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Published: July 17th 2007
Two weeks ago I took a tour of La Boca that was supposed to include San Telmo. We ran out of time and didn´t make it. So today, i finally got to see Barrio San Telmo (or at least a park with a view and a cute little street). I know there is more, including an antique fair on Sundays, but today I have to say that while I had fun, I wasn´t overly impressed with the barrio.
The deal is, San Telmo is where it all began. This is where in 1536, (insert name of dead Spaniard that I don´t remember here) tried to found a city called Ciudad de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre, named for a virgin who lived in Sardinia. The indiginous tribes were less than hospitable and only three people survived the first year, thus it didn´t quite work. When the city was re-founded in 1580 by some dude who´s name sounds like Gamay, they had the good sense to shorten the name. And then there was an outbreak of yellow fever some years later that made everybody healthy move to (and found) La Recoleta.
At any rate, today it is
a working class, mostly Italian neighborhood. It has some eclectic shops (many local clothing designers work here), but not as nice as Palermo. Still, the park was pretty, and the tour (as always) was a blast.
Anyhow, afterwards I went to see a live Tango show at Cafe Tortoni. It was a lot of fun. I sat at a table with a bunch of Bolivians who were really impressed with my Spanish. The dancers were fabulous, and the songs weren´t as cheesy as the ones i listened to in class. Oh, and Cafe Tortoni bears the honor of being the oldest cafe in Buenos Aires. All in all, very cool. Photos weren´t allowed (but of course were available for purchase). But you can get the idea.
Oh, one more thing that being the nerd that I am I find highly amusing. The computers at the cyber cafe by my house have a new web filter for-er- sites with inappropriate content. It has blocked access to every page of my blog that contains pictures of the Obelisk. I kid you not. Talk about over sensitive. Freud would have a field day. Anyhow, to celebrate this discovery, there will henseforth
be a gratuitous Oblisk picture with every entry. I don´t think I´ll have to repeat anything as (sigh) I am only here for five more days.
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LizzZ
lizzz honey
funny
you took a picture of my old apartment building!!! i lived above the bar hipopatamo. been reading your blog for awhile and im glad you are enjoying it.