Diversia

I wanted to work on my book and needed WiFi. I was pointed in the direction of Diversia, a huge cafe in the ‘micro-centre’ of Jesus Maria (as the dead/alive centre of each town in Argentina is called – a useful term in vast Buenos Aires but fairly pointless in JM which has three main streets running parallel to the train line and little more) and a shot of Eighties glam in a Fifties scene. It was decorated in vintage Ikea – black chipboard furniture, velvet banquettes and cheap metal chandeliers and had a fairground inside with a merry-go-round and slot machines. I was often the only customer all day in a room which had space for hundreds and the staff had to be dragged unhappily across the floor to take my order. Clearly this is not a going concern – something else is going on.