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Published: February 3rd 2007
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Hurrying through the streets of Palermo, neatly sidestepping the dog excrement and hopping over the wobbly paving slabs I kept my fingers crossed and muttered under my breath that I was only half an hour late and that surely they wouldn’t be closed already. However, as I skidded around the corner onto Thames street, I saw the door had been firmly locked and a forbidding green grill pulled over the shop front. Twenty minutes later, an old lady stopped to enquire (reasonably I think) exactly why I was on my knees peering and shouting vainly through the tiny gap in the door, and I explained forlornly that I had dropped off all my clothes to be washed and I was planning on leaving the next morning. She looked concerned and added to my sense of frustration by remarking that the lavanderia would now be closed all weekend and I would have to wait until Monday morning to retrieve my clothes.
Still, any feelings of irritation quickly disappeared as I wandered back through the leafy roads and by the time I reached the hostel, I was feeling excited by the prospect of spending another two days in such an intriguing city. Arriving
The resurrection
no caption needed five days ago in bay number 63 in Buenos Aires’ sprawling bus station, I had blearily marvelled at the beautiful buildings and huge parks around me and couldn’t wait to explore.
Even after seven days in the capital, I was still entranced and as I feel I can’t really describe everything this wonderful city has to offer in one blog entry and limited time in a sweaty cyber café, I’ll give my top four hightlights.
One - Los Porteños
My first highlight and what gives the city so much of its vibrant, friendly buzz has to be talking to the Argentinean people who live and work there. Although they are often stereotyped as snobbish and distant (often by other Argentineans), I loved their outgoing, warm attitude. From the chatty taxi driver who described to me in detail the atmosphere at the Boca Juniors stadium (Maradonna’s former team) to the elderly woman near the lavanderia who invited me up to her apartment and searched for the shop’s number, I was made to feel welcome by people whose enthusiam for the city they lived in was definatly infectious.
However, many stereotypes have a basis in truth and walking around
Mothers of May
The women wearing the white headscarfs have been protesting every week in the main square since the 1970s. They are asking for information on their 'disappeared' sons. the city’s more fashionable districts where young porteños parade their well dressed selves in cool bars and restaurants you can understand why the rest of Argentina sometimes has a chuckle at their expense. My personal favourite joke is that a tourist stops an Argentinian man on the streets of Buenos Aires and asks him for a light for his cigarette. The Argentiean pats his chest, trousers and back pocket and says ‘Sorry, I can’t find my lighter - but man, do I have a great body.’
Two - The food
I know I shouldn’t really be covering this as its getting a review elsewhere but it really was an outstanding aspect of the city. Although most of the guide books highlight the cheap steak and parillas, it was the exciting, modern restaurants of Palermo which stand out in my mind. From spicy Malaysian and Thai fusion on one corner to vegetarian koftas on the next, this neighbourhood is packed full of international restaurants with unique, thoughtful décor. My personal favourite being ‘Olsen’, a very hip scandanavian restaurant with a stunning central fireplace and tempting range of vodkas.
Three - Tierra Santa
After discovering that I
was in close proximity to the ‘world’s first religious theme park’, I felt that I couldn’t leave the city without a quick peek. Especially as the guidebook described that some locals were visibly moved by the half hourly reconstruction of the resurrection. Just on the outskirts of the city next to the airport, the park is open until 10pm and was packed full when I arrived late afternoon. Employees rush around wearing middle eastern costumes and you can wander amongst them following the story from creation to the Last Supper, looking at slightly spooky painted figures and watching the odd live performance. Sitting by a donkey, I watched people writing on slips of paper to put into the plastic version of the wailing wall, others eating slices of pizza at the bagdad café, a dressed up monk shouting in Spanish into a microphone to a large crowd and an aeroplane noisily passing low overhead and though it was truly the most bizarre place I had ever visited.
Four - San Telmo market
Although the brightly painted houses of La Boca, are more often used as a symbol of the city’s interesting neighbourhoods. The area of San Telmo with
its endless antique stores and packed Sunday market made me want to linger, despite the heat and crowds. From antique pocket watches, that the sellers happily invited you to examine despite their 2000 pounds price tag to tango dancers lining the streets around the square, the market buzzed with energy and interest.
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