Fleas and Tangos in Buenos Aires

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Well, today we gave up on walking around. Cabs for us, and they too are very cheap. So far the most expensive we have taken totaled 3 USD. Since it is Sunday, we, like every tourist in town, headed down to the San Telmo Flea Market. San Telmo is a traditional neighborhood, quite rough around the edges. Its architecture, though crumbling and worse, is gorgeous, and walking around looking up at the stunning french balconies with their loads of french doors made me wish someone would come into this neighborhood with a broom, some fresh paint, spackle and whatever else it would take to return this place to its former glory. The streets are dirty though, the people run the gamut from tango dancing touts to bedraggled looking beggars. On the upside, a 2 bedroom apartment with monstrous windows and 14 foot ceilings can be had for 80k.

The fair is your typical 'antiques heavy' flea market, intermixed with tango shows. This dance is COMPLICATED looking! But it is cool to see a bunch of young people who are proud to be doing a traditional dance. Our stay in San Telmo included a stop at my favorite coffee shop thus far, on the border where San Telmo meets La Boca (where the famous soccer team hails from). Called El Hipopotamo, its the kind of place thats both warm and cozy yet still open, and if I'd have had a book with me, I could have wiled away half a day, sipping cafe con leche.

Today was cold btw. Thus far I have been laughing at the Portenos for walking around in fur and wool coats in the 65 degree air, but today the joke was on me. My thin leather jacket was nothing against the 50 degree air and the whipping wind. I was freeeeezing. I bought a scarf so now I look like them.

Finally, I have to mention that Sunday in New York, of which Mel Torme has crooned about, is open for business after the hour of, lets say, 6pm. Buenos Aires, the capital of all things starting at 11pm, IS NOT. Almost no restaurants nor bars are opened. So, in your travels, plan on Sunday being a day of rest from red wine and beef. Mark and I still managed to have a nice dinner at a quiet cafe, but we were pressed for choices.

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