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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Bohemian Boedo



If you go on the internet and google "San Telmo", you'll probably come up with hundreds of result. Being one of Buenos Aires trendiest and popular neighbourhoods for tourists and locals alike, there is instant recognition at the mere mention of "San Telmo". On the other hand, if you googled "Boedo", you would end up with signficantly less results. You won't find glowing reviews of the barrio Boedo in many travel guides to Buenos Aires. And if you ask a tourist about the barrio of Boedo, you are most likely to see questions marks appear on top of that person's head.

Boedo at this point is what I would probably call "Buenos Aire's best kept secret". It is a bohemian barrio with historic buildings, restaurants, cafes, parks and so much more. The barrio has an authentic argentine feel and is almost completely unspoiled by tourism. I'm also finding that there are several advantages to choosing to live in a barrio that is off the beaten path. The prices for services and utilities are slightly less than when I had stayed in the city centre the last time. There is plenty of space and privacy without the noise that often accompanied living in the downtown area. And when I do need a little bit of action, the city centre is a subway ride away. Not only that, Boedo boasts it's own little mini strip full of shops, cafes, restaurants and museums.

Tango is very much part of the history of Boedo and living here, I get a real sense that the local residents are proud to call this barrio their home. I even walked out of my building one day to discover that the neighbours had organized a block party to repaint some of the walls and structures around the neighbourhood. Also there have been quite a number of events put on by locals to promote and celebrate tango as part of it's roots historically. Probably my most memorable moment was seeing a 6 yr old sing tango songs with a voice like Carlos Gardel. It's really hard to believe that God doesn't exist when you are sitting there listening to a 6 yr old sing with the voice of a god.....

Amorous Alpacas

Amorous Alpacas