Over the last month as I’ve been walking down Defensa in San Telmo I’ve felt that something was different, something was missing, but I couldn’t quite figure it out. Then I remembered that there was once an intriguing blue wall with some wonderful lettering on one street corner. Where did it go? Was I just missing it? I kept walking up and down Defensa trying to figure out the spot. Then I realized that there was this new Calma Chicha store in San Telmo with an exterior wall that suspiciously looked freshly painted.
Welcome to Palermo Telmo ….. Things change. That’s the importance of photographs and documenting the city as it is now. I went through my own photo archive to see if I had a pic of the old corner. I always had intended to take a photo of it but evidently never did. But surely someone had done so. Thus I searched through Flickr for photos tagged San Telmo. After browsing more than 1,500 photos (!) I came across this photo. Thank you Salim Virji for noticing this mural.
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Luckily, we are still far from Palermo´s fever. Besides, I wouldn´t mind getting some outer best pratices for our neighborhood (cleaner streets wouldn´t heart us!). San Telmo will remain as it is for a long time and maybe for ever. We are too far away, too south and too packed with quiet and melancholic people!
August 3rd, 2007 at 6:26 pm
have you seen the scribbles on the walls like “san telmo no es palermo” and “chetos afuera”….sadly, I am part of that gentrification….lets just pray elodio (the muralist) keeps things pretty and bright.
August 3rd, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Yep, I have seem those scribbles…
August 5th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Hi-
Your site is one of the most informitive on the real Argentina. I definitely see rapid change in San Telmo. On one hand, I love the untouched San Telmo that is trapped in time, but I also cringe everytime I see a beautiful 120 year old building collapsing from neglect. I hope that Macri will take an interst in the responsible development of San Telmo. Modern towers and the destruction of antiquated buildings will hopefully be something that is kept in Palermo. However, investment in, and renovation of the treasures of San Telmo are something that I feel is good for San Telmo and Argentina.
August 5th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Brian – thanks for your comments. I’m not so optimistic about Macri & “responsible development” but we’ll see. The city government certainly needs to take a strong interest in preserving the architecture.
Enrique – I’m all for cleaner streets, too! That will make a big difference in the city.
Lizzz – somewhere I have some photos of the “san telmo no es palermo”…hmm, that should be an upcoming post.
August 6th, 2007 at 7:31 am
[…] to the post about trendy stores coming into San Telmo is this photo of the words “This is not Palermo” scrawled on the wall of the new Puma […]