Buenos Aires Jardin Zoologico

Took Mijo to the zoo last weekend and we had a blast. It is an old city zoo and some had warned us that it wasn't the greatest. However, we disagree.

The Buenos Aires Jardin Zoologico was Founded over 118 years ago and houses more than 2,500 animals originating from 350 species. After a few years of decline, the Zoo has been making major upgrades and enhancing its staff.

While it is no Temaikén, which has animal-friendly natural habitats for all its furry inhabitants, the Buenos Aires Zoo is getting there despite its small footprint.



Even though not all of the Zoo would make PETA happy, being there reminds you of those wonderful old children's books set in a city zoo ( Like Madeline would walk by any minute to say Poo Poo to the Tiger in the Zoo).

Hey, for $14 pesos for a complete pass, you can't beat it.

Here are a few more pics...

Merry Christmas

With it 80 degrees out, it has been kind of hard to be in the Christmas spirit. We almost didn't realize it was Christmas Eve on Monday. It was kind of hard to tell with so few decorations and most porteños going about their normal routines.

Actually, one big clue was the massive traffic jam as everyone was exiting the city on Friday. Afterwards, it was as if we had this whole big city to ourselves. I took advantage of it and took Mijo to the Zoo on Sunday. The zoo was empty and we had a great time. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

We spent Christmas Eve with another expat family and counted down the hours until midnight when the whole city erupted with fireworks. People were setting them off from balconies and in the streets. It was quite a sight and sound. More like what we were use to on New Years Eve before they cracked down on fireworks in the states.

We even set off a few bottle rockets using one of our many empty Malbec bottles. Our bottle rockets kept making a bee line for a balcony down the street. The people on the balcony were not too happy. ( Note to self: Large quantities of wine and fireworks do not go together.)

Actually, there is a lot to be said about the laid back version of Christmas they have here. No lights to put up. No gajillion presents to buy. No fighting over who's family you're eating Christmas dinner with. No wall-to-wall Christmas commercials. And best of all, no "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer"

The kids didn't even mind Christmas without presents. It was great to focus on the true meaning for a change. Besides, they are having the experience of a life time and looking forward to our three month trip to the rest of Argentina.

We head out after New Years. We are hitting Cordoba, Mendoza, Patagonia, Bariloche, and maybe even the end of the world—Tierra Del Fuego.

We'll keep you posted with lots of photos. This is a beautiful country and I look forward to sharing it with you.

The Disappeared and The Navy Mechanics School

Along Avenida de Libertador on the route to my daughter's school, I noticed a set of ghostly art made of metal and attached along the fence of a faded but stately military compound.

Finally, after two or three trips I asked my driver, "¿Que es este?" He explained that it was the Navy Mechanics School.



During The Dirty War, up to 30,000 Argentine citizens were rounded up by the government and executed. They are known as the Disappeared (Los Disaparecidos).

The Navy Mechanics School was home to some of the most gruesome torture and deaths. An estimated 5,000 of the Disappeared are thought to have been tortured and killed there in the late 1970s to early 1980s.



Some were executed by firing squad while others were drugged, loaded up on a plane and simply dumped overboard into the Rio Plata or the Atlantic. Pregnant women were held there until term and their babies taken and given to families loyal to the government. The mothers were then executed.

There is a graffitied sign on the fence wall that says:

"Todo esta cargado en la MEMORIA Arma de la vida y de la historia."

In english it says:

"Everything is loaded into MEMORY—Weapon of life and history."

The school was recently handed over to a human rights group. They are in the process of turning it into a museum so that no one will forget what occurred in Argentina 30 years ago.

And maybe we can all be reminded about the importance of fighting state run terror wherever it may occur.

Their memory is our weapon.

Pato

Photo by Mrs. Longhorndave
We were walking around in Las Cañitas Saturday afternoon and stumbled upon our first Pato Argentina match.

Pato was declared by President Juan Perón in 1953 to be the national game of Argentina. It is an odd cross between Polo and Basketball. In fact, we thought it was a Polo match at first seeing how Polo is a big sport here and we were at the Polo fields.

Pato has its roots in the Estancias of early Argentina where Gauchos would fight over a basket containing a live duck (hence the name Pato). The first team to reach their own estancia's ranch house with the duck was declared the winner.

It was a very violent game in the early days and gauchos were often trampled under foot while fighting for the duck. If they weren't killed by the horses, they might fall victim during the knife fights that would break out afterwards.

According to the Wikipedia, the Roman Catholic Church banned to sport and refused burial to anyone who died playing it.

During the winning goal above, one of the blue team's players fell off the horse and was injured. You can see the horse falling in the bottom right.

Wow, a game on horseback like basketball with gunfights and knife fights aftwards. Sounds tailor made for Texas. How come a cool sport like this never took off given our cowboy culture?

Tex-Mex Found! Sabores de Belgrano

Photo by Mrs. Longhorndave
Just down from the Plaza Belgrano on Juramento is Sabores de Belgrano. An eclectic little Bistro with influences from all over the map. We stumbled in there the other day looking for something different for lunch.

Low and behold, right there in front of me was a Tex-Mex section on the menu. I had to try it.

I'm proud to say it was very close to the real deal. Only, the tortillas were a little tough the first outing. But, they actually had hot sauce that was hot and something that was real close to sour cream.



The first time, I ordered the tacos. Today, my wife had the fajitas and I ordered the quesadilla. No matter what we ordered, they all looked and tasted like the same thing. Only, we didn't care. It tasted like real Tex-Mex.

They even had pinto beans mixed in with everything and the guacamole was tasty!

Sabores de Belgrano, Ave. Juaramento 2080.

Cristina and Chávez Sitting in a Tree....

Every wonder why Cristina and Chávez always seem to be having a good time when they're together. Maybe they have something going on the side that Néstor doesn't know about?



Put those rumors to rest. We found out today the real reason.



I would be happy too if someone gave me a suitcase with $800,000 US dollars. To be fair, the money never made it to Cristina, but it is the thought that counts right?

Frida Khalo: Mexican Food Quest Part II - Getting closer to the real deal

Photos © copyright by Guía Oleo
Tonight, my wife and I went back to Frida Khalo the restaurant in Núñez (Ciudad de la Paz 3093), and I have to say it is much better than the other Mexican place I mentioned a few weeks ago. It is now my favorite place for a spicy ( and I mean really spicy) fix of my favorite food from back home.

We heard about Frida Khalo's when we first went to Il Gran Caruso, a very good and highly recommended Italian restaurant in Las Cañitas.

There we were having one of the best Italian meals we have had in the city when my wife looks up and says, "Isn't that a Mariachi Band in the lobby?" Now, we had consumed one or two bottles of Malbec already, but sure enough our eyes did not deceive us.

It is not every day you see a mariachi band in an Italian restaurant, much less in an Italian restaurant in Buenos Aires. We had to go up and introduce ourselves. Come to find out, the Guitar player was a college student from McAllen, Texas! What a small world.

Well, we never found out what in the world a Mariachi band made up of good'ol boys from Texas was doing at an Italian restaurant. We had more important questions to ask... Like where in the hell can you find decent Mexican Food?

After a small debate and a few recommendations on where NOT to go (Maria Felix), they all agreed on Frida Khalo. We immediately phoned our friends and made a date to try it out.

The first time to Frida Khalo's was wonderful. Although it was not Tex-mex, it was very similar to food at the nicer restaurants in Mexico. Very fine interior Mexican food. When we were telling other's of our experience at Frida Khalo, we received puzzled looks. Several (mainly porteños) who had tried it said they did not like it.

Because of the feedback from others, we had not tried Frida Khalo's again until tonight. What a mistake. The food was excellent and very, very spicy. Ahh just what I have been missing. The same can't be said for our second outing to 5ta. Esencia in La Lucila.

We started with two Sopas. Mine was the Sopa Trotsky, a cold soup that was very similar to Gazpacho, only less tomatoes and more lime. Very good. My wife started with the Sopa Chiloto, a warm mexican corn chowder with plenty of cilantro, lime and the most deliciously sweet corn . It was slightly spicy with just a slight hint of chili. It was one of the best corn chowders I have tasted, including my own.

Frida Khalo is known for their moles. My first visit, I had the chicken mole made with the traditional brown mole (the numerous ingredients include chocolate and peanut butter). Tonight, I had the chicken enchiladas with the same mole sauce. The mole was very spicy and I was very happy. The only complaint was the chicken was a little bland on the inside.

My wife tried the pork enchiladas in a spicy red sauce. When they say spicy, the mean it. The pork was seasoned well and was tender. Her only complaint was that the dish was a little too spicy. Yes you heard me right. Food that was too spicy here in Buenos Aires is a little hard to believe, I know.

If you don't believe me, try it for yourself.