Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Buenos Aires

"Mi Buenos Aires, tierra florida, donde mi vida terminaré, bajo tu amparo no hay desengaños, vuelan los años, se olvida el dolor" - Carlos Gardel and Alfredo le Pera.

Buenos Aires surprises the visitor with its Parisian-style boulevards, great planned avenues, cozy cafés and bookshops, a highly educated population and mild weather. All over the place, monuments and historical constructions are a testimony of a rich and grand past of Argentina. Buenos Aires may be the most European-like Latin American city, but with unique cultural and historical characteristics.



I have been five times to Buenos Aires between 2005 and 2006. Nevertheless, the list of attractions below is not extensive. Most of the interesting sites in the center of the city can be visited on foot or by subway, which is one of the oldest of the world.







The Casa Rosada is situated in front of the Plaza de Mayo, a place that has witnessed the most important public manifestations of the history of Argentina






Planned as a Parisian boulevard, the Avenue of Mayo links the Casa Rosada to the Argentine Congress. Along the avenue runs the line A of the subway, which still has some trains from the beginning of the 20th century, made of wood and kept for tourism purposes.


The building of the Argentine Congress is situated at the Plaza de los Dos Congresos, a place also frequently used for popular manifestations.






The Ninth of July Avenue is the largest of the world and crosses the city center. At the intersection with the Corrientes Avenue, stands an obelisk that was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the city. It is one of the symbols of Buenos Aires and Argentina.


Florida Street is Buenos Aires' high street, where you can find the most important shops and department stores.







The best of the Argentine cuisine can be found at the excellent restaurants of Puerto Madero, an old dock area that has been recently restored.





Every Sunday afternoon there is a fair in the borough of San Telmo, where you can find antiques, works of art, typical tango orchestras e and tango performers.



A group of streets that still keeps examples of old immigrant's constructions is located at the borough of Boca, where you can also find street performers, shops, restaurants and bars. The main street is know as the "Caminito".



The historical constructions spread all over the city and the cultural life of Buenos Aires form a peculiar environment that offers special opportunities for the photographers.

Ohter voyages:

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