Day 34-36 – 29-31 January 2013. Buenos Aires, Santiago, Auckland, Melbourne, HOME!

Packed up, went downstairs for breaky, then back upstairs to finally zip things up, before changing a little more cash and now sitting downstairs at Querido awaiting the airport transfer.

I’m hoping there is NOTHING to report on the trip home and that all flights are on schedule etc.

Querido has been lovely.

Some interesting sights on way to aeropuerto – quite a drive and reached speeds of 130kms, haven’t done that for a very long time.

Plane was 10 minutes late, then we waited at gate for 20 minutes or so due to air traffic somewhere. All in all a good flight to Santiago, I had an aisle, but the views flying over the Andes were stunning. Some were snow/ice capped, while other parts were barren desert.

Now to kill 6 hours waiting at Santiago airport…just charging computer, then I will try and find a wi-fi zone to finish the blog…with these last three days (cos I lose a day in time zones) will be a work in progress.

Horse and cart working in Buenos Aires this morning.

A mural on a corner.

 

FLYING OVER THE ANDES - HAD TO ASK MY MATE ON THE WINDOW TO TAKE THESE.

 ...finally after a trouble free journey home, the first sight of HOME, flying in over the Victorian East coast.

Poor photo I know, but this was the first view of the Coast.

and very soon thereafter, there was Lakes Entrance...I think.

 

Soon after arriving home, a visit from Sue with a lovely "Welcome Home" gift.

 

There in lies the end of this blog. Eleven thousand two hundred and eight photos taken, many, many memories...and I'd turn around and do it all again in a heartbeat.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 33 – 28 January 2013. Buenos Aires – Ricoletta, Teatro Colon, El Querandi.

A later start today. Met a lovely couple from Vancouver at breakfast. Left at 9.30 to walk and train and walk to Ricoleta and the cemetery. It was a hot walk and further than my feet wanted to go.

Have also booked Tango show and dinner for tonight - hope its good.

Cemetery was amazing, there is a lot invested in the mausoleums, it is a small city in itself. Evita's (Eva Peron's) tomb was pretty humble in comparison to others.

Visited Teatro Colon ( theatre) and did a tour. One of the five most important theatres in the world. The main hall seats almost 2500 in 7 levels.  The tour and the Theatre were unbelievable,  it is in the top five Opera Houses, and top three for acoustics – there is so much money in it, artworks, gold everywhere, just very opulent, built at the turn of the century by the wealthy of Buenos Aires.

Ignatio, our guide sings opera, so even though he constantly invited any member of the group to sing, no one did, so he sang when we were seated in the stalls, an amazing voice that just reverberated around the 7 levels of the main hall.

There was also a huge chandelier weighing 1.5tonne, and there is actually space in it to house some musical instruments and artists who have roles that come ‘from the gods’ or a bird singing in an opera for example.

El Querandi Tango show and dinner was fabulous. Met guys on the bus from the Theatre tour and an Aussie fella from Pennant Hills. Sat with a lovely couple – Kathy and Tom from Ontario who were good company.

Great show, good meal, fantastic seat and the bus ride home all included. So finally home after midnight and buggered, I have ensured that I have packed as much in as I can.

Heard 3 stories today about people being squirted with a mustard mixture and avoiding being robbed cos they are aware of the scam. Evidently well dressed young people, acting like tourists, with maps etc, squirt you, then offer tissues etc to clean up…and somewhere in there they steal stuff or pick pocket…all three people had managed to avoid being robbed, but the mustard/dye mixture is not easy to remove evidently. Anyway, I took care the whole time and avoided any incidents.

Transfer to airport at 11.30 tomorrow, and so far web indicating all flights on schedule.

OK, SO THE FIRST PHOTOS ARE ALL OF RICOLETA CEMETARY...

Yes, this is the family (in laws) of Eva Peron, and she is in this one.

The cemetery was walled on all sides...then...

...just over the road you are hit by the modern - Recoleta Mall.

 

THE NEXT LOT ARE OF THE MAGNIFICENT TEATRO COLON. 

 

 

Three different marbles in the staircase. 

The chandelier in Main Hall. Between the lights and the outer gold ring, that is where musicians and performers sit to play the parts that need to sound like they come from above. The whole chandelier lowers to the stalls for maintenance - it takes abou 45 minutes each way.

Ignatio singing some opera for us.

Outside the building - to the right is the main entrance, reserved for the wealthy, the white doors to the left are for the rest of the theatre goers.

A photo of the theatre crowd in it's early days - think the opulence of First Class on the Titanic.

 

NEXT WE MOVE ONTO SHOTS FROM THE EVENING TANGO SHOW - EL QUERANDI.(they are deliberately blurry, cos I didn't want to use the flash)

 

Day 32 – 27 January 2013. Buenos Aires – San Telmo, Florida, La Boca.

On the train to Florida to have a look at the street and centro area, then off to famous Sunday markets at San Telmo- lots of street stalls. Will see how it goes, my back is a bit sore last night and this morning- fingers crossed the Voltaren kicks in.

Have arranged for an Argentinean music tour tonight.

Wandered down Florida to Plaza San Martin, then went to San Telmo and Dorrego square, famous for antiques, especially on a Sunday. There was a lot of stuff and as the morning wore on, many, many more people, glad I was early. Finally found an iced coffee that tastes good @ Havanna.

Bought a few goodies at the markets. It was well worthwhile.

Then took a cab to Caminito out at La Boca where there were more markets stalls, lots of Tango stuff and the coloured houses the area is famous for. It is built near a creek and houses the poorer people and artists I think.

Back to San Martin Plaza. Popped into Marriott for some air con and snuck a free cold cordial then back onto Florida to look at the shops that were now open Subte back home to shower ready for evening out with Mr Kevin Footer, a friend of John's from Secret Garden. Kevin is a muso and now lives here (from US) to pursue a love of Tango dancing and music. Met him at Confiteria Ideal where we then went upstairs to watch a Tango Milonga. So much more to all this than the dance. Traditionally couples don't come and dance together. Men and women sit separately and hook up for a dance through eye contact. It was all very subtle. The actual dancing was not what I expected, very varied and each couple expresses their dance to the music differently. After a couple of hours it finished and we went and had pizza pieces at Güerrin. Which is famous for pizza by the piece eaten standing at bar. We watched the empanadas being made. Then we walked around the theatre district caught Subte to Carlos Gardel, saw an amazing building under full moon - Albasto - I think and checked out another Tango bar with a more contemporary Milonga. Eventually home to bed about midnight. Learnt a lot but not what I was expecting. So while I keep living by the advice to hold no expectations it was a really interesting experience of Buenos Aires at night and certainly we went to places I would never have ventured.

Catching the Subte trene (Subway train) cost was 2.50 (pesos) = approx 50c. very cheap way to get around.

THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE AROUND THE CENTRO - BUENOS AIRES AREA.

Naval club entry.

 

The police car! - Keystone Cops eat your heart out!

Plaza San  Martin

Little Mall

Galeria Pacifico

Florida - not a street or avenida...just Florida.

Galleria Mitre - Falabella is a chain store - was not open. Their sign messes up a beautiful facade.

Buildings opposite the "Casa Rosada" (Pink House). I liked the various shapes on the skyline...pity about red and white antenna towers everywhere.

De Mayo Statue in front of Casa Rosada.

Skyline. 

The Pink House.

San Telmo Markets.

A side 'alley' full of antique stores. 

San Telmo Church.

Soda Bottles are an icon of Buenos Aires - traditionally a lot of people had soda delivered and they often order wine and a siphon of soda and mix it at their table...or so google says.

Lots of old stuff.

Copper

Tango on the street.

Some cartoon figure.

Street art.

 

NOW TO LA BOCA - LOTS OF SHOTS HERE OF THE COLOURED HOUSES in CAMINITO.

Back to Florida, which is now open, this is inside Galeria Pacifico - a high end shopping centre, bit like the posh part of Chaddy.

Subte art.

Juggler - busking on the train.

Abasto - now a shopping complex I think, with full moon overhead.

 

Watching them tango at Ideal Milonga.

The dance hall - Milonga Hall, Tango Place.

Wine and pizza pieces, while watching this guy make empanadas.

The sign says Cash, pizzas by the piece...I think.