Plaza de Mayo

Thursday March 14 was a very exciting day.  Lots of sun and a beautiful 20C.  We headed out to take a different subway (Subte) to the Plaza de Mayo, BA’s central square.  The newspapers were full of news of “Our Pope”, but Francisco is a controversial choice here as his role during Argentina’s “dirty war” is far from clear. 

Our Pope - Papa Nuestro

Argentinean Pope

The Other Hand of God- La Otra Mano de Dios

We first walked down Florida, a pedestrian street, which was very busy and crowded especially as the middle of the street was being torn up.  We stopped briefly at a very fancy shopping mall, which seemed to be modeled after the Galleria in Milan.

Florida Street-- lots of infrastructure issues

Lots and lots of people in BA

We passed a bookstore with titles about Chavez and Timerman

On the way over to the Plaza we ran into a large union demonstration that appeared to be about protecting public education.  The government is clearly under siege from both the left and right. 

Union banners

More demonstrators

Our children also have rights....

The main square was founded in 1580 during the colonial period and became Plaza de Mayo in 1810 to commemorate a major demonstration for Argentina’s independence from Spain, which took place in 1816.

We chose Thursday as the day to visit the Plaza as every Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., since 1977, Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo gather to protest the disappearance of their children in the “dirty war” (1977-1983). There were over 30,000 desaparecidos.  The Madres’ efforts more recently have focused on addressing the kidnapping of many of their infant grandchildren by the military and also bringing to justice ex-military officers from the dictatorship era.  The Madres’ symbol is a white headscarf that alludes both to motherhood and the diapers of their children. 

One of the Madres in her headscarf

Another Madre- the headscarfs are beautifully embroidered 

With the Madres' banner

Las Madres on the march

There is a booth where people gather and then at about 4:00 p.m. the aging Madres and their supporters walk around the square holding a large banner and singing.  It was very moving as many of the Madres would be in their 70s by now.  There were a lot of media present and a young woman spoke at the end of the march.  We couldn’t understand a lot of what she was saying, but Chavez’s name came up a lot.

T shirt commemorating 33 years of  Las Madres demonstrations.  It is now 35 years.

There was also a booth where veterans of the Falklands (Malvinos) war are set up.

Veterans of the war in the south Atlantic

The Casa Rosada (the Pink House), the executive government offices, is also located on the Plaza de Mayo, though there are barriers between it and the general square.  Security abounds.  The President does not live in the Casa Rosada but holds meetings there.

Casa Rosada (Pink House)

Barrier in front of the Pink House

Security

Bank of Argentina on the Plaza de Mayo

We then walked up Avenida de Mayo, a Parisian style boulevard with fabulous architecture featuring Belle Epoque, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco styles.  The stores at street level are quite shabby, but the buildings are real gems.  We stopped for a coffee at Café Tortoni, the country’s oldest café that opened in 1858.  The wooden walls are full of wonderful artwork.  In the evenings, there is tango in the back room.  We just happened to sit at a table that is commemorated as that of Frederico Garcia Lorca, who lived in BA for a period of time.  A drawing of his hangs on the wall just behind the table.   The great tango artist, Carlos Gardel (1890-1935) also hung out at the Café as did many other artists, writers and politicians.  We chatted to a couple from Alaska who are spending a month in South America.

View of Cafe Tartan

Alano con cafe

Enjoying my coffee

Drawing by Frederico Garcia Lorca

Carlos Gardel memorabilia at Cafe Tortoni

Communist Party offices

We then continued walking down Avenida de Mayo and passed a Tango school and the offices of the Communist Party.   We passed a building with a huge portrait of Evita.

Avenida de Mayo

Tango academy

We also saw our first ceramic plaques commemorating the spots from which people were taken away during the dictatorship and “disappeared” by “el terrorismo de estado” (state terrorism).  These plaques are reminiscent of the Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) that we saw in Europe commemorating people killed in the Holocaust.   The BA versions are already suffering much wear and tear.  Avenida de Mayo ends at the magnificent Congress building.

Memorial tile to the disappeared

Congress building

We bought some fish at a market and then took the subway back to the apartment.  When we got there, we discovered that the Internet was not working again (our only disappointment with our otherwise great apartment).  We went to a coffee shop to check e-mail and headed back to make dinner.  This morning, the property manager had someone fix (at least temporarily) the Internet and we are able to post.

Subte, Subte, Subte (as Mayor Ford would say)