La Boca

We just returned from La Boca, a historic Italian neighborhood known for íts colorful streets and houses. It was extremely cute though tremendously touristy. Tango dancing in the street isn´t an everyday event I guess. So we walked a little out of the way into the real neighborhood where the colors have faded and the people have less. Faded colors seem to be the Buenos Aires motif. Much of the city is beautiful though obviously faded glory. One can imagine the beauty that must have been but now much of the area is littered with graffiti and trash along the pavement.

Our short walk beyond the touristy area brought us to a local market. Instead of kitchy art and souvenirs, it boasted fruits, vegetables, multi colored chilis and clothing. There were no tango dancers or restaurant hustlers. Just real people engaging in everyday chores. We loved it.

Our plan for the rest of the day is to 1) get ready for our trip to Iguazu tomorrow and 2) walk through one last neighborhood, Puerto Madero.

Oh, and last night we spent the evening in a small cafe drinking house wine and eating Italian food. We returned to our hostel to turn in early which is, how do I say this, ah yes, a shithole. We are having a great time.