Rich in colour and tango, El Caminito is an interesting area of BA. Having read and being warned about the dangers of pickpocketing in BA's most colourful area, I left my cherished pounamu necklace at Fernando's flat and brought along just a little bit of money and made sure to have my camera securely around me. Upon arriving at Estacion Constitucion, I opted to walk instead of taking the bus. It was just as hot as yesterday but I figured I have a smaller chance of anything happening if I walk. Along the way I discoverd a street with the same name as my birthday and called into a small restaurant to sign off on a geocache.
El Caminito is located in the barrio of La Boca, and is where you get the quintessential porteño experience: tango.
Tango originated in BA in the 1880's and is considered a mixture of dances from around the world, including waltz, polka, milonga, and others. It takes two for this sultry dance, and as I wandered El Caminito, I got my chance.
El Caminito was named after a tango song written in the early 20th century by musician Juan de Dios Filiberto. The colours of El Caminito come from locals and settlers using leftover paint to create a rich palette of colours, and over the years the tradition stuck.
Just looking at this sculpture is sure to make you dizzy.
What you see here is more than 1,000 bicycles. After taking dozens of photos and gazing at more than enough tourist kitsch, I set about playing football with some local kids. Even on a hot, humid day, football is a national obsession. After all, Argentina has won the World Cup twice.
This great journey is nearly over, and I've accomplished my ultimate dream of reaching Antarctica. Tomorrow I fly to New Zealand for Christmas and New Years. I'll admit that, after travelling around Argentina, I don't really care for Buenos Aires. Perhaps because I was exposed to so much of Argentina's raw, natural beauty, arriving in the bright lights of BA came as a shock to the senses. Despite the kitsch, I love the colour, and El Caminito is a very bright spot during my brief time in BA.
