The Borges Plaza

Down brick laid streets, canopied in birch and oak trees, lies the Borges plaza,  a unique little place in my neighborhood where so much transpires.   You should think the 1930s, because quite frankly, with everything in Argentina, you should think of this time period when things were alive, blossoming and Europeans were seeking Argentina out as a dream destination.   But, while you think 1930s, add 2020,  the trendy 60 year olds in one corner dressed in flowy cotton pants and white shirts are doing Tai chi.  And while we're on 2020, go back 30 years to the early 90s,  those are the teenagers lurking around the central fountain in the plaza, lying in one another's laps, dressed slightly goth, slightly grunge, looking for love and/or trouble.  So back to the 30s, which would be the place, my son and I spend most of our time, the playground.  There is a carousel, imagine creepy amusement park, old metallic forms of transportation, parts literally hanging by a thread or actually so decrepit that they fall off, and tacky colors, meaning too many of them.  Whether it be a preschool, or a playground, Argentines love their colors but the schemes are never aesthetically pleasing.   How can a city that built one of the most stunning downtowns in the world fall apart when it comes to playground equipment?  And oh how it does.   Beside the carousel, is a little 3 meter by 3 meter cage, filled with balls, that my son goes into, and with the slightly anal retentiveness of his mother, often proceeds to pick out all the broken balls and put them in the corner because he believes they should be taken out of the ball pit.  Finally, there is a sand pit, often filled with someone's left toys and very dirty small children, so of course my toddler gravitates there. Fortunately, today, he just wanted to slide, but still we ended up covered in sand, warranting this evening's bath.   The plaza is a weekly event and a charming little bike ride away, a trip back in time, and a reminder of how the kids of this generation still just need simple fun.