We were only allowed to take photos in the lobby, which was ornate and gorgeous. They had old instruments and costume pieces on display:
The tour was awesome! We got to walk underneath the theater and look into the costume, wig and shoe shops. We also saw the inside of the theater, as well as some practice spaces. When we left the tour, there was a waitress singing opera in the cafe in the theater. It was lovely.
Afterwards, we walked out and took photos of the theater. Then we realized that we were taking pictures of the back of the theater. It was hard to tell. For something so extravagant on the inside, its rather confusing on the outside.
We walked to the front of the theater and regrouped. We all took photos because the day was so lovely.
Here is everyone trying to figure out where we are and what we should do next:
We decided to see the infamous obelisk up close and personal because it was nearby:
We then went to lunch at a fairly lame place where I didn't get an omelette even though that's what I ordered (readers please note: eggs were difficult in Buenos Aires as you will read more about. As D said "What have we learned? Buenos Aires does not know how to do eggs.").
We then headed to a famous cemetary in Recoleta. I don't know what it's called. All I know is that its extremely lavish and that many famous and rich people from Argentina are buried within it. For example - Eva Peron. Also various dignitaries and political and military figures. I'm not sure who, specifically, as we were not there during a time tours were being given in English.
The graves ranged from extremely lavish:
To rather modest:
There were ones like this (drawers):
Others were very ornate:
Some were modern (I think this one was from the 80's - the style really stood out):
The cemetary was like a maze. It was easy to get lost. It was a gorgeous day and an awesome experience, although it was sort of a deranged thing to be doing. Some of the tombs are not well kept. In one - I can't remember if it had bars or glass - the casket had opened and I could actually see bones inside. In others there were photographs of the dead. Still in others you could see child-sized coffins. It was beautiful yet extremely unsettling.
After the cemetary we walked around Recoleta for a bit:
We then stopped at a cafe in the Design Center, where we received a call from N and P inviting us out to dinner. Dinner would be at a secret location. We were excited, as N and P would not disappoint, and all headed back to the hotel to regroup.
N and P met us at 10:00 and announced that we would be going to a restaurant in Palermo Viejo.
N, P, M and A piled into P's car, while D, E, B and I hopped in a cab.
Most of my time in Buenos Aires was spent thinking "Man. I wish I knew Spanish. I should have learned Spanish. Is it possible for me to suck any more than I do and to have been any less prepared for this trip? I don't know a word of Spanish! I am a typical American tourist! I made no effort! I am a nuisance to D! He must want to kill me! He must want to kill all of us!"
Consequently I also spent a lot of time in the back seats of cabs listening to D talk to cab drivers in Spanish. Sometimes he was good about telling me what they were talking about, but most of the time he just talked for the entirety of the ride without informing me of what was going on. I don't blame him.
If unfortunately gave me time to be paranoid and to invent the conversations they were having.
Cab Driver: So, where are you from?
D: New York City.
Cab Driver: Who's that?
D: My girlfriend.
Cab Driver: She can't understand Spanish?
D: Not a word.
Cab Driver: Heh. Sucks to be you, kid! How annoying that must be!
D: Tell me about it. I have to drag her unprepared ass around with me everywhere I go. She'd be lost without me!
Cab Driver: True that. You are a good American. Not like her. She's like all of the rest of them. She feels entitled.
Yeah. That's what I was thinking everytime I heard "Blah blah blah blah Neuvo York blah blah blah blah amiga blah blah blah blah blah."
This particular cab ride was awesome, though, because D was seated in the front being really chatty with the cab driver.
They talked for about 10 minutes while E, B and I had our own conversation in the back seat.
Out of nowhere, D turned around, enthusiastically, with a look of pure excitement consuming his face and flashed us a Polaroid photo of a bunny and announced
"11 KILOS!"
Ummm.
"Oh..." we all said, unsure of how to respond.
The three of us exchanged confused glances in the backseat as I laughed to myself at D's enthusiasm. I love when he gets like that. The smallest thing can make him so very excited.
We returned to our convesation and were interrupted again by D who showed us another photo and declared "THIS ONE IS 12 KILOS!"
"Uh huh..." we all murmered.
B said "Do they have names?" but D didn't hear him because he was too busy talking to the cab driver about the rabbits.
D then turned around and declared "AND THIS ONE HAS BLACK EARS!" He was smiling ear to ear and could not contain himself.
"Oh... cute..." I said.
I don't know, folks, I just don't know. It was really cute and really bizarre.
We decided later on that the cab driver must sell the rabbits, which is why the weights are important.
But to us, sitting in the back, we just assumed, at first, that the dude carries photos of his pets around and shows them to all of his fares.
This is how it was to travel with D. We only got portions of information and had to infer the rest. I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to have to translate every single word to a bunch of people who didn't bother to learn Spanish. Absolutely not. I commend D for his patience and for tolerating us at all.
This being said, I was left assuming that people in Buenos Aires have pet rabbits the way people in the US have pet dogs and force photos of their pets upon anyone who's willing to look. And upon people who couldn't possibly care less. People in cabs are trapped, and therefore have to look at photos of large bunnies with ears that are different colors from their bodies.
Later on that night D explained to us that the cab driver raises huge rabbits and then apparently sells them to French tourists who will pay top dollar to have them cooked.
Right.
So they do not have names because they are not pets.
Right.
"11 kilos!"
Anyway, we were happy to learn that N and P were taking us to a tapas restaurant. N and P were extremely generous and patient with us during our stay in Buenos Aires. They took us out in high style, and always provided or gave us ideas for things to do.
I had some champagne earlier that night (even though I hate champagne). We ordered a bottle of Malbec but I was really dying for a fruity mixed drink. I think I was really craving fruit since my diet in Buenos Aires was less than optimal, but fruit flavored alcohol would have to suffice. P explained that drinks are called the same things in Buenos Aires as they are in the US, so I ordered a cosmpolitan that was quite potent. M also ordered a mixed drink and was drunk instantly. I had the mixed drink as well as a glass of wine and felt quite tipsy myself.
This is what our tables looked like in Buenos Aires:
Tons of empty glasses. Lots of beverages consumed.
The food was delicious, the company was fantastic, and we headed back to the hotel without having ice cream because we were all satisfied after dinner.
2 comments:
By the by, I believe it is the "Recoleta Cemetary."
Once again, amazing photographs.
Post a Comment