BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA
When I think of Buenos Aires I immediately think of the Teatro Colon and my moving visit to see this architectural wonder that is not only beautiful both inside and out, but functions magically with its astounding acoustics. On my very first trip to South America I had to see both the Manaus Opera House and the Teatro Colon. I am not an opera lover which would explain why I would have such destinations on my list of important places to see, but rather amazed at how the arts both create and bring community together. For Manaus it was the wealthy rubber barons that needed to create a venue for their own pleasure in the heart of the Amazon basin, but for the Teatro Colon it is so much more. I was traveling in Buenos Aires with my best friend from high school and on the particular day of our visit to the Teatro Colon, we were the only two people waiting for a private tour with one of the volunteer docents. We had the great fortune of having as our guide a young visiting scholar and what transpired was beyond my wildest expectations. 

We saw not only the entire opera house from top to bottom, but also the underground which was like a "village" of artisans who made everything one saw on stage during a performance from costumes to props. It literally took my breath away to see this beehive of activity and to know that many of the artists came from generations of families who have been bringing operas to the stage for years in South America. At the end of the tour I will never forget standing on the opera stage with my friend in the audience and we could hear each other's whispers...I still get chills when I think of this artistic perfection and how to this day one cannot fully explain why the acoustics are so extraordinary. The Teatro Colon has recently completed a major renovation and I am anxious to return to relive the magic.

Art, architecture and design run deep in my soul and Buenos Aires is also home to Recoleta which is one of the world's great cemeteries which is actually a beautiful "city within a city" complete with tree-lined avenues, street lamps and parks. Here you will not find simple tombstones, but rather huge marble mausoleums complete with massive facades and sculptures. You will also find that this is the last resting place for Argentina's most famous including Eva Peron, Raul Alfonsin and many of the country's presidents. The Recoleta District is also one of Buenos Aires's most fashionable neighborhoods with wonderful shops, galleries and restaurants. 


HOTEL
RESTAURANT
Cafe Tortoni (Cafe)
Piegari (Italian)
Ceviche (Peruvian/Japanese)
Cabana las Lilas (South American)
Cluny (International)
El General (South American)
El Obrero (South American)
La Biela (Cafe)
La Bourgogne (French)

DESTINATION
- El Centro: The lively downtown districts of San Nicolás and Monserrat
- La Boca: The First Port of Buenos Aires
- Palermo & Las Canitas
- The new neighborhood and marina of Puerto Madero
- The Art of People Watching: Recoleta & the surrounding neighborhood
-  Antique shopping and jwandering the cobblestone streets of San Telmo
- Museums: Malba, Buenos Aires Modern Art Museum, and the National Fine Art Museum

 
 
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