I came across this bike tour on the Internet, but later saw it in my lonely planet guide, offered by Biking Buenos Aires. They also offer the usual city tours, but all on ‘bici’ or bicycle. This sounded too different and interesting to pass up so I got the last spot on Sunday’s tour. I walked through the botanic garden just before the tour and the batteries on my camera bit the dust, OMG! I’m about to go on an art tour and my camera dies …. there has to be a kiosko nearby, there is a zoo and another garden within the same few blocks, what’s the word for ‘battery’ in Spanish? Pppppp something ….. Ohhhh there’s the kiosko across the street, well I can’t remember, I just pull the batteries out of my camera and show the women behind the counter and ask her if she has any? She is awesome and my camera is working for the tour, oh ‘pila’ is battery en español! Won’t forget that! Enjoy the art!
The tour followed city bike paths through Villa Crespo and parts of Palermo, I wasn’t exactly sure where I was. We also had a great opportunity to see the artists at work. The graffiti culture and attitude is somewhat different here and once a wall has been given over to the artists they work during the day, with family and friends joining in the activity. Many of the artists are graphic designers, fashion designers, architects and some just started out tagging walls. Our guides were really great and offered just the right amount of relevant historic information and background to help put the art in context. The 4 hour tour was an easy pace, the weather and day terrific all round!
Yeah !! What a great tour. Some of the graphite type art looked very similar to the American versions; I guess The BA artists get to see magazines and video’s of what is going on in America. The other art has interesting subjects, different to what I’ve seen here; light, political, dark. I liked the one of the yellow jersey cyclist. It had a Matisse like sense to it.
Wow, Brig, sounds like you are having great adventures – keep enjoying yourself!