Tuesday 14th March 2017
Buenos Aires – Cemetery, Recoleta, Palermo – Soho,
Hollywood, Chinatown.
A massive cemetery/mausoleum, with some mini-churches and
architectural masterpieces – all shouting out how important a family
standing. The Angel statues only
reminded me of a Dr Who episode – tried to ensure I didn’t blink!
The tomb of Eva Peron (Maria Eva Duarte de Peron) was a
little understated in comparison. Definitely a love/hate relationship with her,
depending on whether you are rich or poor.
As the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 to her death in 1952,
affectionately known as Evita (little Eva), she set up a charitable Foundation,
with the poor (shirtless ones) gaining, but the rich potentially seeing their
property values dropping if a home set up in their road (NIMBY’ism). As ever with this country, allegations of
corruption abound, so to this day, some see her as a saint, others can’t abide
her.
Lots more churches and convents – getting a little bit ABC,
then on to the parks with beautiful fragrant rose gardens and the superb
‘Floralis Generica’ a 
23 metre high flower sculpture made of steel and aluminium,
made by Eduardo Catalano. It is designed to move, closing its petals in the
evening and opening them in the morning.
They’ve changed the times to avoid rush-hour, as it takes about 10 mins
and motorists were distracted causing prangs! 
Quick walk around China Town which was not very impressive.
All fell asleep on way back in coach, so knackered in the heat. Woke
momentarily to get a photo of Eva Peron’s statue but looked like a bit of old
shed roof felt with Evita running away from it. Found out that the felting was
actually supposed to be the Argentinian flag, and that she was supposed to be
surrounded by people. But they’d run out of money! Also, with inflation running
at 20%, they’ve no current intention of completing it. 
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