The Big News Day! (Day 8 BA)

Little did we know when waking up today that we would be a part of Argentina's history! All we knew is that we had two site visits, the first being to Medtronic, a company that manufactures and sells heart-related medical devices.

I enjoyed this visit with its hands-on look at a simulation of a heart catheter procedure, seeing as I had been a recipient of a procedure similar to this myself a few years ago. However, this "patient" didn't whine one bit as I probably did back then. Sigh. Now it was time to get on our mini bus for the second site visit of the day.

 


The second site visit was to Dow AgroSciences in a modern
skyscraper building.  This was our most corporate visit of the trip.  Quite formal in round table lecture format and these
presenters were Wall Street types.  At the end of a short break, news broke that a new Pope had been selected --- from ARGENTINA!!

Once this announcement was made, the concentration level dropped dramatically. The presenters were near tears with emotion and made remarks that this news was indeed very very good news not only on a personal level but for the country as a whole.
We left the building with amped-up steps as well!
 

 

Though we were only able to do a drive-by of the Cathedral Metropolitana on March 13, we knew we were witnessing something that would forever impact the timeline of important events in Beunos Aires, Argentina and all of South America..

The following day we HAD to go back to observe more of the history unfolding.

The street we had driven on yesterday afternoon was now closed to traffic.  Note all the white news tucks with their satellite dishes.  I'm guessing the taxi had dropped off an important person to the Cathedral.

There were lines forming at the front entrance to get inside the Cathedral. Cameras and cell phones were pointed at this picture of the new Pope and requests were made to get a picture taken standing next to his image. This was living history!

The Cathedral was abuzz with visitors sitting in filled pews, walking through the aisles. Tears and genuflection. Cameras snapping, footage taken by newscasting crews. On-the-street interviews.

Nearly every stretch of sidewalk in BA has a newspaper and magazine stand. This picture was taken BEFORE the big news came out. Once the announcement came out about the new Pope being from Argentina, these stands became very busy. Papers were selling out; luckily we jumped on it and brought two home. The calendars, pins and rosary beads we left for others to buy.

Here's another front page special.

Perhaps this was the high point of the trip as far as history is concerned.
Blessings to you, Francis I.  I, for one, am grateful you are from South America and I think millions
would agree.