Mention the Perons in this country and you get a reaction. Good...bad...extreme...passionate---it's not a dull subject. Even now, 60 years after her death, you see graffiti: "Evita Siempre," Evita Forever, in the poorer sections of town.

And why not? As Director of Labor when her hubby Juan was president, she set up orphanages, schools, hospitals and supported women's suffrage and dignity. The poor and middle class loved her, even to lining up to pass by her coffin--even collapsing on her coffin, for 13 days until the government pulled the plug and moved the body.

The history of Argentina's love/hate relationship with Eva Peron is worth volumes and for us it's fascinating. We're enamored by her story. While Madonna made her live for North Americans, our Argentinean friends were not so amused.

Today we went to the Evita museum where they naturally would say nothing bad about the woman. Bob says, isn't it interesting thay they're able to just block out all the bad parts and just put in the good? I think also, in listenig in on a tour guide, I think he said the movie was not even allowed in Argentina.

Can that be true? In a modern democratic country like this you can squash the Hollywood version? I wouldn't have thought so, but perhaps someone who knows can enlighten us.

Still, the museum is a well done chronicle of the good things she accomplished in her young life and well worth the visit.

The dresses, hats and shoes by themselves were worth the visit. Any of them could be taken off their mannikins and worn today and no one would think you odd. They're awesome!

We had planned to take the bus but it was such a convoluted route we ended up walking it. And since we're now in this gorgeous, chic neighborhood of Palermo Soho, it's pure pleasure stopping to window shop in all the unique boutiques and wonderful restaurants we pass.

This area of Buenos Aires could pass for New York easy--they say it's patterned after New York's Soho, but to me it feels like Paris with the proliferation of baguettes, butcher shops and sidewalk cafes. You stop here for your chicken, there for fresh out of the oven bread, over at the sidewalk fruit stand for fat red tomatoes --it's so much fun.

Shopping for dinner has become a page out of a great romantic movie---shady cobbled streets, lovely people---my goodness.

However, don't come expecting cheap. Buenos Aires is almost as expensive as the US. Even with the 5 to 1 exchange rate, things here cost a lot for South America. We stop at one of these sweet little sidewalk cafes for a soda and a coffee and it's $8. Yesterday's lunch where we split a sandwich and each had a drink was $20. So no, it's not like Japan but it's a long way from Ecuador, too, where we could get a meal for $2.50.

But I haven't been sick yet either and quite frankly, that's worth a lot.

Where we really see the savings is in lodging. Our bare bones hostel in the seedy neighborhood was $20 a night. Here in our chic Palermo condo it's $50 a night and this place is lovely--truly a gem. We're on a tree lined pedestrian way surrounded by cool shops---we even have our own balcony. I could stay here a month. Our landlords are a young lawyer and her boyfriend who have 3 different apartments they rent out, moving themselves from one to the other depending on which one has rented that week. They're adorable and we're going on a picnic with them tomorrow to a nearby park with a lake and rose garden. I'll definitely have to take more pictures.