From Mendoza we flew to Buenos Aires, the buzzy, cosmopolitan capital of Argentina. From the moment we arrived, we loved it! The architecture was stunning! Everywhere we turned, there were attractive buildings and monuments.
And as the temperature seemed consistently hot, a hotel pool was a very welcome sight. It seemed strange that we would be celebrating Christmas in this very hotel in a couple of days. But first, the sights of the city awaited us.
No trip to Buenos Aires is complete without a visit to the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada. From this very balcony Eva Peron gave her stirring speech to the waiting crowds. Even without this historical event, the building would be worth visiting. Grand and dominating one complete side of the square, the pink colour is said to have come from mixing the original white wash oxen or bull’s blood.
Eva Peron has long been a character who has fascinated me. My mum loved the soundtrack to the musical Evita and Don’t Cry for me Argentina was used by her as a lullaby for my brother when he wouldn’t sleep.
Eva Peron is still revered by many today and her face looks down on Buenos Aires from a huge sky scraper. She is also the only female to grace the bank notes of Argentina. In a leafy suburb, The Eva Peron museum is a poignant yet political trip down memory lane that I for one thoroughly enjoyed.
But perhaps the most bizarre yet striking site we visited was Recoleta Cemetery. The cemetery is one of the top tourist destinations for the city. We were a little unsure but when in Argentina…
Wow! Where to begin. The cemetery was full of lots of mausoleums which looked for all the world like Wendy houses. Highly decorated, beautifully carved, adorned with statues, it really was a stunning sight.
And the most popular mausoleum of all? Eva Peron. Surprisingly understated compared to others it was covered in flowers that had been left by visitors. I can honestly say I’ve never queued up to look at a tomb before.
But the wonders of Buenos Aires didn’t stop there. There would be more delights to come over the next couple of days including the strangest Christmas dinner we’ve ever had!
Don’t cry for me Argentina – we didn’t need to, we loved it!
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