Journey's End

And so my 5-month journey comes to an end as I head home tomorrow, May 24, at the same time as Buenos Aires explodes into life with its bicentenary celebrations. As I look back on my adventures and remember the people I’ve met and places I’ve seen, I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to travel through S. America. And yet I feel I’ve just scratched the surface and would like to return and visit Peru, Ecuador and Brazil.

I shall certainly come back to Argentina – there’s a lot more to see here – I’ve spent most of the time in Buenos Aires studying Spanish and Tango and I haven’t sampled all the different Malbecs yet!
Although sad to leave, I’m also ready to come home and looking forward to seeing family and friends – I’ve just read it’s the hottest day of the year in the U.K. today – let's hope it’s the beginning of a trend.
Thanks to all you for following my blog and for adding comments – made it all feel worthwhile. Hasta pronto (see you soon)!

Goodbye Argentina

Bicentenary Celebrations

This weekend, May 22/23, is the beginning of a huge 4-day holiday celebrating the bicentenary of Argentina's Revolution of 25 May, 1810 that resulted in the breaking of colonial ties with Spain, paving the road to independence on July 9, 1816. The 'widest road in the world', av 9 de julio (obelisk at the end), has been cordoned off and is teaming with people and parades, live music and exhibits showing the different provinces of Argentina.

La Galeria Pacifico

This shopping mall on Florida Street was modelled after Le Bon Marche in Paris with beautiful frescos in the cupola. The mall houses many high-end stores such as Tiffany's, Ralph Lauren, Christian Lacroix, Christian Dior, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfigger. It also has a tango school and this is where I've been coming for classes.

Retiro Railway Station

At the turn of the 20th century, Argentina had vast natural resources such as grain and cattle waiting to be exploited, but it was the British Empire that had the investment capability and technology to create this Retiro railroad station complex and connect Buenos Aires to the hinterlands in order to get its products to overseas markets. Most of the railway stations here were built by the British and they're all examples of stunning Victorian architecture.

Empanadas

I'm eating far too many of these! Like miniature Cornish pasties, empanadas are delicious snacks sold everywhere. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread and the stuffing inside is usually meat, but there's also tuna, chicken, vegetable or ham and cheese.

British Clock Tower

This Elizabethan-style clock tower, which some call the Argentine Big Ben, was a gift from the British community of Buenos Aires. After the war in the Falklands, anything associated with Britain was renamed and the tower became Torre Monumental, although nearly all locals still call it the British Clock Tower. The monument survived the war unscathed, but a few years later during an anniversary memorial service, an angry mob attacked it. They destroyed portions of the base and also toppled a statue of George Canning, the first British diplomat to recognize the country's independence from Spain (he's now safely kept at the British Embassy).