February 14, 2010

Arrived about midnight after travelling 40 hours from Maui. First hotel was in SanTelmo, a neighborhood full of cobbled streets, colonial mansions, and 18th century churches.

This is the view from my hotel room--a car park and a ground level Korean grocer.

Historically, SanTelmo is famous for the violent street fighting that took place when British troops at war with Spain, invaded BA in 1806. After this it became the fashionable place to live until a yellow fever epidemic in the late 19th century drove the rich to the far side of the city.

Many mansions became tenements. Pasaje de la Defensa built in 1880 for the Ezeiza family housed 32 families. Now it is a charmingly worn building with antique shops clustered around leafy patios.

The heart of SanTelmo is Plaza Dorrego which is now filled with dozens of booths selling old collectibles and cafes with street performers.

Lunch was at one of the many traditional parrillas selling meats grilled on an asado. The most cut is bife de chorizo - sirloin steak. Argentine steak sauce is called chimichurri, a blend of oil, vinegar, parsley, garlic, and dried red peppers.