One weekend we visited La Boca. A less fortunate neighborhood in Buenos Aires, but also home of the fútbol stadium and Caminito (literally little walkway), one of the faces of Buenos Aires. We ended up walking there from a plaza in San Telmo (another BA neighborhood) which was not more than a 25 minute walk. During the walk we went from regular city Buenos Aires, to poverty, to tourist town.
Caminito was pretty and colorful, but not as authentic as I had expected. Caminito used to be a stream. When the stream dried up in the 1800's, it was replaced with train tracks, which were closed in 1954, leaving Caminito to appear deserted and ugly. In the late fifties, artist Benito Martín painted the walls lining the street with bold colors to cheer up Caminito. Which breathed life into the area and attracted street artists to sell their goods along the walk and even a wood plank stage. Obviously the changes attracted attention, and now years later Caminito has lost a good amount of the authenticity that once represented color and hope in dismal situations.
All the shops and stands sold the same tacky tourist products (where I found your magnet, Mom :) ), the walls have been repainted, and the tango was performed and preplanned, instead of sensual and impromptu.... but it was still pretty regardless.
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| Rehearsed street tango (notice that the dancers are "leaving room for Jesus" |
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| Legit street tango in San Telmo, perhaps less beautiful people, but a more intimate spectacle (paradox?) |
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| Colorful Caminito |
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