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Published: December 4th 2007
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Today we decide to visit the BA suburb of La Boca. La Boca is one of the most picturesque places due to its colorful port setting. The corrugated roof style of the houses and the customs reflect the European influence, mainly southern Italian, who arrive between 1860 and 1910.
The so-called "a Piccola Italia" (Little Italy) is stamped with medirerranean style, from its typical restaurants "cantinas" to its architecture. Brightly painted multicolored houses, inhabited by families, called "conventillos" give La Boca its main characteristic. La Boca has always been a working class neighborhood and in the past, people used the paint left over from ships to paint their houses. You will notice that sidewalks are elevated to prevents flooding from the Rio de la Plta.
Started the day walking through Plaza de Mayo in search of an info center as we needed to find out how to catch a local bus to La Boca. Finally found out where to catch the bus and what number, waited for an hour an no bus came. So we caught a cab to La Boca. Immediately we were taken aback by the colourfulness of the place, it was so beautiful and we were
Plaza de Mayo
me in front of the cathedral. eager to explore more. It was almost lunch time - so first thing first we started looking for food but could not make out the ingredients from the menu items so we kept walking. Then we passed a food stall where this interesting, jovial and I think slightly mad Italian took a liking to Anshu and her "wonderful short haircut". He started talking to us in somthing of a Spanish and English mix with a Italian accent =) He managed to convince us to eat one of dishes with some wine - all the time he was preparing our food he was dancing and singing opera and talking at the same time. Anshu happily finished her meal, I mananged to eat a bit - we had just been eating the inside of a cow's stomach with beans!!!!!! So after being throughly entertained (we were in hysterics) and somewhat full we proceeded to explore the main street of Caminito.
The houses looked so beautiful and every now an d again there was a life size paper mached person hanging out the balcony. There were artists and painting everywhere. Stunning painting. There were street performers and tango dancers grabbing the general
Statue
in Plaza de Mayo. public for a bit of Tango, only to ask for money at the end. Anshu and I also also did a bit of tango dancing =) Then we sat did some shopping in and around the markets. The stuff (handicrafts, clothes and momentos) for sale was lovely, but we had gotten used to Peru & Bolivia where everything had been cheap - so we were finding it hard to part with our money (which was getting less). Then we sat on the corner of a street anmd watched the people for a while. A Peruvian now living and trading in La Boca eager to improve his English came and started talking to us about life in different countries. We enjoyed talking to this stranger while we tried to video some people doing the tango. Next a band came marching through the square playing all sorts of drums and instruments, people dancing and following them - was quite a vibrant and festive environment.
After spending hours exploring La Boca, we went and enjoyed the view of the nearby port. Just as we were sitting we spotted the bus we were supposed to catch to get back, run and jumped on
Casa Rosada
a closer look. just as the sun was setting. So proud to have caught the public bus and arrived at the correct destination without knowing any Spanish. We were doing okay.
In the evening we did some cooking and had a good meal and wine while chatting to other backpackers.
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