Happy 2015

Buenos Aire´s Middle Eastern conexion

I´m not one of going out to restaurants and I normally like to eat mostly local food when visiting different cities. Now when it comes to middle eastern food, I have developed a taste for it since it is practically a local food in places like New York,Ottawa, or Sao Paulo.
In Buenos Aires there is quite a big Colony of Lebanese,Syrians and Armenians, that used to live in the "Villa crespo" neighbourhood, around the Cordoba and Scalabrini Ortiz intersection.
Now the hood has changed and is an extension of the fancy Palermo hood. In any case you can still find good ethnic restaurants like "Sarkis" which specialises in Arab-Armenian food. If you crave for some sfiha or Kibe, this is the place to go. Located at Thames 1101 in Villa crespo, it serves most of the Armenian and Lebanese dishes that you probably know, and also the price is quite cheap considering its location.
Be advised that you will probably have to line up to get in, since the tourist crowds from Palermo also tend to go there.

In Passing Snapshot - The street signs

Over the years I picked up a habit of photographing various objects in different cities like licence plates, traffic signs and street signs. Some I take for stock, or to remind me of the cities I´ve passed trough etc.
One consideration bout the street signs, something that is merely practical, but in many places they date back decades even centuries, is the way they replace the old with the new. Sometimes they keep the old ones, that as I said before have some historic value, and sometimes they just replace them with the new ones, or with new elaborate ones, and some times, like I´ve seen in south America, they just randomly ad them to the old ones that have´nt fallen off or been ripped off.

From the Past - Lima´s Churches - Peru

In anticipation of my next trip, here go some pics of Lima´s most beautiful churches.
See the Pdf here.
Also seen at: https://500px.com/photo/77757699/bas%C3%ADlica-y-convento-de-san-francisco-de-lima-by-dario-ricardo?from=user_library

Top 10 pizza joints in Buenos Aires - El Cuartito - Tribunales

Located at Talcahuano 937 close to Estacion Tribunales (linea D). Here you can enjoy media masa and molde pizzas, even though they do not use a wood oven, which may offend some purists, they still turn out a fabulous pie. It’s always crowded with locals and tourists, hence its name, the little room, it boasts a very typical Italian pizzeria decor, They also serve a mean Flan co dulce de leche dessert.

El cuartito, es otra institución porteña en  materia de pizza. Una parada obligatoria para quien trabaja o hace tramites en la zona de tribunales.

In Passing Snapshot - Retiro Terminal train station

As I get more acquainted with Buenos Aires, Baires as some locals call it, I have discovered that the urban trains get you faster to certain places than the subway, some times a couple of blocks off, but much faster. on arrival at the Retiro station of the Belgrano Railway y stopped to let the crowds that descended from the train pass by, and was left with this tranquil scene worthy of a photo.

Also seen at : https://500px.com/photo/92520635/terminal-retiro-by-dario-ricardo?from=user_library

In Passing Snapshot - The Christmas tree

Yes its December and here in the southern hemisphere it is summer and they still call it Christmas season, not Holiday season or any other PC nonsense. This Christmas tree is located at "Galerias Pacifico" located in downtown at Florida and Cordoba, one of the many shopping malls that you may bump into in B.Aires, Unfortunately the Christmas season here is quite bland, with everyone thinking on their summer vacation due in January or February, but there are still some beautiful nativity scenes to be seen.

From the Past - Iglesias de Puebla, Mexico

Check out some of the nicest churches in Puebla, mexico. See the Pdf.

Jacaranda Time in Buenos Aires

When planting trees close to monuments always check with a photographer first ! Never the less I think the people that decided to plant Jacaranda  trees in Buenos Aires did a pretty good job.
The combination of nice architecture and colourful flowers  is soothing for the spirit besides providing excellent photo material.
For some ideas, check out this video.

Bosques de Palermo, a piece of Versailles

The "Bosques de Palermo" are a series of parks composed by Planetario Galileo Galilei, Jardín Botánico,Lago de Regatas, and el Rosedal. A kind of Central Park in Buenos Aires, but with a french accent, actually most of the garden were created by Charles thays, that also had rearranged the Versailles garden in Paris.

Its a pretty big area where you´ll find very nice french sculptures of animals and a variety of trees with beautiful leaves and flowers. Its one of those places to go running, walking or to read a book away from the hustle of the city.

In Passing Snapshot - The Tiramisu

There are cities where you can loose weight, by easily abstaining from its bad food.Buenos Aires in not one of them, here you can find excellent food at any small restaurant. Such is the case of this piece of Tiramisu I ate last week at a small bar in Villa Crespo.

Best Parrillas in Buenos Aires - La Estancia - Downtown

La estancia is located  just a few blocks away from the "Obelisco"at calle Lavalle 941 in the pedestrian area of downtown Buenos Aires. It is a very well groomed tourist oriented "Asador Criollo" which is commonly used as a meat presentation card of the City.

Prices are fairly cheap considering its location, but I do recommend venturing into other "Parrillas" located deeper into the neighbourhoods for a better feel of the authentic parrilla.

Resting in "La Pampa"

When people talk about the pampas, they normally refer to its "empty vastness", an ideal place to rest while living the life of the"gauchos", the famed Argentine cowboys. Well i have to confirm that it really is an ideal place to rest, as experienced at an "estancia" (ranch) that I visited close to the city of Madariaga in the Buenos Aires Province.

there are many Estancias that offer hotel style lodging all over Argentina. The one I visited belongs to a friend and is a real ranch where they grow cattle and plant soy and sunflowers. Of course I rode horses, hunted, and did other rural activities, but as a photographer I also indulged in photographing the Pampean panoramas, that attract so many north Americans and Europeans  to this latitudes.

and also the chance of talking to the country folk that work the land and the herds. I recommend going there in spring, since all the animals are with offspring and it isn't as hot as in the summer.

Top 10 pizza joints in Buenos Aires - Los Inmortales - Downtown

Los Inmortales or "the Immortals" is dedicated to a generation of writers, artists and bohemians it Specialises in “pizza a la piedra” which basically is a hard crust pizza. Its flagship house is the one in Av. Corrientes which was founded in 1952. This is also a place to sit down and enjoy a full meal. The prices here are tourist oriented so you will pay the full price of a good pizza, this is the one on lavalle street.

 With 3 locations in the city of Buenos Aires, Lavalle 746, Av. Corrientes 1369 and Paraná 1209

In Passing Snapshot - the "San Lorenzo" Bus

Sometimes you snap a photo just cuz you like the shape or colour of something you see. On this occasion walking to a shoot in Villa Urquiza, y saw this red bus, and did some shots and was on my way. Upon further analysis,  I realised that this was an unique bus only to be found in Buenos Aires. First because its a classic Mercedes Benz "Colectivo" that circulated from the 60s till the early 90s in Buenos Aires. To such an extent that they even have one in the M.B. museum in Stuttgart. Secondly its painted with a red and blue theme dedicated to the "San Lorenzo" soccer club, that even has the Pope as one of its fans.

La feria Masticar - chew on that

Dropped by the 2014 edition of the "Feria Masticar" on its last day, since it ran only from the 16-19 October. As its name says, it specialises in chewable stuffs, as well as gulping fluids.



They had kiosks  with most of the famous eating joints in Buenos Aires along with others that sold raw ingredients, fruits and veggies.
Now the one that caught my Canadian eye was the beer tasting bar set up by Stella Artois, filled with thirsty customers waiting for a free glass of cold beer.
The guys tending the taps were quite friendly and instructed the drooling customers on the 9 step pouring ritual, which the beer maker uses on its worldwide add campaigns.
Overall the exhibition was well organised and the entrance ticket was around 4bucks. I definitely recommend checking it out on its next editions.

Top 10 pizza joints in Buenos Aires - La Guitarrita - Nuñez

Located at Cuba 3300 in the Nuñez neighbourhood home to the soccer team River Plate, it is worth visiting and can be accessed by subway.
I always like to try the house´s own pizzas when they have one, here you can check out "la Atomica" (Atomic) and the "Don Grillo", named after one of the pizzaiolos that worked there for decades, and also the fugazetta rellena, which is an onion pizza with cheese.

Decorated with a soccer theme, it has banners from most soccer clubs in Argentina, along with photos of their idols. The service is quite good and the place has transformed itself from a neighbourhood pizzeria to a fine eating institution in Buenos Aires.

The welcome wagon

Today I would like to share an unique experience which I only recommend to those with strong stomachs. It all started when I had to return to the city of Buenos Aires from Grand Bourg, a city in the province of Buenos Aires, named after the french city in which lived and died General San Martin, one of the heroes of Argie independence. So considering that the main highway that leads to the city was going to be blocked by one of the many protests that are regularly held here, I decided to do a train bike combo, that takes roughly 2hrs door to door, compared with the hour and change that it takes by car.
So I bike to the Grand Bourg train station that is part of the Gral. Mitre Line, which is one of the 7 train lines that serve the city along with the 8 subway lines and hundreds of buses, that puts Buenos Aires in the top ranking cities with good public transport, very similar to London or New York. Now having said this I will tell you the downside of the journey.

















When the train arrived I was told that the bikes must go in the "Furgon" which translates to waggon, that is a section of the train reserved for cargo. So the train has one up front  and one at the back, which was the one I caught. First obstacle is getting your bike up there cuz its one of those all style waggons, like the ones you see in the movies, that stand a good 3 or 4 feet up from the platform. So you either chuck your bike up or ask someone to help you from above. This was´nt a problem cuz the folks that were already inside helped me up, even though the place was packed with goods and people. Just to give you an idea, the "Furgon Area" takes about a 4th part of the car, which is aprox 10 by 6 ft. Now in that small enclosure there were already two full size supermarket buggies, three huge bags with flowers, 4 bikes and around 15 people, so yor have to stay where you land. Now that was´nt the problem I´ve travelled in crowded buses,trains,planes, all over the world. The scary part was the on board service which consisted of joints and beer being shared by the passengers, so the gentleman on my right was smoking one, along with the chap on my right and the guy in front of me, which left me with little breathable air, besides that there was a 1litre bottle of beer being passed around.
The conversation ranged from, places where you can buy weed to the stations to watch out for cops with dogs.
This were the conditions for the hour long ride, so I decided to elbow my way towards the open sliding doors on the side, under pain of falling off, to catch some fresh air. Fortunately a couple of stops later  the Furgon was practically empty.
Now do´nt get me wrong, the people at the Furgon were working folk, and very friendly and solidary, and if  you ride on the passenger section of the train you can sit and enjoy the view. all this for around 15 cents American.
I thought I´d share this just so  that next time you complain bout your suffering on your daily trip to work, you know what others go through.

Rua Santa Ifigenia, the gadget paradise of Sao Paulo

As I continued to roam the commercial area of downtown Sao paulo, I arrived at my destination, which was the Rua Santa Ifigenia a place that you must and will know if you want to buy something related with computers,audio,electricity or whatever you need, they will always send you to Santa Ifigenia.



Besides there being very colourfully painted shops in a city that primes for its grey buildings, you will find all types of Chinese knock off gadgets or legit parts for any electronic or electrical device.

From the Past - Puebla - Mexico

How bout some photos of the city of Puebla in Mexico. see the Pdf here

From the Past - Colours of Mexico city

A selection of colourful places and peoples from Mexico City, see the PDF

From the Past - Colonial churches in Mexico City

Some photos from a report bout churches in Mexico City. See the pdf here

From the past - Mexico city, Centro Histórico

See the Pdf with photos from Mexico City´s Centro Histórico

The Café Rivas in San telmo

If you´re hooked on coffee and appreciate European style coffee, you´l be glad to hear that one of the European customs that argies have adopted is the Café shops that you commonly find in France, Italy and Spain.
These "Cafés" or "cafeterias", were places where guys hanged out to watch a soccer game, talk bout politics, etc, kinda like a Pub in the U.K.
They serve the Italian and french style coffees served in small cups called "demi tasse"opposed to the north American watered down versions.

A typical example of these coffee shops in Buenos Aires is the cafe Rivas located in San telmo neighbourhood at the corner of Estados Unidos and Balcarce streets. With its vintage looks and stategically located with a vantage view of the intersection, you can stop by for a fast espresso or"cortado" (espresso with a shot of Milk) or eat lunch or dinner. These places are opened all day long, except on Mondays.

From the past - Coyoacan, Mexico City

I have fond memories from my two tours in mexico. today I give you some photos of the historical neighbourhood of Coyoacan in Mexico City.
See the Pdf here.

From the Past - Madrid

How bout some photos of Madrid. See the Pdf here.

Old beaters

It amazing how good footwear can make a difference when out on photo ops. A good pair of shoes that keep you dry, comfy and give you the necessary traction to climb rocks,trees, or just run for your life.
At first I used to spend over 100 bucks on my hiking boots, but with time I realised that when it comes time to take a beating they all react pretty much the same, and after two years, you already think about dumping them to save some weight on your plane luggage.
These I bought at walmart for 30 bucks, and they did the job. All the jobs, like biking, hiking,  gardening,camping and even house painting. so inevitably after three glorious years they made it to the gallery.
I do have another pair of 5.11 tactical boots that I use for more city like photo jobs, but that´s matter for another post.

Best Parrillas in Buenos Aires - La Posada de 1820 - Bank district

Even though 1820 is not just a Parrilla but a Restaurant, I´ll include it as a bonus.
Located at the intersection of Tucuman and San Martin streets in BA, its really close to most of the downtown attractions that you will probably visit. It has a very good menu and very cheap daily Menus.
I recommend it as an option when you go to Galerías Pacifico, instead of eating at the food court

Best Parrillas in Buenos Aires -Desnivel - San Telmo

Desnivel which means unleveled, probably referring to the fact that they joined to houses to make the restaurant and they are at different floor levels, is located at Defensa 855, right smack at the heart of San Telmo which in the past decade became a tourist hangout. Along with many colleagues I'm averse to crowds which always don't allow for good shots, so if you want to eat here while takings nice pics in San Telmo, do not go on the weekend.

















This is a classical Argentine parrilla where you order by the plate, the meat is excellent and they have a pretty good menu. I do recommend the milanesas as well. The portions are big and prices are cheap considering its location. A full meal for 3 people set us back 33 bucks.

Best Parrillas in Buenos Aires - Siga la Vaca - Puerto Madero

Hey , going to B.A and not indulging in good beef is like going to Rome and not visiting "La Fontana di Trevi". Definitely Argentina has the best beef in the world, That´s in a cost benefit point of view. You can probably buy a plate of Kobe beef in NY or Tokyo and pay the equivalent of a down payment on a car, but if you have that kind of money do not read this.
Buenos Aires is full of good places to eat meat, that's why I´m only reviewing 5. You can ask any one on the street and they will refer you to a decent resto where you can eat for a  reasonable price and be satisfied.
Today I will recommend a cheap one located at one of the city´s tourist traps. I´m talking about Puerto madreo where you´ll find all types of expensive food joints that offer very good quality food, but are not so great on prices.

Siga la vaca is located at A. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1714 and is all you can eat, including drinks and dessert for a very moderate price (generally 15 to 20 bucks per person, depending on the day of the week). The service is also good, but be advised that if you go at the peak of lunch hour you might have to wait to get in. It has a great salad bar and the grill boasts a good variety of meat cuts. To drink you can choose from Wine,beer or pop served in 1L pitchers.

La Casa Minima

When you visit San Telmo, make sure you pass by the Pasaje San Lorenzo, on number 380, you´ll see whats considered the smallest lot in Buenos Aires. called "Casa Minima" or "Casa del Liberto", it is said to have belonged to an emancipated slave, that made his abode in a small lot that was vacant.

Basilica del Santísimo Sacramento

The church of the Blessed Sacrament in Buenos Aires is a most visited landmark of the city. Kinda hidden behind an Empire State lookalike building, its actually very well located in the Retiro neighbourhood , Being one of the most lavishly decorated churches in the city with gold and silver Works, a French organ, important stained glass Works, marble and blue granite, bronze and Venetian mosaic ornaments. 
It was built by the Anchorena family that lived basically across Plaza San Martin in a mansion being used today as the Ministry of foreign affairs headquarters, that can also has a tour guide available.

The idea was that the church´s steeples could be seen from the Anchorena´s house, until a marriage proposal was rejected by the family´s matriarch because of lack of social status. The aspiring bride belonged to the Cavanagh family, very rich, but nouveau rich. So it is rumoured that in revenge, the concrete behemoth called the "Edificio Cavanagh" was maliciously placed blocking the church´s view.

"El Ateneo" Bookstore

"El Ateneo" is a bookstore with several locations in Buenos Aires. The most famous one is located at Av. Santa Fe, half a block away from Av. Callao.
This former Theatre-Cinema was called the "Grand Splendid" and still has the sign on its facade. Converted to a bookstore in 2000, it has kept its original decor as it was adapted into a bookstore.
Besides admiring its interior you might want to pick up a book on Buenos Aires as a souvenir.

The Guardian ranks it second nicest bookshop (as the brits say) in the world.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jan/11/bestukbookshops
 I´m attaching the article cuz you might want to check out the others if you´re in the mentioned cities.