Argentina: Buenos Aires (La Boca)

Pardon my cliché, but life this week was starting to feel like a country song. Not the kind where your dog runs away and your wife leaves you...more like the kind where: 

• The internet goes haywire, putting your online job and source of income in jeopardy. 
• The situation in a country that hosted you for two years only seems to be worsening.
• The embassy refuses to return a passport. 

The power went out last Thursday night, and while the electricity came back after less than an hour, the internet was not restored for an entire week. We called the provider once or twice a day to try to solve the problem, and we were told each time that the problem was something different. What the real issue was will probably remain a mystery. All I know is that I had to cancel two days of classes and I used shared internet from my cell phone hotspot to teach the other four days. Normally an internet outage wouldn't be so bothersome, but when your job depends on it, it's a different ball game. After all is said and done, I believe I have been pardoned of my cancellations and my job remains in good standing.

As for updates from Nicaragua, there were more marches on May 30th (which is when they celebrate Mother's Day), and more people injured and killed. Highways are being blocked, normal food deliveries are not happening, the president refuses to step down, and from what I gather, there is a looming sense of uncertainty of what is to come. More people have fled, Peace Corps volunteers are still evacuated, and the next group of Peace Corps trainees scheduled to begin in August of this year was cancelled altogether. 

And lastly, yes, we are still waiting for Emi's passport to be sent back to us. We are approaching the 4-week mark of a process that is supposed to take a maximum of 10 days. So we continue to impatiently wait for good news from the embassy. In the meantime, allow me to take you on a journey through the colorful neighborhood of La Boca in Buenos Aires. There's nothing like a bit of color to cheer us all up, now is there? 

Being in Buenos Aires reminded me of my time in Mexico City: both are thriving metropolitan capitals consisting of vibrant and distinct neighborhoods. However, if there's one thing that Buenos Aires has that Mexico City does not, it is shoreline. Moving towards the southern end of the city, one will find what are said to be Buenos Aires' original neighborhoods: San Telmo and La Boca. La Boca--literally: "the mouth"--has at its border a waterway that allows large vessels and ships to pass through to the Atlantic Ocean. This neighborhood is noticeably run down compared to the newer and more urbanized neighborhoods to the north, but it retains important pieces of culture that are so characteristic of Argentina. This is said to be the place where tango was born, and it is also home to one of the most important and famous soccer stadiums in the country: La Bombonera. 

 

What is now a charming, touristy area of town used to be overcrowded slums in the 19th and 20th centuries. The residents of this area spruced up their surroundings with every ounce of color possible in attempt to brighten up the place. We took a stroll down El Caminito, a pedestrian lane filled with artwork and shops, and soon discovered all the colors.

Important historical figures like Diego Maradona and Evita Peron greeted us from above.

La Bombonera, named for its "chocolate box" shape, is home to the Boca Juniors soccer team. 

Alas, a visit to Buenos Aires would not be complete without frolicking through the streets of La Boca. Emi has already done the stadium tour of La Bombonera, so we opted to skip that opportunity available in this part of the city. I was also more than content with an exterior photo and a walk around the architectural beast. Additionally, visitors in La Boca have the chance to take an overpriced photo with a tango dancer along the colorful Caminito. Since Emi is a true cordobés who much prefers cuarteto over tango, we kindly turned down the offer. Nevertheless, we spent an enjoyable time admiring the colors and appreciating the history in this section of Buenos Aires.