A dictionary of the underworld...

Close up of a gate decoration at Recoleta Cementario,
Buenos Aires.

Una diccionario del hampa; en la portrada especifica que contiene el vocabulario de ladrones, criminales, bandidos, pordioeros, vagabundos, reos-el inframundo comercial, el trafico de drogas - la trata de blancas - rufianesy malandras.

A dictionary of the underworld; being the vocabulary of crooks, criminals, racketeers, beggars and tramps. convicts, the commercial underworld, the drug traffic - the white slave traffic - SPIVS.

So read the curious title of a 1961 book housed under glass at the Biblioteca Nacional. The National Library. There were a number of donated books from Jorge Luis Borges; Argentina's number one literary son, complete with neat spider like notations in his handwriting on interesting bits in the books.
Next door and just down the road at the sister spot was the Museo del Libro y de la Lengua (the gallery of books and language) that had a marvelous exhibition of works from a famous printer in the 50's. I am going to need a crate to post all my ephemera collection home....

Barrio La Boca and the Eloisa Cartonera

Another image of La Boca neighborhood. Buenos Aires.

Second time lucky....Spent a fabulous afternoon on Wednesday with the Eloisa Cartonera!! Yay, they were open, i had my plea for volunteer work written in Spanish and checked by one of the teachers at work and started talking, and Alejandro said try English....and i was so ready with my small Spanish request...anyway, I was in. I met Ricardo who was sharing his birthday cake with everyone, Carmen, and about three others who wandered passed and popped in.
I was so happy. Kept pinching myself to make sure i wasn't dreaming.
They are a small, grass roots publishing group. Cooperativa editorial; check out their website and colourful books. They publish Latin American writers and poets on an old printing press, staple them into cardboard covers that they buy off the cardboard pickers and sell the books at political rallies and fiestas etc.
So while munching on birthday cake and sipping mate tea with them all, i painted eight covers for their books, and watched all the excitement going on. Their premises are beside the Boca Stadium, and a big match was to be played that night. The Boca juniors and some other team. There was riot police with flak jackets, guns and big sticks, blue barricades around the streets, a heavy police escort with sirens blaring as the rival team in a big bus were escorted to the venue. It was all terribly exciting!
 I was given big hugs from them when i left, and wandered down to the bus stop with paint over my fingers and a big grin on my face. This is the life eh.

Musing on the Subte...

The corner of Avenida 9 de Julio and Corrientes.

The Subte, or Subway. The Buenos Aires underground. While not a fan of traveling like a mole underground, it has considerably lessened my commute to work time. 20-25 minutes compared to 1 1/2 hours. 12 stations from Catedral in Plaza de Mayo (downtown) to Olleros - my stop - at Belgrano. Even at the horrible hour of 7am it is full. So we stand and sway our way to the center of the city. But, on the way home, if i catch the train from the first station at Catedral, it's like musical chairs with intent. The train pulls in, totally empty, the crowd on the platform ready to pounce as soon as the doors open. I have learned to leap in the doors and claim a seat for those 12 stops until home. It's survival of the quickest!

The Subte strike

  The Subway Strike....10 days of action packed sardine adventure. I'm still not sure of the reasons, but solidarity to the workers! So it was onto the Collectivo (bus) 152 from Belgrano (my suburb/barrio) to Microcentro (downtown). Distance traveled - about 6 1/2 kilometres. Time taken - about 1 1/2 hours. Standing. wedged in and tightly packed amongst at least 60 people. You wouldn't want to corner in a hurry. Twice a day. The time of day did not seem to matter, or diminish the population of the bus. I had some great Spanglish conversations with random strangers within kissing distance. It was a bad time to be wearing my winter coat and having hot flushes!! This is the line i take - D - to home.

si necessitas dos para tango...

La Boca, Buenos Aires.

I takes two to Tango, but it also takes the Bandonean (or two) and the Violin, the Cello and the Guitar...and some old guys in hats with a microphone.

I've heard some hauntingly beautiful music that makes my hair stand on end, a lot from buskers on the streets, and the energy from these guys was no exception.

This group was performing at one of the many tourist type restaurants in La Boca that feature Tango shows to accompany lunch or dinner. They were quite deliriously fabulous, and judging by their repartee between songs, have enjoyed playing together for a long long time.

P.S. Spell check wants to change Bandonean into abandon...

and it is quite like that!

Caminita, La Boca

La Boca, Buenos Aires.

The old port area of Capital Federal, settled by the Italians who covered all the walls with riotous colour and bought Tango to the streets.

It is a crush of locals, artists, musicians, tourists and Tango dancers in the heaving streets. 

La Boca is also famous for the Boca Juniors, one of the famous futbol teams in this neck of the woods.

Found!

The Eloisa Cartonera.

La Boca,

 Buenos Aires.

When i saw their books at Pam's and on their web page, and wrote down their address, well, I didn't believe it until i was standing at the front of their closed roller doors.

 I really was there.

 Here.

 Usted esta aqui.

You are here.

 I really was. Truly.

Florais Generica

Situated in the Plaza Naciones Unidas. Buenos Aires.

A gift from a famous Argentinian architect...and i haven't got my book of notes here with me...to the city. It slowly opens up at dawn and closes at dusk.

Its quite spectacular. Six metal petals worked by hydraulics, set in a pool of water. Planes taking off from the local national airport thundered past with similar metallic riveted structures and fluid dynamics.

At the feet of some famous dude

Cementario de la Recoleta, Buenos Aires.
Some gorgeous statues in the cemetery, you can go mad with the camera. This one took my fancy, i liked how the vines were growing over the tableaux and the vines that crept around her were just being caught by the sun.
The cemetery is a land of contrasts, elaborate tombs for the dead, spires and cupolas, statues of angels and heroes and soldiers and doctors and lawyers and statesmen....and the backdrop is crowed with multi-storied apartment buildings.

The man who cleans the houses of the dead.

Cementario de la Recoleta. Barrio Recoleta.
I struck up a Spanglish conversation with this guy as i wandered in any old direction around the cemetery.
I think...he is one of a number of custodians who are paid by the families with Mausoleums to clean and maintain the shrines. He had a magnificent wad of keys in his hand, and while having his smoko, offered to unlock and show me inside. His name is Federico.
It's funny, even though i ask people to speak slowly...despacio... and simply....mas facil...they seem to take no notice, and if anything speed up! But, my ears are starting to tune in, and slowly - despacio- i am building up a little store of desperately useful words and phrases.

Cementario de la Recoleta

This old cemetery is full of mausoleums for some of the oldest and wealthiest families of Buenos Aires, and the streets of the dead are crowded with locals and tourists alike.
Eva Peron is buried here in her family tomb. A simple structure compared to the elaborate ones that surround her, but a regular trail of devotees and the curious come to look, to leave flowers and to ponder. She travelled the world in her death, hidden from the new regime in and around Argentina, then over to Italy for a while, before finally being bought back to her homeland.

A toda orquesta II....

Installation in Plaza Lavalle, Buenos Aires.
I think that means a total/complete orchestra. Slices or sheets of grass on the music stands. By Carlos Gallardo.
I spotted this as i was looking around the magnificent edifico that is the Theatro Colon. Well, actually i was checking out the price of tours around this historic building and always making use of bathrooms when you find them. This was in my first few days when i was wandering around the city on foot because i was too nervous to try the buses...due to my lack of Espanol....and didn't want to land myself in the middle of NoWhere, even though that would have taken hours to get there.

some architecture from the main drag...

Avenida 9 de Julio, Buenos Aires.
The main drag that stretches forever through the middle of Buenos Aires.
I have been here for nearly four weeks, and am starting to get the hang of the place. I was given a 'Guia' (guide) for the buses.... think i am going to need a degree to decipher it. Have it safely stowed in my bag along with the two maps, book on Spanish for Latin America, glasses to read the fine print and pen and paper. All absolutely vital for navigation in all spheres.
I'm loving this mad crazy town, it assaults all your senses, and keeps you on your toes. We are in the middle of a Subway strike, into the ninth day. That has been a test of strength and endurance on all the Portenos (the name they call the people of Buenos Aires). Just when you think they can't pack any more people on the bus....the driver stops for 20 more. We are packed in more than sardines. I'm sure we hit critical mass more than ten times in the last week. Funny, but a bit exhausting when you are hanging on for an hour and a half. But the people i have met on the bus have been great, some cool Spanglish and English going on, i have got the phone number of Mariza, Gladys and Lucy, and some other guy gave me the website for great free things to do in B.A. How's that for hospitable!

Avenida 9 de Julio, Buenos Aires

 

The main drag of a city of 13 million. Crossing this avenue is an adventure every time. Six lanes each way on the main thoroughfare, and three lanes tagged onto the side of each direction. Its Mad!

The big erection in the middle, is the Obelisk, it comemorates a number of important milestones in the history of Argentina. One of my workplaces is just along the avenue at the bottom left.

So, obviously, I'm in Capital Federal, as the locals call it, and have just finished by second full week of being a Profesora Inglesa. The English teacher to business people in four different locations.

It's been mad, crazy and cool. I hit the ground running, and am just starting to catch my breath.

I've mislaid my wi-fi connection on my notebook, but am hoping one of my clients, Rodolfo the IT guy, will come to my aid and re-do the thingy, so i can load pics of Rosario and La Banda, two places on my way here.