When I was younger and I heard the phrase "cabin fever" I would picture a crazy old man stuck in a tiny cabin out in the middle of nowhere, talking to himself and eating squirrels. Well after two weeks at sea that picture changed...to myself sitting in my cabin watching movies or playing the same card game over and over again. Two weeks is a very long time when there's no land around you and every meal is some form of pasta and potatoes. Don't get me wrong - we still had some fun things going on. There was a talent show, the Sea Olympics (my sea came in fifth place...dead in the middle) and, of course, classes kept us a little busy. But the afternoon when I looked out the window and saw land - REAL developed LAND with BUILDINGS - might have been one of the happiest moments of my life. That happiness might have been elevated by the fact that it was Argentina, land of tango, Evita, and steak.
The first day in Argentina, I had a field lab for my Foreign Policy class. I got up early for breakfast, and then met my class at 9:30 so we could take the shuttle out of the port to the bus. Then we spent an hour driving out into the suburbs of Buenos Aires to the University of Lanus. When we arrived, we met up with a group of Argentinian students for a Harvard negotiation simulation about the Guatemalan civil war. We spent the morning reading the preparation information and getting our assigned roles - I was US ambassador to Guatemala.
After sandwiches for lunch, we split into groups form the simulation. I was nervous about how it would all go, but it was actually a lot of fun. We came up with solutions to several problems that were caused by the civil war. I didn't have to settle for anything that the US didn't want and I didn't give away too much of our money - I consider that a success.
When the simulation was over, we discussed the role the US in international issues. I think we're not really sure where we want to stand, or where the world wants us to stand. Sometimes it seems like the international community gets angry with us for interfering in the problems of other countries, but other times there is frustration with us for not getting involved sooner. We need to find a balance that we're happy with and that the international community accepts.
Day 2 was Evita Day! Eva Peron, or Evita, was the wife of the president of Argentina in the 1940s and 1950s. She was extremely popular, and the Argentine population still loves her. A few days before arriving to Buenos Aires, my friend and I watched the musical Evita and made plans to follow her footsteps in the city. We started at the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, which is the executive mansion and office of the president.
Then we took a taxi to Recoleta. We made a quick stop at Starbucks before walking to the Cementerio de la Recoleta. It was the most impressive cemetery I've ever been to - apparently rich families tried to compete with each other for the biggest and grandest tombs. They're made of marble with giant statues and stained glass windows. We found the Duarte family tomb, where Evita is buried, and then got lost wandering around the cemetery for a while.
After the cemetery, we walked around the Recoleta neighborhood before taking a taxi to El Museo de Evita. It was a small museum, with just a few rooms full of Eva's clothes and artifacts. There was a video of a crowd cheering "Peron" - just like in the movie. But I think my favorite part was the voice recording of Evita turning down the nomination for vice president. It was pretty incredible. After we finished in the exhibits, we met a friend from home for lunch at the museum cafe.
We left the museum around 3, and then took the metro to Ave 9 de Julio, the widest street in Buenos Aires where Evita's face is prominently displayed on a building. Then we took a taxi back to the ship for a light dinner and nap time.
At 9:30 that night we headed back out for a real dinner. We weren't really sure where to go, but a taxi driver took us to a buffet restaurant in Puerto Madero called Siga la Vaca (Follow the Cow). They had every kind of meat imaginable - including lots of Argentinian beef...yum. In true Argentine fashion, we didn't start eating until around 11:15, and we didn't leave the restaurant until after 1 am. Argentina needs healthier sleep habits.
On Day 3, I met some friends on the ship at 10 to go out for the day. We took the metro to Palermo and then stopped at a chain restaurant called Havanna for lunch and coffee. Once we finished eating, the four of us walked to El Ateneo. It's an old theater that's been made into a bookstore - so gorgeous! I was absolutely in love with it and could have spent all day there. As it was, we only had enough time to buy a few books.
Our group split up after the bookstore – two of us headed to the Museo de Las Artes Bellas. It was a free exhibit and kind of small, but still pretty great. The temporary exhibit was Spanish-language cartoons. The permanent collection includes Degas, Renoir, Monet - all my favorite boys.
After the museum, we took a taxi back to Plaza de Mayo to see Las Madres. These are women whose children or grandchildren were part of the disappeared during the Argentina Dirty War, when the government was corrupt and kidnapping anybody who spoke out against them. These women still go to protest every Thursday, looking for their relatives. It was definitely a powerful thing to see.
I didn't head out until 11 on the fourth day. The first stop was the Palacio de Congreso. It was modeled after our Capitol building, and it was weird how familiar it looked.
Next I headed to San Telmo for some modern art. The first museum was the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Buenos Aires (MACBA). It had some great colorful pieces by local artists, as well as a temporary exhibit of Italian contemporary art.
The second museum was the Musedo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (MAMBA). It had all kinds of modern art - some cool, some just weird.
The last day in BA, we left the ship at 11:20 and we took the metro to the obelisco (which looks just like the Washington Monument). Then we walked along Florida St. until we found a mall with a food court for lunch. I got a delicious burger (yay for Argentinian beef). Then we did some last minute tourist shopping before heading back to the ship.
Overall, I loved Buenos Aires. I think it's a city I could spend a lot of time in. The history and culture are so fascinating. Hopefully I'll get to go back!
PS - I lost my camera in BA...hence the lack of pictures for this blog. But I'll be stealing some from friends, so check back soon!
