 2000s. 

Casa Rosada and Plaza de Mayo

Since 1977, a group of women known as the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo held weekly marches around the plaza protesting the government for information about their "lost sons" who were disappeared during the Dirty Way from 1976-83. Because the media was tightly controlled, even residents of other neighborhoods in Buenos Aires had no idea this was taking place. It wasn't until Argentina hosted the World Cup in 1978 when members of the foreign press corps picked up on the story, broadcasting it around the world. To this day some 30,000 lost sons are unaccounted for, most presumed dead. 

Argentina's troubled past doesn't stop with military dictatorships. The economy has collapsed on more than one occasion, plummeting the value of its currency. Inflation is such a problem that illegal money exchanges are everywhere. Known as 'Blue Markets' they offer far better rates than official banks. While there, the bank rate was 8.5 pesos to USD. Blue market rate was 12.6, and topped out at 13.2. To put that in perspective, for every 100 USD I exchanged, I got the equivalent of $150 in pesos. Meals, hotels, and everything else instantly became 30-40% cheaper.  Boo-yah!

Uncle Rick met me in Buenos Aires the day after Christmas. Having been here nine times previously, he would prove to be an insightful guide. Together we toured the Teatro Colon, Argentina's national theatre. It is beyond a doubt one of the most magnificent theaters on earth. Built by three architects, one Italian, one French, and one Belgian. The first two died within months of each other. However, the end result brought a marriage of their different styles together. The atrium is topped with a stunning stained glass dome. 

The stage is one of the worlds largest, occupying a space twice the size of the seating area. The height is roughly 85 ft.  Seven floors of boxes, plus a standing room only area on the 8th floor, rise above the Orchestra level. Along the right side were Widow Boxes covered with iron screens. In times past, widows who made public appearances during the mourning period at festive events were frowned upon. These boxes, along with a separate entrance, allowed women to attend the Opera without being seen.  

On the contrary, two people expected to be seen at performances have the best worst seats in the house: the President of Argentina and Mayor of Buenos Aires. Their respective side boxes face each other and the far sides of the stage. Our guide took us into the Presidential box unfrequented by current president Christine Kirchner for her utter hatred of the mayor. While the view from her box is terrible, the theatre's acoustics are considered the world's most perfect. After a Luciano Pavarotti performance, he and the conductor were asked how they found the theatre. The conductor replied, "the worst part is that no theatre has sound as good as this one."

Cafe Tortino

A short walk from the theatre is Cafe Tortino, a landmark establishment in Buenos Aires. Though today crowds of tourists line up outside awaiting their turn to fall into this iconic trap. Granted, it is a fine example of the many cafes from Argentina's glory days in the early 1900s. Our lunch wasn't anything spectacular, certainly not worth the thirty minute wait. My advice to anyone would be to skip it. Head over to Cafe de Los Angelitos instead where you can enjoy a more low-key cafe by day and catch a fabulous Tango show (dinner optional) at night. The dancers were absolutely incredible; I left the show quite intimidated, having spent the previous eight weeks having tango lessons in Austin. 

Rick took me to the fashion street on Avenue Florida, where tourists can find everything from leather goods to cheap nicknacks. I must have gone in a dozen fine mens clothing shops looking for collar stays. Not a single store had them. 

San Telmo Market

A more exciting shopping experience can be found at the San Telmo Market - the beating heart of Buenos Aires every Sunday. Along what must be a 2 mile long crowded, narrow street, venders sell everything from handicrafts to leather goods to antiques and junk a like. I stopped by El Zanjon House museum to see what the original Buenos Aires under colonial times was like. Two small rivers converged below the house, so tunnels were constructed to allow the water to flow into the nearby harbor.  

In addition to shopping, many artists, entertainers, and musicians can be found in San Telmo on Sunday. My favorite was a puppeteer putting on a small show from his briefcase stage. The 'drunk' puppet was fun to watch, and though I couldn't understand the words/lyrics of the story, watching him stumble around proved very amusing. 


Next to San Telmo is Puerto Madero - the new, hip neighborhood that reclaimed Buenos Aires' disused docks. Renovated warehouses and factories housing restaurants, bars, and clubs along the port give way to commercial and residential high-rises. Chic in every sense of the word. I passed the time walking along both sides of the water, at one point crossing the contemporary designed 'Woman's Bridge.' I loved the area so much that twice I returned, including our farewell dinner at Sottovoce. 

Puerto Madero - Woman's Bridge, center

My last day in Buenos Aires was spent walking around Palermo, a lively, old world district famous for its cozy restaurants, cobblestone streets, and busy nightlife. The tango school Rick had frequented was a few short blocks from the charming guest house I booked. We walked over to DNI Tango hoping fo a lesson or two, but sadly they were completely booked. Nevertheless, I left Argentina gripped by its charm, beauty, and energy, eagerly looking forward to another visit.