Traffic into town - 7:30 a.m.
Our hotel: Mundial
The open arium from the seventh floor until the first.Banners in memorial for Nestor Kirchner.
Great pizzas on Av. de Mayo, at the next corner.
Friday, Oct. 29
The morning comes quickly, so I have obviously have had a good sleep. We are now in the river delta and is much like approaching Vancouver from Chilliwack.
We cross a bridge and from the time we reach the outskirts until we reach the terminal is well over an hour. As the autopisto (highway) widens, the speeds increase. When there are five lanes in each direction, it is posted overhead, above each lane - 130 - 120 - 110- 100 - 90/60! Of course, there is the two-lane service road to the side. With an area population of 11 million, there are a lot of cars to move. That is, 1/3 of Canada’s population in the vicinity of the city! The highway extends right into the heart of the city.
As the bus approaches the port area, you travel between two mountains of containers! It is obvious that this is the major shipping port of Argentina.
Our hotel, Hotel Mundial, is on Av. de Mayo, just off Av. 9 de Julio, which is one of the biggest streets in the world. The autopisto feeds into it. It is seven lanes in each direction with two-lane side streets parallel for local traffic. When you cross this street, unless you at a full gallop, you get to the half-way point where you must wait for the next light. It is quite intimidating crossing in front of seven cars lined-up appearing to be waiting for the starting pistol to start a race. We are half-way between the Congress building (and plaza) and the Presidential Palace. We are an easy walk to all the downtown core. The hotel is 100 years old. Of course, it has been refurbished. The elevator works smoothly, but, again, is 100 years old. You work it manually, by opening the outside and then the inside doors, then closing them. Only four fat people can be on the elevator at once, although I notice that with even thin riders, nobody goes beyond the four-passenger limit.
The Friday is a rainy day, but we decide to walk to the downtown area, through the Plaza de Mayo by the Presidential Palace. What we had not realized was that it was ex-president, Nestor Kitchener who had died on Wednesday. His wife, Christina, is now president. The square was filled with mourners and mourning messages. The signs mostly read (in Spanish of course) Nestor, Eva, & Peron together (in heaven). Also, Fuerta Christina - Christina, be strong. The place is a mess with garbage and such, but we realize the next day that all government & municipal workers were given the days off for mourning.
I indulge in an ice-cream cone which we were told are exceptional in Argentina. We happen to pass a parlour with more than fifty years in business. I get a “super” dulce de leche - which means, not only is the ice-cream made with the sauce, there is a gollop of the sauce on top and it is scooped-up into the cone. I plan to have one more before leaving next Friday. Dulce de leche is the sweet of choice in Argentina - like cajeta in Mexico or maple syrup in Canada.
We have a siesta before going down the street to a pizza parlour for dinner - after all it is Friday. La Continental is super. We finally get a good pizza in South America. The place is hopping with table service, stand-up, and take-out equally busy. We will not be here next Friday evening, so we may need to revisit this joint next Thursday.
The morning comes quickly, so I have obviously have had a good sleep. We are now in the river delta and is much like approaching Vancouver from Chilliwack.
We cross a bridge and from the time we reach the outskirts until we reach the terminal is well over an hour. As the autopisto (highway) widens, the speeds increase. When there are five lanes in each direction, it is posted overhead, above each lane - 130 - 120 - 110- 100 - 90/60! Of course, there is the two-lane service road to the side. With an area population of 11 million, there are a lot of cars to move. That is, 1/3 of Canada’s population in the vicinity of the city! The highway extends right into the heart of the city.
As the bus approaches the port area, you travel between two mountains of containers! It is obvious that this is the major shipping port of Argentina.
Our hotel, Hotel Mundial, is on Av. de Mayo, just off Av. 9 de Julio, which is one of the biggest streets in the world. The autopisto feeds into it. It is seven lanes in each direction with two-lane side streets parallel for local traffic. When you cross this street, unless you at a full gallop, you get to the half-way point where you must wait for the next light. It is quite intimidating crossing in front of seven cars lined-up appearing to be waiting for the starting pistol to start a race. We are half-way between the Congress building (and plaza) and the Presidential Palace. We are an easy walk to all the downtown core. The hotel is 100 years old. Of course, it has been refurbished. The elevator works smoothly, but, again, is 100 years old. You work it manually, by opening the outside and then the inside doors, then closing them. Only four fat people can be on the elevator at once, although I notice that with even thin riders, nobody goes beyond the four-passenger limit.
The Friday is a rainy day, but we decide to walk to the downtown area, through the Plaza de Mayo by the Presidential Palace. What we had not realized was that it was ex-president, Nestor Kitchener who had died on Wednesday. His wife, Christina, is now president. The square was filled with mourners and mourning messages. The signs mostly read (in Spanish of course) Nestor, Eva, & Peron together (in heaven). Also, Fuerta Christina - Christina, be strong. The place is a mess with garbage and such, but we realize the next day that all government & municipal workers were given the days off for mourning.
I indulge in an ice-cream cone which we were told are exceptional in Argentina. We happen to pass a parlour with more than fifty years in business. I get a “super” dulce de leche - which means, not only is the ice-cream made with the sauce, there is a gollop of the sauce on top and it is scooped-up into the cone. I plan to have one more before leaving next Friday. Dulce de leche is the sweet of choice in Argentina - like cajeta in Mexico or maple syrup in Canada.
We have a siesta before going down the street to a pizza parlour for dinner - after all it is Friday. La Continental is super. We finally get a good pizza in South America. The place is hopping with table service, stand-up, and take-out equally busy. We will not be here next Friday evening, so we may need to revisit this joint next Thursday.
Are you guys going to shop on Florida Street in BA? Dave.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter and Marilyn!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Florida St. is a good place to shop. That st is overcrowded!
My Buenos Aires apartment was near there, so I know that!