Recoleta

So yes - Recoleta, where I am staying. There´s no denying that this place is very reminiscent of Paris - a comparison I got the impression (from a taxidriver so it must be accurate) that the porteños are a little tired with.

A few streets away is the famous cemetary. Many wealthy and influential Argentines are entombed here, most notably - and controvertially - María Eva Duarte de Perón, or rather Evita. As a casual observer it's apparent that she and her legacy have something about Princess Diana (or laddie dee) of them. Love her or loath her it's inescapable the inspirational something they had to rally people to their causes and each in turn almost bring the country to a stand still at their death even though neither had any particularly powerful official role.

The tombs are all like little rooms that you can see into and look at the coffins inside. Some are shiny polished black and brand new and others, like the 'Familia Santa Maria' are dangerously crumbly. Inside this one inparticular there were 5 coffins stacked on top of eath other on each side of the room going deep into the floor. I peered in far enough to feel the heat radiating from inside, not very nice. I have yet to find out if the people are really in there still, actually in the coffins; I'm sure they can't be however I was more than a little concerned that the stack of warm bodyboxes wouldtopple and expose me to something terribly grim.

One more thing about La Recoleta: this cemetary was crawlingwith cats! I know felines are known for being attracted to strange things like geopathic stress lines and magnetic fields and the like however I thought this was somewhat sinister! In particular was their behaviour... at the entrance to the cemetary there were gangs of them like a gaggle of teenagers, scrapping amongst themselves, ignoring everyone else aslthough at the same time making it absolutely clear whose territory it is.

Now I have started Spanish classes and I have a headache at the end of the first day.... ah well, I take it to mean that I am learning something.