La Boca

The other day we went for a walk in the beautiful barrio of La Boca.

La Boca is one of the most colourful suburbs of Buenos Aires.
In the old days (late 1800) it used to be the city port, and the main place where European immigrants settled, hoping to start a new life away from home.

La Boca has a great Italian influence, as most of the migrants that came here were from Genova (Genoa). The houses were (and some of them still are) painted with different colours, which give the suburb a unique personality.

It is said that the people painted the houses with the rest of painting they have from their ships. The painting was expensive and they could not afford to paint in one colour.

This is “La Bombonera”, Boca Juniors football stadium. Maradona used to play for Boca.
Yellow and blue are “Boca” colours, and it’s common to see flags and shirts everywhere.
People are passionate about football here, and you don’t want to mess with these fans.

“Caminito” is the main attraction of La Boca. It’s a small street named after a famous tango, where the artists sell their stuff, and you can always listen to some live music in any corner.

A famous Argentine painter was born in this barrio. His name is Benito Quinquela Martin, and he made fabulous portraits of La Boca and the port’s workers.

40 degrees in buenos aires

Yesterday the city was hot as hell: 40 degrees and we decided to go out anyway.

My skin is starting to look like I am in the Caribbean.

I’m feeling better and although I suffered from insomnia the first night, yesterday I could start reconnecting with my city (mi Buenos Aires querido).

I started the morning having breakfast at 7 am (we are damned tourists!) at Plaza Dorrego bar in my favourite suburb: San Telmo.

San Telmo is a beautiful place, full of antique shops, old fashioned cafes and tango.

By midday we met some friends in Palermo for lunch. Palermo is a trendy suburb: all about fashion and cool places. I needed this to switch my mood.

Argentina appeared to me as a third world country when I first arrived. The cultural differences are shocking and although I was born here and lived for 27 years, I got accostumed to a new way of life in Spain and in Sydney later.

So when you first get here as a local but being a tourist, you see all the differences.

You see the kids begging for a coin everywhere, you hear people whinging about all possible topics, the streets are dirty, dogs’ poo in the same place you walk… You just want to get out of here and go back home (if it’s clear where home is).

But then after a couple of days it was possible for me to start looking at the city with different eyes, and re discovering my old favourite places.

We traveled in public transport yesterday: the 39 bus to Palermo. Public transport is always an adventure. 40 degrees and no air conditioning. In fact, air cond doesn’t exist in buses.

The heat was impossible: many water bottles and 3 showers were not enough.

To change the subject, here’s a picture of my niece Giuliana.

I traveled here to meet her when she was born, almost 2 years ago. And now she’s all grown up and she’s the cutest little person. This afternoon she’s coming to visit us in the apartment.

And to end this story, here’s a funny picture I found on a nearby street. The word “pelotudos” means something as “stupid bastards” and in this case is the promo for a book.

It’s 8 am now (I slept 6 hours yesterday!) and Rod came back from his early walking (I didn’t have the energy at 7 am) and he brought some “medialunas” which are like small croissants, very popular here. A good way to start the morning!

The weather forecast announced 34 degrees for today. This is quite cooler!

Hope you are fine and I’ll keep you posted with more news from the hell city.

Cultural shock

We have arrived today and I’m still under cultural shock effects. I wrote a few words in Spanish but I feel I really can’t write in English today.

This huge city is too much to bear for me: 32 degrees of temperature, crazy driving, no seat belts in taxis, 16 hours of flight plus airline delays.

I’d better go to sleep and will have better news in a couple of days.

Tomorrow will be a better day…