The end of 5/22/11

Art on the walls

Walking around San Telmo (a neighborhood of Buenos Aires) proved to be colorful and cheery.
Morbid? Nah. If only everyone could see death as this fun, it would sure make my job a lot easier! Ha!


Strange serpents (with my initials) drew my attention

I was fascinated by how stacked the living quarters were and wondered how much it cost to live in one. It reminded me a bit of Stockholm, but with no color.
I have always been a fan of iron work. This neighborhood was no exception.

From a distance it was just black protection. Upon closer examination, it was definitely protection!!! This was one grumpy lion. I sure didn't want to break in!

Across the street was a charming park, and the couple was unknowingly obliging to add their presence to the romantic mood of the tree tunnel. Funny story, when I was in Hawaii with my grandmother many years back, we drove up and down one particular path looking for the "tree tunnel" marked on the map. We did not see any trees you could drive through, as I was expecting, having had gone to the Redwoods in northern California. On our third pass, I remarked that driving through all these trees (much like in the picture) was much like driving through a tunnel. Insert palm to forehead moment. We were in the tree tunnel!!!

I had originally planned to walk down to La Boca, but weather and time got the better of me and I headed back through San Telmo again, delighted by the colors.

As I had mentioned earlier, I was definitely erring on the side of caution. I had no plan to be out alone, in a city I did not know, after dark. Alone. By myself. In a new city. No way, no how.

I was so glad I had seen tango dancers in Argentina, as I did not go to any shows, and had NO intention of going out ALONE in a city I did not know to see some real dancers. There is a place by my house which would be glad to teach me should I get the inkling. Better safe than sorry, right?

As I wandered back through, I started to get a bit cold and hungry. Next post... my next food and drink adventure. With an unexpected twist!!!

...and there was shopping

Antiques, yes. There were. I absolutely LOVE this dress on the left.
And there was music. Sweet, fantastic music!!!

When I arrived, I saw these ladies, and could only assume they were debating about staying and dancing if it was going to keep raining.

I didn't know it at the time, but this dancing trio seem to be quite popular, and when I wandered a bit farther, I happened upon postcards with their picture on them!!!

The crowd watched as the couple danced. It rather reminded me of an Argentinian version of my German folk-dancing grandparents...

Such passion!

Some dances were soulful. Some quick. The music changed the grey day into a colorful taste of tango.

I ended up buying 3 CD's, and continued to wander the vendors booths.

So many old pieces of what I can only assume to be past treasures. It did sadden me to see some of the architectural details reduced to laying around on a table, hoping the local traveler would bring them home and return them to their previous glory.

Whose grandmother had these belonged to? How many Thanksgivings, Christmas's and Birthdays had these been brought out and then polished?

I found this random sink outside of a shop in an old courtyard to be intriguing. Had it been placed there for garden parties?

Clearly wealthy people had lived in homes like this. I had heard of recessions in Argentinian past, but how aweful would it be to leave such a glorious place, and how hard must it have been to sell of the pieces. Was it voluntary, or not so much?

I peeked into the back room of one of the shops and wondered what it had been like for the people seizing the details, the lamp shades, the door knockers? Awkward? Rewarding?

I continued down the cobble stone paths in search of more adventure....

Ducking out of the rain

If you look at the last picture in the last post, you will see on the left side of the picture a building. Yup, that's how far I made it before I ducked in to this place to warm up.

I asked for the menu in English, which I thought might be easier to understand. I should have stayed with Spanish!
I was very, very delighted with the way they served my wine. Why don't they serve it like that here???

The bread was scrumptious! Once again, I jumped right into eating the steak, remembering about 5 bites in to photograph it! Oh, but it was tasty!

Ironically, (maybe it is the Irish in me) the side dish of potatoes with cream took the cake. I still drool when I think of them!

This next picture is shot from above. I sat in the far side by the windows on the ground floor so I could watch all the people go by. Turns out not many people walk around in the rain, but it was great ambiance.

If you want to expand the picture, you can see where about I was.

By the time I stepped out again, the rain had stopped, and I was free to roam.

I had heard that the antique shops and street vendors were fantastic, and I headed in the direction I saw they were.

I am sure there are usually more street vendors with less rain, but it made for a more pleasant, personal shopping experience.

I walked down the cobble stone street to see.....

I came up to rain

Stepping off out of the subte tunnels I was met with a drizzly scene...
But Don't Cry for me...I was in Argentina!!!! Yes, I found where it was stated!
I could only image how many people had filled this square when Evita made her speach, but I sure wasn't going to wander around. It was raining, and I had not brought an umbrella, nor was I going to buy one. What's a little rain among travel adventures? I made do...

Ok, so I had to get a little closer to get a better picture of me in front of the "pink castle."

Being as it was mostly under construction, I didn't linger long...

...but I did enjoy this statue which strangely reminded me of Hawaii a bit.

This kind tree gave me shelter. Colorful tree, it was.

I had not realized how close to their Independance day it was. I wondered if all the flags were normal, or just for the Independance day. Nice touch though!

I can only imagine how much work these people put into these signs, and here they were getting rained on!!!

At this point, the rain was coming down pretty hard, so I looked for a bit of shelter and warmth, hoping the rain would let up enough to let me wander without regretting not buying an umbrella! :)

Small town of Colonia, Uruguay