Monday, October 27, 2008

Puerto Madero



Fancy hotels.

Puerto Madero



Greenery.

Puerto Madero



New construction.

Puerto Madero



Shiny buildings.

Puerto Madero



The canal.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Corner Fruit and Veggie Market



This is my local fruit and vegetable market. Actually there is another right across from my apartment building that no one ever seems to shop at. The guy who works there looks very lonely.

This one seems to be run by Bolivians or Peruvians. They are not your typical portenos. There are usually long lines of people waiting to be served. For me it is a little stressful since many names of fruit and vegetables are different in Argentine Spanish and I don't know how to say quantities, such as "a handful", or "just a few". I often end up getting more than I want, since I resort to kilos or half kilos.

Biblioteca Nacional



This is the National Library which stands on the site where Eva and Juan Peron lived. I don't remember all of the details, but I think the library was constructed by one of the dictators who took power while Juan was exiled in Spain. Later when he returned and took power again he put Borges in charge of the library in some demeaning post. I don't remember exactly and probably should check my facts, but like all things Argentina, there is more than meets the eye here.

Avenida del Libertador



This is a busy avenue that runs from Retiro up through Palermo. Ritzy, shiny, high rises with doormen line the avenue.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Montevideo





Colonia, Uruguay





Saturday, October 4, 2008

Kiosko



This is a newspaper stand on Calle Tucuman near Ayacucho. They are literally all over the city. While they make maneuvering the already crowded sidewalks more difficult, I do like them. It's nice to see lots of newspapers, magazines and sometimes books on display. Also, many newsstands are decorated with fileto, a typical Argentine painting style, as is this one.

It's Coming....


Well, actually, it's already here. There is one Starbucks that opened in Buenos Aires last spring. It is VERY popular, which kind of worries me, since cafes and coffee culture are so much a part of life here - I hate to see that disrupted and replaced by caramel macchiatos.

Graffiti



More graffiti, this one from Avenida Callao. I think it is on the wall of a school. It says, "Ideas cannot disappear", or perhaps, "They cannot disappear ideas". I tend to think it's the first, but it might be both.

Memory of the Disappeared



This plaque is on a busy sidewalk on Avenida Callao. It is a memorial to 4 people who were detained and disappeared by the military in 1977.

Basilica



I stumbled across this church (literally) as I was walking home from Palermo, post-vertigo attack. I was medicated and still wobbly. The sun was setting and dusk was settling in. The church and open plaza were a relief as I tried to make my way home avoiding pedestrians and rush hour traffic.

Graffiti



This is in Palermo. It says "plants don't sin".

Carlos Likes Ice Cream Too



This is a corner in Palermo (I'm not sure if it's Soho or Hollywood). Carlos Gardel, legendary tango singer who died in a plane crash at a young age, causing women around the world to mourn and some even to commit suicide. It is said that Carlos sings better every day. Here's Carlos enjoying an ice cream.