City Tour through BA and La Boca

Today was a really funny and great day here in Buenos Aires. The sun still shines and it has been about 27 grad and I already got a sunburn!

The germans, the practicants and me did today a city tour through the most important points here and spent some time in "La Boca" and the park "Ricoletta" which I enjoyed a lot because of all the different impressions. This city has so many sites: from modern to really old, from rich to really poor and all kind of mixed and growing.

In the morning we started walking to the subway to drive to "Catedral" a half hour. After we left the uncomfortable and hot station (but only 2,50 Pesos which is about 40 cents) we went to the point for the tourist bus. Compared to rest of Buenos Aires, the tour was pretty expensive (150 Pesos) but it was worth it  and you can get on and off from the bus at many station for 24 hours.

We drove through the centre including the town house and other important buildings. Especially here you could notice the influence of french culture concerning the houses.    

(there is sitting Mrs Kirshner)

Then we left the centre and drove to the south, nearing us La Boca. The we got off the bus and could walk around the touristic district. Although it is very popular there, you shouldnt walk further more cause actually La Boca counts to the districts who are poor and also dangerous. So we just stayed in the middle, getting asked to buy or drink things and always said "No, gracias". 

The houses are all very colorfull and was formerly the district of italian immigrants. I felt a bit like in a disneyland or something. 

 The football team of La Boca "La Boca Juniors" is pretty popular and there were thousands of shops who selled trickots and shirt and other things.

                                                       (me in front of the port)

                                                                 ¡Hasta luego Boca!

Later in the day, the sun came out and it got really hot. We decided to get off from the bus at the park "Recoleta" after we drove through the "Puerto Madero" , a district full of modern towers and famous brands located there such as "Siemens".

I was really impressed because it was such another site of Buenos Aires compared with Boca.

The Recoleta Park is directly located next to famous cemetery with lots of rich people. It was scary walking through it because you could even see the coffins and because of that we didnt stay long and relaxed in the park, eating and drinking a bit and enjoying the hot sun. 

                                                              (The Recoleta Cemetery)

(a huge tree in the park)

 On our way back we drove by some other important sights such as the flower, that is opening and closing concerning the time of the day. We also saw the "Planetarium" located in front of a beatiful small lake.

Now Im tired from the day, drinking an iced tea from Starbucks and watching the sun setting...

Buenos Aires Numero 1

Its my fifth day in Buenos Aires now and I really begin to get used to this huge city. And when I say huge, not like Paris or Berlin, Buenos Aires is like a big big city, isolated from everything. The district Im living in is called "Belgrano" and is one of the "good" ones. In Germamy you would maybe consider it as a mix of really rich people and people who have money but arent on the top of society.

My flight was at night so I could mostly sleep, even though I woke up every two hours. Once Ive even watched a film: "Silver Linings" which I liked a lot but there where much more films in the airplane but I was too tired to watch them. I was pretty lucky not having somebody sitting next to me so I could just relax. I imagined the 13 hour during flight mich more exhausting but when I finally arrived on the airport I wasnt tired at all.
There, my hostfamily including Martina, welcomed me and my adventure in this far country had began.

Firstly, we drove through the "villas", really poor dirstricts, till we arrived in the microcentre with the famous "Obelisco" right in the middle of Buenos Aires. The sun shined and everything was green and I was so happy after the harsh and really long winter in Germany. The building of the centre of Buenos Aires remembered me  on the architecture In France and the mother, Rossana, explained, that the "porteños", so the inhabitants of Buenos Aires, have all european ancestors and that was the reason for its grand influence of european culture and architecture.

A main difference I recognized was the height of the buildings: everything was so huge and I felt a bit like I was in New York or something.

After driving a bit around, I visited the oldest cafe"Cafe Tortoni" of the city, which was founded in 1858, and is just near the "Avenida de Julio" and I drunk a tasty "Cafe con leche".

Then, we drove to the famous district "La Boca", to watch a volley game of the sister of Martu, but I will tell you more about La Boca the next time because Im going to do an excursion tomrrow with the other germans.

On sunday, we visited the aunt and her family in there weekend house which is outside of the dirstricts.
There I had my first argentinian barbecue, but Im vegetarian so they made paprika with eggs and aubergines for me. I felt very happy they care so much for me even though I now meat is so important here.

I passed three days at school now and I really like it there and the good thing is that its just next to Martus flat.
The classes consist of about 15 students, cause its a private school, and everybody has to wear uniforms(exept of the germans). In the breaks I hang around with the friends of Martu who are really nice and sometimes we go home to one of them to just chill out or eat something.
Today I had my first spanish class which is only for the germans and a german girl is teaching us. She divided us into three groups because not evrybody is the same in spanish. Luckily I got into the "best" gropu but that means too that our homeworks are much more diffucuilt.

The flat Im living is is small but cute and really comfortable and all the people here have a woman who is cooking and washing and stuff like that, the whole day.

                                                         (Room of Martu and me)
Now another day is almost finished (although we eat at 10 in the evening) and Im looking forward to tomorrow and my trip to La Boca.

view out of the window...