Getting into holiday mode

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Geo: -34.6118, -58.4173

On my first proper day in Argentina, I thought I would try to get a feel for Palermo, the bit of Buenos Aires I am staying in. The place was fairly quiet for a Friday afternoon; I guess Palermo is quite residential.

It was bloody cold for a walk. It is slowly sinking in that it is winter here, although the thought that "Blimey, this is some pretty freakish summery weather" does keep crossing my mind.

I went to the botanical gardens in Palermo. Their official name is Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (this place has a thing for long names; after all, the city was originally called "Ciudad de la Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Santa María del Buen
Aire"😉.

It wasn't the best time of year for the botanicals, but I liked it. There were lots of stray cats strolling around. I couldn't help but wonder where they got their dinner.

Actually this weather is pretty unusual - unusually cold for BA. I bought some gloves yesterday, although they are a bit big for me. I should have tried them on in the shop, but sometimes I just want to minimise the interaction.

I just heard on the BBC World News weather forecast that a "big finger of rain is pointing at Buenos Aires" (it could be me, national lottery-stylie!). The fact that this was noteworthy in a three-minute world forecast makes me wonder what I am going to see when I leave the hotel today.

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Photos

"Lenin" and the botanicals
A statue of Francisco P. Moreno in the botanical gardens. Someone had corrected the plaque, writing "Lenin" on it to let us know who it really is. I liked that.