Next destination: La Plata
I took a train from Buenos Aires to La Plata on Wednesday. It's a slow way to travel and I did a lot of sitting and waiting, but I had lots of time and it was very cheap. Also - I'll do just about anything to avoid taxis, for so many reasons. They cost more, it's easy to get overcharged, the drivers are maniacs, the cars sometimes smell bad, you never know if the seatbelts will work... and from what I've seen, traffic quite often comes to a complete standstill, either because of accidents or protests blocking the streets. By the way, Argentinian drivers love to use their horns, especially to express their displeasure in a completely unalterable situation.
I took a cab from the airport when I first arrived in Argentina (I was too exhausted to look for a bus) and sure enough, there was an accident on the highway that had traffic completely jammed up. My taxi driver managed to weave through traffic, veer off onto an access road and drive past the accident. I appreciated the effort (had it been some kind of audition for an action flick, he would have nailed it), but I wasn't too keen on the part where I was thrown around in the backseat for 10 minutes as he flew over curbs and speedbumps.
I kind of like public transit. It's always interesting... right? And, it's a little bit like solving a puzzle when you manage to get from A to B.
The trip to La Plata took longer than it might have, but I missed the train by about 30 seconds and had to wait 40 minutes for the next one. When I got to the station, I knew the train was leaving in 2 minutes, but I had a bit of trouble scanning my transit card. I saw people running for the train, and I could have made it if I'd ran too. But... I guess I was thinking that the only thing worse than missing the train would be running for it with a heavy backpack and missing it anyway.
I took a cab from the airport when I first arrived in Argentina (I was too exhausted to look for a bus) and sure enough, there was an accident on the highway that had traffic completely jammed up. My taxi driver managed to weave through traffic, veer off onto an access road and drive past the accident. I appreciated the effort (had it been some kind of audition for an action flick, he would have nailed it), but I wasn't too keen on the part where I was thrown around in the backseat for 10 minutes as he flew over curbs and speedbumps.
I kind of like public transit. It's always interesting... right? And, it's a little bit like solving a puzzle when you manage to get from A to B.
The trip to La Plata took longer than it might have, but I missed the train by about 30 seconds and had to wait 40 minutes for the next one. When I got to the station, I knew the train was leaving in 2 minutes, but I had a bit of trouble scanning my transit card. I saw people running for the train, and I could have made it if I'd ran too. But... I guess I was thinking that the only thing worse than missing the train would be running for it with a heavy backpack and missing it anyway.
Train Station - Plaza Constitución, Buenos Aires
Fortunately, there were food stands on the platform, so I had a messy, chorizo sausage sandwich for lunch. Some of it ended up on my shirt, and inside my shirt.
The train was light rail transit. There were people selling all kinds of things on the train: ice cream, baked goods, notebooks, wallets, toys and more. And about 30 seconds before arriving at my stop, a 2 man band set up microphones and speakers and started playing music; completely blocking the nearest set of doors. Music was good though, the little bit I heard.
The train was light rail transit. There were people selling all kinds of things on the train: ice cream, baked goods, notebooks, wallets, toys and more. And about 30 seconds before arriving at my stop, a 2 man band set up microphones and speakers and started playing music; completely blocking the nearest set of doors. Music was good though, the little bit I heard.
I've been in La Plata for a few days now. It's a college town; lots of young adults, old cars and loud stereos. There are 5 universities including the National University, founded in 1897.
La Plata is kind of interesting in that it's a planned city, founded in the 1880's. It's a grid with a few diagonal streets (the diagonals make crossing the street tedious). In the center of town is Plaza Moreno; the Cathedral on one end and the municipal building on the other.
A lot of the town is very old - there are cobblestone roads and sidewalks, marble staircases, enormous trees lining the streets. For more than 20 years, the city has been trying to gain recognition as a World Heritage Site, but due to architectural and landscaping changes, they may not succeed. Walking around town, I can understand why - a lot of the original city is crumbling. Tree roots have torn up sidewalks (and probably some interior flooring). Walls are crumbling, glass is broken. And I don't think the economy has helped the situation. Many buildings are vacant and boarded up. There is a lot of graffiti. Most of the water fountains are dry. The parts that aren't crumbling have been renovated to modern standards - all evidence of the original wiped away.
La Plata is kind of interesting in that it's a planned city, founded in the 1880's. It's a grid with a few diagonal streets (the diagonals make crossing the street tedious). In the center of town is Plaza Moreno; the Cathedral on one end and the municipal building on the other.
A lot of the town is very old - there are cobblestone roads and sidewalks, marble staircases, enormous trees lining the streets. For more than 20 years, the city has been trying to gain recognition as a World Heritage Site, but due to architectural and landscaping changes, they may not succeed. Walking around town, I can understand why - a lot of the original city is crumbling. Tree roots have torn up sidewalks (and probably some interior flooring). Walls are crumbling, glass is broken. And I don't think the economy has helped the situation. Many buildings are vacant and boarded up. There is a lot of graffiti. Most of the water fountains are dry. The parts that aren't crumbling have been renovated to modern standards - all evidence of the original wiped away.
The keys to the apartment and room I'm renting
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Some of my cash stash - Shhhhh
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I didn't have many plans for La Plata, but the ONE THING I was hoping to see was the Natural History Museum, as I hear it's very good. But, for whatever reason it was only open from 2-6PM, only on Saturday, and there were no tickets available. So... I didn't get in.
It seems as though many of the museums are "temporarily closed" due to the pandemic, including the Observatory which still advertised "upcoming events" for 2019. But I managed to find some interesting things nonetheless. The La Plata Cathedral was impressive, though I was disappointed that the towers and crypt were closed.
I still have a couple of days here and might be able to get into some other museums or libraries before moving on.
Some photos for you:
