(Wed 16th: P.S. I felt I had some curious insights into friendships/relationships, but I won´t post these here.)
Thursday 17th contd.: I met up with Cristina, and we visited La Boca, which is the redeveloped port. The other side of the river had crisp modern office skyscrapers with shiny windows. We didn´t like this sight as much, because it was little different to home. There are restaurants around as well. Ironically these characteristics are shared by "South Bank" in both Melbourne and Brisbane also! A guy sitting on a bench near the water called out to us. He was drinking, and looked a little rugged, but nevertheless we stopped and chatted with him for probably a full hour. Cristina and him did most of the talking, and in Spanish. She has a real gift for connecting with people. He was cheerful and friendly. We also relaxed with a drink on the main street Av 9 de Julio, one of the widest avenues in the world (I love it!) I was tired, but felt good after this. Back home, my hostel was playing happy Western pop songs. Nevertheless it is fairly quiet overall, which I appreciated. I´ve had plenty of socialising, so did not feel like a party hostel.
Friday 18th: I have met lots of people, both in the hostel and randomly out and about. Most people staying here are Latins, with virtually no Westerners. I love this! I am here to get a different experience, not hang out with those closer to my own "kind". My aim is to meet local people and experience their life/culture. I expected that I might lapse by default into hanging out with (Western) English speakers but [writing a week later,] I think I was not optimistic enough! My Spanish has improved a lot and I am already successfully communicating in Spanish, albeit in an extremely simple, stilted, and limited way. I also expected I would feel mild loneliness while over here, and that lapsing into English would help me connect more with people to ease this. However, I have not felt even a tinge of loneliness or insecurity (I mean particularly about the unfamiliar environment) the entire time here! I´ve been having a blast. The people in the hostel are mostly from Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. Apparently universiy in Colombia is expensive, so many flock here to Argentina where it is free.
On Friday, I think I had breakfast with Cecilia, a biochemist whose uni studies took 11 years, including a PhD. Her English is unusually good, but I still have to make an effort to speak clearly with less Australian drawl, and also more slowly and simply. Also Jaime, who did lab work, and was a very friendly person but had little English. The three of us would often have (the complimentary) breakfast together at the hostel, which consists of croissants (I love the name, media lunas, literally "half moons") and bread rolls with butter and caramel spread, and coffee. I was a bit tired and had a quiet morning.
I found the music at the hostel very moving! I don´t know why, but I have experienced this before when travelling. I went to Plaza San Martín at some stage, where I was denied access to the two palaces (wrong day). The sun rays through the green leaves and purple Jacaranda flowers (the many Jacaranda trees in the city blend beautifully with off-white buildings) formed a beautiful picture. I saw the war monument, as well as the (war) arms museum. I stopped into a nearby Catholic church. A group of 8 or so people were sitting up the front chanting, saying the mass I suppose. I found the reverent sound hypnotically calming and relaxing, in contrast to the oppressive heat and humidity outside.
I think I headed north to the Recoleta district of the city, which is very ritzy. The crypts in the Cemetery of the Recoleta are extravagant. (However I was not in a good headspace, my thoughts being bombarded by some frustrations from back home. Yet I have already grown in this area this trip! See my comments about the Western journalist later.) Eventually I found Eva Perón´s resting place. She was married to former President Juan Perón, a colonel, and together they formed a very prominent political team in Argentina´s history. There are huge outlines of their faces on a building in the main street. She was played by the singer Madonna in the musical film Evita. I went inside the adjacent church Nuestra Señora del Pilar, including its small tower. A shopping mall nearby was ritzy even by Australian/US/European etc. standards! I was very tired and headed home.
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