When I only have a short time in a city, I like to indulge in the hop on hop off tours. They give a good overview of the city. If you listen well, you can hear what is important to that city. Yeah you don’t get much in depth or the juicy small corners, but it is a good start.
First off you have to choose which company to use. It can be hard to find the specific s on companies as the top listings will be the big tour companies that will sell you tickets, just not always the tickets you thought you were buying. Look at the maps to see what are the best areas. I try to avoid the ones tha specialize in the shopping districts. Check again to make sure you have on and off privileges. And make sure that they offer the tours in English unless you are proficient in the local language.Ask how late they run. But also be prepared to take a taxi back to your hotel.
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| The Science Museum |
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| Murals are everywhere |
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| This is hard to see. It is seats for an outdoor stage of some kind. But that figure outline is dark and sort of tied in place. It is across the street where many people were imprisoned, most were never heard from again |
I opted for the yellow bus. I only got off twice. First in Boca. I will show you those photos in a bit. The other was to wait 15 minutes for the following bus as the one I was on was not broadcasting in English due to equipment problems. It did give me a chance to feel the neighborhood, and to look at the park across the street.
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| These silos are from the most recently replaced port. I think they are being reserved because they represent that time of prosperity. |
When I left the hotel, there was blue sky, but I had been warned that there could be showers. It staid dry until I got off at Boca, when it started raining. Feeling smug, I got out my rain coat. So of course it stopped raining. I then stayed dry until I got completed with the tour, and got off at the stop closest to the hotel. When it started dumping buckets, and lightening filled the sky. This is when I discovered the internet promised by TMobile doesnt work, and I had to actually read the map to find my way to the hotel. Did I mention that they don’t put the street names up on most intersections? Stumbling around I started to recognize where I was, and then I recognized that I was near the Empenadas shop. So all is good, if a bit soggy. And I am really missing all of the hotels that have a hair drier in the room. (Note there is a bidet which is way cooler than hair driers.)
Boca
Buenos Aries is a port city. Since the city was established in the 1500’s the actual port has been at several locations. This was one of the earliest port locations, near the river’s mouth, or as it is called in Spanish Boca.
This area decided to be a palace for street merchants and artisans a long time ago. So in some ways a bit like Olivera Street in Los Angeles. Every thing is brightly painted, and the food places and the souvenir shops spill out onto the walking street.
I kind of wish I had an “extra” dinner slot available so I could try one of the local barbecue joints.
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| Almost impossible to see, but it lists the artists that lived in this building. |
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| I have seen in many cities the story of heroic fire fighters taking action during the fire that defined that part of the city. |
The sett of photos above is down a walking street of local sculptures. I will add the photos of the QR tags about many of the artists. So you can research further.
One tourist areas have human statues or juke boxes. The gig here is that people dressed for Tango will put a hat on your head and do a tango pose, for a tip of course. It was quite amusing to watch.
There were so many pieces of art to buy, but I kept myself to one set of ear rings of rhodochrosite. It is mined locally. They were ridiculously cheap, so I did the “keep the change” thing. He handed me a lovely chunk of amethyst that he had mined near his house.
I’m off to return to the cafe of last night. I have to decide whether to dig dry clothes out or risk getting chilled. Or perhaps I will lie here listening to he rain and not risk ruining the rest of the trip by catching cold.
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