Interim Trip Report– Diane & Troy in Argentina

We arrived quite Wednesday morning (3-19-14) and after unpacking headed out for lunch at Canita La Mamma Rosa, as we always do on our first day. We met Julia and Pablo (youngest daughter and her boyfriend) and Camila and Tito for dinner at our favorite restaurant, A Nos Amours. Tito mentioned to Leandro, the chef, that the figs will be ready for harvest on “the farm.” Leandro gave Tito a lovely smile and said, “I want your figs.”

The following evening we rented a car at Localiza, one of the few car rental places outside the airports, which is (luckily) just three blocks from our house. The day consumed with biking to a meeting with the escribano in the afternoon and shopping for the weekend. We didn’t get to dinner at La Choza until eleven.

Pin indicates location of La Esperanza relative to Buenos Aires.

On Friday morning we picked up daughter Diane and son-in-law Troy at the airport. We headed straight to the estancia (ranch) of our friends Camila and Tito, which is about 4 hours south of BA. Camila served a lunch of delicious empenadas. Afterwards, Tito, Troy, Diane and I drove to Azul, the nearest large town (population: ~60,000), to go shopping for provisions for the weekend. It’s about a 35 kilometer drive over dirt roads that cut through a landscape of grass, blue sky, and lots of cows.  Diane and Troy got a good glimpse into life in this important agricultural and cattle center.

It was a Friday afternoon and the town was bustling with pedestrians, motor bikes, wandering dogs and cars competing at every intersection. The first time Carolyn and I had been here , a number of years ago, was during the quiet siesta time, after lunch, when the only person, besides us, at the main square was a taxi driver snoozing in his car. 

We visited a couple of panaderias (bakeries), the supermarket and the butcher, where Tito selected 7 kilos of meat for the asado planned for Saturday night. That’s 15 pounds of meat! The trunk of the car was filled with food when we finished shopping!  Of course, the Saturday evening asado and all our meals were fabulous. Camila and Tito are excellent cooks. Particularly popular was the Ricotta Cake that Camila prepared from scratch.

7 kilos of meat on the butcher's scale with Tito in the background

“The farm,” as Tito and Camila refer to their estancia (cattle ranch) in English, is named La Esperanza. It’s 2,500 acres supports about 1,400 cows. Altogether, from what I can gather, Tito, his brother, 3 sisters plus two cousins own about 11,000 acres, cumulatively, within the same area. For us urbanites, it’s really hard to fathom such huge tracts of land.

The vistas over the flat land, dotted with thousands of grass fed cows, are astounding. The nearest large town, Azul, is a bit over 25 kilometers (15.5 miles), yet you can see the lights of many of its buildings.

Entrance to La Esperanza (3-21-14)

Happy cows – curious cows

We noticed last December that the flag at La Esperanza was ready to be replaced. Indeed, when we arrived this time it was gone.

 
Julia watches as the new flag being installed next to the pool

The weather was and ideal, summer-like, but it is the start of fall and perfect timing to  harvest  some figs and walnuts.

 
(3-22-14)

Above, Diane whizzes by as she took a turn driving the cuatro ciclo (i.e. ATV).

The two brothers who have been operating Campodonico for decades

We had a chance to visit a nearby pulperia, called Campodonico, which is an ancient bar and general store that has served the gauchos and locals since 1850. These old pulperias are quickly disappearing on the pampas. (location: -36.341944,-59.789722) (See more images, taken by someone else HERE).

After lunch on Saturday. Right to left: Me, Carolyn, Troy, Diane, Tito, Julia, Camila, Francisca, Santi, Joaquin (Camila’s brother) and Luz (his girlfriend)

Tito’s cousin, Inca, her husband, Paul, and their two younger sons joined us for the asado. I preapred Tito’s Hammock cocktails that disappeared very quickly. Unfortunately, I had developed a sore throat and had to abstain. Mas o menos. We attacked the meat with appetite and energy, but only made a dent into the 7 kilos. We went at it again on Sunday lunch, but still could not finish everything.

Everyone agrees … Diane and Agustina (Tito’s sister) look like sisters! (Taken at the Saturday night asado

Julia hides behind the bottle … Sunday lunch

On Sunday afternoon we drove to the estancia owned by Inca and her brother Juan. It’s called La Aurora (The Sunrise). It’s fairly close to La Esperanza, but even larger in acreage. Although Inca and Paul were not there, Tito provided a thorough tour and some history. The house is a rambling colonial Spanish style building that consists of two connected houses that share a huge dining room. Altogether there are over a dozen bedrooms. Great place for a party!   ;)

At El Obrero (“The Worker”) restaurant in La Boca (3-24-14)

We returned late on Sunday afternoon to finally introduce Diane and Troy to the city.  Since we still had the rental car on Monday (a holiday here) we took the opportunity and drove down to La Boca and San Telmo with them. Julia (youngest daughter, who lives in BA) joined us and served as an impromptu tour guide.

Alternative take on a mobile library in San Telmo; a art piece.

Luckily we found parking in San Telmo. Because it was a holiday, the market that operates on Sundays was again in full swing, including a demonstration of tango in the square.

Soccer in front of the church at nearby Plaza Guemes

In the evening Pablo, Julia’s boyfriend, joined us at Casa Palermo and shortly later we walked to meet Adriana and Carlos for dinner at the restaurant Minga.

Tuesday morning I returned the dust encrusted rental car to the Localiza office. The young woman there carefully inspected the car, making officious notes on her clipboard. I was worried that there was damage from the rocks on the country roads. She returned to the office and announced “Perfecto!” with a beaming smile. Whew.

Strolling through Palermo Soho (3-25-14)

In the afternoon we walked around Palermo Soho, exploring the various shops. Carolyn and I haven’t done this in the last several years and we astonished how many new shops there are and how many have vanished. Needless to say, it was a lot of walking around. We enjoyed a good lunch at Bartola (corner of Gurruchaga and Costa Rica). In the evening, we met Camila at Plaza Guemes and strolled back to Casa Palermo where she showed us how to start the gas heater. (Unfortunately, the auto pilot has quit working.)

With Maria on the roof terrace at Magnolia Hotel (3-26-14)

We had a late start on Wednesday and didn’t arrive at Maria’s hotel (Magnolia Hotel) until after noon, in spite of the fact that it is only a block away. At long last Maria and Diane and Troy could meet. We had a chance to catch up with Maria and she gave Diane and Troy a short tour of the hotel. Afterwards we had lunch at El Renaciente, a local dive that serves up inexpensive but tasty fare. After a meat-packed lunch we headed to Recoleta Cemetery for the obligatory tour and a stop at Evita’s final resting place.

Enormous tree in the park outside of Recoleta Cementery

Recoleta Cemetery

Military guard in Plaza San Martin accompanied by a random dog

Street scene opposite the Casa Rosada

After an helado, we peeked into the famous Alvear Hotel. From there we walked about a mile to Plaza San Martin, which truly is an elegant park and then about 1/5 miles down Florida Street, which was very crowded with people, hawkers and people yelling “cambio” (change), hoping to exchange pesos for dollars. Last stop: Casa Rosada (the presidential office building).

At Casa Rosada (3-26-14)

Later we enjoyed a very nice dinner at our favorite restaurant, A Nos Amours, and called it night, exhausted from all the walking.

This morning, Thursday, was cloudy and there was a light, intermittent drizzle, but it was over by noon. Diane and Troy headed out to visit the Museo Evita, but Carolyn and I decided to chillax Casa Palermo. This evening we have plans to go for pizza and then to Milion, a popular club that is housed in a mansion in Recoleta, which is the upscale neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

Unfortunately, Diane and Troy’s week in Argentina is quickly coming to a close. Somehow we have to squeeze in all the rest tomorrow, before they leave for the airport at six.

Renting a car in Buenos Aires

I posted on the topic of renting a car previously (HERE) and if you are interested in doing so, it’s still relevant and is worth referring to. This post is meant to be an update.

We rented a car from Localiza for 4 days to visit friends in Carillo last week. The cost for a teeny 2-door Chevy was $2,187.50 (pesos), which included unlimited miles. The car was okay, however, it did not have optional features of any kind. i.e. no power windows, manual locks, etc. Not even cups holders. All this was okay, but it didn’t have airbags, which we didn’t realize until we were returning from our trip. We will never rent a car again without airbags. It’s not worth the risk.

The previous weekend we rented a car, but they didn’t have it available and upgraded us to a 4-door VW. It had airbags, power locks, power windows and cup holders. The cost was $1,641 for three days with unlimited miles. I recommend this as a minimum, if you can afford it.

When you return the car, you are supposed to return it with a full tank. There is a filling station at the corner of Gorriti and Scalabrini Ortiz, however, when we went to fill up, they were out of gas. Out of gas! How does that happen? The other station that we know of is on Cordoba, not far from Scalabrini Ortiz, but it was closed for remodeling. So we returned the car about 3/4 full. No problem. They simply charged us about the same as it would have cost anyway.

Buenos Aires – My November 2013 Report

Buenos Aires, like everything, is changing. Some changes are welcome; some are dreaded.

The city’s program of installing bike paths is the best we’ve seen anywhere. The bike paths replace parking lanes entirely, giving bicyclists a truly dedicated and protected two-way path. And they are all over the city, bisecting it in every direction. At home, in Evanston and Chicago, bike paths are half hearted . . . a joke really; a very dangerous joke played on bicyclists by politicians who don’t have the courage to act decisively and responsibly. In Nashville, we were shocked to find “share the road” signs on the expressway (!), where the speed limit is 55. Sorry, but that is simply idiotic. I must say, BA is way ahead of the curve!

Photo above: Bike lane at the end of our block, along Julian Alvarez.

Buenos Aires has also changed the situation with trash, at least in Palermo and Villa Crespo. We haven’t yet been to any of the other barrios this time, but assume this is now prevalent everywhere. Previously, people did one of three things:

1. They would put their trash into a metal basket, well above ground, meant to keep animals from foraging (except for squirrels, because there are no squirrels here). Notice the metal basket in the photo below; next to the green Estanciera truck:

Another:

2. They would place their trash bags against the nearest tree or into the gutter along the curb.

3. In some blocks, for reasons I don’t know, they would walk to the corner and throw it into a growing pile.

Now there are one or more large bins on each block. Our neighbor cheerfully asked us to instruct our housekeeper to no longer place the trash against the tree in front of his house because the city now imposes fines for not using the new bins.

Images above and below: The new trash bins.

One outcome, it appears, is that we haven’t seen any carteneros (poor people, searching through trash for cardboard and other recyclables). We haven’t seen those on foot nor those that came around on horse and wagon. At least not so far. Although the sound of the horse clopping on the pavement was charming, the reality is that these people are desperately poor, searching for anything that can be reused or sold as scrap to make a few pesos. We often saw entire families picking through trash in the dark of night. Last night, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. UPDATE: During the three weeks that followed my initial report, we noted that there are still lots of carteneros working in the night.

Yet another outcome is that the city appears noticeably cleaner than it did in the past. Not clean … just cleaner. Some of our friends here don’t notice the change because they are here all the time, but to us, there has been improvement. And little, by little, the city is paving over the century old stones with asphalt. It makes the roads more quiet, but we lament the loss of the granite paving. In places, the paving was artfully and beautifully laid in circular patterns. Along El Salvador, comes to mind. Gone. The stones (see photo below), I have read, were brought from Europe as ballast on ships.

A year or two ago the city entirely remodeled the park at the end of the block. Now they have added a fenced dog run. That’s a welcome addition. And the city continues to install more curb cuts for the handicapped:

Unfortunately, the guy at the rear wasn’t paying attention and stopped the flow of concrete too late, leaving them with a large slug of unnecessary concrete. After this photo, they all came to stand and look at the pile of concrete and to discuss what to do about it.

As we traverse the city on our bikes we notice that new construction continues with abandon. But we don’t understand it. The government restrictions on the U.S. dollar should have stopped the real estate market in it’s tracks, and we’re told it did.  Yet we see developers tearing down buildings, helter skelter, and replacing them with new ones. Who is buying all this, we ask? Everyone shrugs. Meanwhile, boutique hotels have been closing right and left. Even the venerable Malabia House in Palermo Soho has bit the dust. In spite of that, we see new restaurants and shops that have appeared just since our last visit in April. People keep trying; plodding forward against the heavy current of a sputtering economy and against the odds. Hooray for them for trying! Suerte!

Above: Just one development that is a couple blocks from Casa Palermo. See more at the developer’s website. And that’s just one developer.

Meanwhile, the peso continues to be in trouble. :(  The official exchange rate is now around $6.11 pesos to $1 USD. The “blue rate” (read: black market rate) is around $9.80 pesos to the USD. Last April the official rate was around $5 pesos and the blue around $7.50. The rate of inflation is a mystery, but many insist it’s around 25%. Things are noticeably more costly, but still affordable for foreigners and those with dollars.

In spite of the economic woes, we observed at dinner last night that the restaurant was packed full, with people waiting for tables. The ambient noise was loud from all the talking and laughter and clicking of wine glasses. The lights were bright and there seemed to be sense of hopefulness. But the portions were smaller and we noticed some patrons sharing; something we’ve never seen before.

There is one thing that hasn’t changed. One thing that you can count on. When it rains, it pours.

-jrb  11-28-13

Nice and red

We enjoyed this Malbec last night. $62 pesos. I hope to find it in the U.S!

Made in Argentina?

One of things I love about Buenos Aires is that you come across shops like this little women's shoe store. Interesting designs at a reasonable price. ($35 USD for a pair of all leather "tennis shoes.") And when we asked if they are made in Argentina, the woman said "Yes, of course. In the back," and opened the door to the rear of the store, to show us the workshop where the shoes are made.

Where: Lineal at El Salvador 4380 in Palermo, just a few blocks from Casa Palermo.

Dining on budget?

Lunch in Buenos Aires is still a bargain (11-28-13). I had steak (bife de chorizo) with fries, a basket of breads with butter, a glass of wine and desert for 67 pesos (excluding tip). That's about $10 USD at the official exchange rate or $7.50 if you can exchange dollars at the "blue rate."

Where? Los Remanseros. Around the corner from Casa Palermo, at the corner of Medrano and Costa Rica.

p.s. the fries were perfect … crispy on the outside and like mashed potatoes inside.

Tres Tintos Muy Rico

 

Licuados (Smoothies)

You can get licuados at many cafes and restaurants, but Baraka, in Palermo Soho, offers some unusual and interesting varieties. The photo above is a portrait of our favorites, Vehemente and Carmin, respectively. The Vehemente is made with strawberries, mango, black pepper and ginger. In contrast, the Carmin, which is very different, is made from ginger, carrots, beets and orange; perfect if you want something that is not too sweet.  Baraka is located at Gurruchaga 1450, between Gorriti and Cabrera.

The menu below describes all the options in English. Remember, the $ in BsAs means pesos, not USD.

 

Visit the studio of Ardiana Bozzi - Artist

Adriana has a remarkable talent for drawing and painting the human form. Her specialty is nude males, but she renders other subjects with equal beauty. Her studio is at Thames 1484 (near Gorriti) in Palermo SOHO (Buenos Aires). Visit her website . . . the link is HERE.

 

Below, a sketch of polo competitors.

Just how to you say “to live in a cloud made of farts”

Like every language, Argentine Spanish (called Rio Platense Spanish) includes numerous slang phrases and words that adds a richness, color and depth that tourists (and even schooled Spanish speakers) will not understand and probably not use or learn during a short trip to Buenos Aires. Nevertheless, these words are interesting to read about. A good introduction appears at the website Gringo In Buenos Aires.

Quaint and different practices in Buenos Aires

We occasionally hear of quaint differences in the way things are done in Buenos Aires, compared to what we’re accustomed to in the U.S. Here is an interesting one:

Julia (the youngest of the daughters) has been living in Buenos Aires for a year now, working for a translation company. She has been interviewing like crazy recently, looking for a better paying and challenging job. Suddenly, she was presented with an offer that she immediately accepted. Her next step was to follow this custom: She went to the post office and sent a telegram, giving her employer formal notice. I didn’t even know that you could still send a telegram!

Three Excellent Wines

Durigutti Malbec 2008

Familia Pichot - Malbec Reserva Roble - 2009

Trumpeter- Malbec-Syrah – 2009

Restaurant Update: October 2011

 

Above: Mid-afternoon at A Nos Amours

Code:  One star = bad, 2 stars – so so, 3 stars = good, 4 stars, very good, Five stars = outstanding

UPDATE: ***** A Nos Amours, Gorriti 4488, Palermo, Tel: 4897-2072 (Palermo – walking distance from Casa Palermo) $$ – This is one of our favorites. Every time we eat here, we say “why do we bother to go anywhere else?” The answer, of course, is simply that one must explore. Nevertheless, we return often to enjoy the  excellent food.  Although A Nos Amours is owned by a French expat, the food is what I would call “international” and locally is referred to as “de autor.”  The design and furnishing is simple; reminiscent of a French café (see photo above). The ingredients, always fresh and beautifully prepared, are organic and even the wines are organic.

UPDATE: **** La Fachada, Aráoz 1283 – still our favorite pizza in BA.  The restaurant is poorly lit and in serious need of remodeling.  The restaurant has been remodeled and looks much better. The service is characteristic of a place that caters to 20-somethings.  The pizza . . . it’s amazing.  The Fugazeta de la Casa is perfect.  The dough is somewhat bread-like, but it has a wonderful buttery flavor and an extremely crispy crust.  Word to the wise:  We discovered that if you are ordering the larger of the two available sizes, order two small pizzas instead. The large, we found, is soggy in the center. In contrast, the small pizza is crispy!

UPDATE: **** Las Pizarras Bistro, Thames 2296, tel. 4775-0625 (Palermo Soho/Viejo) $$$ – We have eaten here several times in the past and were happy to find that it has reopened. For unknown reasons it closed for a period several months ago.  The cuisine is “de autor,” and everything is very tasty. The name of the restaurant translates to “The Blackboards,” referencing the several blackboards on which the menu items and wines are written. (It is not a pizza place.)  Las Pizarras is always busy, so a reservation is recommended. They seem consistently under-staffed by one server, but the cuisine is interesting and always delicious.  The décor is eclectic, with a comfortable ambiance.  A good wine selection.

** Siamo Nel Forno, Costa Rica 5886, tel. 5290-9529 (Palermo Hollywood) $$$– This restaurant came with a good recommendation, however, it was disappointing.  The service and ambiance were perfectly fine, but the most important aspect of the pizza, the crust, was the opposite of our expectation.  The middle was soggy and the edges were chewy.  Fortunately, the wine (Trumpeter, Malbec-Syrah, 2009) was excellent, as was the panna cotta with cherries. The cherries, imported from Italy, were unlike any I have ever tasted before. The service was relatively good, but the waitress was an American, which made the experience feel very strange.  When in a foreign country, a tourist anticipates a local as a server. We didn’t pay attention to the prices when ordering, but were a bit stunned when the bill arrived.  The pizza here is quite expensive. $85 for the Rucula con Prosciutto.

**** Cabernet, Jorge L. Borges 1757, tel. 4831-3071 (Palermo Soho) $$$ – Excellent! Ambiance, service and cuisine (“de autor”) . . . all very satisfying.

UPDATE: ** La Colonia,  has moved to Araoz 1589. It used to be at Gascon Julian Alvarez and catered to locals.  Taxi drivers appeared to be the best customers.  In the last couple of years, however, the owner has enhanced the menu (and the prices), striving to capture tourists. The new location has a roof terrace and is another notch upscaled. The food was perfectly good, but similar to so many other restaurants in the area, however, we have not tried the new location.

Restaurants We Want To Try:

• Chef Iusef
• Armenia
• Arte de Mafia

Car of Buenos Aires - 2011

 

Click image below to view slide show:

Renting a car in Buenos Aires

 

Above, Natalia, the rental agent, inspects the car after we return it

Yesterday we rented a car so that we could visit Tomas Jofre, a small village, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, that is curiously populated with an abundance of restaurants.  Tomas Jofre is about 100 km west of Buenos Aires.

Our friend Tito recommended renting a car from Tango Rent A Car, however, we remembered that Dietrich, a car dealer just 3 blocks from our house, rents cars.  Dietrich is more convenient, so we walked over to check their price.  Tango Rent A Car advertises a very low price on their website, but the economic car doesn’t have air conditioning, the insurance is separate, etc.  Dietrich, we found, built a new building and has morphed into Localiza.  It’s at the corner of Honduras and Gascon.

The cost to rent the car at Localiza was $305 (pesos) for 24 hours.  It was a new Volkswagen Gol, which is a 2-door economy model.  It did have air conditioning. Natalia spoke a bit of English, so the combination of our Spanish and her English helped.  Note that you need to bring your driver;s license, passport and a credit card.  They require a $4,000 deposit (about $1K USD) on a credit card, but they don’t process it and cancel the hold when you return the car.  Natalia was very thorough in inspecting the car before and after.  Her uniform was very professional, somewhat like that of a flight attendant.

Driving in Buenos Aires:  The traffic is crazy. Drivers seem oblivious to lane markings (in the few places that lane markings are found) and many drivers change lanes or make turns without signaling. Many intersections have no stop signs, yet the traffic is moving quickly and rather aggressively.  In general, the cars coming on your right have the right of way, but it’s also a matter of who entered the intersection first.  Obviously you have to be careful.  Turning right at a red light is not allowed at all.  On 2-way streets, turning left at an intersection that has traffic lights is not allowed, unless there is a dedicated left turn lane. 

A real difficulty is posed by the lack of street signs.  You often can’t find the name of the street with which you are intersecting.  The name appears either on a corner building or a sign on a post, however, many building simply don’t have the sign or the post signs are broken off.  Vandals, I suppose.

Lunch in Tomas Jofre:  This was our first time renting a car in BA and our first unescorted foray into the countryside.  We were surprised that it took us over an hour to drive from Palermo to Route 7. From there, it was another hour to Tomas Jufre.  There were several tolls along the way. The entire adventure took from 11:00 AM until about 7:00 PM.  We found that most of the restaurants were closed for some reason (a Friday afternoon).  It’s not really a town, per se, but more a collection of houses. We ate at La Casona. The menu is fixed. For $98 you get an all inclusive meal that includes house wine. Julia ordered Coke and they gave her a 1.5 liter bottle.  The food was typical rustic Argentine fare. Overall, it was so so. Certainly not worth the drive.  A better trip is to visit San Antonio de Areco.  Our friend Maria took us there a year ago and it was much more interesting.

 

Above: La Casona in Tomas Jofre

Above, the routes to Tomas Jofre and to San Antonio de Areco

Restaurant Reviews - March 2011

Code:  One star = bad, 2 stars – so so, 3 stars = good, 4 stars, very good, Five stars = outstanding

**** Caseros Restaurante, Caseros 486 (San Telmo) – wonderful, romantic atmosphere, interesting selections, good service.  The only oddity was that they didn’t have steak knives . . . for steak.

** Marcelina and Garcia – this is a high end pizza restaurant.  The décor is very nice, the service excellent, and the appetizers unexpectedly beautiful. But the pizza was disappointing.  There is a lot of competition in BA as far as pizza is concerned, however, the pizza here didn’t match up to any we’ve had in BA.  Too bad; such a nice place in a great location.

**** La Fachada, Aráoz 1283 – our favorite pizza in BA . . . at least at the moment.  The restaurant is poorly lit and in serious need of remodeling.  The service is characteristic of a place that caters to 20-somethings.  The pizza . . . it’s amazing.  The Fugazeta de la Casa is perfect.  The dough is somewhat bread-like, but it has a wonderful buttery flavor and an extremely crispy crust.  We went there three times in two weeks.

***** La Colonia Heladeria, corner of Julian Alvarez & El Salvador – This is the best ice cream we’ve had.  The Mouse de Chocolate and the Crema de Marscapone are unbelievable.  Open only until midnight.

Books on Architecture & Design

The store CP67.com is a treasure trove of books on architecture and design. I've never seen such a large collection of books on the topic. Of course, they are in Spanish, however, a huge number of them are photographic books, so the language is irrelevant. Located at Florida 683 (near Viamonte), inside and in the rear of the open air mall.

Computer & tech stuff

If you need anything related to computers, hard drives, SD cards, phones, etc., your best bet is to go to Galeria Jardin (Florida Street 559, between Tucuman & Lavalle).

We needed a new router and went to Compumundo (corner of Florida & Tucuman). Fortunately they didn't have the model we wanted. A friend recommended that we go to Galeria Jardin, less than a half of block away, where we bought the router for 20% less.

More information and photos of Galeria Jardin HERE.

Buenos Aires – November 2010 – Part 1

We arrived in Buenos Aires Friday morning for yet anther two week adventure.  The photo above is a detail from a painting by our friend Silvia Flichman.  See a slideshow of some of my photos by clicking HERE.

Llegamos a Buenos Aires la semana pasada por las anteras aún dos semanas de aventura. La foto de arriba es un detalle de una pintura de nuestra amiga Silvia Flichman. Vea una presentación de diapositivas de algunas de mis fotos haciendo clic aquí.

Middle of the block

As you wander the streets of Buenos Aires, you may wonder what it looks like behind the tall facades.  The photo above shows that open space is common, with yards at the ground level.