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| BUENOS AIRES AND THE NEW WORLD . . . AT LAST! |
After 10 DAYS of
transatlantic crossing we at last reached the NEW WORLD: Buenos Aires,
Argentina was our first stop. Coming
into the harbor on a beautiful Fall day, the skies were blue, the skyscrapers
of Buenos Aires glistening in the sun.
Older buildings mix with modern new one. It’s a bustling town and I see at once why
some called it the Paris of the new world.
I and others are also looking for the Big Red (Sightseeing bus) which had proved so popular
in England and South Africa but was
eluding us in BA. Finding the stop at
last, I realized it was too late for me to tour as I needed to eat before
joining my afternoon bird tour at the preserve area back on the water.
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| Marcelo |
Walking back through town, I arrived at
the Costanera Su, the natural preserve adjacent to the port, and met my guide Marcelo who runs Birding Buenos Aires. Marcelo is a biologist who used to work for
the government but now has his own birding guide business. His girlfriend still works for the national
parks as a wildlife biologist. I had
such a good time with him. We were in
the field for almost four hours.
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| Red Crested Cardinal - Paroaria coronata |
While with Marcelo, I saw 47 species, and heard 10 more.
Marcelo later sent me a list which links to
photos and sound recordings (appended at the end of
this blog for those who love to look at or listen to birds).
I felt so soul satisfied that evening
after seeing the beautiful birds and hearing their songs and being on an
excursion that didn’t “move along;" instead we sauntered. Marcelo had a great pace and he seemed as excited
as I to see the various birds. He was
the perfect companion. I would recommend
(and will do so on Trip Adviser).
We took pictures and listened to
the stories – like the bride who died on her wedding day and was buried. Later, because of some intuition, her bereaved mother insists on
exhuming her and finds that the girl had awakened and tried to get out of the
coffin but alas suffocated.
We see the mausoleum of Eva Duarte
Peron, buried in the Duarte family vault and decorated with flowers and
mementos brought daily by Argentinians who still venerate her spirit. Artists were buried here – I found a plaque for Juan
Luis Borges was here, but according to the internet he is buried in Switzerland. He left the country when Peron returned from
exile.
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| Los Gatos de Cemeterio |
At long last, I was able to take
the bus from this location and at least see the sights. On this first day I visited the southern part of the city – including
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| 1934 NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE: PIRANDELLO |
Later in the week, I took the bus
for the rest of the tour, heading north toward the zoo, the parks, the museums, embassy areas with wide avenues and spring trees just beginning to blossom.
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| Museo de Arte Latinamericano de Buenos Aires |
On Saturday, I joined Barry and
Jane Penn Hollar and a group of students to visit Iglesia Evangelica Metodista "Cristo Rey" in Belgrano, a northern neighborhood of Buenos Aires. After a train ride and a long walk through busy commercial areas and tree lined residential streets, we arrived
at the church, which Lutheran on Sundays but was used by Cristo Rey on Saturday. The minister was away, but we were well
attended with an interpreter at our side
translating the Spanish service. (Despite
my Spanish class, I was unable to understand much of it.)
But as it is with prayers and
music, much is understood without the literal translations. Impressively, Barry gave a message in
Spanish. Afterwards, the group had arranged
to have an “asada” for us, complete with beef and vegetables. It was very delicious. Then, the long trek home.
On the train, I loved looking out the windows at the high
rise buildings with people clustered in large well lit living rooms or on the
balconies overlooking the city. I could imagine their conversations and interactions. From this view, Buenos
Aires appeared very cosmopolitan and chic.
However, there is one big caveat: the infrastructure was greatly lacking. Garbage packed in bags is littered even very
fine neighborhoods, and in some of the commercial areas with outside vendors, trash
and garbage were strewn about.
My favorite eating experience came
when we returned to the Las Nazatenas, the asada restaurant I had visited the first day, and this
time, I ordered with the group for a full or asada – lamb, beef, goat, pork -- all
slowly broiled over wood and then served on a huge platter with grilled
vegetables. It was delicious. I think I gained several pounds in Argentina
and then Montevideo. Of course we had
lots of wine as well.
While in Argentina, a friend Bob and
I tried to go to the tango performances at an old Café Tortoni, but we arrived too late. Still we enjoyed dessert and café at the
restaurant and then walked through a room set up as an exhibit showing the many
famous people, especially the literary circles, who had gathered there in the
past.
When
Jim and Shamim were leaving they stopped and visited with us. They had made it in time for the tango show,
which they reported was great fun.
What I had learned from my reading of Mempo
Giardinelli’s An Impossible Balance
and pre-port discussions was the impact the “dirty war” in Argentina had on the
peoples and its culture. This period
from the 70s through 80s saw thousands of Argentinians imprisoned, killed or
disappeared as the increasingly hostile governments killed anyone they thought
hostile to their point of view.
Giardinelli’s novel, which I read in John Serio’s World Fiction Class, was
an allegory of the Dirty War – and also a very funny book. I regret I didn’t go with the class to meet
Giradinelli as he sounded like an interesting person with lots to say.
I would gladly return to Argentina and think it would
be fun to explore the interior as well.
On Semester at Sea, in the countries I had not visited, I found myself
wanting to travel overland less and spend more time getting to know the great
port areas we visited.
By the way, my computer hard drive died, but my files were saved. Happy ending to the story this day.
By the way, my computer hard drive died, but my files were saved. Happy ending to the story this day.
List of Birds seen on Day 1:
1- Neotropic Cormorant
1- Neotropic Cormorant
3- Snowy Egret
8- Kelp Gull
9- Picazuro Pigeon
10- Eared Dove
14- Green-barred Woodpecker
15- Southern Caracara
16- Chimango Caracara
17- White-eyed Parakeet
19- Rufous Hornero
24- White-crested Tyrannulet
26- Great Kiskadee
27- Tropical Kingbird
30- Gray-breasted Martin
31- Brown-chested Martin
32- White-rumped Swallow
33- House Wren
35- Creamy-bellied Thrush
36- Rufous-bellied Thrush
37- Chalk-browed Mockingbird
38- European Starling (they're everywhere, aren't they?)
44- Saffron Finch
46- Rufous-collared
Sparrow
48- Masked Yellowthroat
50- Epaulet Oriole
51- Shiny Cowbird
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| Floralis Generica in the Plaza Naciones Unidos |
52- Bay-winged Cowbird
53- Yellow-winged
Blackbird
55- Hooded Siskin
56- House Sparrow
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