“…and then I realize that adventure is the best way to learn.” Unknown
Want to know at least one place that does not recognize daylight saving time? Argentina. Thankfully, I didn’t have to move the clock because I had a flight today and that always messes me up. But that post is for another day.
Today, we are talking about bikes, beers, and fútbol stadiums…and a little bit of sad history. But it is important to educate each other as we learn so hopefully we don’t make the same mistakes.
Let’s ride… cue Queen’s song Bicycle Race.
I signed up for a four hour bike ride around the South section of the city that turned into five hours because we were having so much fun. I had already explored the North side of town by foot so I thought it would be fun to ride and have a guide.
I haven’t been on a bike tour since Bangkok several months ago or a bike since Taiwan in November. By the end of this ride, my butt hurt and my legs were tired. Thank goodness for the fun (and entertaining) fellow riders & guide, the beer and empanada break, and the beautiful sites of La Boca and San Telmo.
On the tour, there was a sweet couple from England (who I ran into later that evening at a Tango show), a couple from New Jersey, and six hilarious 20-something guys from Ireland, Scotland, and Canada. They work in sales for a Swedish company in the company’s Toronto office. Every year their company sends the entire staff to BA for a month to work remotely and attend activities around the city. Wow, what a great job perk!
As you can see by their jerseys, they are huge sports fans so we hit it off over our love of sports, Michael Jordan, and my Scottish heritage.
There was so much history and information on this tour that I’d love to share all of it with you but there is not enough space on the page. So here are some highlights:
La Boca, settled by the Italians from Genoa (another city with a harbor) so it’s very colorful. They brought paint with them from their previous jobs in the shipping harbor and used it to paint their homes and the tradition still exists today. Caminito is probably the most famous street in the city. It was definitely my favorite area of Buenos Aires. I probably liked it the most because this is where we took a long break for beers and empanadas…in addition to the bright colors and tango dancing in the street.
La Bombonera Stadium is not an IKEA but home of the Boca Juniors fútbol (soccer) team. The word Juniors does not mean that they are young. It’s a common term for teams to use in the name. Our guide was adamant about this clarification. An interesting fact about this stadium, they don’t allow opposing fans to attend games. It holds 57,000 fans and they have a membership base of 100,000. So it’s really hard to get a ticket. To purchase a ticket you must be a card-carrying member and pay your dues!
One of the guys on the tour said he was able to get 31 tickets for his company from “a guy.” It’s always good to “know a guy” in the ticket business. Unfortunately, there isn’t a game while I’m in town this time but I’d love to go to one if I make it back to Buenos Aires. He gave me “the guy’s” name and number so if anyone wants to buy a ticket to a Boca Juniors game, let me know. I now “know a guy.”
Casa Rosada, aka: Pink House is the President’s official office although he doesn’t work there most of the time. Fun fact, the balcony on the left side of the photo is where Eva Perón gave her famous speech. Bizarre fact: The pink color was originally made from white paint and cows' blood to help preserve the building from the humidity. Thankfully, technology has evolved and they aren’t smearing cows’ blood on buildings anymore.
In front of Casa Rosada is Plaza de Mayo. A large monument stands erect facing Casa Rosada and around it is a circle path with white headscarves painted on the ground. Our guide explained that these headscarves honor The Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo who protested the kidnapping of their children during the “Dirty War.” From 1976-1983, 30,000 people “disappeared.”
What started all of this, you ask? In 1976 there was a military coup that overthrew Isabel Perón (Juan’s wife after Eva) as President and a dictatorship ensued. They started kidnapping, torturing, and killing people who did not agree with the new regime (the liberals). When government “officials” refused to meet with the women to explain what happened to their children, they began walking around this monument day and night. In an effort to get them to stop protesting, the government kidnapped a few founders of the movement and tortured and killed them…but this did not deter the others. They even marched during the 1978 World Cup which Argentina was the host to raise awareness. Don’t mess with the Mamas.
Click the link above to read more about it. Every country has dark times, and this was definitely a dark period in Argentine history. I was saddened to read that “It was part of a larger series of political coups called Operation Condor, a campaign sponsored and supported by the United States.”
Our guide shared with us that her grandmother told her a story of how two teenage girls who lived on her street were traveling back to University after a holiday break and never arrived. The girls were never heard from again.
Let’s not end on a sad note. I loved this bike ride, the people, the history, the food, and of course, the beer. Buenos Aires is a fun city to explore. Check out the view from the bike seat. If you can't see the embedded video, check it out on my social media pages listed below.
Much love & gratitude from Argentina! 🇦🇷 Namaste 🙏
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Emily I noticed that the sidewalks are made of little checkered squares of cement. I wonder if the many Italian immigrants in Argentina brought this idea? There are many sidewalks like this in my home town in Ouglia and in southern Italy. 😘😘
Such a magical place BA...so much history ✨️