Today, we finally had time to explore Argentina on our own. Since our walking tour didn’t start until 1:30 p.m., a bunch of us woke up early to head back to La Boca to walk around and get gifts for our friends and family, along with a couple of souvenirs for ourselves. My favorite shop Carteras Espejismo that sells beautiful leather bags stained in different colors, with designs of flowers, birds, and butterflies. I had already bought a bag for myself last Tuesday when we were there for a tour, so this time I just browsed, helped people pick out bags, and got a couple of keychains!
After shopping, we met up with the rest of the group at the hotel and headed out for our walking tour. The tour was fun, and we passed by some places we had seen on our earlier walks during the trip. It was interesting to hear the history behind some of the buildings. We also got a lot of great restaurant recommendations! From there, we walked to Recoleta and visited the cemetery. While it was a little spooky, the architecture of many of the graves was beautiful, and we saw the graves of some important figures in Argentinian history, such as Juan and Eva Perón.
Juan Perón played an important role in developing Argentina’s healthcare system by creating the Ministry of Health in 1946 and introducing reforms focused on preventive care and disease eradication. His government guaranteed free healthcare as a right, built numerous hospitals and clinics, and improved access for the working class and rural populations. Perón also strengthened the Obras Sociales by expanding their role in providing medical coverage to unionized workers and their families, and by promoting union control over these funds. Eva Perón further supported these efforts through the Eva Perón Foundation, which provided hospitals, medicine, and direct aid to the poor, making healthcare a cornerstone of Peronist social policy.
After the tour, we had time to walk through an outdoor market and bought a few more things. I picked up some jewelry! It was easy to get overwhelmed by all the options, but I’m really happy with the pieces I chose. Finally we got some dinner and headed back. Today was a very much needed relaxing day and now I’m ready and prepped for tomorrow!
