I was suprised to find myself falling in love with Buenos Aires. Although it is a huge city (6 million people call it home), it is easy to walk around and in places it is downright quaint. I arrived on a Sunday and headed down to San Telmo´s market, an incredible feast. The streets were packed with vendors, street performers, artisans and their wares, musicians, tourists and tango dancers. Yes, tango in the streets. It was a vibrant, sensual city and reminded me of a more sanitized version of pre-Katrina New Orleans.
After Buenos Aires, I took a ferry across the Rio Platos to the coastal village of Colonia, Uruguay and then headed on to Montevideo. It was a couple days till Carnival, so the streets were packed with the sound of drums and chants as everyone practiced for the upcoming parades. Late one night, after checking out a traditional murga, some friends and I stumbled onto a ceremony being held on the beach. Groups of people wearing all white were walking into the water and sending small shoebox-sized boats filled with lit candles to sea. They would then walk backwards to the beach, while chanting. On the beach, there were more groups of people all dressed in white and traditional healers that were offering their services to those taking part in the ceremony. No one was in charge and there was a very organic, spontaneous feel to the whole event. Later, we learned that they were offering thanks to Yemanya, La Madre del Mar, a Brazilian Goddess with African roots.
After Buenos Aires, I took a ferry across the Rio Platos to the coastal village of Colonia, Uruguay and then headed on to Montevideo. It was a couple days till Carnival, so the streets were packed with the sound of drums and chants as everyone practiced for the upcoming parades. Late one night, after checking out a traditional murga, some friends and I stumbled onto a ceremony being held on the beach. Groups of people wearing all white were walking into the water and sending small shoebox-sized boats filled with lit candles to sea. They would then walk backwards to the beach, while chanting. On the beach, there were more groups of people all dressed in white and traditional healers that were offering their services to those taking part in the ceremony. No one was in charge and there was a very organic, spontaneous feel to the whole event. Later, we learned that they were offering thanks to Yemanya, La Madre del Mar, a Brazilian Goddess with African roots.
Protest outside of the La Casa Rosa in Buenos Aires - the same building where Eva Peron gave her speeches
Xabi normally cuts hair for transvestites in Basque, but kindly cut all of our hair at our hostel in Mendoza.
1 comment:
I wouldn't get a hair cut from a guy with hair like that. Is that you in the pic? Brent
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