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Palermo
This trendy zone may come behind Recoleta and Puerto Madero in wealth, but it offers a richer variety of things to actually do. If you´ve spent any amount of time in downtown BA, you´re probably sickening to see a few trees, a pond, or even a patch of grass. You´ll find your instant remedy in Palermo in the form of Parque 3 de Febrero - a lovely huge park encircling a lake. On any given weekend, follow the masses to the water, throw yourself on the grass and have a good sunbathe. If you´re tempted to hire a rowing boat and dont mind wrestling with lead-heavy paddles, go for it, but if you prefer not to sweat like a Viking, jump into a pedalo boat and take it easy. The park is a real hang-out for locals and tourists alike, and in the height of the summer its the closest BA gets to having a beach vibe (no, sorry to tell you there are no beaches here). Here it´s all about cruising round on hired bikes and rollerblades, and cooling down with a fizzy drink. In the centre of the park the rose-garden (Rosedal) is peaceful for a wander and a makes a beautiful backdrop for photos. Better still though, throughout the year it hosts free concerts on Sundays from 3pm, with a range of styles from classical to pop covers. The other apparent must-do is the Jardín Japones, an important focal point for the city´s Japonese community. In reality, it´s a lot smaller than you´d probably expect, and quite underwhelming. Sure, wander round for half an hour to look at the koi karp and bonsai trees, but you might leave feeling a bit cheated out of your 4 pesos. You´re better off looking up the dates of Japanese festivals, when you can see traditional dancing and celebrations. How ever you get to Palermo, by underground or bus, you´ll more than likely arrive at Plaza Italia, which is mega-convenient if you want to spend a day at the zoo (15 pesos) or the Botanical Gardens. Also it´s only a 4-block walk to the park but if you´re a bit hazy on directions don´t leave your map at home. For the astronomically-minded, the nearby planetarium is worth checking out - guided visits and shows generally start after 2pm but you´ll need to check for times as the programme changes every month. Nearby you can pass by the city´s beautifully located polo ground and racecourse, and just out of the parks area is the Evita Museum (P$10). It´s got some moving footage of Buenos Aires in mourning, and, thanks to the museum´s slightly out-of-the.way location, you can immerse yourself in Evita´s life story without having the atmosphere spoiled by hordes of tourists. For the gastronomically-minded, Palermo Viejo is the top spot. It´s a pretty, fairly quiet area with a hub of restaurants and bars centred around Plaza Serrano. The plaza itself has a good atmosphere, and if you come from a country where eating al fresco is a novelty, get yourself there early and nab a table outside. Have a wander before you choose where to eat though, because you´ll find a lot of places in Palermo Hollywood, which is within just a few blocks of the square across the railwayline. Not to worry if you´re not a huge steak fan as you´ll find plenty of choice here, from the lively Acabar, where you can play board-games as you eat or drink, to the popular Mexican restaurant Cielito Lindo, both in Palermo Hollywood. One of the biggest bars in Plaza Serrano, Brujas, has a late disco, but a lot of the crowd fuel up then take a taxi (and their ID) to The Roxy nightclub, out near the planetarium. It´s a fun crowd and the music is what they call ´rock´, although to you and me it´s the typical Bon Jovi/pop mix. Watch out for the uni students who have a surprisingly varied repertoire of very direct chat-up lines, but arrive before 3am and you´ll be on your own. If you´re more into electronic music, ease youself into the night at the suave Carnal bar (go upstairs where you can sit semi-outdoors with cosy overhead heating), then when your feet start itching for a dancefloor cross the road to Niceto nightclub. Choose your night carefully though, as Thursday´s Club 69 night gets a bit crazy with a full-on transvestite show. The Guru Team |
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