Evita, Maradona, Bergoglio, and the others
Argentina | Anno 2017
Monday, October 30 | Buenos Aires
Tuesday, October 31 | Buenos Aires
Monday, October 30 | Buenos Aires
Energetic but with small eyes, guide Claudia awaits us just before four in the morning at the misty Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini de Ezeiza, a bit south of Buenos Aires. That she had to get out of bed for us at a quarter to three this morning is only half the story. Just before midnight, a storm actually broke out. With speeds up to 100 kilometres per hour, the tempest raced through the city centre. Sleep has been scarce since then.
With speeds up to 100 kilometres per hour, the tempest raced through the city centre
Meanwhile, the storm has subsided. The streets are bone dry, only puddles of water on the gravel paths in the parks still remind us of the turbulent night. The fact that such a storm in Buenos Aires is often a harbinger of splendid weather will be pleasantly confirmed throughout the day.
But until further notice, a humid smog still grips Buenos Aires. The city has three million inhabitants, known as Porteños because they live in Argentina's largest port city. By mid-morning, eight million commuters will join these three million residents. Subte, the metro system, only serves the central part of the city, according to Claudia. So, for most commuters, the subterráneo, the subway, is of little use. The rest of public transportation is poorly tailored to the needs of the commuters. Therefore, for about half of those eight million commuters, there is no choice but to drive to work. That’s four million cars heading for the centre.
But for now, we don't have to worry about it. At this early hour, the streets of the capital are mostly empty. Gradually, the darkness reveals the city, and Buenos Aires awakens under a grey cloud cover. It is six o'clock when Claudia drops us off in front of our hotel in Retiro, one of the many barrios or districts of Buenos Aires. Be cautious of pickpockets, she quickly reminds us. We are not concerned about that for now. A shower, breakfast, and a rest are our first concerns after a flight of more than twelve and a half hours.
At exactly nine o'clock, we set out. The grey rain clouds have given way to an open, blue sky. Crowds of people swarm over sidewalks and intersections everywhere. Office hours are approaching; a regular workday here runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Buenos Aires has been profiling itself as a European city since the early 20th century
Buenos Aires – Avenida 9 de Julio, El Obelisco
While driver Daniel navigates his bus through the busy morning traffic, we pass Teatro Colón. The colossal concert hall occupies an entire city block on its own. Two thousand five hundred spectators can take their seats, not counting the thousand standing places. Its acoustics are considered among the five best in the world. That's the work of two Italian architects, but also of a Belgian, Claudia smirks, namely a certain Julio Dormal.
Rather than being inspired by North American examples, Buenos Aires has been profiling itself as a European city since the early 20th century. This is abundantly evident on Avenida 9 de Julio, the avenue that reminds us that the Argentine Republic declared its independence on July 9, 1816. One monumental building after another passes by the window. Indeed, you feel like you're in a European capital here.
This is said to be the widest boulevard in the world. One hundred forty meters wide from sidewalk to sidewalk, Claudia specifies. In short, the width of a city block, including adjacent streets. This luxury came at a price. Many beautiful houses from the Belle Époque era had to make way for this prestigious project in 1935.
Plaza de Mayo – Pirámide de Mayo
A little after nine, we arrive at Plaza de Mayo. This is where the second founding of Buenos Aires took place in 1580. The first attempt in 1536 had ended in failure. Pedro de Mendoza had already tried to establish himself here, but the local Querandí Indians weren't amused, and within a year, the Spaniards had to hastily retreat.
Plaza de Mayo
The jacarandas tentatively display their first purple flowers. However, it will take a while before the beautiful red flowers of the ceibo, Argentina's national tree, make their appearance. At the centre of the square stands the white Pirámide de Mayo. It commemorates May 25, 1810, another date when independence was declared, but only in Buenos Aires.
Every Thursday at half-past three, they held their demonstration here, a silent cry for explanations about the fate of their disappeared children
Pañuelo blanco |
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Crosses for the fallen of the Falklands War (1982) |
White figures on the red bricks capture our attention. Sometimes there are names and dates accompanying them. They represent pañuelos blancos, the white handkerchiefs worn around the heads of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo. Every Thursday at half-past three, they held their demonstration here, a silent cry for explanations about the fate of their disappeared children. On the white handkerchiefs, they had written the name and birthdate of their child.
Those disappearances were the work of the military dictatorship. From 1976 to 1982, it held Argentina in its grip. It only came to an end when President Galtieri misjudged the British stance on the Falkland Islands – or the Malvinas as they are called here. A few days after his defeat, he had to pack up. White crosses on a grassy plot commemorate the nearly 700 Argentine victims who fell there – mostly very young, inexperienced recruits, Claudia mutters bitterly. In 1983, Raúl Alfonsín came to power through elections.
Casa Rosada
A focal point on the square is the Casa Rosada, the presidential residence. Or at least the back of it, as it used to overlook the Río de la Plata. Nowadays, the riverbank has shifted almost two kilometres eastward.
The source of the building's distinctive pink colour is not definitively known. The possibility that the walls were painted with cattle blood is not ruled out. At the end of the 19th century, this was sometimes done. There is less doubt about the spot where Evita Perón delivered her famous speeches – the balcony with the three windows to the left of the gate.
Changing of the guard |
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Casa Rosada – Balcony Evita Perόn |
Very unassuming among towering buildings that surround it, almost hidden behind jacaranda trees, we barely discern the Catedral Metropolitana – as if it wants to radiate the humility that Pope Francis I has made his trademark. As Cardinal Bergoglio, he served as the archbishop here.
Catedral Metropolitana
It looks like a Roman temple, this cathedral with its neoclassical facade with a triangular pediment. Inside, baroque elements prevail, with a beautiful gilded wood altarpiece from colonial times. However, you will search in vain for the richness of marble, silver, or gold in this cathedral.
They even refused to let José de San Martín set foot on land when he wanted to return in 1829
Catedral Metropolitana |
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Mausoleum of José de San Martín |
Except in the mausoleum of José de San Martín, which is housed in a side chapel. Two soldiers in traditional uniforms guard his marble sarcophagus. He was a pivotal figure in the struggle for independence, not only in Argentina but also in Chile and Peru. Leading his army, he even crossed the Andes – comparisons with Hannibal abound.
However, after a meeting with Simon Bolivar, he withdrew from politics and emigrated to Western Europe. Since then, he was persona non grata in Argentina – they even refused to let him set foot on land when he wanted to return in 1829. It wasn't until 1880 that the body of the great liberator, the Libertador, was repatriated and placed in this cathedral, albeit modestly in a side chapel. After all, he was a notorious Freemason.
Outside, it's bustling with activity. Orange-black taxis zip through the streets, and city buses boast their Euro 5 standard. Apparently, the European influence in Buenos Aires extends that far.
Cabildo
Once the city was governed from the Cabildo, the city hall of Buenos Aires, so to speak. It's a stately, white building on a corner of the square. Nowadays, it serves as a museum. Only five of the original eleven arches of the colonnade remain.
Behind the Cabildo, Claudia points out the government building of the province of Buenos Aires. Each Argentine province has its own governor, along with its own legislation, she emphasizes. However, the city of Buenos Aires is not part of the province of Buenos Aires. It is a distrito federal, comparable to Washington DC.
Now, we head south, via Avenida Paseo Colón, towards San Telmo and La Boca, the oldest barrios in Buenos Aires. In the second half of the 19th century, immigration increased rapidly, especially from Spain and Italy. The golden age of Argentina was approaching.
La Boca was the place where these immigrants landed. Those with limited means settled on the banks of the Riachuelo, while the more affluent could afford a place in San Telmo.
Again, we notice white crosses, this time in the semi-darkness under the Autopista 25 de Mayo bridge. They call this place Club Atlético, according to Claudia. It is a cynical reference to the nearby sports centre but also to the original name with the same acronym – Centro Antisubversivo.
Suspected opponents of the regime were systematically imprisoned, tortured, and killed
In 1977, the military junta established a clandestine centre in the basement of a building here. Suspected opponents of the regime were systematically imprisoned, tortured, and killed – an average of six to seven per day. When the highway was built in 1978, the basements disappeared under a mound of earth. It wasn't until 2002 that the government began digging to bring evidence to the surface.
We catch a glimpse of Casa Amarilla, the residence of William Brown. In the past, this mansion was on the banks of the Río de la Plata, but nowadays it's almost three kilometres further east.
A noble unknown to us, this William Brown from Ireland, but Claudia calls him the father of the Argentine navy. In the 19th century, he managed to defeat the Brazilian fleet. Subsequently, Uruguay was created as a buffer state. Skirmishes between these two powers largely became a thing of the past.
Then, the blue-yellow graffiti on the façade of La Bombonera passes by the window – one of the most important cathedrals of the religion called football. The sport is insanely popular in this country, to say the least. Buenos Aires alone has two dozen professional football teams. Almost a football league in itself, no other city in the world compares.
Buenos Aires alone has two dozen professional football teams. Almost a football league in itself, no other city in the world compares
The home of CA Boca Juniors is this stadium, one of the most popular football teams in Argentina. Its nickname La Bombonera – candy box – is owed to its shape. When new colours had to be chosen for the club, it was a Swedish ship that first entered the harbour after a storm. So, the colours became blue-yellow.
La Boca – Centro De Exposiciones Caminito
Later on, Daniel drops us off in La Boca, the historical working-class centre of Buenos Aires. This barrio still belongs to the proletariat, and it continues to grapple with its turbulent reputation.
La Boca – Conventillos
Immigrants once found shelter in the small rooms of rental tenements, the conventillos. These were shabby shacks, mostly made of corrugated iron, often elevated on stilts to protect against floods.
With the leftovers of the paint they used for boats, they tried to add some colour. Often, this became a colourful amalgamation because the remnants rarely sufficed for one shack. This multicoloured character has since become the trademark of La Boca – at least in the tiny, embellished tourist quarter around Caminito. It's better not to venture far beyond that as a tourist.
This multicoloured character has since become the trademark of La Boca
Life-size dolls of popular Argentine celebrities warmly greet us from the balconies of the colourful conventillos – we recognize Diego Maradona, Evita Perón, Carlos Gardel, and Pope Francis I. But ordinary people are also depicted.
La Boca
Numerous restaurants vie for the favour of hungry tourists. A couple dances an uninspired tango between empty tables to attract customers. Hawkers try to tempt us with sensual tango dancers.
Once La Boca could no longer handle the increasingly larger sea vessels at the end of the 19th century, Puerto Madero took over. This did not last long; in 1930, this port was also closed due to shallow waters.
The sun now generously sprinkles its rays over this former port neighbourhood. For a long time, Puerto Madero looked run-down. Until the 1990s, when decisive action was taken, and the neighbourhood underwent an unprecedented renovation – a merit that Claudia attributes to President Menem. The warehouses of yesteryear are now attractive office buildings and lofts with ground-floor shops. Stately harbour cranes remind us of the bygone era.
Puerto Madero – Puente de la Mujer
On the other side of the canal, there is even an exclusive residential area accessible only to the ultra-rich. They cherish this exclusive isolation. A square meter of living space there easily costs ten thousand American dollars. There is no public transportation. You can only reach it via one of the four bridges over the canal or through the pedestrian bridge Puente de la Mujer, the Women's Bridge. It is so named because on the other side, all streets have women's names.
Not surprisingly, the most popular sports in Argentina are British sports – hockey, cricket, tennis. And, of course, football
Since the 1980s, Retiro has been developed as a business district. And it shows, as skyscrapers compete for space. British investments played a significant role in this development because the relationship with the United Kingdom has been excellent from the start. Not surprisingly, the most popular sports in Argentina are British sports – hockey, cricket, tennis. And, of course, football, how could we forget that.
Retiro
The good relationship is also evident in the presence of the Torre de los Ingleses. In 1910, the local British community erected this 75-meter-high clock tower to commemorate the Argentine Revolution of May 1810.
In 1982, a massive rift occurred between the two countries due to the Falklands War. Relations plummeted. From then on, the Torre de los Ingleses would be called the Torre Monumental.
Torre Monumental
If you're looking for an equivalent of Avenue Louise in Buenos Aires, Claudia says you should head to Avenida Alvear, as the luxurious shop windows pass by our window. You'll mainly find French shops here, not American ones. The Argentinian feels more European than American. If you were to call someone here Latino, they would likely interpret it as an insult.
If you were to call someone here Latino, they would likely interpret it as an insult
The style of the couturiers also differs from that of other South American countries. This even extends to hairstyles. Argentinian women are more likely to wear short hair than long hair, as is common elsewhere in South America, Claudia adds – setting a good example herself.
The streets are getting wider now, the surroundings greener, the parks larger. These are the northern, more affluent neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires.
Initially, the city developed exclusively in the south, around La Boca and San Telmo. In 1871, that suddenly changed. Yellow fever broke out and affected 40 % of the population. Those who could afford it rushed to Recoleta, a barrio to the north of the city.
Cementerio de la Recoleta
Rich people were not lacking in the Buenos Aires of that time. Argentina was thriving, thanks in large part to the export of meat and grain. Argentina was the very first country in the world to export frozen meat via refrigerated ships. From around 1870 until the stock market crash of 1929, the country experienced its golden age.
And wealth is something to show off. This is abundantly clear at the Cementerio de la Recoleta, where the high society of Buenos Aires could enter eternity surrounded by opulence. There are no simple gravestones here, only grand mausoleums.
The Augustinian Recollect monks probably had a different vision when they settled here in the 17th century
The Augustinian Recollect monks probably had a different vision when they settled here in the 17th century. They were a mendicant order, serving the poor and engaging in pastoral work. Far from the bustling city centre, they worked their farm in peace, including an extensive orchard.
Cementerio de la Recoleta
But Buenos Aires continued to grow and gradually swallowed up the monastery. After their independence, the Argentinians wanted nothing to do with monks who were still subordinate to Spain. In 1822, the governor urgently requested the Recollects to leave. Their church was given to the Franciscans. And their orchard became one of the most famous cemeteries in the world.
That cemetery is arranged like a small city, with blocks, avenues, and streets, Claudia explains as she guides us through the bizarre collection of sometimes towering mausoleums in the most diverse styles.
Manoeuvring a heavy coffin vertically down in that cramped space must be quite a task
As historical monuments, the graves enjoy strict protection. Demolishing a grave is therefore out of the question, but enlarging, reducing, or modifying is also not allowed. For the families, there is nothing else to do but work in the depth. Under most mausoleums, a cellar has become available over the years. You reach it from the inside through a narrow opening in the floor and a steep staircase or even a ladder. Manoeuvring a heavy coffin vertically down in that cramped space must be quite a task. And then, downstairs, you better give the coffin a good shake so that grandpa lies flat again before you slide him into his niche for eternity.
The cemetery counts four thousand seven hundred eighty graves. And they are all occupied. Since a concession is perpetual, you might think that it is a dead place in this cemetery.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Graves can be rented, granted, or even sold. Around the prestigious concessions, a real estate market has developed, with prices that make ordinary mortals dizzy. There is even a long waiting list of interested parties. Because now and then, the city is forced to sell a grave that is almost collapsing. Not every family can afford to maintain the grave, either due to a lack of financial means or a lack of descendants.
Around the prestigious concessions, a real estate market has developed, with prices that make ordinary mortals dizzy
Tomb of Rufina Cambacérès
Presidents are buried here, as well as generals, industrialists, artists, writers, Nobel Prize winners, and more. However, no grave attracts more attention than that of the Duartes, where Eva Maria is buried – better known as Evita Perón.
But the fate of Rufina Cambacérès still captivates the imagination. At the age of nineteen, a popular society figure in Buenos Aires in 1902, she was considered dead after a cataleptic attack and immediately buried. Buried alive, according to the city legend, as evidenced by scratch marks on the inside of her coffin.
For a lunch in a historic setting, we can go to La Biela. However, it wasn't until the 1950s that this café became a true institution. This is primarily thanks to a club of race car drivers who made it their regular hangout. The story goes that one of them broke down with engine trouble at the door. Hence the original name La Biela Fundida – The Melted Connecting Rod.
La Biela
Over time, the former monastery buildings of the Recollects have taken on various destinations – from a hospital to a prison. Nowadays, there is a cultural centre, a shopping mall, and even a hard rock café.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
But their church has managed to maintain its original function all this time. A magnificent example of colonial architecture, this white Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, is dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar, a popular pilgrimage site in the Spanish city of Zaragoza.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
Impressive gilded wooden altarpieces adorn the main altar and the seven side altars. However, it is the dazzling altar table that steals the show, entirely covered with engraved silver plates. This silver had to come all the way from the mountains in the northwest, over a thousand kilometres away. Peruvian goldsmiths were responsible for the engraving work.
Claustros Históricos del Pilar |
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Altar table |
In the cloister corridor, a small museum is housed, the Claustros Históricos del Pilar. This is the oldest part of the monastery, and since its construction in 1732, nothing is said to have been altered. Beautiful pieces of colonial religious art are displayed there.
It is three o'clock when Claudia drops us off at the hotel doorstep. Ample time to explore the city on our own.
One option is the Galerías Pacífico, a popular attraction for both tourists and porteños. The shopping gallery effortlessly combines the grandeur of the late 19th century with the flashy appeal of a 21st-century shopping centre.
Or Café Tortoni, another obligatory destination. It embodies the café culture of the porteño, as they modestly call themselves. As early as 1858, a coffeehouse was established along the broad Avenida de Mayo. However, it wasn't until 1926 that the café gained fame when a group of writers, painters, musicians, and journalists made it their regular meeting place.
It embodies the café culture of the porteño, as they modestly call themselves
Café Tortoni
The place is packed. There's a bit of a wait outside before we can follow in the footsteps of – among others – Jorge Luis Borges, Albert Einstein, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Hillary Clinton. We get to marvel at the lush Art Nouveau interior – the colourful stained glass windows, the classical chandeliers, the imposing pillars, and the numerous photos, drawings, and paintings on the walls.
Tuesday, October 31 | Buenos Aires
No cloud in the sky, the sun shines in a perfectly blue sky. Afternoon temperatures ranging from 20 to 25 °C (68 to 77 °F) are expected. On the gnarled, dark trunks of the jacarandas in the parks of La Recoleta and Palermo, the purple crowns have begun their spring bloom.
The structure of aluminium and stainless steel is supposed to symbolize the hope that is reborn every morning
Floralis Genérica
The Floralis Genérica also quenches itself in the generous sun. However, this is an electromechanical phenomenon, not a biological one. It is an enormous structure made of aluminium and stainless steel, standing 23 meters high and weighing 18 tons. In 2002, the artist Eduardo Catalano gifted this generic flower to the city. It is intended to symbolize all the flowers in the world – hence the generic term – but also the hope that is reborn every morning. In the morning, the six colossal petals open automatically above a sleek reflecting pool, and at sunset, they close.
Our destination is Jorge Newbery International Airport, the second airport of Buenos Aires. To the right stretches the immense Río de la Plata. The river is so wide here that you can't even see the opposite bank. Even at this point, over 200 km from the estuary, it measures fifty kilometres. One and a half times the Strait of Dover, not bad for a river.
When the Spaniards arrived on these coasts in 1526, they were obsessed with the idea that there was silver to be found here. Somewhat prematurely, they named the river Río de la Plata, the River of Silver, and the country Argentina, after the Latin word argentum for silver. However, that enthusiasm would quickly cool down. Gradually, the Spaniards lost interest in the south of Argentina and Chile. It would take almost three centuries before the colonization of Patagonia would begin.
Now we leave Buenos Aires behind for two weeks. Five leaps will take us through the immense Patagonia – Península Valdés, Tierra del Fuego, Los Glaciares, Torres del Paine and Los Lagos.
Jaak Palmans
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