BA continued

Whilst in BA, I visited the resting places of two very famous Latinos, (a) Jose de San Martin, Argentinian born revolutionary armed struggler who successfully lead the uprising against the spanish imperialists in the lower half of the continent during the 19th century, his tomb lies in the centre of BA in the most remarkable Cathedral. and (b) Eva Peron or EVITA, Argentina's First Lady to then President Juan Peron, famously played by Madonna in the film Evita. She rests in a more descreet and common location in the angelic Recoleta Cemetry.

The southern suburb of La Boca is a real cracker,, rough, real, its home to the champion football side of the same name and their star Diego Maradona. Whilst here an all to similar colourful ilair chubby Maradona lookalike sprung up offering 10 peso photos with him before quickly exiting to his friends takeaway joint around the corner. The stadium is a beaut and the salesmen here who run the small tourist driven market do hound you unlike downtown.

BA might of qualified as the "Paris of the South" as my lonely planet described it I had infact been to Paris, which I haven't, but it does have a look about it which I wouldn't relate to Latin America, rich wide boulevards, semi-medeterranian architecture and lots of pastry cuisine. The climate matched to Auckland where I left from and being a southern facing port town suffered parrellel cold winds of Wellington. They tell me summer here gets really hot and that the local "Potenos" (local Buenos Aires people) escape a little south to Mar del Plata, well I didn't wait for Summer, Instead, the 11 million metropolis drove me out and eventually on a 20 hour bus to the lakes district of patagonia and a small town of Bariloche.

BUENOS AIRES

"walking through the streets I thought it time to try the infamous "EMPANADAS", a doughy bread stuffed with cheeses, meats and spices.. vegetarian options avaliable.. I noticed the small street venders named kioscos, opportunistically tucked away into any thin slot left available in the street, no one was really pushing sales like I expected, the attendants were just merrily chatting away to their local regulars, smoking profusely whilst sipping small white plastic cups of coffee in between drags....... as I arrived onto the large Avenidas these sights quickly changed, a high paced broadway with fast paced cars and people to match. Museums, Plazas, Palaces & Parks. Police and Protesters all facing off infront of La Casa Rosa, the presidential palace. Bands crushing symbols, children chasing pigeons, and me still with empanada on the mind"

THE MISSION

In 2008 I set off for Latin America. Armed with a none exsistant command of the languages I was about to encounter but rich with history and political knowledge of the countires. I had less than $10 USD per day to live off with the goal of reaching Mexico the following year.