Day Two

So today we started our day with taking a city tour of Buenos Aires. Now of course this was an abbreviated tour seeming how Buenos Aires is a city of 13 million people... there is a lot to see in this city! One thing that has caught my eye is all the grafitti.
I love grafitti! I don't know why but it just seems interesting to me. Not just the regular tagging of walls but there are some amazing work out there just spray painted onto public street walls. This picture however isn't one of those beautiful works... but it is russian! It actually says "I love you" in russian. I thought it was funny, so here it is.
















Our first tour stop was at a new public park. Here they have recently installed a moving sculpture of a tulip. This has now become the symbol of the city of Buenos Aires. It is huge! And it opens during the day and closes at night, just like a real flower.

Our second stop was at the largest cemetary in the world! Now this isn't your typicall cemetary with all the tomb stones, this cemetary is full of these large beautiful mosoleums. Now of course when we talk about largest... we also have to consider not only the square feet on ground but underground also!

Of course only the rich and famous could ever afford a mosoleum in this cemetary. Anybody whos somebody in Argentina is buried here... including the ever famous Eva Peron.

I like this photo just because its interesting... this is us looking into one of the mosoleums... there is beautiful stain glass inside the glass doors.























Our next stop was on of the most famous bookstores in the world. It was converted from the old opera house. There are a ton of books and lots of places to sit and read... thats for sure!

















We also stopped at one of the largest and most beautiful Catholic churchs in the area. It was amazing, not only for the architecture but because of something else. I was so used to being a tourist at this point, I didn't realize that people where actually there to worship! There were people sitting and praying, singing to themselves and gazing upon the statues of Jesus. I was so taken back at one point it just about brought me to tears. I was so wrapped up in my little art world with my liberal art buddies that I almost forgot really what it was all about. I followed around this one woman who went room to room worshiping at each statue, listening to her sing, and praying to herself. Watching her I was able to refocus myself and take a moment to say a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings God has showered upon me to be enjoying this experience and knowing what it really is all about... despite all my extremely liberal classmates.

Here you can see the woman's reflection as she is raising her hands to Jesus. There is also a little hole in the plastic case the wraps around Jesus so you can touch his feet while praying.

I included this last little picture because I love this older couple walking and holding hands. Such love! :o)





















Tomorrow we start our first day of working in the print shop.
What an amazing thing to experience and what a blessing God has given me. What a blessing He has given us all... His love and mercy. Keep that in mind to give you perspective. I know I will... when I am grumpy, missing home, tired, culture shocked (which I have been every single one of those today). I have been blessed.