Argentina Te Quiero (part2)
Buenos Aires

It was springtime in 2006 when I first visited Buenos Aires. Coming from a tropical country, an almost zero degree temperature is intolerable. In Manila, I am not accustomed to knowing the exact degree. For me it’s only hot or not. No big deal on what the figure says because generally it’s hot when the sun is up. Besides, the weather is pretty much predictable.

But all that changed in Buenos Aires. I had been globe trotting since 1996 but I would always prefer travelling in summer or fall to a particular destination. Before leaving my hotel, I have to check the temperature first with the concierge in my well re-hearsed line, “¿Cual es la temperatura afuera?” Then dress planning would follow: inner shirts, sweater, jacket, bonnet, scarf, gloves, boots, and knee high socks. I was like wearing a full-battle gear and oh!, T’was heavy.

Unlike my other foreign trips, I don’t need to take a hop-on hop-off tour bus to see the city. Neither would I join a city tour group with an English speaking tour guide for lo and behold beside me was a native who lovingly explained with pride and passion the interesting places and history of her country, in Spanglish. Cute.

And so with her, I discovered Avenida 9 de Julio, claimed to be the widest avenue in the world by the Argentines. The name coincides with Argentina’s July 9 Independence Day Celebration. We took a stroll on the avenida. It was the most logical thing to do to burn the fats I just consumed courtesy of Parilla Mariposa. I never imagined how in the world can I finish a big plate full of greasy, mouth watering and yummy beef. Then I started thinking about my late night work-outs at the Makati Shangri-la Health Club. Guilt stricken.

At the intersection of this avenue and Corrientes, we stopped to take photos at the modern monument called the El Obelisco constructed in 1936 in commemoration of the city’s 400th Foundation Day. With its height of 220 feet, it took us a while to take a good photo with its entirety. It was in this incident when I first learned the level of patience of my Latina girlfriend. She is short of it. She has also a bad temperament. She is sweet for a while and suddenly could explode like a bomb. It left me thinking, how can this woman got easily impatient and suddenly erupt like a volcano when the springtime weather is too good to cool her head off.

At the Obelisk there is a Plaza with a congregation of pigeons. I was busy taking pictures and she was constantly advising me to open my eyes, watch my camera, wallet, etc. At one point I got irritated because I felt like I was being treated like a child. I’d been to more dangerous places in Manila and in Brazil, especially in Sao Paulo. I don’t like her over-protecting me so I have to cut her the next time she uttered the same reminder for the nth time. Then, there goes another argument. Cultural differences?

We passed by Teatro Colón. This beautiful opera house is turning 100 years in 2008. It’s one of the world’s major opera houses. I was told not to miss it because of its horse-shoe shaped auditorium and special interiors. When we checked the schedule of shows, it was then we realized that it had been closed for renovation. A year later, I came back, the renovation job was still unfinished. It reminded me of what she told me that the theater was constructed for twenty years. I was wondering if the renovation would be another “history repeats itself” phenomenon in Argentina.

We reached Avenida de Mayo. This avenue connects Plaza de Mayo with Plaza de los Dos Congresos. We were heading towards the eastern end of Avenida de Mayo where La Casa Rosada (Spanish for "the Pink House"), officially known as the Casa de Gobierno ("Government House") or Palacio Presidencial ("The Presidential Palace"), is located. A pink house! Cool! And when we were in the square en frente de la Casa Rosada, la Karina, my girlfriend guide, started lecturing me as if I was one of her law students in a University in Buenos Aires where she is a faculty member. She commanded, “Look at that half open window, and the house’s balcony, that’s the podium of Evita, the same podium the Papa del Roma used during his visit in 1998. It was exactly the same place where Madonna rendered her “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” anthem. Oh brilliant! With that, I can give her a 9.

We took a stroll on the plaza then went inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires. La Karina took time to pray, I took pictures. She’s a catholic. I am not. We headed to the Cabildo or their Council during colonial times then took some quick snaps and proceeded to the May Pyramid.

Tired and exhausted, we took time to recharge in one of the benches in the plaza. We chose a strategic place fronting a monument and a fountain. It was a lovely day with a clear blue sky and nimbus clouds, pigeons feeding on grains, lovers kissing, children cavorting at the plaza grounds. Oh Buenos Aires! You are my Paris in South America.