On Wednesday 22 Febuary, the people of Buenos Aires went back to work after a long (Carnival) weekend. In the morning rush hour a train loaded with commuters drove into the train station of "Once" (centre of Buenos Aires) but failed to stop. The train crashed into the end of the platform and the wagons crashed into each other. There were 50 people killed and 600 wounded. This train crash is the worst train crash since 40 years ago. The whole day it was in the news, the many relatives and fathers and mothers were angry since they said that they did not get any information of where their sons, daughters and friends were, in hospital or dead?
I also found it very scary since we were there just some days before, when we went to Plaza Misere (where the station 'Once' is) to take the train to the Bolivian area.
The real reason of the accident is not officially known yet, but the Portenos say that it is due to lack of maintenance of the train (brakes) -as so many things here in the city are not so well maintained.
INTERVIEW WITH TONY LEON
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On Thursday 23rd February I was lucky to visit the ambassador of South Africa in Argentina, Mr Tony Leon. In an interview I had with him (Steven came with me to take photos) he told me that he was born in Durban, South Africa born on 15th December 1956 and that he lives now with his wife in Argentina. He has also 2 children in South Africa at the University of Cape Town. Mr Leon has been the ambassador of South Africa in Argentina/Paraguay and Uruguay since September 2009.
He confirmed that there were no South Africans or South African tourists in the train crash from the day before, because the train came from the west where there is not much to see or to do for the tourists.
He explained to me why South Africa was important for Argentina and why Argentina is important to South
Africa. South Africa exports mainly coal to Argentina
and Argentina exports soy-beans to South Africa.
Africa. South Africa exports mainly coal to Argentina
and Argentina exports soy-beans to South Africa.
Mr Leon found the Economy of Argentina an interesting challenge and the level of price inflation concerning. (I also noticed that the -chocolate-milk and the bus-fare is more expensive now than 2 months ago when we arrived here).
Not many people in Argentina know South Africa, so he is promoting South Africa through Publicity, internet, and via WC soccer to journalists. Tourism did improve the last few years. Mr Leon was writing for the Sunday Times and Business Day - a more formal newspaper which they sell on good street stands. There is also a English newspaper called Daily Buenos Aires. Of course I wanted to know what he personally missed most from his home country (see if he feels the same as I do?!) The things that Mr Leon misses most from South Africa are: Languages (I must also say that I hardly ever hear the English language in the streets and shops), many different cultures, English books, English spoken theater, modern gadgets (i-phones are very rare here) and he misses the basic food things, like toasted cheese sandwich.
When I googled 'Tony Leon' I saw that he was involved
in the politics of South Africa when it became a democracy in 1994. So when he was so involved with
his home country South Africa, how is it to live now in another country? Mr Leon says that " If you want to appreciate your own country, you have to go to another country.!!!!
Gracias, Thank You, Baie Dankie Mr Leon.
Photos done by Steven
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