Madonnas, Rosaries and losing my way…

23 November 2022 – Buenos Aires

The “The Amazing Race” Buenos Aires Day 1 had three objectives:
1) Obtain Sube card and load with some credit,
2) Obtain Rosarie from “Cathedral of our Lady of the Pillar” in Recoleta
3) Visit the Fine Arts Museum
Extra Credit ) Reccie mission to Buquebus terminal in prep for tomorrow’s daytrip.

Firstly – some context – the places of interest relevant for the next three days. Hotel Madero is a landmark I’m familiar with as point of reference.

I embarked on a search of the unexpectedly elusive SUBE card and after about two hours of asking around I was referred to a metro station close to Plaza de Mayo – The plaza in front of the Casa Rosada and the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Just as I descended into the station I’m met by various security personnel – my timing sucked big time – this particular line/station’s “1 hour scheduled strike timeslot” had just begun – kinda like ‘loadshedding, but with trains’. A very friendly lady did however assist me and from some back room they produce a SUBE card – now their stock is down to two. I purchased the card and travel credits and then they escourted me safely out of the station.

The system around credits are a bit of a mystery to me – You can check the balance of your card at the Subway Station, the same place where you can top-up the credits. At least for the bus – you get on the bus, tell the driver where you want to go. He loads the destination and you tap your card. Appropriate credits get deducted while you hold your breath and pray you have enough.

I took the bus to the closest bus stop to the Fine Arts Museum – just for it to stop short of the museum at a massive terminus – for this bus, it’s the end of the line. However, you just walk over a walkway and then you’re in the garden around the museum – not that hard to find.

I walked up to Recoleta Cemetary and the Basilica through the various parks and visited the ‘cloisters collection’.

Upon exit I was told that they do not sell rosaries, but there is a dedicated shop down the road. After a wild goose chase in the completely wrong direction – I find out that the shop is literally two doors down from the church… a ‘hole in the wall’ as you walk back towards the Fine Arts museum.

Then on to the Fine Arts museum…

Some Pre-columbian collection items

My favourite, however was this painting by Luigi Loir (1845-1916)

Then back to my flat with its ‘old world charm’ – small elevators with steel grill doors and a polished spiral staircase.

Also stopped at the store and purchased some fresh chicken and spinach gnocci, “portuguese” pasta sauce and a tub of ice cream. From this I learned that even though the ice-cream was slush when I got to the flat (5 min walk from store!), it would still be runny the next evening. This despite the frozen ice cubes next to it. Needless to say, I eventually had some milkshake just before I vacated the flat.

But before I cooked supper I decided to do a reccie mission on the bus to see how long it took to get to the Buqebus terminal from my closest bus stop – just a block down the road. It was supposed to be so easy – its in the same street as the bus stop… just a few km’s up the road.. past Plaza de Mayo.

Until it wasn’t… I don’t know how I missed the stop, but when I started recognising landmarks from our evening tour- I got off at the next stop. I walked back to the Fine Arts Museum and then down the “main road” that runs parallel with the river. At some point I did take a bus back to Ave Indepensia and made it back home, much later than anticipated and quite disheartened.

I was not going to take any chances with the bus tomorrow… I will have to walk, at least I know the way – up towards Casa Rosada, parallel with the riverfront. According to Google Maps it should take approximately 36 minutes to cover the 2.6km distance.