---

 Buenos Aires

　The second half of the trip to South America started today.Farewell to the members returning to Japan after sightseeing in Peru, we headed from Cusco Airport to Buenos Aires, Argentina via Lima.
　At Lima Airport on the way, two tour members missed the plane because they stayed in the airport lounge for too long.Fortunately, they were able to catch the next night's flight and met safely at the hotel in Buenos Aires the next morning.

　Buenos Aires is a big city called Paris in South America.The 16-lane July 9th Boulevard passes through the center of the city, and the redeveloped red brick warehouse area along the canal enhance the city's appeal. The Hilton Hotel, which was the venue for the 2013 IOC General Assembly, where the second Tokyo Olympics bid was decided, is located along the canal, and the Japanese delegation stayed at the Emperador where we were staying.

　The local guide in Buenos Aires was Rumi Ohno, a second-generation Japanese-American. Sightseeing starts from the Recoleta Park. There was a huge rubber tree in the park. Following the object carrying the rubber tree, we also carried the rubber tree and took a commemorative photo.
　Recoleta Cemetery is a prestigious cemetery where Argentine historical figures and celebrities are buried, and is called the most beautiful cemetery in the world. The most famous of the burials was the Argentinean "Virgin" first lady "Eva Peron", commonly known as Evita, her tomb was decorated with white and red flowers.

　On the main street, a tree called a drunken tree, which looks like having a metabolic syndrome, was planted. Starting from the Colon Theater (Opera) facing the main street on July 9, we went sightseeing the Pink House (Presidential Palace) and Metropolitan Cathedral in Plaza de Mayo.
　The Metropolitan Cathedral does not look like a Catholic church, it looks like a theater.The guards stood upright and immovable, but anyone could take pictures freely, so it was possible to stand sideways and take a two-shot.

　We moved to the Boca district and visited the birthplace of tango.The soccer stadium of Boca Juniors, to which Maradona belonged, is also nearby. We got off the bus at Caminito and took a walk. In the entrance building, dolls of Evita, Maradona, and tango singers appeared from the balcony. Caminito was a city with primary-colored buildings and cobblestone streets.Tango dancers were dancing in front of the restaurant.A model of a tango dancer took a picture with me in front of the building facing the square. The colorful wall clock I got here is still displayed in my living room.

　After sightseeing, we had lunch at a restaurant along the canal.This area, called Puerto Madero, was originally a group of brick warehouses along the Rio de la Plata. However, the interior was renovated while maintaining the exterior, and it became a fashionable office, cafeteria, and high-class restaurant district.The Hilton Hotel was visible across the canal over the La Mucher Bridge.MALBEC wine was delicious with asado (roasted block meat) and sausage!When we got back by bus, a group of college students waved to us.

　In the afternoon, we enjoyed window shopping in pedestrian paradise.Buenos Aires has made the roads in the city center a pedestrian paradise as a measure to reduce vehicle emissions.Florida Street, which is close to the hotel, was the first street to become a pedestrian paradise, and was lined with various stores such as leather goods, silversmiths, miscellaneous goods, and sweets.

　At night, we went to the Argentine tango show.Inside the gorgeous theater, records of tango were displayed on the wall near the ceiling, and a portrait of Evita was also displayed.A sharp-moving tango was played at the show.It was a very quick move that was unthinkable in the highlands of Cusco where we stayed until yesterday.At the end of the show, there seemed to be some highlights, but I succumebed to my drowsiness and missed it.

---