South Metope 1 from the Parthenon

South Metope 1 was recently taken down from the Parthenon and is now on display at the Acropolis Museum. I was struck by how it looked at different angles. From the sign: The metopes of the Parthenon were the first architectural sculptures to be fixed on the temple during its construction. The Centauromachy, or battle of the Centaurs, a favourite subject of the Athenians, metaphorically depicts the fierce struggle between civilisation and barbarism. South metope 1 was taken down from the Parthenon very recently, after 25 centuries, to be preserved and exhibited at the Museum. The Centaur dominates the scene …

Parthenon

Christopher Hitchens: “The one building in the world which may be assessed as absolutely right. The ‘rightness’ is located somewhere between the beauty of science and the science of beauty.”

Dia de la Revolucion

Back in November, I happened to be in San Miguel de Allende (Mexico) during the Dia de la Revolucion festivities.  Here’s what I saw.                          

Street Art in Buenos Aires

All around Buenos Aires, you stumble across huge murals – each with a unique voice and subject.   If you happen to be in the city, Graffitimundo does an excellent tour…                          

Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo

Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo is an association of Argentine mothers whose children were the desaperacidos during the military dictatorship of 1976 to 1983. Beginning 10 years ago, these women would regularly meet in the Plaza de Mayo, each wearing a head scarf with her vanished child’s name. Now every week, they continue to march.  And each week, portenos young and old as well as tourists from near and far bear witness to their protest.

Las Pampas

Gauchos are the cowboys of the pampas.  In the estancias of San Antonio de Arecas, outside of Buenos Aires, you can still see some of the gaucho traditions.