Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Day 136 - The Plazuela Blacut

The Plazuela Blacut (Blah-coot)

For a while I have been meaning to introduce you to the little Plaza around the corner from my house.  I couldn’t find a lot of information on the internet about this plaza, but it is always occupied.  The trees are beautiful and shady.  There are dozens of benches, all of which affords a shady place to rest your feet, or to watch your kids play.


In the center is this statue of a charging soldier.  It seems so out of place in this peaceful haven.  A statue of Mother Teresa or Saint Francis would seem more at home here.  Also in the middle is a giant mango tree.  Today the plaza was carpeted with mangos.  If you love mangos, come to Bolivia and grow your own.



To the north on Calle Diego de Mendoza is a branch of the Banco Nacional, and behind it is a skyscraper that is just bones.  I was told it was condemned during the building process and it has now sat there for years.  It is such a cool structure that some architect needs to come in and figure out how to make it work.  On the northeast corner of the plaza is this amazing tree with roots hanging down from the branches. 



The street on the east is Rene Moreno.  If you follow this street for another 10 blocks you arrive on the main plaza, the Plaza 24 de Septiembre.  The main occupant on this side of the plaza is the Fidalga, one of the grocery chains in Santa Cruz.  It is a different store than in the 80s, but I remember the store on this spot was the first air conditioned grocery store that I knew of in Santa Cruz.  You can get just about anything in this mini Wal-Mart.  I discovered the other day that they have a bank window in the store where I can pay my gas, electric, and internet bills.  And they have a lunch counter, so if I don’t want to cook, I can come here.  Also on this side of the street are several little food shops, Burger King, and an ice cream parlor called Picolo. 





On the southern side, on Calle Andres Manso.  There is a beautiful house here that has a gorgeous garden.  This is the house that I pass by and become intoxicated on the jasmine smell, because the fence is covered in jasmine.  And on the corner is the Banco Ganadero, where I go to pay rent once a month.




The western side of the plaza is occupied by the busy Avenida Velarde.  This street is Restaurant Avenue.  There are lots of fancy restaurants, as well as Papa John’s and Starbucks.  Immediately across the street from the plaza is Tigo, a phone store; Cosmic Bowling; the Hipermaxi, another grocery store that has good meat, cheese, and produce; and the ugly wall of the New Tribes Mission House, a comfortable place for missionaries that work far from the city to stay and buy supplies.  It is just the wall that is ugly, inside is a beautiful missionary compound.





So that is my little plaza.  What do you think?

No comments:

Post a Comment

July 8, 2017 - Monte Blanco

Monte Blanco  Imagine sitting on a hill, under the blue skies with green farmlands stretched before you, surrounded by the hills of the ...