It's a mid-sized park with an elevated freeway running across the middle of it. There's some litter, the buildings are a little shabby, and there's a lot of dirt showing through the grass.
But just into the park i noticed a cat on the grass, then another, and then more. Turns out it's a place where they let stray cats run around and presumably feed them. (There was a sign telling the public not to feed them, so hopefully someone is.) Here's a picture of some of the cats:
There is another park near me in Palermo where they keep a bunch of feral cats. I think it's a part of the city's Italian heritage. The only other place I've ever seen domestic cats peacefully lounging around in public spaces like this is in Italy. I have to say, there is something charming and civilized about it. I do love dogs, but a bunch of wild dogs running around a park certainly would not be charming.
There are a number of brick buildings built under the freeway overpass running through the park. They're a little run-down, and there's a fair amount of graffiti. But the buildings are clearly serving the public. There is some kind of youth athletic program, probably with a gym or basketball court or something. There's also a big cheap restaurant, and what appears to be the offices of some artists association. Outside the latter is a little sculpture garden, they call it a sculpture patio. I don't know for sculpture, but these seem pretty good to me:
So, Parque Chacabuco, like so much of buenos aires, is definitely a little rough around the edges, but with a whole lot of character.
No comments:
Post a Comment