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The central business and shopping district (Microcentro) is centered around the Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada – it was from this central balcony that Eva Peron would address the thousands of Peronists, ‘the shirtless ones’ – we weren’t shirtless (not since Mexico) but a tune or two did swirl around in my head as we marched off towards the massive Avenida 9 de Julio, which has no less than 18 lanes of traffic and forms an imposing western boundary to  the city centre. It’s impossible to appreciate the scale without either being in a helicopter or being perched on top of one of the many buildings that line it. Must investigate a roof-top bar with a view and report. BTW, the reason for the spookily empty streets is the impending Youth Olympic Games which starts here in BA on the 10^thOctober – with massive stadium-like staging being erected in the middle of the Avenida.

A few other oddities along the way today – street benches that look like comfy upholstered ottomans, turn out to be concrete; an 18^thCentury Church with a handy confessional for lunch time drop ins – with the priest hiding a racy novel behind a sacred text (perhaps)… and a British Curry House called MASH, also on Defensa, our destination for dinner this evening.