Tuesday 20th November
Luckily, despite our exhaustion last night, we remembered to set an alarm and awoke at 7 feeling refreshed after a well earned and much needed sleep.
We had planned to go for a run, but a review of our aching feet and legs changed our minds!
We enjoyed another sunny breakfast in the ornate dining room. Our food was served by a small and serious senora wearing what looked like theatre scrubs. She quietly delivered our coffee before returning to the kitchen where the strains of ‘Knock on wood’ by Amii Stewart by was belting out. As the track ended, the door opened and she quietly stepped out bearing two plates of scrambled eggs. We could not resist the image of her gyrating madly around the kitchen to the music, before smoothing down her hair and tunic and stepping demurely out to serve breakfast.
We met Natalia for our walking tour of Downtown Buenos Aires. Yesterday we explored the northern part of town and the parks and gardens. Today we took a taxi into the heart of the city and financial district where the roads are wide and the buildings are tall and beautifully ornate. Most were built during the Belle Époque between 1870 and 1914. French and Italian architects were commissioned to design these buildings.
We started at the opera house - Teatrico Colon which seats 2478 patrons and another 700 standing room - on Plaza Lavalle, and the Avenue 9 July. The governmental buildings were no less beautiful and the sides of the streets are lined by tall grand buildings with ornate balconies that link seamlessly together.
We visited the obelisk commemorating Argentina’s independence from Spain and saw the new and old government buildings either side of the Plaza de Mayo, a site of frequent demonstrations both now and in the times of the Perons and during the Faulklands war. Here the paving stones are decorated with white headscarf emblems representing ‘the mothers’ who were kept in captivity whilst pregnant and their babies taken and given to wealthy childless aristocrats in the 1970s. Those adopted babies are about 40 years old today. The mothers were often killed after childbirth.
We also saw the balcony in the new pink government buildings, where Eva Peron famously spoke to the people. Opposite these pink buildings is the Cabildo de Buenos Aires which was the previous site of the government buildings and one of the few colonial buildings still standing, despite having its extremities removed to allow the construction of wide avenidas now radiating out for the Plaza de Mayo.
The Catedral Metropolitana had an unusual appearance with 12 columns at the front, representing the 12 apostles. Inside it was beautifully decorated with mosaics and gold leaf. It holds the remains of Jose de San Martin - a national icon.
Nearby, the San Telmo district was an area abandoned by the wealthy during the yellow fever epidemic in 1871 which led many rich families to move out of the old city in the South of this area and move north to palaces in Palermo and Belgrano.
The area was adopted by local families who converted their mansions into conventillos or tenements which could each house up to 100 people.
We walked on along La Defensa, the streets now narrower and cobbled. The pavement under our feet was scattered with the lilac tubular flowers from the jacaranda trees above. The petals fell like snow or confetti with each gust of wind.
Buenos Aires always has a fresh breeze (hence its name) as it is close to the ocean and is at sea level. There is no hint of pollution.
It was and still is an important port, although the actual port area has moved over the years.
The port lies on the Rio de la Plate - 120 km wide and is brown in colour due to the amount of sediment it carries. The port was originally important for the export of silver from Bolivia.
Natalia was keen to share with us a taste of the famous Argentinian delicacy Dulce leche. This is essentially caramelised condensed milk that comes in a variety of forms with different flavours including chocolate, honey or coconut. It is an essential ingredient of every birthday cake!
We finally arrived at La Mercado de san Telmo- the market that has been here since 1875 and sells all the sorts of things you would expect except, strangely, fish - which is almost all exported. It also had numerous bizarre stalls in the flea market selling an eclectic mix of of vinyl records, vintage branded tins and toys. They looked old and dusty and tasteless and it was hard to believe that they ever sold anything!
We emerged in the far side of the market into a small cobbled street that lead up to the Plaza Dorrego. This was a fine example of the leafy square with cafes that we failed to find yesterday! An oasis of shade and refreshment! We sat down and placed our wallet on the table in front of us - and promptly got told off by the waitress and by Natalia for risking theft by doing this. The latter had earlier insisted that I removed my little frog necklace and hide it in my purse for the same reason... we are so green when it comes to city life!
In any case we sat with coffees and orange juice and planned the rest of the day. Natalia recommended a tango show with dinner, and we were looking for an opportunity to dance!
All booked up we waved goodbye to our guide and sat back in the shade to watch the tango dancers who had just appeared in the square. He in typical tight black trousers and waistcoat with slicked back hair and an expression of smouldering supercilious self importance. She was younger, prettier and smiling with bright red lipstick and wearing a blue sequinned gown, slit from ankle to ear! They entertained us for three dances before they sat down, panting and sweating. This tango was somewhat different from the more sedate milonga that we have been practicing...
time to move on and we returned to the market where there was a stall with an oven serving freshly cooked empanadas. In case you don’t know, these are like small Cornish pasties with crisp pastry and a variety of fillings. Today we chose vegetables and Roquefort with cheddar. We sat at benches around the oven, tucking in. They cost less than a £1 each and were delicious.
Next stop was the El Zanjon - an 1830s mansion discovers and excavated over the past 25 years by a property developer who bought a derelict old house and adjacent plot of land with a view to creating a restaurant and parking lot.
He had bought more than he realised because the delapidated house, full of rubbish and the broken remains of an old tenement, was actually a former mansion, built on top of an even older house over the site of the confluence of two rivers. The place has been beautifully renovated using the original bricks with polished Arcadia wooden floors and is now used as a venue for special occasions. At ground level the old mansion house with its prestigious watch tower still stands. It was originally home to a wealthy family of 6, but the marks and beams are still visible where the house was converted into a tenement for 100 people when the original owners moved away to escape the yellow fever epidemic in 1871. Each individual tenement room housed a family and the entire building was served by one kitchen and two cess pools. There was also a cobblers, a bakery and a store in the building. The well was adjacent to the cess pool...
Below ground it was possible to see the older building - made of larger, different bricks, with arches over the former water courses (the rivers have long since been diverted). and Water supply to the house consisted of large underground brick cisterns which collected water caught on the roof.
After the tour we set off on foot for the famous historic Cafe Tortoni in Montserrat, built in 1858. This very impressive Art Deco building is a ‘must see’ destination in the capital and has its inevitable ‘must queue’ penalty. This was frustrating, but actually worth it for the beautiful surrounding, delicious cafe con leche and Alfajores chocolate and toffee cake / biscuit, all served with typical Argentinian black waist coated flare! The cafe has upholstery chairs and marble tables standing amongst sturdy columns beneath a ceiling punctuated by stained glass panels. The walls are decorated with the original paper, numerous portraits and filete calligraphy.
Then we hopped into a passing radio taxi and raced home ready to change into appropriate clothing and footwear for our tango lesson!
The taxi later dropped us outside number 4266 Córdoba Avenue. No sign to say ‘Copella School of Tango’ - just a door in a wall with the number above.
We rang the bell and were admitted by a stockily built man with a shaven head. Above us we could hear the sound of tango music playing.
At the top of a long flight of marble stairs we were greeted by Carlos Copella himself. A short man with suspiciously black hair combed over his balding scalp, wearing what looked like white theatre scrubs. His black eyes twinkled cheerfully as he introduced his partner Vittoria, who also acted as interpreter.
They asked us to demonstrate what we knew and then we were off! Carlos clasped me firmly to his chest and Vittoria embraced Bill similarly. We stepped and stalked and kept our chins up and our elbows in. It was quite nerve racking, and despite repeated exhortations to ‘relax’ and make it easy... that was harder than you might think. It was, however, incredibly helpful as the criticisms came fast and sharp with associated prodding and poking without any of the polite encouraging phrases we are used to back home in Malvern! In the end, however, we did get a thumbs up and a much clearer understanding of how to dance a basic eight step tango and ocho. We parted with kisses and hugs!
Time for a reward! First stop the ice cream shop for Dulce Leche ice cream in a cornet topped with another scoop of tarte limone ice cream.
Next stop - the Valk taproom for a flight of craft beers where we sat outside in the evening sun and gave deep thought to our analysis of the offered ales.
Just around the corner to home and a quick freshen up for the evening entertainment!
We got chatting to Carmen - the earthly angel in reception. She escaped the crisis in her home country of Venezuela and is working in order to buy medicines to send home for her family. Back home she worked full time in two jobs and spent her entire salary each week on two bags of groceries. Inflation is rising at an unbelievable and unprecedented rate and despite this the government appears to be in denial. Despite all this she cheerfully runs about attending to our every whim!
The minibus to the tango show at Cafe de Los Angeles arrived outside and we hopped in. Another touristy ‘must do’ activity, but nevertheless a great experience.
Our ticket included dinner and unlimited drinks in a beautiful Art Deco building down town. We took our seats between a young honeymoon couple from Costa Rica and a pair of seasoned British travellers - he from Wales, she from Yorkshire.
The show began and was an hour long, eye catching display of athletic dance and dazzling costumes. The serious expressions of careful concentration, and almost stationery upper bodies were a great contrast to the dancers legs which moved in a blur of rapid twists and turns and kicks. Over the dancers’ heads, the musicians performed on a platform high above the stage, tirelessly playing piano, accordion, guitar and double base.
Back at the hotel once again the friendly night porter was waiting for us - already briefed for our early start for the airport tomorrow morning.