Buenos Aires was a city I visited 12 years ago; however, I had new places to discover. It’s a huge city with various architectural styles and plenty of restaurants. Known here for its beef, many a meal included it for me!
Our sight-seeing included:
Barrios- neighborhoods, such as LaBoca. This is a colorful, touristy, 3 streets by 2 for a casual walk. Artists, tango-dancing poses for your photo with a dancer, musicians, places to shop and/or eat and historical plaques and murals on the building walls.
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo – political demonstrations are held at this location. Individuals wear diapers as a kerchief on their head to protest the disappearance of their birth mother, thus you see that white symbol on the concrete. We listened to a young man whose mother disappeared 15 days after he was born. He never had a chance to know her. His father, also a university student like his mother, went into hiding so he was raised by his grandparents. But the military raised pressure on them or they would take their grandson. It was a military dictatorship from 1976 – 1983 when people “disappeared”. Some executed, or thrown from a plane alive into the Atlantic Ocean, or cremated. His mother was found in a grave 40 years later. She was shot 7 times. There is so much more to history. Please research it, if you wish, since I cannot give it justice with this short note.
Years ago I visited the Opera House and the Metropolitan Cathedral. This was the church where the late Pope Francis said mass. He was elected Pope the 2013 night I was here in Buenos Aires. Quite the celebration in this city that night! We also looked upon the balcony that Eva Perón had spoken from at the Pink House. I did again on this visit. Of course, Evita, as she was known, also has plenty of history…actress, human rights advocate and short life but much loved by many in Argentina. I wish you could hear all the information our local guide shared with us about Eva Peron and her husband. Research it, if you are interested.
Buenos Aires info will continue in my next blog post.