Arrived into Buenos Aires feeling somewhat exhausted, the anticipation and excitement of seeing Tom again meant that sleep completely evaded me on the flight over! I stumbled into the arrivals hall, bleary eyed searching frantically for Tom, I walked around the arrivals hall a couple of times but couldn’t see him, and I thought “bloody hell, where is he?!”, I then felt a sharp pull on the back of my jacket, “hey you!”, my first words were, “where were you!”, not anywhere close to the romantic first liner I had planned in my head! Toms was quick to respond “Babe I’ve been following you around the arrivals hall, I waited on the right side thinking logically that would be the side you would exit, but foolish me for thinking you would follow the path of logic, of course you’d exit on the left!”
So reunited and excited for our adventure we made our way into Buenos Aires! First impressions of Buenos Aires is that it is a bustling city full of architecture reminiscent of a Parisian street intermingled with a more modern array of concrete facades. The commercial and business district is polished to reflect the finery of leather and assorted goods found in the more upmarket shops. Quickly you learn to play pavement hopping, as running through many of the streets are holes in the ground concealed behind bright yellow gates. Strangely there are very few workmen to be found repairing the grand assortment of holes, perhaps they are all enjoying a cup of mate, the local drink!
Tom and I spent our first day taking in the sights, familiarising ourselves with our surroundings. Tom very kindly bought me a compass, as he knows I’m lacking in a great sense of direction! I have yet to use it though, as I have such an accomplished guide, I really feel no need!
Tom has very distinct ideas about the kind of traveller he chooses to be. I am frequently told not to get the guide book out in public places, and when consulting a map of the city it must be done down a quiet street as if we are performing a covert operation! I find this incredibly amusing, having travelled on my own for great periods of time, looking like a tourist has been the least of my problems. Walking in the right direction and down the street that leads me where I want to go, often requires me to pull the guide book out, ruffle through the pages, talk to myself a little about how confused I am, I sometimes even do the classic move of putting the map on the floor and stepping into it! As much as Tom would laugh at my peculiar antics, thankfully his sense of direction always leads us the right way!
We spent a considerable amount of time in Buenos Aires walking through the streets, fantastic way to view the city. As a child I always remember my Dad saying “look up, half the beauty of the city is in the architecture of the buildings”. I spend a disproportionate amount of time looking up; balconies in full flower are some of my favourite images to look out for, much to Tom’s annoyance. An Exasperated sigh from Tom lets me know I’m being a pavement nuisance!
I was keen to soak in some Argentine art. Tom and I both have a great appreciation of both classical and contemporary art works! The Museo de Belle Artes was a superb choice! Within, are an array of artworks including sculptures in bronze and iron, oil paintings from impressionists such as Manet and Degas, and tapestries dating back to the 1500’s. The European Art work further impresses upon the traveller quite how significant the French and Spanish occupations were. The European art is composed beautifully amongst the Argentine art, giving the spectator a real sense of how the culture and society of Buenos Aires has emerged.
Our favourite piece was a tapestry woven in the 1500’s, it depicted a grand feast full of joyful celebration, there were so many different characters in the work, Tom and I spent a great deal of time discussing the work and the stories within. If you have been fortunate enough to see tapestry work in some of England’s country estates or have travelled to France and Italy and observed the tapestry work there, you may be unimpressed by this particular work. However, Tom has yet to explore Europe, so this was a rather unique and special find for him. Seeing the tapestry through his eyes, made me equally appreciate the intricacy of the work. The colour had faded significantly from the piece but this in no way detracted from its beauty.
Argentines are very friendly people; there is much chatter and laughter to be heard in the streets! The traffic lends a regular rhythm and beat to the city. The smell of nuts cooking in a cooper saucepan sends my nostrils flaring with anticipation, though I’ve yet to try them! In the Plaza de Mayo are small congregations of War veterans, protesting against the British rule of the Falkland’s. The Plaza de Mayo is where many protests are held, you capture a great sense of sadness and loss as you walk through this square.
The Casa Rosado sits at one end of the Plaza. Historically this has been the residence of the Presidenta’s of Argentina. From the balcony this is where Evita preached to the throngs of impassioned Argentines, alike many other Presidentas and Politicians. At sunset the Casa Rosado glows a glorious pinkie hue, it made me think of all of the loss and heartache the nation has suffered through its tumultuous political history.
A must see if travelling to Buenos Aires is the Museo del Bicentennario built in the foundations of the old customs house. On entering the Museum you encounter a montage of images showing you how the city has changed and evolved from the 1700s to present day, I thought it was a beautiful way to show the changing landscape of the city. It is beneficial to have a sound comprehension of Spanish when walking through the museum as all the exhibits and video documentaries are solely in Spanish.
A must see when visiting Buenos Aires is a Tango show. Tom and I pride ourselves on not being your average Gringo’s so for us it was imperative to find a tango show with something just a wee bit special to set it apart from the rest. We got chatting to a local Argentine who pointed us in the right direction! At 11pm we wondered into a suburban street in downtown Buenos Aires and happened upon an abandoned warehouse kitted out for a night of live music. We were fortunate to grab a table at the front of the stage, so there we were with our empanadas and bottle of vino set for night of Tango! I know that this will always be a special night in our memories; the music we heard this night was full of passion and sorrow. The raw sounds emanating from the violins, piano, cello, double bass and bandoneons (small accordions) made this orchestra a truly unique and special find.
http://fernandezfierro.com/ - check out their music online!
