Buenos Aires at Last!

Well, I am on the last leg of my swing through America Latina. I arrived here in Buenos Aires from Asuncion. The airport run in Asuncion was without incident. It took about forty minutes in the dawdling traffic of a slow Asuncion Saturday. The airport is tiny. No milling crowds. There were only two flights last night, one to Sao Paulo and the other, mine, a TAM flight to Buenos Aires.

It was a clear moonlit night and I had the aisle seat. The moon was full, a harvest moon, and it spread a silver sheen on the waters of the Rio Parana that flows into the Rio de la Plata. I was fascinated watching the occasional flash of moon on water as we flew down to Buenos Aires. The whole area is a web of rivers, meanderings, and lakes. I am looking forward to my first real sight of the Rio de la Plata today.

Ferdi Foley met me of the flight. The new pro-tourism policy of the Argentinian Government meant that for once I was first out of the tiny tourist immigration line. No problems. My bag arrived quickly. Since arriving in America Latina I take the precaution of availing of the pleastic wrap service at the airports to prevent interference with my bag. It costs from $6 to $8 but the peace of mine is well worth the small outlay. The machine effectively shrink wraps the case in blue plastic. It would take determination and a sharp knife to get through it.

Buenos Aires from the air is a sight to behold. It is an enormous city by any standards. Twelve million people live here. The first shock was on the ride across the city to the house. It was like being back in Europe, fast motorway lanes, toll booths, tall buildings, neon signs and a sense of order and purpose. Not a shanty town in sight.

An even bigger shock awaits you when you arrive at Colegio Cardinal Newman. There is a sprucely uniformed young man to open the door. The place positively gleams and the smell of polish hangs in the air. Once inside the Brother's residence, one could be forgiven for thinking that one was back in Ireland. The language is English and the conversation is about home. I have been speaking Spanish so much in the last few weeks that it was difficult for me to switch over at first.

In the house at present are Jim Doherty, Ferdi Foley and Stan Hayes. Hubert Wall is in Israel. Paddy Keohane was at table but he lives in another house. A priest from Doon was staying overnight before flying off this morning. Which means that we got Mass in bright and early at 8.00 o'clock.

Juan Casey was also in the house. He left this morning for the airport with the SVD priest. Juan is flying back this morning to Cochabamba, not a direct flight since he will be on the ground in Asuncion for about thirty minutes.

This week I am crossing the Rio de la Plata to Montevideo with Ferdi Foley. It should be an interesting experience, crossing the wide expanse of water that was the location for the famous duel between the HMS Hood and the Bismarck during WWII.