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Long Way From
Bolivia |
September
10, 2003 - Buenos Aires, Argentina |
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From
Bolivia to Buenos Aires.
Now there's some contrast for ya. From least developed to
most sophisticated. From a bumpy dirt road to Avenida Nueve
de Julio, the widest street in the world. Eighteen lanes!
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Smooth
pavement. Lane lines. Drivers who actually use their high-beams
courteously. Civilization, what a pleasure! One thing did
seem out of character for the Argentine drivers: they are
ruthless about tailgating and passing. I was startled on
several occasions, doing 50 miles an hour, looking up in
my rear-view mirror, and seeing someone staring back at
me, so close I could count nose hairs, literally inches
between bumpers. |
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I was in
awe of another highway scene that unfolded before my eyes.
On a two-lane highway four tiny compact cars were bunched
up tightly behind a semi. I was #5 hanging back in amazement
and for my safety. All four were rapidly bobbing and weaving
into the oncoming lane looking for their opportunity to
pass. They were so close together and darting so quickly
it looked like a video game come to life! When the chance
arrived, all four went for it at once, two of them effectively
drag racing head to head in the oncoming lane. |
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It took
two more days on the highway from Jujuy to get to Buenos
Aires. It was every thing I had heard. The Paris of South
America. Having never been to Paris I would personally call
it a cross between San Francisco and New York City. It's
huge. It's beautiful. It stays up all night. You can't buy
a bad meal there. |
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I had some
time to wander the streets and read up on the history of
Buenos Aires. Like any big city is has its down side. Intertwined
with its financial floundering is some history that is much,
much sadder. And the remnants of this chapter are very creepy.
As you sit in a cafe you can't help but wonder who could
possibly be sitting on your right and conversely (and perversely)
who could be sitting on your left. |
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I am referring
to Argentina's Dirty War of the late 70's. It was the 'ethnic
cleansing' of the reigning regime. It was political rather
than ethnic, but you get the point. Between 20,000 and 30,000
people were 'disappeared'. Many were tortured; many were
drugged and dumped from airplanes into the sea while still
alive. Pregnant mothers were abducted and murdered after
giving birth. The babies were then 'adopted' by the perpetrators.
Think about the consequences of a 12 year old discovering
his diabolical family history. |
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Some of
the architects of the cleansing campaign were convicted
then later PARDONED! All of the underlings who carried out
the deadly details were never tried based on the fact that
they were only following orders. To this day, the murderers
walk the same streets of Buenos Aires as the families of
their victims!! Perhaps on my right, maybe on my left...
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I am staying
at the apartment of a friend in the Recoleta District in
Buenos Aires. It is the ritziest neighborhood in town. It
is also the home of the ritziest cemetery in all of Argentina.
This is very important to Argentineans. I have a little
cemetery fetish. >Click
Here< I like to wander around and take pictures.
Argentineans on the other hand, are full scale perverted
about them. The eternal home of your corpse is much more
important than where you rest your weary bones in life.
Recoleta Cemetery is a necropolis with maps and addresses.
The streets are lined with miniature cathedrals. The sculptures
decorating the crypts are immense and all of museum quality.
You can peer into windows of crypt/cathedrals to see the
coffins of the countries forefathers and wealthy elite.
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The only
specific site I wanted to visit was that of Eva 'Evita'
Peron. This leads us to that part of her history that was
not covered in the Broadway Musical: Her afterlife adventures.
You see, she did quite a bit of traveling after her death.
An opposing political party eventually took power that did
not want her gravesite becoming a shrine. They took the
body into hiding. She was then kidnapped by her supporters
and housed discretely in various attics throughout the city.
She was later shipped secretly overseas and buried in Rome.
Eventually she made another trans-Atlantic journey back
to Buenos Aires and was finally laid to rest in Ritzy Recoleta,
much to the chagrin of the wealthy elite and her political
enemies. In life Evita rallied for the poor and very hard
against the rich. They were not in the least bit fond of
her and it was the ultimate insult for her to be resting
among their ancestors.
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