Argentina Day Two

Day two was really an experience.  It was a long day, but we were rested up and ready to go!

Our first stop was AMIA, the equivalent to the Jewish Federation in Argentina.  They showed us all about what they do, and their museum.

And most importantly, their gift shop, where everyone crowded around to go shopping.

Next they explained their memorial sculpture by Agam.  The memorial was for the old building that the facility was in that was bombed in 1994.

Some graffiti on the way to the Boca neighborhood for some shopping and to see some local culture.

A playground in the neighborhood.

These are mate (a kind of tea) sets.  The local custom is to make the drink and share it with friends, with everyone sharing the same straw.

These statues were all over the neighborhood, all dressed traditionally, and usually of tango dancers and musicians.

The crowded market.

Tango dancers chatting.

The port at Boca (which means "mouth").  It isn't really used much anymore, and is very polluted, as the tanneries nearby used to dump their waste into the water.

Locals hanging out laundry to dry in the apartments above the markets.

Tango dancers in the streets.

Next we went downtown to try and go to Cafe Tortoni for lunch, but there was a long wait, so we went elsewhere (more on that in a minute).  Meanwhile, the area was packed with traffic and interesting street vendors.

BA lunchtime rush hour.

Finally, lunch outdoors at La Biela in the Ricoleta neighborhood.  This is right near the cemetery where Evita is buried, and we were supposed to go there after lunch, but in typical fashion, we took a long time to eat, and had to move on to an appointment at the Evita museum.  We'll come back to the cemetery in a couple of days.

Yum... espresso all the time!

Freddo, the local ice cream chain, apparently delivers!

Then we were off to the Evita Museum, where we learned much about this controversial figure.

Evita and her husband, Juan Peron.

Next on to the Malba museum of Latin Art.  A fascinating museum, but they didn't let us take photos inside the museum, so I can't show you how cool it was on the inside.

After freshening up, we returned to the Libertad Synagogue that we went to yesterday for Shabbat services.  Wow... What an experience.  It was like going to a concert.  The cantors sang the prayers so beautifully, it was really an amazing and unique experience.

After services we went to Cluny, a trendy restaurant for dinner.

Brian and Paul show demonstrate that their sense of humor is very sophisticated.

And Ashley and Judy thought the local graffiti was amusing as well.

Everyone in their Shabbas Best at dinner.

Emily gives dinner a subtle thumbs up.

And Aaron poses (over and over) in hopes for a new facebook picture.

Brian and Jen, the lovebirds...

And that was all from Day Two!  More coming tomorrow from our excursion to Uruguay.