Tim's South America Tour Diary - Day 13

Went up to La Recoleta, a beautiful and mysterious cemetery in Buenos Aires that's basically a city of large and mostly very ornate tombs.

Each one is the size of a garden shed and most of them go down four or five stories below the earth. I could walk around it for hours, reading the dedications and wondering why some of them look like very chic shop fronts while some of them are in total disrepair. There must be a long, twisting story full of passions and achievements and failures attached to every single one. Many of the now-decrepit coffins are on full view and within touching distance. You feel very close to death and very aware of life. I find it an immensely sad place, but anywhere that makes you feel anything deeply is to be treasured I think. 

Played football in the afternoon. A kick around on a baking hot day with the sun on your bare back has got to be one of life's purest pleasures. 

Had a lovely early-evening promenade around Palermo Viejo, which is a really vibey and energised part of town. Reminds me of Berlin. 

It's Tom's birthday so everyone gathers for a big dinner. The hotel produce a huge birthday cake, but since we're all totally stuffed Tom asks them to cut it into as many pieces as they can and dishes it out to the crowd of fans who are still camped outside the hotel after three days. We're going to miss Argentina.