Monday 9th January 2017
There were three places I set out to see today but I had one massive requirement: I HAD to find an external hard drive as the one I brought with me wasn’t ‘speaking’ to the laptop and I could do nothing with it, so a computer shop was a must and then I intended to go to the Recoleta Cemetery where Eva Peron is buried and down to La Boca. They are in completely different directions from my hotel! I wasn’t planning to walk 11km again either! And I wanted an afternoon siesta as the person who last slept in my room here had set the alarm for 6.00a.m.: that was a nasty shock!
I’ve been a little wary when asked where I come from as the British conflict with Argentina over the Falklands – the Malvinas as they are known here – is still a source of discord, but everyone I have met has been super welcoming and helpful. The guys in the computer shop looked up bus details on maps for me and showed me exactly where to get on and off the bus and when I hadn’t followed the correct procedure to get the right ticket for the bus a young man behind me paid the fare for me. I tried to pay him, but he wouldn’t take money. That’s when you remember how many paybacks there are in life. If ever I forget, feel free to remind me.
It was interesting to see the upmarket end of the city and to hear from one of the computer salesmen just how many taxes there are on electronic goods: a drive that would have been £80 at home was $240 here, a similar one, different brand, was $300. In both shops the salesmen had limited English but bent over backwards to be helpful
Another surprise was the number of businesses which have English names – the London Shop was one I saw today. They seem to do as well as any others.
Using public transport was much as it is the world over. Initially, I stood as there were no seats free. That was no problem as it meant I could see what was going on ahead of us. But as we moved further away from the centre seats became available and I was able to take advantage of one before walking around La Boca this afternoon. According to my maps of the city – whether in books or online – La Boca and San Telmo are adjoining districts. I still have to understand the geography!
When I realised how far La Boca was and saw that there are free guided tours of the cemetery in the morning, I changed my plans and headed for La Boca. What a place!! I loved its quirkiness! The pictures say it all:
Why is the city deceptive? Because on a map it looked to me as if La Boca and San Telmo were very close together and I could walk back to see the square on a less busy day. But it was a fifteen minute taxi ride and I was still a fifteen minute taxi ride from the hotel…. message to self, check the scale of maps next time you go anywhere!
I sat in the Cafe-bar in Plaza Dorrego and looked out on an empty square and walked along an empty Calle Defensa – so different from Sunday’s teeming hoardes!
And it was to be another trip to the San Telmo area in the evening to dinner and a Tango Show, reputedly one of the most traditional in Buenos Aires: it was certainly good. A three course meal of local specialities, half a bottle of Argentinian Malbec per guest and very attentive service definitely deserves a recommendation. So, if you’re in Buenos Aires, looking for a Tango Show, look no further than El Viejo Almacen.
The show venue is just across a narrow road from the restaurant and has the atmosphere of an old theatre. Once again, drinks are free and flow generously.
And now it’s time to move on …. having managed to get to the Ricoleta Cemetery this morning in time for the promised 9.30 tour, I found a sign saying tours were no longer available. walking around alone wasn’t difficult and I can now say I’ve seen Argentina’s equivalent of Highgate Cemetery with the tombs of various prominent people, including Eva Peron.
Now to check out and make my way to the port….
Living the Journey 