Sunday, September 03, 2006

Recoleta 1


Sunday 3 September 2006

We visited Recoleta cemetary today, one of Buenos Aires' most famous attractions. It is an elaborate city of tombs divided by narrow paths, full of sculptures and statues and plaques of all sizes and prices. There are no headstones here, only giant monuments. Buried here are the country's rich and well-connected, former presidents and other politicians, sport and movie stars, along with assorted aristocracy. Yes, this is where Evita lies. (Her grave? Not that impressive. But I can't wait to go back on the anniversary of her death!)

We were lucky enough to have a personal guide to the cemetary, no less! An Argentine friend we met at an ex-pats' dinner, who is an historian and also happens to have a fiancee who speaks perfect English (very lucky for Ryan!) showed us around, pointing out lesser-known tombs and elaborating on the history of the cemetary's occupants.

This statue is from the tomb of a young girl who caught her mother having an affair, causing her to faint dead away. A little too realistically, it turns out, and she was buried alive.

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