Trip Report 8- Palermo Viejo

Wed. Apr. 13 (written the next day)------------- Another side note: a lot of places here use military-style time (I don't know the exact phrase for it, but it is based on a 24 hour clock), so for instance 3:00 a.m. is 0300 and 10:00 p.m. is 2200. If you are totally unfamiliar with this method of time-keeping, at least be aware of it.-------------------- Yesterday was a day of major walking; it is very fortunate it worked out that way b/c today (Thrs) it has been rainy and rather unpleasant outside the entire day.---------------------- I started the day by heading to the former home of tango icon Carlos Gardel, located in the Abasto neighborhood southwest of my hotel. It is not a huge museum but has a lot of historical curios and some cool tango-themed artwork. I kind of wanted to check it out as well b/c of an interest in house-based museums (for instance, I remember visiting the Ben Gurion house in Tel Aviv). Admission was free that day and the chick working at the entrance was extremely friendly and outgoing. We talked for a bit and she told me about a folk music show that night (unfortunately I already had other plans; oh well).------------------------------------------------ After that I walked around the noticeably new and gleaming Abasto Mall for a bit (the malls are very nice) and headed west through the historically Jewish neighborhood of Once (though I didn't see that much Jewish-related stuff).------------------------------ From there the destination was the much-discussed as up & coming Palermo Viejo neighborhood (I will attempt to refrain from hackneyed adjectives). It was a long walk, and as it turned out quite worth it. The architecture here is 1 & 2 story buildings, which is a pleasant respite and contrast from the taller structures found in much of the city. Around 1330 I stopped at a spot called Bar 6. Couches, exposed concrete, small upstairs and outside areas plus a bar constitute the main decor; during the day it is pleasantly lit inside. It, along with several other places I went to, it can in retrospect be classified as a modern-style type of cafe/restaurant/bar since you could basically get anything from a coffe to a to drink to a full meal (this makes for interesting people watching as well).--------------------------

I really needed to rest and recoup, so I got a well-deserved beer, read "Balkan Ghosts" for a while on one of the couches and ordered a roast duck entree (it was very good). Unlike most places in America, nothing was rushed; w/lunch, more reading and coffee I was there for over 2 hours.

----------------------------------- Although I was not really in need of any clothes, I wanted to check out some of the independent/designer boutique shops in the area. After wandering around for a while I ended up buying some unusual bell bottom khaki pants and a CD at a store that most closely reminded me of BASE (on Miami Beach) in that this one had clothes, a few decorative items/housewares and a CD area when you walk in.------------------- It was getting later in the afternoon & had started to rain. There was no way I was walking back to my hotel so I grabbed a cab and rested for a while. That night I actually returned to Palermo Viejo for dinner w/a friend at a spot with a mellow, minimalist chill interior + CD store upstairs (Lomo). --------------At night in this neighborhood each restaurant is kind of its own enclave, as there weren't many people walking around (then again it was still raining); I prefer it during the day b/c you can wander around a bit more and feel removed from the more bustling areas of the city. Overall definitely a happening neighborhood with a low key/chill feel.