Message Stick

BA is officially one of our favourite cities in the world and living here has been a real treat.  We took a few free walking tours around the city to get a Porteno’s (locals) view of the history and politics of the place.  Its impressive European architecture came form the days when Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world and buildings from France, England, and Italy were taken apart, shipped over here and built again in some of the poshest neighbourhoods.

Since 2001 however things have gone somewhat ‘tits up’ for the Argentinians and through a series of bad political moves and poor financial investments their wealth has severely depleted.  Consequently now several of the really amazing buildings have been left to decay without the funds to kick out the squatters and restore them.  There are many beggars here and quite a bit of graffiti but neither of these problems come even close to the issues they face with dog poo.  Everyone has a dog and no one clears up their offerings.  If someone were to introduce  pooper scoopers here they’d be minted.  Suprisingly Mark who is normally a magnet to dog poo was beaten to the post by me, who slightly the worse for beer skidded in a fresh pile and spent most of the following day trying to remove it from the intricate sole of my trainers.

Casa Rosada (The pink house) their version of Downing street was open to the public at the weekend so we had a very informative tour all in Spanish, where we just nosed around the impressive interiors while everyone else I’m sure learned lots from the guide in his funny uniform.

The Islas Malvinas (Faulklands for us Brits) monument (red wall with guards) was interesting to visit and have the war explained from an Argentinian point-of-view. We now understand how all of those American backpackers must have felt travelling in Vietnam.

The flower sculpture was really impressive and opens and closes daily with the sun light.  Mark’s Rocky moment on the steps of the law school was clearly a physical outburst from all the pent up energy he’s been storing whilst sitting and working the 9-5 for the last 4 weeks.