Today, we really got our exercise in, as the first activity of the day was a walking tour around Recoleta, the area in which we are staying! While we have all had the opportunity to go exploring on our own, we have never really gotten the opportunity to understand the true significance of what we are looking at, so this was nice to know. That being said, we learned a lot of about the significance of why Buenos Aires has a rich European architecture style rather than the typical Latin American one. The best story we were told was simply about the pettiness of one family to another, where one family was so mad that the other underestimate the power, that they built a huge apartment building just to spite and block the view of the church. We even got a chance to walk through an art fair! This was before the tiredness started to really hit us, and my idea of breakfast became a kinder surprise and a kitkat! (this was a very bad idea btw)

Next, we got to tour the very famous Recoleta Cemetery. Now, normally I am not typically one for cemeteries, as they often can bring thoughts of sadness throughout the day, but this was not the case. The cemetery was beautiful, as each family had purchased the most ornate of mausoleums to house their loved ones, and keep them safe even after their passing. Acres of marble and quartz ‘houses’ lined the inside of this cemetary, each displaying a unique and distinct style. One man =wanted to buried in the mountains, but due to his family’s thoughts of it being lonely, actually brought rocks from the Andes just so that his last wish could (partially) come true. Pettiness even made it to the afterlife, as one woman made a bust of herself facing in the opposite direction of her husbands statue, so that even in death they would never have to speak to one another! The scariest story we heard had to be able the woman who was believed to be buried alive!!

After the cemetery, we headed to lunch, where I had the most delicious pesto fusilli ever. It honestly almost put me to sleep, but I had to power through as we were actually at the Evita Museum! The museum was a sole dedication to Eva Peron, one of the most iconic women in all of Argentinian history. She stood for everything good, which can be seen by her grave at Recoleta, which was the ONLY one decorated with flowers and cards, showing her with love. Peronism was a very important part of Argentina history, as without it healthcare would not have become a guaranteed right for the people. Her foundation also acted as a stronghold for the safety and car of women and children, as the museum was actually a non-permanent home run by her foundation. There, woman and children in need of a short-term place to stay were welcome to live there, where the foundation would give them. check-ups and made sure they stayed safe until their problems were resolved. Although I did not honestly know much about her before, I loved learning about her story, and how she went from a simple actress to one of the most influential people of the nation.