Buenos Aires Japanese Garden

Karen and I took advantage of the 6 day Feriado (holiday) for Easter and some Historical days  and went to see the Japanese Gardens in Buenos Aires.  We were able to catch Colectivo 67 just across the street and down a block from our apartment building on Santa Fe and it dropped us off Just off Sarmiento and Libertador on Caseres in the 3 de Febrero Parque area. On the way back we had to cross Av. Pte Figueroa Alcorta and walk a block or two to get to the bus parada(stop).  I'm so glad that Karen has the sense of direction that I so lack! I'm pretty good with a map or the Guia T though!

Japanese Garden in Commemoration of the visit to Argentina of Crown Prince Arihito and Princess Michiko, 15 May 1967

I really loved the bamboo fountain at the entry into the Japanese Garden.

The Green Bamboo fills to a certain amount with water and...

...begins to lower...

....and lower...

...until it dumps the water and goes back to its original position for another refill.

There was a zigzag bridge and an Arched Japanese bridge on the  lake.

Beautiful garden sculptures near the Japanese Bridge

Me on the Japanese Bridge.  I'm glad I wore red...I match!

View from the Japanese bridge

People feeding the Coy from the zigzag bridge.  Can you see the little boy and his dad on the far right.  He was having so much fun dropping the fish food into the water.

A view of both bridges

The Tea House Plaque

Karen on the path to the Tea House

 A path made of slices from a tree is not easy for a person with a cane and balance problems to walk on. 

Ready for the Tea Ceremony

..and music.

I loved the Coy Flags on the flagpole outside the Restaurant.

Japanese Restaurant and Visitor's Center.  

The entire garden was so peaceful and beautiful.  No graffiti, everything manicured perfectly.  There was lots of staff, all Japanese, to keep things nice and help you.  Glad I remembered how to say Domo Arigato!

The restaurant was very nice.  Prices a bit on the high side for me, but from what I could see, a very nice restaurant.  Neither Karen nor I are as fond of Japanese food as we are of Chinese food so we passed on lunch here.  I did see them making Sushi and the menu had a lot of variety, all Japanese food.

This checkerboard pattern was on the lawn to the right of the restaurant and in front of the Greenhouse

 The Greenhouse was full of beautiful plants and flowers.  I thought the prices were very reasonable considering the excellent quality of the plants and comparing them to what I have seen at Easy and street stands, even one other nursery we visited down on Scalabrini Ortiz.

Pensamientos (Pansies) and Lavandria (Lavender) 

For you flower lovers here's a link to flower and garden vocabulary in Spanish:

http://www.lingolex.com/swom/wom-flowers.htm

Of course there were lots of Bonsai trees!

They even had Bonsai Lemon Trees!

I know the one with the orange berries is a Pyacantha, but I'm  not sure of the others.

This Lotus pond was right beside the Greenhouse

An unusual Palm with a ball structure in the middle that looked like it had dates inside.

I loved these reeds by the lake

The Samurai Statue was the only part that seemed out of place.  Everything else was zen and peace.

I wanted to end with something special.  I have seen bells like this before.  It is a bell for World Peace.

The large log is pulled back  and released to hit the disk on the side of the bell and  then you hear the lovely deep  bong sound.

 May we all pray for peace in this world and the quiet calm of the Japanese Garden to be available to all people wherever they may live.