Buenos Aires Part 2

Back in Buenos Aires, and the Avenue 9 de Julio, the world's largest avenue at 9 lanes long, is closed thanks to the T2000 Grand Prix. We try and check out what the fuss is about, but can't see much, so we have a wander We find the Teatro Colón after about an hour of roaming the streets (apparently I can't read a map). The only seats left at the theatre for this week were box seats to Carmen (the ballet) - so Thiv splashed out! Looking forward to that later on this week!!





Sunday morning is market day!!! So we head to San Telmo, centre for artesan crafts and improvised tango on the streets. Antiques are massive here (think Portobello market on a Sunday), and we stop for been and empanadas (by the way, if you're wondering what empanadas are, think a Spanish take on Cornish pasties and you're pretty much there). A lunchtime tango show ensues and we definitely enjoy our first introduction to the Argentine Tango. Music groups have shows on the streets and we stop and listen for a while. I start to feel a little bit better about my camera being stolen when I see a guy have his wallet nicked - not subtly either - the pickpocket jumped off a motorbike to grab this guy's wallet and then hopped back on and made a quick getaway. Also one of the girls behind the desk told me that she goes through about a phone a month because things are always stolen. OUCH! We manage to score tickets to the famous Cafe Tortoni (thanks Don for the tip) in the evening and treat ourselves to some Mumm. My boyfriend certainly knows how to charm people - even with a language barrier! We end up with second row seats. Score! And WHAT a show!

The next stop was Puerto Madero - we had the intention of visiting the ecological reserve, but ended up just wondering around the area. The area was designed in the C19th, but soon after it was built, the new cargo ships were too big, and so the area became non-functional. Now a gastronomy hub, we thought we would be able to find some good food before heading out in the evening; but everything was so RIDICULOUSLY overpriced that we had to stick to good old TGI Fridays. Now tell me...have you ever heard of a TGI's that doesn't do steak? IN ARGENTINA?! Crazy. We head out to Bomba del Tiempo - it's such a brilliant place, the music is just spectacular. This time there is a famous pianist that they bring on stage - can't believe how well the show worked mixing the classical music with the drums!

So the next day we decide we will do an open air tour of the city (it's pretty big and it's hop-on-hop-off so will probably actually save us money in the long run...) - unfortunately it's so packed we won't be able to get on a bus until 4pm. So we go shopping (one needs suitable clothes for the ballet tomorrow after all...). Once we get the bus, we pass through the districts of Recoleta, Palermo and it's parks, the polo park and a mini Bicester Village. We get back to the hostel in time to catch a free tango lesson, and a live band plays for the rest of the night in the hostel. The Long Island Iced Teas are LETHAL.

The Recoleta district has enough history of it's own, so we take a walking tour to the district with our lovely guide Valeria and she talked us through the history of Buenos Aires, including why 90% of the population is from Italian and Spanish descent (I just not be able to remember why that is anymore). This is the traditionally rich area of Buenos Aires, and after Yellow Fever struck in the poorer neighbourhoods, the rich relocated here, and hired French architects - the area now houses the most expensive hotels and shops in Buenos Aires (and some of the hotels are in the most expensive in the world). The University of Buenos Aires is here - a great University, and free to anyone in the world who wants to study here...if you can put up with the study conditions! Of course, part of the tour included the necessary visit to Recoleta Cemetery to visit the Eva Peron crypt. This place is like a city of dead people. No lies.

Grabbed the hop-on-hop-off through La Boca and Puerto Madero before dashing back to the hostel to get ready for the Teatro Colon. And it was MAGNIFICENT. Not only were we in box seats (a very new experience), but the theatre itself definitely rivals the Royal Opera House in opulence! And the ballet was just BEAUTIFUL. What a day!

In typical tourist style, we head to La Boca for another walking tour with our very knowledgeable guide! This is the part of town that was traditionally used by immigrants to set up shop, being on the coast. These people would have to find somewhere to work and live within 3 days of arriving otherwise they would be kicked out. How awful! As a result, the oldest neighbourhoods have houses made up of leftover wood and corrugated metal and painted with leftover paint from the boats, which is way La Boca is famed for its bright colours . The tour included a visit to La Bombonera stadium, home of Boca Juniors football team. Thiv got so excited about the Diego Maradona memorabilia! In the evening we went to a show called the Tango Complejo, the wine and dinner was AMAZING, but the lesson was terrrible, and the show itself, although not as good as Cafe Tortoni, was pretty interesting because it took us through the history of the Tango in Argentina. Originally a macho dance performed between men to win the best "ladies of the night", then a walk betwen a guy and a girl dating and finally in the 40s it became the sexy dance we know today.

Easter Weekend and the markets are open around town, and we came away with some purchases, before heading to the Malba Modern Art museum, where we both realised we hate modern art. Onwards to the beautiful Japanese gardens, where we got ourselves all excited about the best sushi in Buenos Aires. Unfortunately due to time restraints and the queue for sushi, we had to make do with hamburgers instead! Running late for the airport in the end, and although we didn't quite need a callout, we were still the last people on the plane! WHAT A PLANE! I always want to fly Emirates from now on! There was an actual MENU, comfy seats, a HUGE selection of films and I have never been so excited by face towels in my whole life. We even had a polaroid snap for us to take away with us. I need shares in this airline. OFF TO RIO!!!!!!

Buenos Aires part 1 and La Porteña

So, Buenos Aires. After a 20 hour bus journey, I reach Buenos Aires city. I get a cab to the hostel and the nice driver gives me a mini-tour of the city and warns me that now is not a good time to be English (the anniversary of the Falklands war is coming up). Once settled in, I head to Vila Crespo (a very non-touristy part of town) to meet up with Nick (from Torres del Paine) and his sister, whose birthday it was. After an "asado" which was actually more like a BBQ, we headed to Bomba del Tiempo, a 14-piece improvisational drumming sensation! It was BRILLIANT.

The next morning, I take a very early cab to the airport with my driver Eugenio to surprise Thiv at the airport. His flight was delayed by almost an hour, but I did finally make contact and somehow still managed to surprise Thiv even though I thought I had made it far too obvious (thanks Mum!). We checked into a small "trendy" hotel in Palermo, the shopping district, and spend the afternoon walking through the parks. We go for steak - unfortunately they're cooked to oblivion (helpful pointer, if you're in Argentina, always ask for your steak to be done one or two grades below your usual preference...unless you like the taste of charcoal of course). The mashed pumpkin sure made up for it though, that bit and the wine was delicious!!

Next day, a fun-filled shopping day in Palermo Viejo (the old part of town), having a nose around at the leather goods here, much cheaper than at home in the UK. Will definitely have a harder look when we get back from our stay in the estancia. We even have a look at some fairly cheap leather jackets up in the leather district. We save it for another day, we're so shopped-out we head for dinner at the famous La Cabrera, where it's apparently common to wait for up to 2 hours outside (with free champagne while we waited so we weren't too fussed). Stomachs were definitely gurgling when we were finally seated at midnight; mine was overdone (standard Argentinan cooking), although the side dishes that came out with it were pretty AWESOME!! So many to choose from!

So next we head from Palermo to San Antonio de Areco, where we're staying at an estancia (ranch) for a few days. Fate had another idea for our morning. Magical pickpockets on the Buenos Aires tube system manage to separate me and Thiv and stole my camera. And I hadn't backed them up! That will teach me for next time. At least it wasn't the passports. A fun trip to the police station to try and describe what happened (impressively I managed to do this in Spanish!) and then finally managed to get the bus to the estancia La Porteña and we make the final horse ride of the day. The rooms are so picturesque, exactly what I imagined.

The birds are so noisy here that we wouldn't have been able to have a lie in even if we wanted to. A great sunny day though so we chill out by the pool for the morning. Then empanadas and wine in hand we walked through the grounds and were treated to an asado for lunch. I have never seen people take meat so seriously! After the lunch, we had the staff at the estancia serenade us with traditional folk songs and teach us some traditional dancing, before the gauchos race and give a demonstration of how they used to traditionally propose to women of the estancias. They basically try to loop a ring suspended by a hook onto a branch and then present this ring to the girl of their choice. Pretty funny stuff. The second ride of the day was somewhat eventful. Seriously, the first time we're allowed to go faster than a walk, the gaucho hadn't put the saddle on properly, and it came off as soon as my horse got going! Ow!

By the next day we're ready to get back to the civilised world of Buenos Aires. We have a friendly visitor at breakfast and then we head off ready to explore the real Buenos Aires. Can't wait!!!