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| Taking it easy on the apartment patio. . . |
Since we plan on being here a full 5 months, we are taking it easy on "the getting to know the city" stuff. Most of the week was housekeeping, photos and journaling for blog, writing, revising chapters, reading and research.
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The main event for the week was going to the Galeria Pacifico
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| Galeria Pacifico Av Florida y Av Cordoba |
This Beaux Arts building was modelled on the Le Bon Marché in Paris in 1889.
In 1896 part of the building was transformed into the first home for the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and in 1908 the British-owned Buenos Aires and Pacific railway company acquired part of the building for offices. From that time onwards the building became known as Edificio Pacífico.
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| Frescos in the main cupola of the Galeria |
In 1945 the building was remodelled , a large central cupola was constructed and decorated with 12 frescos by artists Lino Enea Spilimbergo, Antonio Berni, Juan Carlos Castagnino, Manuel Colmeiro and Demetrio Urruchúa. These frescos, executed in 1946, are some of the most important in Buenos Aires.
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| The juxtaposition of the old (offices and apartments) and the new (high end shops) |
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| New fresco looking down on the elegant shopping arcade |
After having been abandoned for years, the building was renovated and re-opened in 1991 as the shopping arcade Galerías Pacífico. Four more frescos were added to the cupola. In addition to the shopping arcade the building also contains the Jorge Luis Borges Cultural Centre and the Julio Bocca Dance Studio.
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| Chandelier above the Tango stage that is in the Jorge Luis Borges Cultural Centre |
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While reading by the bedroom window on Saturday morning, I noticed a fluttering shadow in the window and I looked up to see a small burrowing owl perch on the railing. It must have been there turning it's head around and around, looking at his reflection in the window for several minutes - long enough for me to call John, but I was afraid to get up to get my camera. I guess the sun was too warm and bright, because he flew to the building across the street and sat there for about a half hour sitting the corner of the shaded ledge.
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| Looking across the street - can you see the owl in the corner? |
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| Burrowing Owl |
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| A closer look at the window ledge... |
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That's it for this week - next week, maybe our 1st Tango lesson???
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