Day 26: The Recoleta Trip

This morning was the most extreme subway experience I have ever had in my life. It is difficult to describe how busy it was. I entered the station early this morning at 08.35 with the delusion that I might get to school early and read a bit before class started and there were quite a few people waiting, already. Well, I just thought that the next train would be coming soon, as the station always fills up right before the next train; but it turned out that the subway trains were running behind that morning and instead of coming under 5 minutes apart, they were coming more like every 7 or 8. Now that is not a huge difference in the grand scheme of things, but during mid-morning rush hour it is significant. Quickly the station filled completely. There were long rows of people waiting on the platform for the next train, I was luckily in the third row. The station would have cleared quickly had there been room on the incoming trains, but I had to wait more than half an hour to be right at the platform edge. And once there the next 2 trains were completely full. Completely full means that when the doors opened at the station, the people in the doorway essentially fell out from the pressure of the other passengers.  I ended up waiting more than 45 minutes before I squeezed (well, also I was sort of jammed in by those behind me) into a train and I exited the subway at about 09.35. Classes start at 09.30 and I have to walk about 10 minutes from the station. Quite the ride.

After comparatively uneventful classes, with still no sign of the phantom "James," I joined Marcelo's weekly tour of Bs. As. to the Museo de Bellas Artes in the Recoleta district. We took an 8 minute bus ride to the museum, which was free of charge. On the ground floor were a lot of personal collections of old Argentinean artwork, paintings and some sculptures. The mediums and styles varied quite a bit, but there were a few pieces that I really loved. Upstairs was a little more "modern" art although some of it dated back quite a few years. This I enjoyed less. I do like some modern art, but not much of this collection caught my interest. All in all the museum was wonderful, a definite must-see for any visitor. 

I had left the school group while in the museum, as I like to experience art at my own pace, so I left the museum after everyone else. I decided to look around the area some more, since there are a few other touristy locations in that area that I wanted to see. I first went to the National Library, Biblioteca Nacional, which is a very interesting building made of concrete with four supports holding up the library a good 50 feet in the air. I decided not to actually go up into the library because they had a very extensive security screening process and I would not want to stay that long anyhow. So, I walked back to the cemetery that I visited a few days ago to walk around the cafés. I realized that we had entered the little church next to the cemetery last week during the tour, but I had forgotten. Regardless, I wanted to check out the cultural center that was right next door. This building had a little plaza that was a butterfly sanctuary, two modern art galleries (not very big, and not terribly impressive), but upstairs was an interactive science museum. I paid the 15 peso entrance fee and spent quite a while exploring natural phenomenon, physics, mechanics, natural sciences and optics with a bunch of Argentinean families. The logo of the museum was "Prohibido no tocar" which means you were not allowed to not touch and experience everything. It was very enjoyable. I wish I had been exposed to some of those exhibits during my high school classes. They made everything a lot more fun. 

Once I returned to the sarcasm and 'realism' of teenagerhood and left the museum, I walked back to Av. Corrientes, a goodly ways, and took the subway home. It was still more busy than I had expected at that time, a bit before 6.00p. Summer vacations are winding down, and the world is using the subway. 

Luke and I ate some empanadas for dinner, Betty was out and about with one of her friends, and after finishing the largest batch of homework I have received yet, I am aiming for an early night. So, a little bit of Harry Potter, and then some serious mental preparation for tomorrow's subway escapade. I seriously need to start preparing 12 hours in advance. Welcome to the real city experience, Dylan.

Chao.