Tuesday
1st March
Bit
of a grey day. Had another massive American breakfast at Violetas since I
couldn't face another ham and cheese croissant. Then had a walk towards Plaza
Miserere through a less affluent area where lots of people are selling stuff on
the streets. “Once” station, which serves commuter lines, is at one side of the
square and near it is a memorial to dozens of, mostly young, people who, if
I understand correctly, were killed when a packed commuter train ran into the
end of the platform at the station. Many people believe the train company and
government covered up the true cause of the crash and the memorial calls
for an end to corruption and impunity.
As
in most of Argentina the retail industry is dominated by small specialist
shops. Near Plaza Miserere one of the side streets is dedicated to lingerie,
dozens of small shops little else. Round the corner you can find curtains and
bed linen. In Avenida Corrientes I found a big shopping mall Abasto, housing a
large food court where I came across what I have read is the only Kosher
McDonalds outside Israel. It also has a multiscreen cinema with some showings
with subtitles. Stopped for a coffee before heading up Corrientes where there
seem to be plenty of restaurants. Returning in the evening many of the
places
looked quite expensive so ended up having a hamburguesa and a beer in La
Continental, a chain. The food was OK but not as good as the place in Pallermo Soho.
Wednesday 2nd March
Booked
a ferry to Colonia and hotel before going out for an early lunch in the Abasto
shopping mall food court. Had fettucine with mushrooms in creamy sauce and a
Coke for 102 pesos. The food was better than I expected.
Dinner
at Tunin since none of the other local options looked any better. Worried that
at 9.30 it was getting late, only a few tables occupied, but by ten it was
almost full. Had grilled fish with salad and a half bottle of wine. The fish
was quite good, as was the salad but zero attempt to liven it up. A pile of
chopped lettuce next to a pile of chopped onions next to a pile of chopped
tomatoes. Oil and vinegar in bottles on the table. In most of the world,
Italians have introduced their cuisine but I think those who came to Argentina
left their culinary skills behind. Think I found one of the bars recommended by
the Guardian just down the street, Senor Edmund, at least it was the right
address, but not only was there no sign but it was totally dark and silent and
the gate was locked with a chain.
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