Possibly sketchy ...
Busy day so far. We've been at two demonstrations and nearly got arrested in a third situation!
Don't worry, Mommy and Daddy, we're fine. The first demonstration appeared to be a bunch of housewives campaigning to get another woman set free, the second was the well known Mothers of the Disappeared (more on that later, it's a pretty intense story).
But the third instance, just in case: Rebecca and I were standing outside the bank (an HSBC, nonetheless) waiting for the Third Musketeer to get some money at the ATM. It´s a grim, oppressive fall day here in Buenos Aires, and I was taking a picture of the leaves falling from the trees with these gorgeous scary-looking buildings in the background when out of nowhere a Police badge was flashed in my face.
Now let´s be clear that I have read about this happening and it happened in Cuba also so I wasn't too surprised. He was dressed in a suit and he informed me that I can't take pictures there. Apparently because we had big bags and my camera isn't just a little snapshot one he had noticed us. Why exactly I can't take a picture of a building opposite a bank remains unclear to me, but I wasn't too bothered by it and put my camera away - then he asked us for ID.
Now of course a little red flag went up. Becca and I both gave him our drivers licenses and he took out a piece of scrap paper (not a nice official-looking notebook) and wrote down a bunch of info. Almost immediately we were kicking ourselves, why hadn't we just said we had no ID on us? There were three or four Buenos Aires policemen standing about five feet away watching us and smirking, and I didn't like it - I didn't think we were in any danger, but it definitely wasn't right. (I mean, really. No girl likes it when a bunch of guys are standing next to her and smirking at her.)
So we asked the guy for his info as well. At first he didn't want to give it to us but Becca went off on him a bit so he pulled it out, though he wouldn't let me hold it. So, just in case, I want to post it here: Arnaldo Daniel Escobar, Agente de Policia Federal Argentina, legajo N. 16174. Bs.As. 07-11-2001.
Again, Mom and Dad, stop worrying! Nicole got stopped by the Police for taking a picture in Havana and they actually took her roll of film out of the camera, but they didn't do anything more, and I really feel a helluva lot safer here than I did there. I'm not worried, it all looked legit, we just really didn't like the guy (and apparently Becca has recently seen Brokedown Palace), so I'm just posting his info here just in case.
And now we're going to go shopping (again) on Avenida Florida, a pedestrian street that's supposed to have some of the best shopping in BA (could it really get better than what we've already seen?). So more on the Mothers later - it's such a sad story!
Don't worry, Mommy and Daddy, we're fine. The first demonstration appeared to be a bunch of housewives campaigning to get another woman set free, the second was the well known Mothers of the Disappeared (more on that later, it's a pretty intense story).
But the third instance, just in case: Rebecca and I were standing outside the bank (an HSBC, nonetheless) waiting for the Third Musketeer to get some money at the ATM. It´s a grim, oppressive fall day here in Buenos Aires, and I was taking a picture of the leaves falling from the trees with these gorgeous scary-looking buildings in the background when out of nowhere a Police badge was flashed in my face.
Now let´s be clear that I have read about this happening and it happened in Cuba also so I wasn't too surprised. He was dressed in a suit and he informed me that I can't take pictures there. Apparently because we had big bags and my camera isn't just a little snapshot one he had noticed us. Why exactly I can't take a picture of a building opposite a bank remains unclear to me, but I wasn't too bothered by it and put my camera away - then he asked us for ID.
Now of course a little red flag went up. Becca and I both gave him our drivers licenses and he took out a piece of scrap paper (not a nice official-looking notebook) and wrote down a bunch of info. Almost immediately we were kicking ourselves, why hadn't we just said we had no ID on us? There were three or four Buenos Aires policemen standing about five feet away watching us and smirking, and I didn't like it - I didn't think we were in any danger, but it definitely wasn't right. (I mean, really. No girl likes it when a bunch of guys are standing next to her and smirking at her.)
So we asked the guy for his info as well. At first he didn't want to give it to us but Becca went off on him a bit so he pulled it out, though he wouldn't let me hold it. So, just in case, I want to post it here: Arnaldo Daniel Escobar, Agente de Policia Federal Argentina, legajo N. 16174. Bs.As. 07-11-2001.
Again, Mom and Dad, stop worrying! Nicole got stopped by the Police for taking a picture in Havana and they actually took her roll of film out of the camera, but they didn't do anything more, and I really feel a helluva lot safer here than I did there. I'm not worried, it all looked legit, we just really didn't like the guy (and apparently Becca has recently seen Brokedown Palace), so I'm just posting his info here just in case.
And now we're going to go shopping (again) on Avenida Florida, a pedestrian street that's supposed to have some of the best shopping in BA (could it really get better than what we've already seen?). So more on the Mothers later - it's such a sad story!
posted by SarahT at 4:30 pm
2 Comments:
Sarah, obviously this is of concern to us!!! Did you give him the address of where you are staying? You girls need to be very careful in what you do - the "Mothers" are a perfect example of what can happen to people!!! Please, Please Please honey, make sure you lock up etc. and BE SMART about where you are going and what you are joining! Am going to try to call you! Love and hugs, mom xxxxxxxx
Mom the children of the Mothers were kidnapped during a military dictatorship in the 1970s, this is some random guy trying to be a jerk to three obviously tourist girls. It's hardly the same thing! The guy at the American embassy said he was probably trying to hit on us (best pick-up line I've ever gotten, that's for sure). So stop worrying! We're fine!
Post a Comment
<< Home