The last two days have been spent avoiding the shops like a plague (to salvage my bank account!), and sightseeing in Buenos Aires.
Yesterday, Flee and I took a 5km walk through BA to the cemetary of the rich and famous - Dating from about 1600, and featuring its own streets and up to 5-metre high memorials, this is not your typical cemetary. In fact, it more resembles a small town.
Most of the 'gravestones' (or memorials) of the dead are marble/stone edifices the size of a small bedroom. The majority are clear glass at the front, allowing you to se the coffin and decorated area inside. The coffin aside, it feels like you are looking into the window of a foyer. Some 'gravestones' even feature small stircases inside that descend to additional coffins for other family members.
A spot in this cemetary comes at a huge expense, and therefore, it is only the rich and famous buried here.
We managed to track down Evita (Eva Peron)'s family grave, as well as those of many famous influential politicians and wealthy aristocratic families.
It is a shame I am not filthy rich, as I would be quite partial to my own little reservation in such a cemetary for a future date. ;)
Then again, I think I would rather spend the money whilst still alive, as I dont know how much I would be able to appreciate when six feet under!
After our visit to the Cemetary, we took a walk around the city, admiring the beautiful old colonial buildings, and lunching in the leafy Plaza de Mayo, where the bright pink government building stands.
We also managed to see a lively protest in the Plaza. These apparently occur on a weekly basis. For those who dont know, Argentina's recent history is rather controversial.
Ill give you a little summary:
In 1976, in a well-planned coup, the Argentine armed forces overthrew the government of President Peron (1931). Then, between 1976 and 1982, a three-man military group, led by General Videla, took charge and began a ruthless campaign against all opposition. Anyone suspected of favouring opposition was subject to arbitrary arrest, and those who had illegally profited from the former corrupt government were prosecuted. People were kidnapped on the streets and never seen again; the prisons overflowed with so-called political prisoners, and torture was common; there were no trials, and legal process was ignored. An estimated 11,000 Argentines disappeared between 1976 and 1982.
With the return to civilian government in December 1983, Argentina's newly elected president Alfonsin announced plans to prosecute the nine military leaders who ruled during this "dirty war,". After an eight-month trial in Buenos Aires, Videla and his navy commander, Admiral Massera, were found guilty of homicide, illegal detention, and other human rights violations and were sentenced to life imprisonment.
However, In January 1991, Argentina's President, seeking to quell discontent in the military, issued pardons to imprisoned military personnel, including Videla. This resulted in much public protest and outrage, which still pervades today. Furthermore, there remains large numbers of 'disappeared' persons whose murders during the regime have never been recognised. Other offenders who have never been brought to justice still walk the streets of Argentina. The protest we witnessed, comprised partly of families of victims, aims to publicise and rectify these injustices.
After the fairly sobering experience of seeing the protest, we headed back to the hostel for a quiet night in. With my curiosity aroused, I spent the evening researching more about the dirty war on the hostel's computer.
The following day, I tried to find a book on this period, either in Spanish or English, but failed miserably. Unfortunately, it seems this controversial period is still too recent and too controversial to be documented in books sold publicly.
Tomorrow, I fly back to England to see Dan for two weeks. We are planning a jaunt to Berlin to visit friends Nicky and Phil, and then a few days in romantic Rome, before returning to England. In two weeks' time, I will then fly back to Buenos Aires, beofre continuing on to Australia. Sounds like a lot of jetsetting? You are not wrong! Will let you know how I cope with the jetlag!
