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Published: September 29th 2008
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How long has it been since I wrote? We have both been so busy sitting in on classes that we are not signed up for that our days are running together. We have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday free but it seems like we have so much to do that I can’t sit down and write.
Today we went on an excursion to La Plata. It is about 1 hour to the south of BA. It is the provincial capital of Buenos Aries Province. The city of Buenos Aries is the federal capital. While this town was planned from the ground up it decided to put some diagonal streets in to confuse the Brits I suppose. That’s forethought for you. While this place was drawn up in the late 1800’s I guess they knew they would have some trouble with them a hundred years later. Anyway they confused little ol map reader me as we were pulling into town.
We took the bus caus the trains in this country are worse than Amtrack. The Brits established a great rail system for this country at one time but like America other forms of transportation superseded the poor trains and they ended
up losing money. Now the government owns them and has put them pretty low on the budgetary ladder.
It took about half the time to reach La Plata just getting outta BA. There is no such thing as smooth flowing traffic here and stop lights confront you every 10 meters or so. The bus was nice though…better than Greyhound and the station here in BA was nothing like the down and out terminal on 7th Street in Sacramento. Fortunately the bus we caught was at parking space #5. We could have had to walk all the way down to 35. It went further but I quit counting. The place is like an air terminal with destinations all over South America. This is the way most people travel in this part of the world. There is not one bus company so you have to not only select your destination but which company you want to drive with. All very confusing and I am glad our professor is from here and made all the necessary purchases.
On the outskirts of town I noticed the poorer sections. Not everyone is affluent enough to live in our barrio. And the constant graffiti
grates on my neatness sensibilities. I thought the position of the Peronistas and Burger King advertisement was interesting. But we were flying along on the autopista now and no time to contemplate such philosophical ideas.
I think someone from our little community in Cool made an impact on this town of La Plata during its inception. Speed bumps are very popular…at least upon entering the town. Good thing I finished my coffee. We bump along to the bus terminal where we catch a taxi for the Plaza Moreno and the Cathedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion, South America’s largest Neo-Gothic church. Finally competed in 1999 (which makes it “very neo”) it is a great open space inside. However I was distracted from looking up to looking at an unusual painting of the virgin breast feeding Jesus. Next to them was a very disconsolate looking Joseph contemplating his next move. I wish I took a picture of this. What is that saying about a thousand words?
We took a short stroll past what is left of some nice architecture of city and provincial government buildings (20th century functionality won out over many though) over to the Museo de Ciencias Naturales. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. You really needed to know your stuffed animals back in 1888. Lots of dinosaur bones and a group of giant herbivorous mammals that evolved in South America when this place was not connected to the north. All these guys were wiped out a couple million years ago when the continents connected and guys from the north like the saber-toothed tiger and homo sapiens arrived. Too bad there was no “Save the Giant Herbivor” group back then although I don’t know if I could convince Kazuko to come with me if these 20 foot high guys were crawling around. “Don’t worry sweetie, they’re vegetarians.”
And yes my cough is still with me…but better. Maybe the prayer I said in church today will work better than Sudafed.
Chao
Danny and Herbervoious Kazukanus
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Dick and Michiko
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History lesson
keep it coming Danny. Nice of you to give us a little history on Argentina.