Buenos Aires, Aug. 4-28--Neighborhoods

Buenos Aires is a large city with a population of 3 million which expands to 12 million including the suburbs. It was settled primarily by the Italians and Spanish in the 1500s although many other nationalities, primarily Europeans emigrated to Buenos Aires thereafter. San Telmo is the oldest of the 48 barrios or neighborhoods and is where we rented a two-story apartment with a small rooftop garden. Like many homes, there were several doors for security. To enter, we first had to unlock the door from our street into an entryway. Then we unlocked a gate into a courtyard off of which were several apartments. Unlocking a third door--if you don’t have the outside shutters bolted shut--accessed the apartment. There was a small living room, dining room, kiitchen and bath on the first floor and two bedrooms with baths on the second floor. To reach the second floor, one had to climb a narrow, spiral iron staircase, which could be a little perilous with a suitcase or after a night of debauchery.

San Telmo is a charming community not unlike Greenwich Village. There are lots of apartment buildings, churches, bistros, and restaurants and parillas (pictured here)where grilled sausage sandwiches called choripan, are grilled while you wait.

Up and down the streets were also lots of antique shops, trendy clothing shops, and small grocery stores on every block.

(Mike enjoys shoe shopping in a trendy local shop.)

But one of the best things about the neighborhood was the wonderful market , the San Telmo Market, just a block away. It was a very old structure with stands chock full of fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats and baked goods, and booths of antique or used goods.

Another great feature of the San Telmo barrio was the square called Plaza Dorrego. There one could wander daily through many small booths of jewelry, art, antiques, clothing, handicrafts--any and every kind of ware one could imagine. And on Saturdays and Sundays, vendors from all over came to join the regulars expanding the market to several blocks. There were bands, musicians, buskers, mimes as well as tons of people milling about. In addition there was a café in the middle of the square with white tablecloths and delightful waiters who served hors d’oeuvres, lunches or just drinks while plaza-goers watched a pair of professional tango dancers entertain the crowds.

Transportation was easy in Buenos Aires. The buses are numerous and frequent., though walking was our preferred method of getting around. We visited the posher neighborhood of Palermo, full of upscale apartments and trendy shops and restaurants. Ray and Lou stopped for a picture on one of the main streets in Palermo.

Another ritzy neighborhood, Recoleta, is the home of the famous Recoleta Cemetery. Recoleta Cemetery is a large area with row upon row of mausoleums where the rich and famous buried their loved ones. The mausoleums are mostly marble and granite with impressive carvings and sculptures adorning them.

A large tree-lined walkway from which many side paths lead make it an attractive place for tourists. One of its most famous “inhabitants” is Eva Peron.