Paseo de la Historieta

I'm a big fan of animation, comic books, and graphic novels, which are known as historietas in Spanish. I especially love the Latin American fascination with this form of expression. The Paseo de la Historieta, the "Animation Walk" or "Comic Book Walk," features more than a dozen life-sized statues of some of the biggest names in Argentine comics. They all stand out on the sidewalk in a colorful splendor that blurs the line between comics and reality.

Mafalda sits on a bench, blending into the street corner scene. People line up all day long to sit next to her and have their pictures taken. Don Fulgencio carries a big bouquet of balloons that seem ready to fly away. The Chicas Divito sit out on the sidewalk, the creation of Guillermo Divito in an homage to the beauty and femininity of Argentine women. Clemente, an armless futbol fan of indeterminate species, sits on a bench in front of a representation of his catch phrase TIREN PAPELITOS MUCHACHOS! (THROW CONFETTI BOYS!).

I walked slowly through the neighborhood, taking in the Paseo de la Historieta and the other sights of San Telmo. Then it was time to drop off the wad of cash in my pocket.

After stopping at the apartment, I made a quick trip to Plaza Dorrego for lunch, where I feasted on a Lomito Completo, a classic Argentine sandwich. It's basically a steak sandwich, with a thinly sliced piece of steak on a roll. What makes it completo is the addition of ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Add some thickly cut steak fries and it makes a very hearty lunch.

Lomito Completo, a steak sandwich with ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomato

After lunch, it was time for a long hike into nature, a natural world that was within sight of the towers of Buenos Aires. Just a short walk from San Telmo is the Reserva Ecológica Costanera del Sur, a vast park that protects some of the fragile wetlands along the Rio de la Plata.

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