Tigre and the Delta Islands

Forgot to mention yesterday about the elderly gentleman Sebastian and I met during our walk through Caminito.  He was sitting with his friend on a porch beside paintings that he was selling.  I wished him good morning and he asked where I was from.  We start talking and then he tells us a story.  He says he’s a famous painter and that he’s been interviewed on Jay Leno, the BBC and other networks.  He came up with the idea to combine painting with tango.  Him and his dance partner would dip their feet in paint and begin to tango.  He said it was beautiful and he became well-known for his creative idea.  We thank him for the story and continue on.  I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about his story and how “famous” he was, so upon returning to the hotel I Google him.  Low and behold, I find him and he was not exaggerating.  Check out his story here:

Back to today’s adventures…Juan, from Experience Buenos Aires, picks me up at 8am (very early for Argentine standards) and we head to Tigre which is about 30 minutes outside of the city.  As we drive I see palatial homes behind large walls and palm trees swaying in the breeze.  It’s like we’ve been transported to a tropical paradise.  Upon arriving in Tigre, we meet our boat captain who transports us through the myriad of estuaries to the Delta Islands.

The homes along the narrow channels are diverse with newly constructed, to dilapidated and leaning precariously to one side.  Rickety wood pedestrian bridges span the opposing banks and boats are tied fast to the numerous wharves.  Kayakers brave the voluminous wake our boat creates.  The captain drops us off at one of the small piers and we walk along the dirt banks, following the meandering path of the water and crossing to the other side on a precarious bridge with missing slats.  It’s peaceful and idyllic with a brief cacophony of barking dogs when we get too near their owner’s yards.  

After our walk the captain returns us to Tigre and it’s back to the hustle and bustle of the city to meet with Melany and the travellers in my Intrepid group for the next nine days.  Upon entering the lobby, Melany and I embrace in a big hug amid our squeals of delight at seeing each other again after such a long time.  It’s amazing we’ve kept in touch since we last saw each other when she was guiding a trip through Bolivia four years ago that I was on.  I meet Audrey from Seattle and George from Sydney, but will meet the rest of the group later this evening during our trip briefing.

I decide to try Cabify, the Argentinian app that’s the equivalent of Uber, to get to the Recoleta district as my sore feet need a break from pounding the pavement.  It works like a charm and is easier to use than a taxi, especially since I don’t speak Spanish and can’t explain where I need to go.  I arrive at the Museum of Latin American Art and check out the exterior of the building that is a structural beauty.  I make my way to a park that contains an enormous metal flower statue and continue on to Recoleta Cemetery.   

The cemetery was constructed in 1882 for notables, including Eva Peron.  I wander the maze of mausoleums in search of Evita with no luck.  Some of the tombs’ glass doors have been broken and the interiors are strewn with rubble and caskets in haphazard positions.  I’ve visited numerous cemeteries in different countries but I’ve never actually seen caskets inside the mausoleums.  They’re usually inside a marble crypt, and I guess I equate a casket with burial and not above ground, so I find it a bit disconcerting.  I shrug off the shivers and continue my wanders until I find the exit.

Back to the hotel to meet the rest of my group which include:  Dave and Helen from the UK who are recently retired and have been travelling through South America for the last six weeks, and Pritesh (spelling?) who’s also from the UK and a real estate project manager that has taken a sabbatical for two months to travel.  Melany explains some essential info which is interspersed with many questions and concerns.  Everyone has different levels of comfort when travelling and perhaps limited experience in foreign places, and Melany is great at making everyone feel comfortable.  After the meeting they all head off to dinner, but I opt out as I want to finish writing and get my photos edited before heading to bed.  I have a very early morning and long day of travel ahead tomorrow.