Buenos Aires - places tourists don't go.

Legend: Gauchito Gil

Gauchito Gil (Antonio Marmerto Gil Nunez) is a legendary figure that actually existed

He was something similar to Robin Hood but has been given sainthood by the people but, definitely, not by the church. Millions of Argentinians pray to him. He's always depicted wearing a red cape and with red flags around him.

He was, originally, a Gaucho which is the nearest equivalent to a roving cowboy. He was, supposedly, framed for robbery and ran away to join the army. He became a heroic figure in the war against Paraguay and, after the war, didn't like the civil war that erupted in his country. Against what he believed he was in the army of the side he didn't approve of. So he deserted to become the 'Robin Hood' type figure - stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

When he was eventually captured and sentenced to death, he was hung upside down from a tree. As the executioner was preparing to behead him, Gaucho said, "Don't kill me - my pardon is coming. If you do kill me, your son will be stricken with a deadly illness, and the only way to save him will be to give my body a proper burial."

As expected, the executioner proceeded with his task and, when he arrived home, discovered that his son was deathly ill. He returned to the site of the execution and buried Gaucho's body. His son was miraculously cured and a legend was born.

Soon, the rich landowner on whose property Gil lay buried got sick of the constant pilgrims and had the remains removed to the cemetery in the nearby town of Mercedes. Immediately he fell seriously ill as well, and remained so until he prayed to Gil for forgiveness.

There are shrines to him all over the country (particularly in the country areas and in the suburbs of the big towns) millions of people worship at his shrine on 8th January (he died 8/1/1878). Apparently, about 100,000 people gather at the town where he is buried (Mercedes) and they carry the cross from his grave to the church in the town, and pray.

We went out to one of the suburbs to see his shrine. Although we were there on an ordinary weekday there were people turning up in, ones and twos, to offer a little prayer and then go.

 

We went to a local market one day, very clean and very colourful, and saw how they prepare Matambre - a popular local meat dish.






Matambre is easy to prepare but a lot of people buy it prepared for them. They use a cheap cut of beef (our nearest equivalent is brisket), and beat it flat, after removing the fat. It is filled, rolled and tied (on the right of this picture).

It's rubbed in olive oil, salt and pepper and then a layer of spring onions


Then covered in sliced carrots




Then chopped hard boiled eggs and herbs (mainly parsley)


To cook:-
brown the outside of the roll of meat in olive oil and then put in a casserole dish with stock, wine, garlic and herbs. Cook slowly. When cooked, remove from pan and leave to stand, and drain, for 10 - 15 minutes. Cut into thick slices (rounds) and put a little of the casserole juices on it.

When made at home they quite often don't bother chopping everything so finely and, also, put a layer of spinach leaves in it.

 

I guess you had better not make it too long before you go. Although their inflation rate is super high (somewhere between 10% and 20% in January!) which makes your pound buy a lot more, they're going to run into a lot of trouble as the people can't live on their earnings. It may not be a good place to be when that really hits hard. I expect there to be a lot of rioting and unrest in the cities!

Patagonia is a very nice place to visit. Our winter is the time to go as it will be their summer and it won't be too cold. As Patagonia is so close to the arctic it doesn't really warm up too much. This was me, a few years ago, in their early summer - at the Otway Bay penguin colony on the Magellan Straits.


If you go to Patagonia you mustn't miss going to the Chilean part as well and definitely go to the Torres Del Paine National Park.

 

@wiseowl
There are quite a lot of parks and open spaces, and they have a rose garden. Although the rose garden is kept tidy they really need Woo there to sort it out properly.

It was difficult taking photos as the sun was so bright

 

When we had finished visiting the market we walked back through the local streets to where we had parked the car (it wasn't a suburb that was too intimidating) and passed a barber shop. The shop was, also, a private museum of hairdressing equipment and toiletries and a little café. So we went in to have a look. Fortunately, we had our local guide, Loli, with us as we couldn't speak Spanish and nobody there could speak English!

It's surprising what you find when wandering around. Loli didn't know about the barber shop but she said she would, now, put it on her list of possible places to visit.


The shop had lots of old phones - and all of them worked! The shop, and café, used them for their incoming and outgoing calls.
This is Loli in the old public phone box that customers can use. Notice the sign behind her head. I says:- "In the interest of public health, don't spit on the floor." "City ordinance April 21st 1902."


Some of the other phones.







Mrs Shiney and myself have a chat and a laugh (with translation) with Miguel, the owner. The shop only had two barbers and I offered to give him a hand if they got busy

 

Some of the items in the museum - there were thousands!











"Take me to your leader!"
This is a steamer cabinet for hot towels and they're still using it.

 

At the barber shop it was just the singing and stories that happened each week and it was performed by any of the locals that wished to do so. The music was brought by them and played on a little CD player.

We asked if we could come along and the owner said we would be very welcome. So, in the late afternoon we jumped in a taxi (metered taxis are very cheap) and went there. Taxi drivers were about the only business that seemed not to want dollars! The 20 minute journey cost us just over £6 and he seemed pleased with his £2 tip. I asked him, sign language, to come back at 6.30 p.m. when the Tango was supposed to finish.

The locals that were there seemed even more ancient than me but they were a lively group and welcomed us very nicely. Whilst they performed we had coffee and some lovely, local made, pastries.


Although they were elderly, and their voices were showing it a bit, they obviously had been very good singers.






There was one man that told stories and jokes and, although we couldn't understand a word he said, his performance was so expressive that he kept us fascinated - and we were able to work out some of what he was saying.


Our taxi didn't show up! I was standing outside waiting for it whilst Mrs S continued to watch the performance - that was supposed to have finished by then. Miguel saw that I had, obviously, been waiting for a taxi and he excused himself from his customer (he was still working) and came out to me. By sign language, he worked out what was happening and quickly walked all the way to the end of the street and hailed a taxi from the main road. Thanks Miguel We sent an email to him, through Loli, thanking him for his hospitality.

The 20 minute journey back to the hotel took just over an hour as a lot of roads were closed by the police for a whole series of demonstrations. The taxi driver wasn't a happy bunny and was cutting up other drivers all the way. Otherwise it may have taken two hours! He was suitably rewarded and went away with a smile on his face.

A lovely afternoon/evening with the locals.

 

Back in town.

We were able to stroll from our hotel through the shopping areas to some of the historical parts of the centre of town. Strolling in the shade was the only way to go with temperatures in the mid to high 30's. We wandered around the centre (governor's palace etc.) and into the financial district.

This is where Mrs S made a great discovery. She saw a doorway where a corridor went off from it. So we wandered inside.
This was the view back towards the doorway.


It turned out to be an old convent that had been turned into offices on the upper floor and artisan workshops and small restaurants on the ground floor. In the centre was a quadrangle that was a garden and was cool and peaceful. The noise of the busy financial district didn't seem to penetrate the calmness of the place.

We sat here, in the shade, for a lovely two course meal, with coffee, that cost approx. £4 each (I said eating out in Argentina was cheap - unlike Brazil).


We spent a pleasant couple of hours there whilst watching the secretaries bringing their packed lunches to have whilst sitting in the calming atmosphere of the garden. There were some lovely looking cats that had, obviously, set up home in the garden and didn't disturb us - but ate everything we fed them.









A fabulous find.

 

Just a little more of Buenos Aires to go. Then I'll do a little bit on Uruguay and more on Brazil.

 

Good morning Shiney my friend thank you for sharing your holiday with us all,the Rose photos, well what can I say are just incredible and have brightened up my day,all the colours are great and could almost smell the scent,If I had been there I would never have left the Rose gardenyour fabulous find is indeed a lovely place and the photos are exceptional what lovely memories they will be my friend and thank you for them

 

Woo, the ones in the third picture down were called 'Orangeade'.