El Tigre...

Wednesday, February 24 dawned sunny and warm. Today was my expedition to El Tigre, in the Parana delta about an hour outside of BA.

First I dropped Linda off at her studio. She and Alicia showed me some of Linda's new work. Alicia was like a proud mother hen.

Linda's work was getting larger as she grew more comfortable with the studio, the equipment and her assistants.

The trip involved taking the subway to the main train station, then finding the train to El Tigre.

In fact, it was a cinch. Everything was well marked, and when I asked a group of students the way, they replied "Follow us!"

Note the "artistic" trash bucket at the train station!

We arrived at the train station,

and after a brief look around, I noticed that a short boat trip was leaving in a few minutes, so I rushed to make the boat. It was a comfortable mahogany boat with an enclosed cabin, about 2/3 full. I seemed to be the only American, although I later heard a few English speakers.

As the boat left the dock, we passed a rowing scull...

and a lovely large municipal building...

 and other boats...

and a large casino (more details later)....

 We motored through miles - make that kilometers - of canals, mostly lined with small weekend homes. Very few, surprisingly, appeared to be large or luxurious.

Some were downright pretty...

some not so pretty, but still nice...

and some were downright dumps....

Most had docks and boats...

We passed an attractive beach and swim club. 

Although the water was brown, it was because of the muddy bottom, not because it was dirty. Due to recent rains, the water level was quite high.

 Previously, I had visited (and blogged) the Museo Sarmiento, the Buenos Aires home of one of Argentina's first presidents. I recalled from that visit that Sarmiento had a weekend retreat in El Tigre.

As we rounded a bend, I saw that his home had been converted into a museum.

 and the house itself was enclosed in an unusual way.

As the cruise ended we passed an amusement park, 

and then, as a sign that we had really reentered the civilized world....

After the cruise, I wandered the streets of the city, searching for an area with Victorian homes, rowing clubs, restaurants and museums.


But first, I happened upon a small building that was a Mate Museum.

 What is mate? It is a plant - called Yerba Mate -

that is brewed with hot water to make a tea-like infusion. It is drunk from a container called a "mate" through a straw, called a "bombilla", with a filter on the end.

Mate is drunk extensively throughout Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and other countries in South America (more later). It is BIG BUSINESS!

Over the years, artists have applied their skills to mate advertising...

to the mate cups (also called "Mate" to confuse things...
Quick...whose picture is on the mate cup below?

Score one point if you said Carlos Gardel, the famous Tango singer.

Below are several lovers' mate cup and double ended straws...

And then on to the main event (for me), the Mate Bar.


The host, and owner of the museum, served me.

I purchased a pot (actually a thermos) of mate, and got a free sample (it's addictive and full of caffeine, so the manufacturers are thrilled to give away free samples).

Let me put it this way. It's not exactly delicious, despite all the advertising hoopla and the ubiquity.

It must be an acquired taste (which I haven't yet acquired).


I wandered on to the next attraction, some rowing clubs, and interesting old buildings.

Then I found the National Naval Museum...

an enormous fascinating museum showing the maritime history of the nation.

 From models of ships...

to gondolas (don't ask me why)...

to naval uniforms...

 
and diving equipment...

to Argentinian Polar expeditions...

to torpedoes, missiles and bombs.

Remember parents, don't let your kids play with the torpedoes!

All for only about 75 cents! It was hard to leave after only an hour, but I still had plenty to do. Remember the lovely casino from the boat trip? It has been turned into an art museum. Although there was no significant art there  (or at least no artists I had ever heard of), the setting was lovely - the sculpture garden, grand halls, chandeliers and stairways. Despite no photography being allowed inside, I managed to sneak some photos.

As I walked back to the train station, I passed this vintage Cadillac DeVille in front of an odd teashop.

and then back along the river, past the lovely brightly painted boats...

and then back to Buenos Aires after a long, but very satisfying day.