Daily Archives: January 21, 2011

The day I spent at Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (South Waterfront Ecological Reserve) was my last day in Buenos Aires. Shortly after returning to my hotel, I caught a cab to the airport. The cab driver tried to talk to me, but I know only a handful of words in Spanish (although I can speak some Portuguese). About a third of the way to the airport, I had a horrible realization. I had left my passport in the hotel safe! I excitedly told the cab driver (speaking in Portuspanglish) that I had to go back to the hotel and get my passport and, surprisingly, he understood me! Fortunately, I was able to get back to the hotel, retrieve my passport, and reach the airport in plenty of time to catch my flight home. For this wrap-up of my trip, I have a few miscellaneous photos to share. The first photo is of Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge) so-called because several of the streets in the Puerto Madiero neighborhood where the bridge is located are named for women. To the left of the bridge is the Argentine naval vessel ARA Presidente Sarmiento, built in 1897 and named for the seventh president of Argentina. The second photo is of Museo de Cabildo in the Microcentro of Buenos Aires. Genealogists would love to visit Museo de Cabildo (the old Town Hall) because it contains maps that date from the early 1700s. The existing building is only a remnant of the original. Twice in history, portions of the Cabildo were removed to make way for modern construction. The third photo shows Caesalpinia gillesii (Yellow Bird of Paradise), one more plant in Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur. The last photo was one of my last glimpses of Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, and shows a meadow of Typha sp. (Cattails). With that, I say goodbye to Buenos Aires with sweet memories of her warm, sunny days and cool, starry nights. Continue reading →