Buenos Aires city tourFeb 11, 2020
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9 de Julio Ave (9th of July)
Obelisco de Buenos Aires
Casa Rosada (the pink house)
Yesterday was a lazy day. Boarding the ship was organized with military precision. We had no lineups at all, yet another ship that was boarding had hordes of people milling about. After settling into our stateroom, we relaxed until it was time for a port lecture, supper, and a tango show.
Today we took a city tour, which was included in our fare. We had already seen some of the sites, but it was still nice to get out for a bit. Some highlights:
1. 9 de Julio Ave – a major thoroughfare named in honour of Argentina’s Independence Day, July 9, 1816. It is very wide, having 18 lanes for cars and 2 lanes for buses. There are boulevards dividing the street and LOTS of cars.
2. Obelisco de Buenos Aires – built in 1936 to commemorate the founding of the city
3.In Plaza de Mayo
a. Casa Rosada (the pink house) – office of the President. The balcony where Eva gave her speeches (and Madonna in the movie) is part of this building
b. Pirámide de Mayo – built in 1811 to commemorate the first anniversary of the May Revolution. This is where mothers gathered to demand knowledge of their missing children in the 1970s. The monument is surrounded by pictures of white headscarves, which the mothers wore during their protests.
4. La Boca neighbourhood
a. Boca Juniors, a professional soccer team, is based here. The stadium is painted in blue and yellow, the team colours. Many buildings and playgrounds around the stadium are also blue and yellow. It looked like IKEA had been there.
b. This is a working-class neighbourhood, characterized by very colourful buildings. Caminita, a short alley, is filled with vendors selling all sorts of stuff. Charming, but very touristy. I am happy to say that I resisted the urge to spend anything in this area.
c. There is street art everywhere in the city, but it was particularly vibrant here
5. The business district is ultra-modern, with very beautiful buildings
6. Floralis Genérica is a 20-meter-high sculpture located on an artificial lake in a park.
It is very beautiful. We didn’t stop there, so I had to use a picture from the internet.
Now we are on the way to Montevideo. I am quite aware of the ship movement, although the water is calm. Maybe it is time to lie down.
