Thursday, January 8, 2015

Reisverslag: Buenos Aires - Deel VII

© WonderWorld


DEEL VII

Media luna

So kom ons aan in Buenos Aires. Die vlug is vol stampe en stote.

Langs my op die vlug sit 'n bejaarde vrou. Ek vertel haar van my plan om Borges se voetspore te volg in die stad.

Sy glimlag. Wonderlike idee. Sy het in die area waar sy gewoon het, hom dikwels sien stap. Sy glimlag skalks. In die Avenue Esmeralda. Later die middag sien ek op die internet dat 'n private toer beskikbaar is.

Jorge Luis Borges © Eduardo Di Baia
THE BUENOS AIRES OF BORGES AND CORTAZAR 
Private tour in Buenos AiresTour Price : Ask me Duration : 3 hours Languages: Spanish, English The rich culture and thriving intellectual community of Buenos Aires had great influence on the works of two of Argentina’s most well-known writers, Jorge Luis Borges and Julio Cortazar. Excursion with private guide in Buenos Aires. This interesting guided tour in Buenos Aires becomes a path of discovery as we visit the scenes that shaped their writing.We will visit some of the real streets and buildings that were settings for some of Borges’ surrealist short stories of science fiction and magic realism. Our guided tour through Buenos Aires will take us to the different houses where he lived with his mother, and we’ll get to know the library where he worked. Tour in Buenos Aires. We’ll also go to the bookstores and cafes where he would spend his days, and tour the location for the setting of one of his most famous works, “The Aleph”.  Our walking tour in Buenos Aires takes us along the streets of Palermo Viejo, where Borges asserts the mythical foundation of the Buenos Aires occurred.During our guided tour of Buenos Aires we will discover some of the places where Jules Cortazar worked and expressed his political views. We’ll see the settings of some of his stories, and the beautiful building he used as a setting for his “Cave of Treasure”. 
Additional information 
Tour information:Tour Price: Ask meDuration: 3 hoursLanguages: Spanish, English 
Tour package includes:Airport Transfer: NOHotel pick-up: YESDrop-off : YESTour Transportation (car, van, limo, boat, etc…): YESFood and Drinks : NO
Other services (fees apply):Attraction tickets (concerts, theater, museum, circus...): YESTranslation services: NOReservations (hotels, restaurants, airline): NOVisa support: NO
Additional information:This tour must be booked at least 7 days in advance of your travel date: NOTour groups must include a minimum of 2 passengers: YESTour prices are flexible and based on your requirements: YES

Het ons lus hiervoor? Of eerder self die plekke uitsnuffel? 'n Mens kan dikwels 'n boel geld betaal en ontdek jy weet meer as die gids.

Skare in Trafalgar Plein, London, hou penne omhoog in protes 
teen die aanval in Parys. © Nicholas Keyworth


Dan ontvang ek die nuus van die dood van die satirici in Parys. 'n Daad van terrorisme. My soektog na Borges word skielik onderbreek. Televisie wys oor en oor hoe die terroriste toeslaan. Verskillende kenners lug hul mening. Daar word selfs 'n cartoon gewys van Michel Houellebecq en hoe hy in sy roman kritiek uitgespreek op Islam. Soumission heet dit.

© Damien Meyer/AFP/GETTY

Die aand op die dak van die hotel sien ek 'n spinnekop in 'n web ... En ja hoe simbolies was daardie likkewaan wat oor die pad geloop het in Iguasso nie!

Die hele wêreld neem standpunt in teen die slagting. Je suis Charlie word 'n slagspreuk vir die vryheid van spraak, vir standpunt inneem teen hierdie terroristiese daad.

Ek lees al die verslae, die weersin - en besluit nou moet ek voortgaan met my reis en fokus op my soektog na Borges se wandelpad.

Oppas vir skelms, oppas vir skelmstreke. Sit jou rugsak voor op jou maag en nie op jou rug nie. Hier sny hulle dit sommer met 'n mes af. En wees op die uitkyk vir vervalste geld. Die hotelbestuurder merk elke 100 peso-noot met 'n geel koki om te waarmerk dit is reg ...

Reg voor die 725 Continental hotel staan daar 'n oopdakbus. So sal ek die dag aanpak en eers probeer om my balans te herwin na die skokkende nuus.

Joan Hambidge