Hi collegiettes™!
This week has flown by! It’s honestly incredible how fast the days pass by when classes and excursions are thrown into the mix. Over this past week I have been exposed to so many different parts of Argentinian culture and it’s safe to say that I am falling in love with this country. I leave in 16 days and the thought of that breaks my heart. I could write for days explaining all that I’ve experienced, but I’m going to share with you a few of my favorite trips from the past week!
1. Café Tortini: Although Argentinians use cafes as a place to unwind, relax and chat, Cafe Tortoni is not your typical cafe. Upon your arrival you are greeted by a friendly doorman who welcomes you with a smile and opens the grand door to the cafe that was built in 1858. You are immediately taken back in time, as you are surrounded with artwork and pictures from the earlier centuries.
This cafe is where famous writers such as Jorge Borges, Alfonsina Storni and Jose Ortega came to work. Famous figures such as Albert Einstein and Hillary Clinton have come to visit as well. The basement of the cafe is now used to host tango and jazz shows as well as poetry and book contests. I recommend ordering the hot chocolate accompanied with churros. It was absolutely delicious!
The walls of Cafe Tortuni accompanied by statues of famous tango dancers.
Enjoying some cafe con leche and churros.
2. La Boca: La Boca translates to ‘the mouth’ in English, which is a fitting name because this barrio is situated at the mouth of the river that runs along the capital federal’s southern border: the Riachuelo. This was a popular destination for immigrants who ended up building their houses out of ship material, resulting in colorful houses! I absolutely loved walking around this section of Buenos Aires. It was vibrant and full of culture! There were numerous people on the streets selling authentic food and gifts as well as many tango performances outside of the little restaurants.
The smell of delicious food and the rhythm of tango filled the air as I traveled outside the tourist area, following the graffiti of the streets. I stumbled across some train tracks and ran into a group of homeless people playing guitar and bongos. Although we have been lectured numerous times to not do so, I ended up sitting on the ground listening and talking with them. It’s incredible how those who have so little, can be the happiest people you know. I would love to come back and visit them again.
The colorful houses, benches, and trees of La Boca.
Tango dancers from La Boca
3. Recoleta Cemetery: This grand cemetery is nicknamed “City of the Dead.” Although that sounds morbid, I want you to focus on the fact that it is referred to as a city. As soon as you enter the cemetery, you are in a whole different world; a city made up of fabulous mausoleums of marble and bronze crowned with crosses and angels. There are more than 6,400 tombs packed along narrow alleyways and leafy avenues.
Former presidents, military generals, artists and most famously, Eva Perón, are buried here as well as commoners whose deaths are unknown and brought to life by myths. Something that is unique to the cemetery is that not all of the coffins are buried; but rather left about the ground so that the public can view them. If you were to buy a space in the cemetery, it would start at $80,000.
The public continues to show the tomb of the famous Eva Peron to this day.
Mausoleums and marble statues of the cemetery.
4. Soccer Game: Here in Buenos Aires you are constantly surrounded with fútbol, whether it is the National Team, the Boca Juniors or their rivals, River Plate. As soon as I landed in Buenos Aires, I was dying to go to the Argentina v.s. Trinidad and Tobago game and to my luck, my professor arranged us all to go to that one! I obviously could not hide my excitement and the night of the game I was taken over by every aspect of the atmosphere. Walking the street to the stadium there were hundreds of fans wearing the country’s colors of white and blue, waving flags, blowing horns, chanting and selling food and souvenirs.
With a capacity of almost 70,000, the stadium held an even higher level of energy from the fans. Although the section for Trinidad and Tobago was very small, their music filled the stadium and they made their presence clear. The final score at the end of the game was 3-0 with Argentina as the winner. If you ever make it to Argentina, make it a point to attend a soccer game, it’s an incredible experience chanting and jumping along with the fans. Oh and seeing the #1 ranked soccer player in the world play, Messi!
Inside the stadium, Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti.
Reppin’ the Argentina flag during the game!
The World Cup starts today and I can’t wait to update you all next week!
HCxo,
Ayla