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What will you do with your one wild and precious life?
Visit my third continent—only four remaining.
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04 January 2008
My body wanted to kiss the ground—and the nearest pillow—when we finally deboarded the dreaded plane in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Unfortunately, my back is already aching in protest as we have another flight tomorrow morning to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
Quickly overshadowing the pain radiating throughout my body is the knowledge that I have finally visited a third continent: South America. Granted, I have previously traveled to Mexico, but my traveling brain considers that Central America and the main continent of South America "proper" everything south of Panama. The nuance of traveling goals I have set in my life.
I am thrilled that my first South American destination is the birthplace of Tango—Buenos Aires. BA is more picturesque and enchanting than I imagined in my head, with three exceptions: the heat, the immense size, and the aroma.
The heat? We stepped off the plane at 10:20am into 76 degrees, however the added humidity made it feel a sticky 98 degrees all day. Coming straight from ocean-cooled winter in the Pacific Northwest to the humidity overload was a shock to say the least.
The immense size of the city was mind boggling. 12 million people live here, mainly in aged, towering, packed apartment complexes interspersed against the historical buildings and boutiques which in contrast are well-kept and look like new constructions. The juxtaposition is unexpected but somehow adds even more enchantment and allure to the city.
The aroma is something I had not seen described in any brochures, travel pieces, or explained by the guides. It sounds corny and fake but you can literally smell the age of the city. Near the historical buildings, you can smell the cobwebs and musty ancient architecture. It quickly grows on you like a nostalgic scent of a beloved grandparent’s house and wraps you up as one of its own.
We are staying downtown in the Aspen Suites Hotel, and once we were finally all checked in our tour guide, Carolina, took us on a brief stroll. I hadn’t realized that "brief" in Argentina means two and a half hours, but the places we saw made it all worthwhile.
The highlight of today's tour was a visit to the Cemeteria de la Recoleta not far from the Rio de la Plata. The Recoleta Cemetery is a 14-acre cemetery which boasts 4691 vaults and is the final resting place of historical nobles like Eva Peron, Argentine presidents, and Napoleon's granddaughter. The cemetery is not an American "bury the dead in the ground" sort of cemetery but instead resembles a small stone city. It was surprisingly easy to get lost ambling down the tree line streets discovering new vaults, mausoleums, and statues. The tombs are all large structures and buildings built to display the wealth of the named family and the importance of the deceased interred within. The structures are breathtaking and with every glance you can physically sense the adoration, love, and grief of the family left behind to pay tribute. It’s strange to say, but it all feels very romantic. On the edges of the Recoleta, and on various streets, there are walls that reminded me of Terminator 3, with caskets stacked in closed crypts. While walking down the streets and alleys we encountered many tombs where the caskets were just out in the open behind a pair of ajar doors and we saw caskets hanging out of the crypts with smashed doors. It was a chilling and macabre to see and we kept expecting to see hands pop out of the caskets. Oddly, the entire cemetery is overrun with feral cats, but it is apparently one of the only places they are found in Buenos Aires. The cats never seem to leave the cemetery and no one knows why.
We ended the night in a cute little restaurante called El Palacio de Papas Fritas—translated The Palace of French Fries—which is famous for their fries. The fries are cut like JoJo potato wedges, but instead of being deep fried they are cooked like a soufflé so they puff up with air and are hollow.
It's 10:30pm and the sun finally went down but I could swear the temperature has gone up. I cannot wait to get to Ushuaia tomorrow. The cooler air is sure to be a welcome blessing after today's heat.
Quickly overshadowing the pain radiating throughout my body is the knowledge that I have finally visited a third continent: South America. Granted, I have previously traveled to Mexico, but my traveling brain considers that Central America and the main continent of South America "proper" everything south of Panama. The nuance of traveling goals I have set in my life.
I am thrilled that my first South American destination is the birthplace of Tango—Buenos Aires. BA is more picturesque and enchanting than I imagined in my head, with three exceptions: the heat, the immense size, and the aroma.
The heat? We stepped off the plane at 10:20am into 76 degrees, however the added humidity made it feel a sticky 98 degrees all day. Coming straight from ocean-cooled winter in the Pacific Northwest to the humidity overload was a shock to say the least.
The immense size of the city was mind boggling. 12 million people live here, mainly in aged, towering, packed apartment complexes interspersed against the historical buildings and boutiques which in contrast are well-kept and look like new constructions. The juxtaposition is unexpected but somehow adds even more enchantment and allure to the city.
The aroma is something I had not seen described in any brochures, travel pieces, or explained by the guides. It sounds corny and fake but you can literally smell the age of the city. Near the historical buildings, you can smell the cobwebs and musty ancient architecture. It quickly grows on you like a nostalgic scent of a beloved grandparent’s house and wraps you up as one of its own.
We are staying downtown in the Aspen Suites Hotel, and once we were finally all checked in our tour guide, Carolina, took us on a brief stroll. I hadn’t realized that "brief" in Argentina means two and a half hours, but the places we saw made it all worthwhile.
The highlight of today's tour was a visit to the Cemeteria de la Recoleta not far from the Rio de la Plata. The Recoleta Cemetery is a 14-acre cemetery which boasts 4691 vaults and is the final resting place of historical nobles like Eva Peron, Argentine presidents, and Napoleon's granddaughter. The cemetery is not an American "bury the dead in the ground" sort of cemetery but instead resembles a small stone city. It was surprisingly easy to get lost ambling down the tree line streets discovering new vaults, mausoleums, and statues. The tombs are all large structures and buildings built to display the wealth of the named family and the importance of the deceased interred within. The structures are breathtaking and with every glance you can physically sense the adoration, love, and grief of the family left behind to pay tribute. It’s strange to say, but it all feels very romantic. On the edges of the Recoleta, and on various streets, there are walls that reminded me of Terminator 3, with caskets stacked in closed crypts. While walking down the streets and alleys we encountered many tombs where the caskets were just out in the open behind a pair of ajar doors and we saw caskets hanging out of the crypts with smashed doors. It was a chilling and macabre to see and we kept expecting to see hands pop out of the caskets. Oddly, the entire cemetery is overrun with feral cats, but it is apparently one of the only places they are found in Buenos Aires. The cats never seem to leave the cemetery and no one knows why.
We ended the night in a cute little restaurante called El Palacio de Papas Fritas—translated The Palace of French Fries—which is famous for their fries. The fries are cut like JoJo potato wedges, but instead of being deep fried they are cooked like a soufflé so they puff up with air and are hollow.
It's 10:30pm and the sun finally went down but I could swear the temperature has gone up. I cannot wait to get to Ushuaia tomorrow. The cooler air is sure to be a welcome blessing after today's heat.