Peter and Marilyn

Peter and Marilyn
Christmas in San Jose del Cabo

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Hop on - hop off Tour bus


La Recoleta: Famous cemetery.








Duarte Family burial sight: Grave of Eva Peron.









La Boca neighbourhood.

















Tango dancers: very sexy.















Contrasts in architecture.






































The house atop a highrise.











Sunday, Oct. 31 Halloween

We are up early, fed, and off to the bus stop for 8:45, to be early for the 9 a.m. bus. There is a reasonable line-up, but looks like it will fill the first bus. The bus is parked and the driver is wondering around, smoking. Unfortunately, the ticket seller has not arrived! Sometime, just before 9:30, the guy arrives. There are people who already have tickets, and a few who have managed to buy them who get to leave on the now half-hour late bus. We think we will get the second one, but they only take about half a load as there are other stops along the way. Our bus leaves at 10:20. The couple in front of us strike up a conversation - they had been doing a lot of smooching while in the first line. Turns out they are from San Paulo. They speak great English. They both are of Greek heritage, but he is the only one who speaks the language. The conversation passes the time. It is voting day in Brazil, and as it turns out, they to elect a female president! Half of S.A. is ruled by women. Maybe things will start to equalize, financially, in these countries.
Buenos Aires - a city of contrasts. The older architecture feels like I would expect any European city to feel. The main streets are wide with wide sidewalks also, so there is lots of sunshine at street level. The side streets are narrow, with narrow side walks, as if they are only a way to get to the main drags. Then there is the ultra-modern architecture of the 20th century. Tall office and condo buildings, each with its unique style.
We hop off the bus at La Boca, an artistic area. Many of the houses are built of corrugated steel sheets, painted bright colours. I have read it is the happening part of the city on Sundays. It is. We see street dancers doing, of course, the tango. You can have your picture taken with them for a price! The cobble-stone street, the music, and the art work is worth the stop.
We hop back on a bus, and continue the sight-seeing, getting of again at the Belles Artes. It is too late to visit, so we get some lunch - well, Peter does, they don’t have my fruit salad, so I just have coffee and finish my own banana - and then walk around the block to find the entrance to La Recoleta - the world-famous cemetery. This is definitely unique. A city of mausoleums. We do find a map after, but mostly, we just wander. Some are like little churches. You can look through the many glass windows and see the coffins stacked inside. Others, are ultra-modern. To cover each nook and cranny would take a full day. We do find Eva Peron’s family building. She was a Duarte - a good Portuguese name. Here I get the last picture from my dieing battery! Was meant to be.
On the final leg, we see where the zoo and botanical gardens are situated, and plan to return during the week.
When we return to the hotel, Peter asks the front-desk girl if you have to go to the bus depot to reserve a bus ticket. She says of course not, as she picks up the phone receiver and dials the coach line he wants. Ten minutes later, we are booked on the full-suite bus to Mendoza!

No comments:

Post a Comment