6 ways to have fun in a cemetery

December 30, 2010 § Leave a comment

Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires. Iconic, majestic, eerie. Final resting place (after many detours) for Evita’s remains. There is not a whole lot else for me to say about the cemetery, and we did not have a particularly notable visit, but don’t let the lack of words fool you – this requisite tourist stop is still a MUST.

We went one lovely Satuday afternoon along with one of Joe’s friends from Spanish school, with the blue sky making the perfect backdrop. Besides gawking at the picturesque statues, there are other fun things to do inside the cemetery.

1. CAPTURE your reflection in the marble and glass surfaces.

2. REACH for the sides of the narrow passageways.

3. SPOT signs of life. Even in the midst of death, you can find greenery growing, birds perching, and cats roaming (and apparently, as the signs warned, mosquitoes carrying dengue).

4. PONDER the legacies of abandoned tombs – what happened to the family such that there is no longer any maintenance on some decrepit tombs? Not only do you have to be famous or have a respectable name to be buried here, but the cost itself is said to exceed a life of luxury in Buenos Aires. No wonder some people’s fortunes seem to have run out without provision for grave upkeep.

5. PEER inside at the elaborate offerings accompanying the bodies. You might see flowers, photos, and even multi- storied buildings that continue underground.

6. WAIT in line at Evita’s tomb. You’re already here on the tourist circuit, so you might as well join the crowds and check this item off your list.

See the whole album here.

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