Steve's Genealogy Blog

On the border of Argentina and Uruguay where the Uruguay River and the Paraní¡ River meet is found the Rí­o de la Plata (River of Silver or, alternatively, River Plate) .  The Rí­o de la Plata is more an estuary than a river, extending 180 miles to the ocean, varying from 1.2 miles wide in the interior to 140 miles wide at its mouth .  Because the river carries huge amounts of sediments from the interior of South America, the Rí­o de la Plata is muddy and brown .  The capitals of both Argentina (Buenos Aires) and Uruguay (Montevideo) lie on the shores of the river, and Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (South Waterfront Ecological Reserve) in Buenos Aires borders on the Rí­o de la Plata . Â From Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, the Buquebus can be seen carrying passengers between Argentina and Uruguay and container ships such as the MSC Fiammetta (MSC = Mediterranean Shipping Company) can be seen carrying goods to Buenos Aires and other cities along the river.

Rí­o de la Plata from Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

SOURCE:  Rí­o de la Plata from Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

The Shore of the Rí­o de la Plata

SOURCE:  The Shore of the Rí­o de la Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Buquebus on the Rí­o de la Plata

SOURCE: Â Buquebus on the Rí­o de la Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

MSC Fiammetta on the Rí­o de la Plata

SOURCE: Â MSC Fiammetta on the Rí­o de la Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Nearly everywhere on the planet one can find non-native and invasive plants .  One of the remarkable aspects of Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (South Waterfront Ecological Reserve) in Buenos Aires, Argentina is that the plants and animals in the Reserve are mostly native species that established themselves with no help from man .  Nonetheless, one can find some species that are clearly not native, and others that are native to Argentina that reported to be invasive when established in other locations .  Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle or Spear Thistle) is a species that is not native to Argentina that is considered invasive there and in other locations around the globe .  Ricinis communis (Castor Bean) is commercially grown in Argentina for castor oil but, when it escapes its cultivated area, it can become a noxious weed .  Ipomoea purpurea (Common Morning Glory) and Ipomoea cairica (Coast Morning Glory) are both native to Argentina, but are sometimes considered invasive elsewhere .  Finally, the beautiful Lantana camara (Shrub Verbena) is native to Argentina but invasive in India, Australia, Africa, and some places in the United States such as Florida and Hawaii.

Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle or Spear Thistle)

SOURCE:  Cirsium vulgare (Bull Thistle or Spear Thistle) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Ricinis communis (Castor Bean)

SOURCE: Â Ricinis communis (Castor Bean) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Ipomoea purpurea (Common Morning Glory)

SOURCE: Â Ipomoea purpurea (Common Morning Glory) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Ipomoea cairica (Coast Morning Glory)

SOURCE: Â Ipomoea cairica (Coast Morning Glory) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Lantana camara (Shrub Verbena)

SOURCE: Â Lantana camara (Shrub Verbena) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

There are reportedly over 200 species of birds in Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (South Waterfront Ecological Reserve), Buenos Aires .  I only saw four species, but I was there at the hottest part of the day, probably not the best time for bird watching .  Moreover, I was moving fairly quickly through the park, keeping to the established paths .  Nonetheless, I was able to photograph Nandayus nenday (Black Hooded Parakeet), Mimus saturninus (Chalk-browed Mockingbird), Zenaida auriculata (Eared Dove), and Polioptila dumicola (Masked Gnatcatcher) .  Technically, I did not observe the Black Hooded Parakeet in the Reserve itself, but I did see a group of them not far to the west of the Reserve .  Unfortunately, the parakeets were seriously backlit, resulting in a less than perfect photo .  I thought I had previously seen the Chalk-browed Mockingbird in Brazil, but I’m more confident of the identification of the bird I saw in Argentina than of the one I saw in Brazil .  The Eared Dove is closely related to the North American Mourning Dove .  The Masked Gnatcatchers I saw were an active pair, and it was darn inconsiderate of them not to stay put in an accessible location so I could get a better photo!

Nandayus nenday (Black Hooded Parakeet)

SOURCE:  Nandayus nenday (Black Hooded Parakeet) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 30 Dec 2010.

Mimus saturninus (Chalk-browed Mockingbird)

SOURCE:  Mimus saturninus (Chalk-browed Mockingbird) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Zenaida auriculata (Eared Dove)

SOURCE: Â Zenaida auriculata (Eared Dove) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Polioptila dumicola (Masked Gnatcatcher)

SOURCE: Â Polioptila dumicola (Masked Gnatcatcher) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (South Waterfront Ecological Reserve) in the Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires is something of a miracle .  Between 1976 and 1983, public access to the Buenos Aires waterfront was restricted .  Construction debris and sediments dredged from the Rio de la Plata accumulated in the south waterfront and, while construction in the area was stalled, native flora and fauna took advantage of the situation .  This marshy area developed naturally into what became Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur in 1986 .  Today, the area is a wonderful park, full of life, with native plants and animals including over 200 species of birds .  An effort is made to remove non-native species of plants where possible .  Entering the reserve, one can see the stark contrast between the natural landscape and new high-rise construction in Buenos Aires .  Native flowering trees include Erythrina crista-galli (cockspur coral tree, also known as Ceibo or Seí­bo in Spanish, Corticeira in Portuguese) and Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda) .  The Ceibo flower is the national flower of Argentina .  Jacarada trees are common throughout Buenos Aires, but I was lucky in catching a shot of a few flowers because the flowering season for Jacaranda was pretty much over at the time I was there.

Entrance to Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

SOURCE: Â Entrance to Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

High-Rise Construction near Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

SOURCE: Â High-Rise Construction near Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011

 

Erythrina crista-galli (Cockspur Coral Tree, Ceibo, or Seí­bo)

SOURCE: Â Erythrina crista-galli (Cockspur Coral Tree, Ceibo, or Seí­bo) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda)

SOURCE: Â Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

At the west end of Avenida de Mayo, in front of the Palacio del Congreso, lies the Plaza del Congreso .  Within the Plaza is Monumento a los Dos Congresos (Monument of the Two Congresses) honoring the Congress of 1810 in Buenos Aires and the Congress of 1816 in Tucumí¡n which lead to the independence of Argentina .  Fountains and sculptures fill the Plaza and a temporary nativity scene of colossal scale stands at the east end (this was, after all, just after Christmas.

Plaza del Congreso – 1

SOURCE:  Plaza del Congreso – 1 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

 

Plaza del Congreso – 2

SOURCE:  Plaza del Congreso - 2 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

 

Monumento a los Dos Congresos

SOURCE: Â Monumento a los Dos Congresos (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

 

Plaza del Congreso Nativity Scene

SOURCE:  Plaza del Congreso Nativity Scene (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Palacio del Congreso (the Congressional Palace), the seat of the legislative branch of Argentina’s national government is located at one end of Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires .  At the other end of Avenida de Mayo stands Casa Rosada, the seat of Argentina’s executive branch .  The Palacio del Congreso was modeled after the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, was built between 1898 and 1906 .  Argentina’s legislative branch consists of the Senate with 72 members (3 from each province) and the Chamber of Deputies with 256 members (distributed in proportion to the population of each province).

Palacio del Congreso – 1

SOURCE: Â Palacio del Congreso – 1 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Palacio del Congreso – 2

SOURCE: Â Palacio del Congreso - 2 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Palacio del Congreso – 3

SOURCE: Â Palacio del Congreso - 3 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Palacio del Congreso – 4

SOURCE: Â Palacio del Congreso - 4 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Barrio Norte in Buenos Aires, located on the southern end of the Recoleta Neighborhood, is a residential area with plenty of shopping and dining to boot .  One destination store in Barrio Norte is the El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore, housed in the former Teatro Gran Splendid, built in 1919 .  After its life as a theater for both live performances and the first motion pictures with sound, the structure gained a new life as home to the El Ateno Bookstores flagship store .  Former seating areas on the main floor and balconies are now bookshelves, box seats serve as reading areas, and the stage is now a cafe .  Barely south of Barrio Norte is the Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (The Water Company Palace), built in 1877 as a water pumping station .  Who would guess that this impressive building serves so humble a purpose?  The exterior is covered by 300,000 glazed tiles from the British ceramics manufacturer Royal Doulton.

El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore – Exterior

SOURCE: Â El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore – Exterior (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore – Interior – 1

SOURCE: Â El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore – Interior – 1 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore – Interior – 2

SOURCE: Â El Ateno Grand Splendid Bookstore - Interior – 2 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (The Water Company Palace)

SOURCE: Â Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (The Water Company Palace), (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (The Water Company Palace) Detail

SOURCE: Â Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (The Water Company Palace) Detail, (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Caminito, in addition to being a popular tourist hangout in the Boca Neighborhood of Buenos Aires, also serves as a street museum for public art .  Some of the many works of art displayed on the walls and in the streets are Bombero Voluntario (Volunteer Firefighter) by Ernesto Scaglia, La Sirga (The Tow) by Julio B. Vergottini, La Canción (The Song) by Julio B. Vergottini, Guardia Vieja Tango (Old Guard – Tango) by Israel Hoffman, and Herrero Boquense (Boca Blacksmith) by Marisa Balmaseda Krause.

Bombero Voluntario (Volunteer Firefighter) by Ernesto Scaglia

SOURCE:  Bombero Voluntario (Volunteer Firefighter) by Ernesto Scaglia (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

La Sirga (The Tow) by Julio B. Vergottini

SOURCE: Â Â La Sirga (The Tow) by Julio B. Vergottini (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

La Canción (The Song) by Julio B. Vergottini

SOURCE:  La Canción (The Song) by Julio B. Vergottini (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Guardia Vieja Tango (Old Guard – Tango)

SOURCE: Â Â Guardia Vieja Tango (Old Guard – Tango) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Herrero Boquense (Boca Blacksmith) by Marisa Balmaseda Krause

SOURCE:  Herrero Boquense (Boca Blacksmith) by Marisa Balmaseda Krause (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

La Boca is probably the most blue-collar of all the neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, but it includes El Caminito, a popular spot for tourists due to the colorful buildings and its abundance of street vendors and street performers .  The trademark colors on the buildings began when, after painting the barges on the nearby river, the dockworkers used leftover paint on their own houses .  The walls of El Caminito are decorated with works of art, one of which, called “Esperando La Barca” (Waiting for the Boat) held special interest for me since it reminded me of my immigrant ancestors .  Estadio Alberto J. Armando, the football (soccer) stadium owned by the Boca Juniors football club is also located in La Boca .  Because of its shape, the stadium is better known as La Bombonera (the Chocolate Box).

El Caminito – 1

SOURCE:  El Caminito – 1 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

El Caminito – 2

SOURCE:  El Caminito - 2 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

El Caminito – 3

SOURCE:  El Caminito - 3 (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

“Esperando La Barca” (Waiting for the Boat)

SOURCE: Â Â “Esperando La Barca” (Waiting for the Boat) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Estadio Alberto J. Armando (La Bombonera)

SOURCE: Â Estadio Alberto J. Armando (La Bombonera) (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Retiro Neighborhood is one of most exclusive neighborhoods of Buenos Aires but, originally, the area was a country retreat (retiro) for Spanish governor Augustí­n de Robles . Â Â  San Martí­n Plaza, which I described previously, is in the Retiro Neighborhood .  Near the Plaza stands Palacio San Martí­n, built for Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena and completed in 1909 . Â Â Palacio San Martí­n is currently used for ceremonial purposes by the Ministry of Foreign Relations .  Basí­lica Santí­simo Sacramento, also nearby, was built by the Anchorena family in 1916 .  The last apartment occupied by Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges is here in Retiro, with a plaque commemorating him prominently displayed on the wall of the building .  After exploring the Retiro Neighborhood, I stopped in a beautiful old church, the name of which I didn’t record .  Nonetheless, the interior of this charming neighborhood church is a vivid memory for me.

 

Palacio San Martí­n

SOURCE:  Palacio San Martí­n (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

 

Basí­lica Santí­simo Sacramento

SOURCE: Â Basí­lica Santí­simo Sacramento (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

 

Plaque Honoring Jorge Luis Borges

SOURCE: Â Plaque Honoring Jorge Luis Borges (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Neighborhood Church in Buenos Aires

SOURCE: Â Neighborhood Church in Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires, Argentina), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 02 Jan 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko