The bright red bridge against the beautiful blue sky caught my eye in the evening as we walked to the bus stop for the short ride back to our apartment. We had spent a lazy afternoon roaming the streets, poking into shops and getting to know one of the most photographed neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.

 

 

A landmark of sorts, located at the corner of  Avenida Paseo Colon and Almirante Brown, this work of art provides a glimpse of what is to come as you enter La Boca.

These full-sized characters protruding from the windows or standing on the wrought iron balconies create an artistic scene reminiscent of a Broadway play. Buenos Aires is a city full of street art, and here in La Boca they go for the smash hit on every corner.

 

 

As we strolled the streets, we encountered one scene after another. Sometimes the surreal nature of the art is illustrated by the juxtaposition of the real and the art as in the piece below.

 

 

A young woman and her baby were hardly distinguishable from the art.

And can you see Betsy below?

We continued to explore…

We happened by the local fire department and were invited in to snap this photo, our language skills not refined enough to ask about the cannon in the left foreground. I didn’t know how to ask if it was a water cannon… (sorry).

This area of the city is particularly renowned for Tango, and the passion of the dance is embraced in this mural.

If there is one thing this barrio thrives on, it is the Club Boca Juniors soccer team, one of the most important in Argentina. The Bombonera (chocolate box), seats more than 50,000 spectators and is a landmark. The Boca Juniors is regarded as the working class club in contrast to its cross-town archrival Club Atlético River Plate.

Beyond the brightly colored buildings and the fantastic murals and street art, there is a Fine Arts Museum founded by Benito Quinquela Martín. His life story is that of a man from humble beginnings who became famous and gave back to his community.

So there you have it — a taste of La Boca; you will find it all here, food, art, natural beauty, a gritty urban environment, and Tango. I leave you with this…

While walking through Boca last Thursday, I poked my head into a particularly interesting bar/restaurant and noticed a filming take place of this singer and piano player. I didn’t catch their names but oh, the music…