Back to Buenos Aires and we learn to Tango!

We had a 10:30 am flight from Iguassu to Buenos Aires.  Today we meet the 8 people who did not do the pre-trip to Iguassu Falls. so our group now grows to 23.

We checked into the same hotel we stayed before the trip to Iguassu and then headed out for some gelato to hold us over until dinner.

At 5:30 we boarded the bus and headed to a restaurant for dinner.

But before dinner it was time for a "learning and discovery"-- we had a tango lesson!

  

The exact origins of tango are lost in myth and unrecorded history.  The generally accepted theory is that in the mid-1800s African slaves were brought to Argentina and began to influence the local culture with their dance.

The tango which developed bears no resemblance to the Argentine Tango we know today.

The true forms of Argentine Tango Dance that we see today originated in the 1940's and developed as an "acting out" of a story of the relationship of the dancers.

So these two tango dancers attempted to teach us 4 different steps.

We watched and laughed as we tried to follow their direction.

 They had to repeat, and repeat...while we watched.

First we tried to just master the steps...

We would watch their feet..

 ...in hopes of getting it right...

Then we tried dancing as couples...

When we switched out partners, I was able to snap a photo of Terry and Nancy finishing their dance.

And finally the instructors gave up and declared it was time for dinner.

The restaurant building dates back to 1776 and the site of the restaurant was discovered to be the dumping grounds for the indigenous people back in the 1500s before the Spaniards arrived.  An area has been excavated and items retrieved and dated, and most likely in a museum.

On the bus ride back to the hotel that evening, Nelson introduced us to mate (pronounced ma-tae), the national drink of Argentina.  More on this later in the trip.

On our 2nd day in Buenos Aires we boarded a bus for a city tour.  Our local guide was Claudio, who talked a great deal about the political history of Argentina.

We passed by the Cabildo, the first City Hall built during Spanish rule.

We stopped by the main Catholic church of Buenos Aires--the Metropolitan Cathedral and went inside for a few minutes.

This is the cathedral where Pope Francis was an archbishop prior to becoming Pope.

Outside we watched the parade of soldiers who guard the mausoleum of General Jose San Martin, considered the "George Washington of Argentina".

The mausoleum is inside the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Next to the cathedral is the Casa Rosada, or Government House, or pink house - it is the seat of the Argentine national government and houses the president's office. It has been the scene of much of the city's history.  It was from the balconies that Juan and  Eva “Evita” Perón addressed the people of Argentina during the late 1940s and early 1950s.  But did she, as Evita, really sing???

Across the street from the cathedral is the Plaza de Mayo, the oldest public square in Buenos Aires, and has been the scene of many of the most important events in the city's history, from the second founding of the city in 1580, through the revolution of independence, to more recent political demonstrations.

 You will notice the white scarves on the fence around the monument....

The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo is a human rights organization of Argentine grandparents whose children "disappeared" during the military dictatorship, between 1976 and 1983. They organized while trying to learn what had happened to their children and grandchildren kidnapped during the repression, and began to march in 1977 at the Plaza de Mayo.   The adult children had been killed; the babies and children were illegally adopted by families of the right-wing followers.  The scarves commemorates those that disappeared and the grandmothers who are still in search of their grandchildren.

Our "learning and discovery" was to meet one of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.  We went to their offices but at the last minute, the grandmother was unable to attend so Claudio and our trip leader, Nelson told us the history of this very tragic time.

Back on the bus, we drive to the neighborhood of La Boca, Buenos Aires' first merchant and fishing port. Along the way we passed the big soccer stadium that will hold 40,000 + soccer fans.

Then to our surprise,our guide, bus driver, and Nelson put on wig and soccer jerseys and showed us the enthusiasm that the fans have for their soccer team.

We passed by a metallic flower sculpture that opens and closes.

It is designed to bloom during the day and close at night just like most real flowers do.

We stopped and strolled through the Caminita streets where we saw tango dancers and artists and colorful buildings.

Tango dancers outside the buildings offer the opportunity for a little dance and photos.

On the way back to the hotel we passed by the Colon Theater. Built in 1908, this is one of the world's most famous opera houses.

Our evening was spent at a home-hosted dinner by Elena...a very nice young lady who has 5 kids ages 9,8,7,4,2.  A great feature of this tour company is the immersion into the local culture.  We divided into small groups and went to a family's home for dinner.  We had a nice visit with Elena, sharing stories about each other's country and lives.  It was a fun time and probably the most memorable part of our visit to Buenos Aires.

Before we left, Elena took a "selfie" photo of our group.

The next morning we fly to Calafate, where our adventure in beautiful Patagonia begins.

To continue reading, scroll up towards the top of this page and click in the right-hand column the entry entitled:  We arrive in Patagonia!