She Tales # 2 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
The grand architecture of Buenos Aries was first to catch my eye. Yeah right! Although the buildings are beautiful, the women are incredible. They’re all long haired, tan-skinned, impeccably fit, fashionably dressed women. I am a woman and I should know. Christopher and I arrived into town by way of the public bus, and here I am schlepping my backpack in the sweltering heat, down block after block, on the way to our hotel. I am clad in hiking boots, Old Navy khakis, and a somewhat funky Rayon shirt. We have been traveling for twenty hours, beads of sweat are running down my forehead, and I am about as far from glamorous as I have ever been - I am a fashion disaster.

These women blew me away - wearing form fitting, runway style clothes, including high heels and matching handbags. My female instincts kicked in and I wanted to go shopping. Alas, unless I hired a permanent sherpa, I would have nowhere to pack any thing I purchased, as my one blue backpack is my sole piece of luggage. I developed a little complex, how could I compete with these women? Then I remembered I don’t have to, I’m married to a man who married me because I am an adventure girl not fashion queen. I am also convinced from the look of things, there are no overweight people here in Buenos Aires. It is a beautiful city filled with warm, friendly, beautiful people. Buenas Aires likes to think of itself as the “Paris of the South” and it is very much a modern metropolis, with a cosmopolitan flair. Internet cafes and fine restaurants are abundant; Opera and Theater are world class. It is a city that seriously never sleeps, dinner begins at ten “ish” (although you can eat any time you like) and dancing is from midnight through dawn, Tango is danced mostly in the districts of San Telmo and Palermo, for Disco the district is Recoleta.

Buenos Aires is made up of 28 neighborhoods; San Telmo where the Tango was born is vibrantly alive with Tango bars and the Almacen hosting energetic, passionate shows for tourists. Recoleta is a district striving to be the Beverly Hills of Buenos Aires, its modern buildings with fine restaurants and shopping area complete with marble floors. Recoleta also boasts a Hard Rock Café for those out of towners from the States looking for a taste of home. The district of Caminito is a gem; it was originally an Italian fishing village and is now a colorful artist’s neighborhood. When I say colorful, I truly mean the buildings are all multi colored, peach, red, blue, yellow, magenta, all in large enough blocks not to look garish, the colors work and add big character to a little neighborhood. Caminito is a small neighborhood with a wonderful feeling of welcoming for visitors. On Sunday, the sun was bright and warm, the streets where lined with artists and performers. Watercolors on woven paper, oil on canvas, steel sculpture, paper mache, etchings, photography and the list goes on, most are originals, and most of very good quality. Street performers sang Tango music to live accordion players and somedays Tango is danced here in the street. Here in Caminito with its feeling of yesteryear swirled with art, I felt closest to Argentina, away from the modern bustling city, in the heart of one of Buenos Aires oldest districts.

Buenos Aires does have grand architecture: Italian columns, Spanish and French ironwork, and Baroque moldings adorn many buildings. Unfortunately though, 20,000 buildings are in decay, and newspapers have daily reports of balconies and walls crumbling into the sidewalks. Due to the poor state of Argentina’s economic status, there is little being done to save these buildings. The capitol building was modeled after the one in Washington D.C. and looks just like it except for a narrower dome. The President’s palace is an imposing pink building with a center courtyard open to the elements in a Latin-American design. The public is allowed on a guided tour the Palace and if you don’t speak Spanish, go on a Friday. They gave a thorough tour, but we did not understand all that the guide was saying because of our limited Spanish, the English speaking tour is only on Friday, and it was not Friday. I was surprised at how much of the Palace they actually presented including meeting rooms, the swearing in room. Most of the floors inside the meeting rooms were wood inlay, rosewood, cherry wood and mahogany, all the other floors were imported marble, very elegant.

The Opera House, or “Theater Colon”, is another elegant architectural work of art. Interestingly enough it took three architects to complete the Opera House, due to the deaths of the first two - rendering this grand theater with a mix of styles. The entryway is topped with a magnificently colorful 3-section stained glass ceiling. Inside is a grand marble staircase, which leads to the level on which the President of Argentina’s box resides. Our tour leader granted us entrance into the Presidential box to experience the view from these priceless seats. We were seated in the very spot that President Peron and his wife the famous Evita Peron were sitting years before. Below the Presidential Box is the orchestra seating leading forward to the massive stage. Above, seven stories above, hangs an expansive crystal chandelier with 2000 bulbs. Encircling the opulent chandelier is a museum quality painting depicting performers and their muse dancing on a blue and clouded background as to resemble the sky. The seventh level of the Opera house is affectionately called paradise, for 2 possible reasons: because the seats are so close to heaven or because Opera buffs prefer to sit here because the sound is “pure”. The building is acoustically perfect, so you can hear without the performers use of microphones equally as well from the President’s box as in Paradise.

Picturesque city parks are abundant, and clean. In fact, I have never seen so many parks scattered throughout a city. Brick pathways meander in the shade of tall sprawling trees, past fountains, and flower gardens. Benches add to this welcoming feeling inviting people to sit down and enjoy a piece of tranquility inside the grounds away from the clamor the big city. Dog walkers are a common sight here; walkers usually have from four to twelve dogs, all on leashes, most well behaved. The dog walkers are really a sight to see, as they are surprisingly in control of the situation. They are just people who apparently love dogs and this is what they do to make a living. Moreover, as an added note, they leave nothing behind.

Buenos Aries claims to be home to widest street in the world, Avenida 9 de Julio, is 22 lanes wide - 11 in each direction. There is even a narrow strip park on each side of the street between lanes 9 and 10, and a very narrow median. Argentina claims it is the widest street in the world and I believe it, it is huge. When crossing the street on foot you had better hustle, because that “WALK” sign does not stay green for very long. New to crossing a street this wide, the first time we got stuck in the middle on the narrow median, cars lined up waiting to go beside us revving there engines with exhaust fumes billowing. The cars are typically very small here, much like an old Ford Escort or Honda Civic. When the street light turns green, it is like the running of the bulls in Spain. Any order or use of lanes, is nonexistent; what lanes? The drivers just fit in as many cars as they can across and wait for the green light, then, he who is the fastest and biggest moves where he wants to move. Although the use of lanes or blinkers does not exist here, the traffic seems to move in one fast flowing mass, like a giant school of fish, not much honking or jerking - just what I would define as fast, crazy, laneless driving, leaving only inches between vehicles.

A few tourist type outings are a must: a tango show and a ride out of town to a Fiesta Gaucho. For anyone who has not yet witnessed an Authentic Argentina Tango, I highly recommend it. The sleek-bodied dancer’s feet move extremely quick, almost so fast your eyes cannot keep up with what the dancer’s legs are doing. Her high-heeled feet fly through his legs, and I wonder if the men wear a cup when the women are learning, and the bruises they must sustain to their legs in the name of Tango. When the dances are over, you can see the rise and fall of the performers chests - they are duly out of breath from their artistry.

The festive Fiesta Gaucho gave us the opportunity to sample Argentina’s ranching culture and typical foods. Ranchers here are very proud of their horses and herd them with a lead horse wearing a bell around its neck. If a rancher has three herds of horses, the lead horses of each herd all have a different sounding bell, and the different herds are taught to follow that herds exact sounding bell. I guess then, it is not common to have a deaf horse. The demonstration was proof positive that many wranglers and their dogs are not needed for this technique of herding. The Ranch offered up samples local wines and typical foods including one very dark sausage with a mushy texture, turns out it was BLOOD! Ick. (if your not into that) Good thing I had some local wine left to wash that down. Meeting other travelers from around the world is another perk at the Fiesta because seating is Family Style. We met great people from Peru, Jaime and Karina. They speak a little English and we speak a little Spanish, it is surprising how fast we became friends with only two broken dialects and sign language.

Back in Buenos Aires, we hopped in a cab to get back to our Hotel. “Olah” I say when we got in the cab. The young energetic cabby with a shaved head asks “Tu gusta la musica”, meaning “Do we like music?” “Si, si” Christopher replies and the very happy cabby cranked the Rolling Stones. He now thinks we speak Spanish and he was trying to tells us about many things, including the fact that he does not like this traffic so he is taking us on an alternate route. He likes to fly fish and his amigo has a fly fishing school. He pops out the CD and throws a Supertramp CD into the player. He picked up one of four harmonicas in the console and started playing to “Take the long way home”, he was very good and we were all jamming, here in Buenos Aires to North American Rock and Roll. Christopher and I looked at each other and we were filled up with laughter, what a fun ride home. Playing next was AC/DC, and we are speeding up Avenida de Mayo past the National Bank of Buenos Aires, which he flips of in local fashion by swinging his clenched fist into the air and slapping his bicep with his other hand. Half a block later we passed a church and he then crosses himself and kisses the same hand he just used to flip off the bank. He safely drops us at Hotel Castelar and we thank him kindly for Senior Cabby’s wild ride.

Buenos Aires has a lot to offer, innumerable choices for all walks of life. Dare to Tango, enjoy the high culture of the Opera, or just stroll through the artwork in Caminito. Whatever you choose, or choose it all, you will have a great time.