Antarctica Cruise - February 13, 2016 Buenos Aries

After eating breakfast at the hotel, we walked along Florida Street and turned onto Viamonte Street which took us to the Colon Theatre, which is the opera house of Buenas Aires.

Walking along Florida Street.

Colon Theater - Buenos Aires Opera House

Some of the historical costumes used that were on display.

Absolutely some of the finest architecture in the world greets one as you come in the main entrance hall.

This is called "The Hall of the Busts," which pays tribute to the greatest opera composers of the time.  Note the musician busts seen above the doors. 

The lavish Golden Room sparkles, glitters, and glimmers. Every surface is covered with gold leaf, gold dust paint, and big mirrors.


 

The Concert Hall that can hold up to 2,400 people.  Three hundred more people can stand in the upper levels.  Its horseshoe shape and open boxes mean that the sound can travel freely, making for almost perfect acoustics. 

In the past, the widows could not be seen in public, so if they wanted to enjoy the ballet or the opera, they had to sit behind black railings inside enclosed boxes that you can see at the very bottom on the floor level in black.   Of course, widowers could do whatever they wanted--this rule only applied to the widows.

The giant chandelier weighs a ton, literally. The renowned Argentinean artist Raúl Soldi painted the inside of the dome. There is a narrow corridor around the dome, well hidden from view, where musicians and singers can create special effects, like a chorus of angels coming from above. 

Looking back at the Colon Theater.

This was in the little park opposite the Theater.  It is filled with music stands that were put there for art!

Walking past the Obelisk, located in the middle of July 9 Avenue, a 14-lane avenue that is the widest avenue in the world, named to commemorate Independence Day for the Argentines, July 9, 1816. 

The trick is to try to get across all 14-lanes while the light is still available for you to do so.  We couldn't do it! 

Looking further down the street to another Eva Peron memorial on another building.

Walking back to the hotel, we saw this!  I have no idea what it was for and maybe I don't want to know!

George and Doug went back to the hotel, but across the street was a place our Cruise Director told us we must visit--Sylvia's Leather store.  Sylvia's is one of the largest and most renowned leather store in Buenos Aires.  When I met the owner (Sylvia) and she realized that I was from Florida, she suddenly took me to see her prize possessions--her beautiful Gator leather coats.  I had to run back to the hotel to get George to come and meet Sylvia!
  

She had a friend in Gainesville and had visited him there many times.  Together she and George were quite the pair doing all the Gator chants!  She says when she retires, she is moving to the number one place in her heart--Gainesville, Florida!

 We, also, visited the Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament, an old cathedral nearby our hotel.

Directly across the street from our hotel was a beautiful park, the Plaza LG San Martin Park.  We walked through and thought it was such a beautiful and restful place.  George even sat on a bench for awhile while Joyce and I were looking around.

Looking through the park, you can see our hotel.  With all its beauty in the daylight, we were told not to go there at night due to all of the drug dealings that go on there.  So sad!

Tonight, there would be no McDonald's for us!  We wanted a genuine Argentine steak dinner.  So, we took off walking to where we were told the Las Nazarenas was.  On the way, we passed this interesting little pub.

When we arrived, we saw the way they slow cooked all the different varieties of meat they had.

Yes, and the beef is everything they say it is!  Absolutely the most flavorful and tender beef you have ever tasted . . .
 

as George will attest to!