Day 12: Cemeterio de la Recoleta y Planetario Galileo Galilei

When I finally got to bed way past midnight last night and was not able to fall asleep for another hour, I decided that I would not be going to Colonia today. I don’t want to rush it, let me catch some beauty sleep, I will go to Uruguay tomorrow. The plans for today has been rather simple, mainly just visiting Recoleta Cemetery, Planetario Galileo Galilei, and also to buy the ferry ticket to Colonia. Before I left the apartment, I checked all the bus lines and stops where I needed to get on and get off and written down on a paper. Suddenly, I have become quite an expert transporting from one place to another in Buenos Aires. 

At 10:30am, I finally left the apartment, I went to the main street Pueyrredon, and hopped on bus 61 (or 41 would work too) to go to the Cemeterio de la Recoleta. I had a difficult time telling the driver where I was going, so I had the map on my hand at all times, I just said the place in the Spanish the way I would pronounce, and then pointed on the map. That seemed to work. Bus drivers were mostly helpful so far. I got to the cemetery without much trouble. The cemetery is unbelievably huge, like a dead people village, one only would find in Tim Burton movie, here everyone has a monument or some even a whole house. Of course, they are all important people buried in this cemetery. I have visited Evita’s grave, the most crowded grave in the whole cemetery. No one was singing Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina. Thanks god for that. It was actually a very peaceful place you can wander around for hours. I sat down, played with the cats a little, and then walked some more. Visiting the cemetery is free, but if you want a map, it’s 15 peso (less than US$2), the old lady said it will be used to help keeping the cemetery in shape with a kind smile. If she put it that way, how can I not pay for the map? I enjoyed my visit overall. I wanted to see but didn't get to see Carlos Gandel's grave. He was a famous tango singer. Because of that, I might have to go there again on the last day if I have times. Will see.

After the cemetery, I saw a giant flower in a small park, it kind of reminded me the Bean in Millennium Park in Chicago. Snapped a few shots, and then I hopped on another bus to go to the Planetarium. The Planetarium looks like a space ship from some angles. At night, it would all light up and reflect onto a pond nearby, I imagine it would be quite interesting to see. I am just not sure how safe it is to be around there at night though. Anyway, I took some pictures and then off I come back to the apartment via a bus and a subway.

Diego was supposed to help me buy the ferry ticket online, but it seemed that the ferry company I was checking this morning had run out of the morning ferry ticket already. I simply could not believe it, since when they had only sold less than 40% seats this morning, how can it be gone in a few hours. Anyhow, who knows. Diego also ran out of printer ink, so I decided to take a bus back to the ferry terminal I visited yesterday and get a ticket there. On the way, there were an incident on bus, I guessed a passenger, a girl, who didn’t pay or something, the bus driver literally stopped the car and ran after her. I thought he was going to have a heart attack soon, he was so pissed as he failed to catch her. He refused to drive and kept flying Spanish to anyone standing in front of him. I was clueless what he said of course. He finally moved after some people consoled him. This has been the 2nd time I saw a bus driver gone banana when someone did not pay their bus fare. I was just thinking if MBTA bus drivers are more like the Argentinean drivers, I think MBTA would not in the negative.  

Anyway, at last I got my ferry ticket, from a mixed Latino-Asian guy who have the same family name as mine. How bizarre is that?! He looks more Latino than Asian, but his father is also a Chan. For obvious reason, he is particularly friendly to me. I like that! Tomorrow 8:30am to Colonia in Uruguay and come back at 4:30pm. It is going to be like a Hong Kong to Macau kind of trip. I think Colonia was once a Portuguese colony too. Just a little change of scenery. The day after tomorrow I will go to Iguazu Falls, and then I will be back to the states. Secretly, I am already thinking about my next South America trip, could it be the Amazons, Bolivia or the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador? Mmmm.... Coming back I took the subway and got off at Estacion Carlos Gardel, the area seems to have many theaters and a few blocks are totally dedicated to Carlos Gardel, I believed he used to live there. Many buildings were painted with beautiful colors.

More photos from the cemetery: