During the "rule" of Eva Peron they began (and continue) mandatory voting. According to my cynical guide from "BA Free Tours" there is no penalty if you don't vote, but 85% do.
This is the balcony she used to speak to the adoring masses. The same one where Maradona presented the "World Cup" trophy to his country.
The country is about 200 years old, their revolution was in 1816. Like many other revolutions in South America, it came as a response to the French revolution.
[I'm not sure why some images are smaller, so obviously don't know what to do about it.]
The obelisk is the icon of the country. It straddles what used to be the widest avenue in the world. Avenida de Nueve de Julio, 140 meters. There now is a wider one. Anyone know what it is?
The first section of their subway was completed (built?) in 1913. Today I rode the original line in a subway car made of wood.
There is beautiful art within it. This is at the end of the "A" line.
This is the "handkerchief" symbol put there by mothers of those missing in Argentina's "dirty war" in defiance of the law that said three people could not congregate. They made them in twos. The abuelas (grandmothers) have searched for the children of those who went missing, using DNA testing, and to date have "recovered" 102.
This is the pink building where the president lives and works. Remember Evita's balcony? One potentially apocryphal explanation for "why pink" is that they didn't have the supplies to paint it so they used water mixed with the blood of cows.
There is lots of interesting stencil art - most of it political - along the Avenida de Mayo.
The people are beautiful.
Location:BA
I get your feed re: google reader, no problems here. Looks wonderful. I was in BA years ago and one of the things I also remember is how beautiful the people were. I look forward to seeing more of your trip!
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