1 62 To the River I 'kite and Back 



thing of it. It is full of contrasts such as arc found in 

 every metropolitan center. The architecture in those 

 portions which are not devoted to business and traffic is 

 somewhat monotonous, as I have already intimated, 

 but there are multitudes of imposing buildings pos- 

 sessing architectural charm. There are many parks 

 both large and small, and care has been taken to plant 

 in them such trees and shrubs as are adapted to the 

 soil and climate. Palms imported from the north and 

 from the region of the Mediterranean appear to do' well. 

 The suburbs of Palermo and Belgrano are very attrac- 

 tive and are adorned by many beautiful and costly 

 villas surrounded by well-kept lawns and tasteful 

 gardens. 



The Argentines are a pleasure-loving people, as is 

 attested by the number of places of amusement which 

 are to be found. The Colon Theater is the largest 

 opera-house in South America and in fact in the world, 

 surpassing in size and in the splendor of its interior 

 decoration the great Opera-house in Paris. To it come 

 most of the great operatic artists of the day, and to suc- 

 ceed upon the stage in Buenos Aires is a passport to suc- 

 cess in Madrid, London, and New York. In contrast 

 with the Colon Theatre may be put a hut which was 

 found in the suburbs made out of old oil-cans, rescued 

 from a dumping-place close at hand. The cans had been 

 filled with earth and then piled up one upon the other 

 to form four low walls. The edifice was then covered 

 over with old roofing-tin, which likewise had been 

 picked up upon the dump. The structure formed the 

 sleeping apartment of an immigrant laborer, whose 

 resourcefulness exceeded his resources. His kitchen 

 had the sky for a roof ; his pantry consisted of a couple 

 of pails covered with pieces of board. Who can pre- 



