The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 57

A TASTY SLICE OF ITALY Discover the Emilia-Romagna region 16 i mmfm getting ''i Pf iS THE SCOOP OTTAWA CITIZEN SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2016 SECTION I Buenos Aires' prolific outdoor art turns streets into an outdoor museum with sculptures galore and where walls are also gigantic canvases, photos-, mastba lowrie Michael Benedict explores the iverse neighbourhoods of Argentina's capital the 'Paris of South America on two wheels. most of our group, orders the Bon-diola, the traditional slow-cooked-in-ale pork sandwich, a specialty ot this food truck, the oldest in a string ofthemalongtheformcr harbour's waterfront. Like all food servings in Argentina, the sandwich is large enough for two. Although there are non-meat options, they are mostly shunned in this city of carnivores where only pizza, chocolate and gelato rival beef as daily sustenance. Redevelopment of the once bustling port began in the 1980s and is ongoing.

All its streets and bridges are named after Latin American women, an initiative stemming from Argentina's 1994 constitutional equal-rights reform. Warehouses, which became obsolete after th city built a ew port, have been converted into restaurants. Modern highrise condominiums are springingup alongside. Our tour guide, Britt from Texas, points out the tower where Argentinian soccer megastar Lionel Messi is said to have an apartment on the 34th floor. We do not have time for a detour on this cycling tour, but return to Puerto Madero a few days later to visit the Fortabat museum, an eclectic array that ranges from Egyptian sculpture through Turner and Chagall paintings to contemporary works by leading Latin American artists.

A modern glass-and-concrete structure that opened in 2008, the museum showcases the collection of the late Maria Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat, who was Argentina's richest woman when she died in 2012. Among the paintings is a portrait of her by Andy Warhol. Mobile aluminum awnings shield the art from the sun during the day and open to the sky at night, a feature Fortabat wanted so she could see the stars and her paintings at the same time. Next we cycle to Recoleta, one of the city's toniest neighbourhoods an the site of the famou cemetery where Eva Peron, or Evi ta, the wildly adored wife of former Argentinian presiden Ju an Per on, is buri ed in an unassuming family plot. Her corpse's journey to this resting place has contributed greatly to her mythological status.

She died of cancer at just 33 in 1952 and, after a state funeral, her body was pu on public display while a memorial and permanent resting place was being built SEE BUENOS AIRES 0N72 Among the worl d's bicycle-frien dly cities, Buenos Aires ranks in the top 20. In tact, it: is the highest rated am ongnon-European cities andthe only SouthAmerican urban area to make the annual list published by Wired magazine. In the past three years, more than 150 kilometres of bicycle infrastructure, much of it dedicated, has been added to Buenos Aires's burgeoning network, making a ride on wheels an ideal way to become acquainted with what is justifiably known as the Paris of South America. To guide you through this mostly flat city, Biking Buenos Aires is a leader among several English-speaking cycle-tour operators. Its Ultimate City Tou effortlessly covers most of the city's diverse neighbourhoods over seven hours.

Actual bikingtimeis much less as there are umerous information-filled stops with ample time to explore, as well as a leisurely lunch. Indeed, minimal effort is required. Our first stop is the storybook Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity with four baby-blue onion-shaped domes situated in San Telmo, the city's oldest neighbourhood. In the 17th century, San Telmo housed mostly dockworkers but today its well-preserved buildings are home to a vibrant arts scene. Even before noon, there are tango dancers practicing at Plaza Dorrcgo.

The square's several murals and sculptures are an introduction to the prolific outdoor art that make the city's landscape itself a museum. On Sundays, Plaza Dorrego is the focal point of a 10-block, all-day street festival that attracts more than 300 vendors and thousands of locals and visitors. Originally an antique fair, the Feria de San Telmo now also offers everything from auto parts to high-end jewelry, along with some very talented street entertainers. Come early to avoid the crowds and wear comfortable shows to navigate the cobblestoned streets. From the city's oldest district, we cycle to its newest, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires's largest urban renewal project where we stop for lunch at the Parilla Mi Sueno food truck, true to its name Grill of My Dreams.

"The most surprising thing about visiting Buenos Aires," says a fellow cyclist, a 20ish svelte female from California, "is how much I have been able to eat!" She, along with The baby-blue domes of San Telmo's Russian Orthodox Church highlight Buenos Aires' rich architectural heritage..