The Best of Buenos Aires

Congress building

After 99 posts and three-plus years of chronicling our adventures from the Paris of the South, Now in Buenos Aires comes to a close. We leave with a tribute to our adopted city of selected photos we took from our first visit in June 2006 to our departure in August 2011.

The subjects range from the barrios around us to the art and architecture that pervade them to the public "discussions" of issues to the every day rituals of life. Please enjoy.

1. Favorite neighborhoods

Monuments in the cemetery

Linda at Palermo's Plaza Italia

Recoleta, the neighborhood in which we lived, derives its name from the famous cemetery in its midst, five blocks up the street from our apartment. MORE PHOTOS HERE.



Palermo, a sprawling series of urban villages, is well known for its parks. MORE HERE.

Puerto Madero, recently renovated, still retains the flavor of the old port despite the growing number of high rises. MORE.

   

   Puente de la Mujer in Puerto Madero

Kurt at the entrance to Chinatown

Tango en San Telmo

Chinatown is technically a part of Belgrano, but the 4-square block neighborhood has its own distinctive flavor.

The Chinese supermarkets there stock an incredible variety of items, including home-made US-style oatmeal raisin cookies.



San Telmo, the oldest part of Buenos Aires, is famous for its Sunday antique and flea market. But the open-air tango performance was always our favorite feature.

Palacio de Aguas Corrientes

2. Art & Architecture
Incredible attention to detail for us defines the glory of Buenos Aires. One example: the Palacio de Aguas Corrientes, built and assembled in England and then taken apart, each piece numbered, and shipped to Buenos Aires for reassembling. MORE EXAMPLES HERE.

Sidewalk memorial to victims
of the Dirty War

3. Public Comment
Porteños are not reticent about making their opinions known. Graffiti is everywhere, protest marches are common, and memorials to famous citizens, fallen comrades, and inspirational heroes abound.  MORE.


4. Daily Scenes
A few snapshots from la vida cotidiana below and HERE.

Chau chau besos.

Young bandonista in San Telmo