Hop, skip, and jump in most directions in Buenos Aires and you'll still end up in Buenos Aires. It's a ridiculously large city -- more people live in the metropolitan area than in all of Bolivia! -- but not without its charms. We can't seem to get enough of the gothic architecture that lurks around every corner, and Elizabeth may even be developing a taste for Fernet-Branca, a peculiar Italian drink, often mixed with cola, that one might mistake for really, really strong cough syrup. Or an industrial pesticide.
Your typical more-or-less daily street protest in Bs. As., complete with explosions
Despite its charms, we needed a break from the noise of 353 Talcahuano (our very central address) and so boarded a Buquebus ferry and crossed the Rio de la Plata for Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.
Officially already in Uruguay, according to our passports, while waiting for the boat
What the French called it a few centuries back
Founded in 1680, Colonia was established by Portugal and used as a strategic smuggling locale, and was fought over by Spain and Portugal and occasionally Brazil for about 150 years.
UNESCO protection status, though, seems to have quieted things down a bit. The cobbled streets and white-washed colonial architecture make for a most relaxing day away from the bedlam of our adopted city.
The street of sighs
The gate into the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site
Rush hour
Colonia is known for having classic cars parked around its streets, rather like Havana, similarly the result of periods of relative wealth followed by periods of poverty. In leaner times, people held on to their cars and kept them running until finally the kinds of cars in Colonia had long since been scrapped in the rest of the world. Now there are fewer, as of course these old cars are quite valuable, and people have no doubt gotten offers they couldn't refuse. But we did see several, including a rather anomalous example.
No, there is not a plant behind the car, there is a plant growing out of the car
Bootful of aloe
Sunset atop the lighthouse
Excellent! Architecture porn and plant porn! This place looks so beautiful and peaceful. I could use a place like that right now. I love all the plants growing out of buildings and cars.
ReplyDeleteAre those sycamores growing along the street?
I think RE might still have old tourist tshirts from his parents' trips to U-R-Gay and Para-Gay. Love it.
ReplyDeleteIt was incredibly peaceful. I LOVE the car as planter. And yup, those are sycamores, also known as plane trees. They're in Mendoza too. Huge ones there.
ReplyDeleteDo the shirts really say that? No. That's just Breego language, right?
I love this place! It indeed seems like welcome respite from BA! It's weird...besides the one person in the background it looks like you discovered a ghost town. I want to make a movie there!
ReplyDeleteOh, a movie there would be terrific!
ReplyDelete