BA is located on the Rio Plata river delta. The water is indeed, slightly silvery-brownish, and as is the case for many deltas, is not particularly beautiful to behold. Despite this aesthetic shortcoming, (and much like in our recently departed neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn) developers here spotted a chance for some waterfront revitalization. The waterfront area, known as the Puerto Madero, is experiencing a resurgence complete with high rise condos and fancy restaurants (including such fine American standards as TGI Fridays and HOOTERS). These fancy enticements may attract the well-heeled locals, but Team Curious had our attention drawn elsewhere...
To This Friggin' Frigate! Check it!
Behold the Fragata President Sarmiento, a training ship used in the early 20th century. The idea behind it was rather brilliant: send out a shipful of young, strapping Argentinians every year or so and let them see the world, while simultaneously enhancing the reputation of the nation (or at least its young men) worldwide. If these sailor fellas were anything like their contemporaries, they were not hurting for charm.
The ship is packed with boaty lore: guns, torpedoes, uniforms, and the requisite cork board demonstrating different knots. But you can also venture down into the engine room and behold the gears of aqueous propulsion (Got a little cramped down there for my taste).
After regaining our land legs, the seafaring theme continued at Cafe Tortoni, which is a former haunt of BA's literati (Borges, Lorca) and old timey scenesters ( like Tango King Carlos Gardel), but which is now a tourist trap along the lines of NYC's Russian Tea Room.
The atmosphere still carries some classy weight, and when, in keeping with the day's theme, I ordered a "submarino", a steaming cup of milk into which you drop a bar of chocolate, we were delighted that the chocolate was indeed shaped like a it's underwater namesake. Shnell! Shnell!
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