Trains and Soccer. I found a short-cut to the bus line that takes me to Flores where I have my spanish lessons a couple times a week. It takes me across these train tracks just a couple blocks away from my apartment and past the stadium of the soccer club 'Ferrocarril' (the literal translation of the word is 'steel rails' but it means railroad or train). You can make out the stadium in the photo above, and see it more clearly in the photo below.

I like the fact that the team is just named Railroad (technically, Railroad West) and its spirit. It was founded over a hundred years ago by the railroad workers (hence the name) and was a premier league team in the 80s when it won a national championship. It has been a mediocre B league team for a while now. The interesting thing about soccer clubs in Argentina is that many of them really are 'clubs' associated with professional sports teams (Ferro also has basketball and volleyball teams). For example, the whole two blocks after the tracks (along F. Garcia Lorca) is all either owned by or associated with Ferro. There's the stadium, then a paddle tennis club across the street from it that also has a big shaded patio/restaurant where you can get grilled steak on the weekends (we ate there a couple weekends ago ... see below),

then clay tennis courts a little further down the street, and then a big old mansion-like club house that has summer camp and activities for toddlers among other things. It's like an Argentinian version of an east coast beach or golf club, except it looks as if it's slowly falling apart (see the broken shutters in the pic above?) Everyone knows each other (I think we were the only ones eating that weren't part of the club) and everyone's soccer team is Ferro. Little kids wear their miniature soccer jerseys on the street and the spirit of the whole little neighborhood exudes the team. But Ferro isn't as successful and therefore doesn't have the resources of the best premier league teams. For example, I asked around where I could find a jersey or tshirt with the team's name and logo. A security guard at the entrance to the club told me there was a store on the corner of Neuquen and Espinosa. I went there yesterday and didn't see it, so I asked at a newspaper stand on the corner and they directed me to a little shop that sells school supplies and trinkets for kids. In the back of that shop there were some coffee mugs, banners and such, but no jerseys. The woman working there told me they might have some this coming week once the new season starts.

It's entertaining just to sit at the intersection and watch the trains go by.

Through the door of a mausoleum in Cemeterio Recoleta where Eva Peron is buried.