[Paisleychick-lj] Trying to see La Boca

[Beatrice M's blog]

[![][1]][2]   
[Crossing over][3]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

One of the parts of Buenos Aires that people have told us to "make sure to visit" is a barrio called ["La Boca" (the mouth)][5]. It used to be a slum. Most of it is still, or at least very run down. There's a small section where the houses have been maintained as they were when the area was populated by poor Italians. Back in the day, they took sheet metal siding and other cheap building materials and painted them all sorts of bright colors with left over paint from the shipyards. It makes for a fascinating and cheerful sight. Last week, Kragen and I tried to go sight seeing. It wasn't easy. Our apartment is only about four blocks away from the _Retiro_ train station and there's a bus that leaves from there and ends in La Boca - perfect! We tried to find the bus stop and we couldn't. They aren't in any numerical order and we were running out of daylight, so we took the metro as near as we could to another train station - _La Constitution_. We then tried to find the bus stop for a different bus going there from _La Constitution_ and that didn't work out either, so we ended up taking a taxi, much to Kragen's disappointment. We saw the bridges and the plastic garbage floating around them. Kragen remarked that it looked like the scene from Star Wars I with the garbage compactor. We then walked into La Boca. There were no brightly colored houses on the route we took. There were lots of people hanging out on the sidewalks. It was hot, even in the dusk, and I couldn't see any air conditioners on any of the houses, so people were hanging out on their balconies and front steps. The places were run down, we stuck out like sore thumbs and Kragen was a bit weary, so we found a bus to get out of there.  
  


[![][6]][7]   
[Symphony under the moon][8]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

We took the number 64 to the [widest boulevard in the world (9 de julio)][9] and got off as it was New Year's Eve and part of the boulevard was blocked off. Our interest piqued, we hopped off the bus and found an open restaurant where we could grab a drink and a bite to eat. We weren't the only ones with that idea, and it seemed like the whole family was working that night. Service wasn't that fast, but we weren't in any hurry really. What we were was hot and tired and thirsty. The place filled with tourists and Argentineans alike. Eavesdropping was fun. I ordered a bottle of Stella Artois. The old guy brought me a big bottle enough for two people, but I stopped him before he popped the top, and just got a 330 ml bottle to nurse. Kragen downed an orange juice and slowly drank bottle of his own (of water). I married a teetotaler, go figure. We shared a basket of salty popcorn - _pochoclo_. In [Wikipedia (Spanish version)][10] it has over a dozen local words for popcorn. No wonder I never know the word when we travel. Crazy! We paid our bill and walked down the middle of the boulevard and snaked our way through through the crowd to see the outdoor symphony concert already in progress. The music was very pretty, the lights were very bright, the crowd was very enthusiastic and the moon was shining down on all of us. It was pretty awesome. We stayed for a good while and then walked back to our apartment. It wasn't yet midnight, and so we turned on the television to find the countdown station. At midnight we wished each other a happy 2007 and kissed. mmmmm kisses. Argentineans love to kiss in public. Reminds me of Paris. Fireworks were exploding all over the city and Kragen went outside to have a look. He came back with a big old grin and stuff in his eye.  
  


[![][11]][12]   
[San Martin Plaza][13]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

The next day we tried to go to La Boca again, but our attempts were in vain. We got a late-ish start (around 12:30) and it was a scorcher of a day outside (37 C). We walked back to the train station to find the bus stop. After much walking around we finally found it, but we were hungry, hot, grumpy and Kragen's tummy was upset. I suggested instead that we go to a closer venue and find a restaurant nearby. We walked to Florida street - another tourist destination. As it was New Years Day and as quiet as a Sunday, I figured that would be a good place to find an open restaurant. We were in luck, but seeing how all the stranded tourists needed food and at the same time, places were packed. We finally found a table inside, out of the sun and in air conditioning. The poor waiters were busy and sweating and rushing around. We had interesting sandwiches and the ubiquitous "salsa golf". This is mayonnaise and ketchup mixed together. They love it here and add it to many a meal. After we filled up, re-hydrated and de-crankified we wisely decided that it was just too damn hot to journey to La Boca, so we walked through San Martin Plaza back to our apartment. All the large ceramic heart sculptures have been taken away. I'm very glad I took photos of them while they were around although San Martin Plaza looks empty in comparison. People were lounging under the trees in the shade and kids were playing in the park. It was a perfect lazy afternoon, if only it hadn't been so G-D hot.  
  


[![][14]][15]   
[Getting a bus ticket][16]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

The next day, it was *much* cooler, back down in the high 20s. But, we still went there in the late afternoon just to be on the safe side. We walked back to the train station. Well, I walked and Kragen strolled. I got annoyed. We bickered - oh it was just great. We got to the bus stop and got in an unusually long line. Seems like people had been waiting for a while. Now that we had finally found the bus stop, and it was cool enough to make the trip, was a bus going to come and pick us up? We waited. We talked. We made up. We waited some more. We peered around the line to try and see a bus. Why do people do that? We saw a number 20 bus pass us going the other way? hey, come back! Another 20 showed up shortly thereafter and we climbed aboard. We got seats even! The bus barreled down the streets of Buenos Aires, picking people up and packing them in. As we got closer to La Boca, we made our way to the middle of the bus to get off. We climbed down the stairs and hopped off at the bridge where we had been a couple of days prior. As I had consulted the tourist walking map before we left, I knew where to lead us this time and we walked along the waterfront. The overcast sky made it a bit easier to take photographs and not be so grumpy.  
  


[![][17]][18]   
[Artiste & tourists][19]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

We meandered down the sidewalk and could see the colored houses in the distance. Yay! As we got closer we could see that it was a Tourist destination, with a capital T. Boo! It reminded us of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Almost everybody tells tourists to go there, but it is really gaudy, a tourist trap and nothing like the history it is trying so hard to evoke. We made our way through the artisans, the tango dancers, the mimes, and the boards with the faces cut out. I took the [photos I wanted][20] of the colorful houses, the trompe l'oeilles, the statues and other interesting bits. It was indeed very picturesque. Kragen was patient with me, but we didn't stay long. Instead we walked thorough the more "real" parts of La Boca that they try and steer the tourists away from to catch a bus to the _Palacio de aguas corrientes_ (Palace of running water). Kragen had seen this the previous week and thought I would like taking photographs of it. He was very right.   
  


[![][21]][22]   
[Rear entryway][23]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

I don't know the history of this palace, but it is an art museum now. It is amazingly gorgeous and intricate and I would have taken lots more photos if I hadn't run out of room on my card. I just had to delete a whole bunch of files off my SD card via "terminal" as there were over 70 MB of hidden temporary files that I just noticed because my "empty" 256 MB card only had about 180 MB available. That was strange, but I'm glad I was able to fix it. Anyways, back to this building, it's really pretty and I took lots of [photos of the outside][24]. and I want to go back when it's open and see what the inside looks like. Seeing this building as colorful as it is and the neighboring drab buildings reminds me of looking at painted greek statues. It's a shock to see them how they used to be, and it makes all the other ones pale in comparison. At the same time, it's a bit gaudy and there is something to be said for the simplicity of a single color scheme. I'm glad that Kragen thought to show me the beauty, that he saw something and thought of how I would enjoy it and that I was receptive to his suggestion. It was a great way to end to our difficult journey to see the sights.

   [1]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/341925018_a9c5981545_m.jpg
   [2]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/341925018/ (Crossing over)
   [3]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/341925018/
   [4]: http://www.flickr.com/people/blmurch/
   [5]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Boca
   [6]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/341941055_724d092f3c_m.jpg
   [7]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/341941055/ (Symphony under the moon)
   [8]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/341941055/
   [9]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_de_Julio_Avenue
   [10]: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palomitas_de_ma%C3%ADz#Localismos
   [11]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/341945181_96eca4ba24_m.jpg
   [12]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/341945181/ (San Martin Plaza)
   [13]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/341945181/
   [14]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/343331913_3be1673443_m.jpg
   [15]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/343331913/ (Getting a bus ticket)
   [16]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/343331913/
   [17]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/343419162_7b197aaa2a_m.jpg
   [18]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/343419162/ (Artiste & tourists)
   [19]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/343419162/
   [20]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/sets/72157594455800968/
   [21]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/344653317_7f85f34808_m.jpg
   [22]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/344653317/ (Rear entryway)
   [23]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/344653317/
   [24]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/sets/72157594457695843/

URL: http://paisleychick.livejournal.com/285058.html