If you want to see our pictures but prefer Instagram, just follow us on Instagram at thebragabonds.
Sent from my iPhone
The Bragabonds
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Buenos Aires
Typical scenes. Beautiful greengrocers on many corners. Lines at banks. The ATMs run out of money all the time.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Parks of Buenos Aires
There is actually a remarkable amount of green space in the city. First, most of the streets are lined with trees, creating an awesome feeling. Today we walked from Teatro Colon to Plaza Alemannia, which is pretty much all along and through parks. In one random little park, we happened upon this amazing tree!
Do NOT Try To Shut Us Out
We were here 7 years ago and were refused service (for improper dress) at the Alvear Palace Hotel. John had shorts on. So we made it our business to return for that glass of champagne. Oh, and hold the peanuts for a bar snack - they are dishing up shrimp, caviar, Brie, and smoked salmon as bar snacks. NICE!!
World’s Smallest Chinatown
In Belgrano, a really nice residential area of Buenos Aires. Chinatown is literally 2 blocks long. Yet another perfect weather day here in Argentina. We could walk forever (and have!). That might sound easy but the sidewalks in this city are an enormous challenge. Instead of a standard sidewalk, each building seems to decide on their own — not just the style but the level of maintenance. They favor tile, and no maintenance, so you have to be prepared for some wicked hopscotch. Or face plants. Or both. Check on that one!
The Whisper at Teatro Colon
Unfortunately there were no performances during our time in BA but it's one of the top theaters in the world. Some say the best, acoustically. Fully restored in 2010, it is magnificent.
Floralis Generica
18 tons, 23 meters high. 32 meters wide with the petals open. Opens in morning at 8am, and closes at sunset.
View From Our Kitchen Window
4919 Passage Russel. Palermo Soho, BA. We are on a side alley just off Plaza Serrano that is quite popular for taking pictures. In addition to some good street art, there are actually tons of flowers cascading over the walls and the light is nearly perfect all day.
Faena Hotel, Rojo Tango
Swanky mod hotel in Puerto Madero, spectacular tango floor show. Pretty good food, except for one large hair in my salmon main dish. Eeeeww! The whole package included transportation by private car, which was great until our return, when we got waved over at a random checkpoint. Our driver failed the breathalyzer and we had to grab a cab. I guess that is a case of being better off paying for the ride!
This Day Last Year
We were in Taiwan, and still had another 6 or 7 weeks before our return. We felt like we missed too much of spring at home, but now, looking at the forecast for highs in the 40s and snow showers ..... hmmmmm. Seems like we are returning a bit too early!
Friday, March 30, 2018
Via Crucis
Good Friday in Buenos Aires. About 2,000 people carrying candles followed this procession to the main Cathedral as they did the Stations of the Cross. A group of about six men carry this huge cross - and by the looks on their faces it wasn't easy. And harder yet to stand still with it. This may be the biggest holiday in Argentina. Most people are off 5 or 6 days. In our neighborhood most things were open but citywide pretty shut down today.
Tierra Santo, Buenos Aires
World's first religious theme park. Large lines to get in today and tons of kids. You have the ability to, as the sign says, "See Jerusalem Every Day In Buenos Aires"
Very popular and the kids seemed to love it. There are tons of famous stages scenes (think Noah's Ark, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, Stations of the Cross etc). All executed in these fiberglass/resin life size creatures.
For the Resurrection scene, that was not operating on Good Friday (should have guessed that) but when it does, an enormous Christ rises from a mountain and has about 35 different moving parts so he can bless the crowd. He normally rises every 30 minutes on the quarter hours.
Argentina is 92% Catholic and while a smaller percentage practice actively, this is a big 4 day weekend. Good Friday is the quietest day in the year with most things closed.
Of course it helps with the mood that Pope Francis was born here and served as the Archbishop and Cardinal of Buenos Aires.
Below you see Calvary/Golgotha and the Wailing Wall.
Very popular and the kids seemed to love it. There are tons of famous stages scenes (think Noah's Ark, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, Stations of the Cross etc). All executed in these fiberglass/resin life size creatures.
For the Resurrection scene, that was not operating on Good Friday (should have guessed that) but when it does, an enormous Christ rises from a mountain and has about 35 different moving parts so he can bless the crowd. He normally rises every 30 minutes on the quarter hours.
Argentina is 92% Catholic and while a smaller percentage practice actively, this is a big 4 day weekend. Good Friday is the quietest day in the year with most things closed.
Of course it helps with the mood that Pope Francis was born here and served as the Archbishop and Cardinal of Buenos Aires.
Below you see Calvary/Golgotha and the Wailing Wall.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Sweet Rooftop
4th floor of our house is a large rooftop with loads of greenery, herbs, outdoor shower (cold), pool (not heated), parilla (we cannot possibly choke down more meat!) and a nice dining area. Weather is perfect.
Laundry Day . . . Again
We arrived at our house in Buenos Aires for the last week of our trip and believe it or not this is only the second time in the entire trip that we've had a washing machine. But no dryer. This is our laundry room with drying racks that you lower on pulleys from the ceiling. Works fine but didn't stop us from also taking a load to the laundry service around the corner.
Our House in Palermo Soho
It's pretty large 3 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, full kitchen, large living room, dining room, then a big den for watching TV. And best, a rooftop deck with a parilla and a small pool plus more dining and sitting areas. It may not look like much with the graffiti-covered gate to the interior courtyard, but once inside it's a different story.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Well, it is a Rainforest! Iguazu.
And we spent the day absolutely soaked to the bone! It takes about 5-6 hours to walk all the paths, and since most people spend just one day here, the nonstop rain didn't deter anyone from their mission. We saw old people with canes, big families, babies in strollers, little kids, tour groups. It was pretty crowded. We went early. It you do still The pathways around the falls on the Argentina side are a marvel on their own. The take you over the river, to the top and sides of many falls, along the sides of mountains, over the top of some falls, all to get you as close as possible. At certain points you are so close to the powerful waters that the spray and mist drenches you in seconds. Of course everyone was already totally wet so it didn't matter!
The falls at the bottom are the Two Sisters. Small but powerful!
We will post more pics but for the first 3 hours it rained so hard that after the first picture of John, we put the iphones in our backpack under the raincoat. The actual camera never came out all day.
The pictures never do it justice anyway.
The falls at the bottom are the Two Sisters. Small but powerful!
We will post more pics but for the first 3 hours it rained so hard that after the first picture of John, we put the iphones in our backpack under the raincoat. The actual camera never came out all day.
The pictures never do it justice anyway.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)