Recoleta Cemetary

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by the Recoleta Fair to buy a bag I saw when I was there with Popi. It was a beautiful day so I decided to take a walk through the cemetary and see if I could find Evita's grave. I didn't. When my camera batteries died, I left. But I did stumble across this very scary looking mausoleum with cobwebs all over it. It was way back in an isolated section of the cemetary and was really kind of creepy.

Oasis

I passed this beautiful flower stand yesterday on the way home from school. It is on the corner of Lavalle and Callao, a very busy intersection, but it was like an oasis in the center of the city.

Where is the men's room?

One of the things I found very funny last year was that I had a hard time distinguishing between the men's room and the ladies' room, it was even more difficult if I had been drinking wine. This wasn't just a language thing because if they had just been labeled "damas y caballeros" or "mujers y hombres", I wouldn't have had any problem. But it seems Argentinos like to be creative about labeling their restrooms. Here is an example from the little cafe I went to with Luis yesterday. This one is pretty obvious (but still funny), but sometimes I really had to stop and think before pushing open the door.

These photos were on the doors of the men's and women's rooms instead of words. Can you guess which is which?

The Water Building

This is the Water Building on Avenida Cordoba. It is quite a spectacular piece of work. The building is covered in Royal Daulton tiles that were shipped from England and numbered. It all had to be assembled like a jigsaw puzzle. The building was built after the yellow fever epidemic which decimated the old part of the city in San Telmo. In the basement is the water processing plant and on the ground floor is where people pay their water bills.

Congresso

This is a view of El Congresso, the Congress, from the back. I took it while waiting for Mila outside Fabio Shoes. I like this view better than from the front. One of these days I have to go inside.

El Ataneo

This is the outside of El Ataneo bookstore on Santa Fe. El Ataneo is a grand old opera theater that was converted into a bookstore. It is quite a sight to behold. I never noticed the outside of the building because usually I walk on the same side of the street. From across the street I could see that the outside of the building is quite spectatular as well. Grand splendid certainly does describe it. If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you'll be able to see some of the sculptural details on the building.

Medialunas

Medialuna means "half moon" - these are more crescent moons, but I guess that doesn't matter. Medialunas seem to be the typical Argentine breaksfast. Go to any cafe, restaurant or coffee shop for breakfast and you'll be hard pressed to find anything other than medialunas or toast - no grand slam, triple meat, home fries, eggs on a stack of pancakes kind of thing. I don't really get why people here are so slim. They eat a horrible breakfast, usually medialunas, coffee and juice, they eat tons of meat, and they eat a big, heavy dinner right before they go to bed. These medialunas are from a little bakery around the corner from where I live. I really should not be eating them, but they were hard to resist yesterday. The little round powdered things are little sweet breads with dulce de leche (caramel) filling.

Provoleta

This is one of my favorite Argentine foods that only seems to be available here. Usually it is served at a Parrilla, a place where they grill and specialize in meat. They take a hunk of provolone cheese and throw it on the grill. Amazingly, it doesn't melt through the grill but instead becomes nice and crusty on the outside and all melty inside. The top it with some olive oil and oregano or possibly something like sundried tomatoes. It is totally yummy - like a cheesy pizza without the crust.

I've tried making this in San Francisco, but the cheese doesn't seem to be the right kind. When I make it here, the cheese melts and forms a crust. When I make it at home, the crusty part separates from the rest of the cheese and it just doesn't work. I think this must be a special formulation of provolone cheese designed specifically for provoleta. In the supermarket, they sell it in a package and it is labeled "provoleta". I wish I could bring some back to SF with me.

My New View 5

There are lots of water tanks on the roofs down below.

Recoleta Cemetary

I live on the corner of Beruti and Azcuenaga. If I walk down Azcuenega into the Recolta, I pass behind the Recoleta Cemetary. It is a very weird walk because there are all of these mirrored, glitzy buildings. Some of them are pubs, and I figured out yesterday that the others are love hotels - hotels where you pay hourly to take someone, I guess someone you met at the pub.

The Recoleta Cemetary is quite an impressive place. Huge stone mausoleums house some of Argentines most wealthy and famous, including, supposedly, Evita Peron. There are questions as to whether Eva's body is really there or not. At one point it was removed because there were threats to steal it. The well-heeled of BA were not happy when she was buried there, in the family mausoleum her father who was not married to her mother. Eva was an illigetimate child and through her ambition rose to be one of the most powerful women in Argentina, but she was restented by the 'ricos' and she did her best to screw them over as well. It's all a lovely soap opera and I find it fascinating.

Hernan told me if you have a family plot in the Recoleta Cemetary you are set forever, but in the case of his father, who was buried in Chacaritas, another very large cemetary, they only had a 20 year lease, which is why Hernan had to go retrieve the body and get it cremated. Even in death, money buys comfort in Argentina.

My New View 4

This is part of the urban forest outside of my window. I love the weathered buildings, all of hte wter towers, shutters, different windows, layers, levels, etc., that make up this landscape. There are lots of places for birds to hide, play, hang out, have babies, etc., and subsequently, there are a lot of birds living in this canyonous space.

Roof Cat

This is the cat that lives on the roof with the nun who hangs her laundry there. He is very big and fat and I wonder if he is fat because he eats the birds. He has a little house that he sleeps in or he just hangs out on the roof in the sun.

My New View 3

Here is a nun's habit flapping in the wind.
















And here is the nun hanging laundry (she caught me looking at her)

My New View 2

Looking down directly outside of my window is a rooftop laundry drying area that belongs to a nun (or two). I've seen her out there a few times actually hanging the laundry. There is also a big rust-colored cat who hangs out in the sun. It's always interesting to see what the sisters are hanging out to dry. I like the Argentine flag.

Sunny SUNday

It was cold on Sunday, but warm in the sun. This is in Recoleta near the cemetary. There is a shopping center with different design and home stores and some restaurants and cafes. People were enjoying the sun on the benches. I wanted to sit on a bench and get some sun too, but they were all taken, so instead I took this photo.

Scary Church

This is a church down the street on the way towards Recoleta Cemetary. I find it a little bit scary. I'm not sure why. It's set up from the street and always seems to be in the shade. The statues in front are kind of eery, and the one in this picture has a cobweb across her face. It is called something misericordia. Not sure what that is, but I don't think I'd want to walk by here at night, especially when there is a full moon.....

My New View

This is the view from my new apartment in Recoleta. It's actually quite nice. I like the big imposing gray wall, the radio tower and the big open space with lots of sky. The view is quite varied. I can see other apartment buildings, balconies, etc., and looking down there are roofs, courtyards, laundry hanging, cats, and I even saw a nun! Tonight I even saw a crescent moon setting.