The Living & the Dead

G:  Weakened from last week's illnesses and short on sleep after marathon TV viewing into the wee hours to see the Alfombra Roja (Red Carpet) show followed by hours of Oscar presentations, the week began with an adventure to locate an area which is known for its second-hand stores since someone reported seeing used golf clubs for sale.  Jon has rented clubs once and he thought it would be wiser to buy a set.

After much walking and inquiring, we decided we were on a wild goose chase, so we entered the Palermo Soho neighborhood for the first time, which offered one to three-story buildings, quaint shops and restaurants on cobbled streets lined with tall shade trees.  We had a lovely lunch at La Salamandra-Dulce de Leche y Mozzarella Bar (!)  Why this strange combination of flavors was an important addition to its name baffled us!

The menu offered interesting salads, some with fresh mozzarella, pasta dishes, and the usual meat entrees.  Cafe con leche was served with the usual small glass of cold water along side.  And the complimentary "sweet" this time was a Chinese soup spoon with a giant dollop of dulce de leche in all its wonderful glory.  This sweet, spreadable caramel treat is to Argentina and some other South American countries what chocolate or Nutella might be to Americans. They sell it in jars in the supermarkets and make the most sinful ice cream, a myriad of desserts and the famous alfajor cookies filled with dulce de leche and dipped in chocolate.  What's not to like?  Did we say we bought a scale to weigh ourselves periodically?

Tuesday we went to an Expat book exchange at a woman's home very near to us.  It was as much social as practical.  We were back home within the hour with enough new-to-us books for another month!  But always fun to see the interior of a grand scale apartment with its 14-ft ceilings and decorative plasterwork!  We don't have that!  When one's spouse has been transferred here from the US for work, the living is SUBLIME! 

And that night we had an impromptu invitation to a music venue for live jazz.....

Wednesday we bused with  Expats to Temaiken Bioparque, an hour out of town.  It is undoubtedly the most beautifully designed zoo we have ever seen. Mature plantings of shrubs,  flowering vines and huge trees of many different species.  The flow of the paths, the shaded resting areas along the way ( everything neatly manicured and maintained) and the exhibits of animals, birds and the aquarium were top-notch.  The use of mature bamboo, both growing and structural (for pergolas, fences, furniture, etc.) was very creative.  And then the wildlife!  A 5-star WOW!  We pretty much had the place to ourselves since this day started out
raining hard, but cleared to blue skies by mid afternoon.  We were all giddy children for the day, high on such an amazing place!  And no shortage of photographic opportunities!

While Jon went to collect his new pair of prescription glasses and our weekly housekeeper, Arse (!), was tidying us up (she irons our sheets to perfection with a cheap, no-steam iron that I can't seem to iron a top with....), I walked the 4 blocks again to the most interesting, well-known above-ground cemetery anywhere--the Recoleta Cemetery, right in the middle of our neighborhood, and a neighborhood of its own, if you will.  Probably the most famous "inhabitants" are Evita Peron and her family, but what is most interesting is the architecture of the mausoleums and what was popular/in fashion for commemorating the rich in whatever particular period of time.  It got this one wondering who the show of wealth is for?

Sadly enough, the deterioration of the cemetery is proceeding at a faster pace than the restoration work--broken glass, collapsing stained glass ceilings which provided  antique sky lights, rusted gates, and even some rotting caskets and urns exposing their contents was overwhelming wrenching this time...yet I was drawn to the rich detail from a photographic standpoint and kept shooting picture after picture until I had been there 2 1/2 hours and taken 250 photos...  Aside from the deterioration of many of the individual sites, I was angered and agitated by the brooms, buckets, cleaning supplies, used wood planks and other custodial supplies that were "stored" inside of some of the vaults, leaning against caskets.   And who would toss empty water/soft drink containers in a cemetery just anywhere?  It is so disrespectful to me!    No doubt a tour  leader would zip a group from one famous resident to another and back to the bus,  leaving little time for my type of exploration.  I noticed there is a free English tour offered--I may go back and ask some questions!!!  Needless to say, I returned home emotionally drained to edit my photos and share them with Jon...

We are very happy this week to have confirmations of visitors:  Bob & Katherine from Portland mid-April and Stevie from Albuquerque mid-May!  We're beginning the individualized itineraries for the "Nickel Tour"!!!
 
Bookstores:  Soho Libros, Costa Rica 4562 (Palermo Soho)
                    Walrus Books, Estados Unidos 617 (San Telmo)

Restaurants:  El Salto de las Ranas-taquerita/bar/restaurante,  Rodriguez Pena 1169 (Recoleta)
                    Moliere, Juncal (Recoleta)

Music Venue:  Nortorious, Aveneda Callao 966  (Recoleta)