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The next stop was Argentina and Buenos Aires, and a rather overdue reunion with Katie! After a few tearful hellos in the arrival lounge, we made our way into the city centre, to a hostel bang smack on the Avenida de Mayo which we had reserved for a few nights to ease the transition to backpacker life. As it turned out we chose well, and got a super double room complete with cable tv which we were loathe to leave for the first day! Once we finally managed to brave the cold of a fast approaching southern hempisphere winter, our time in Buenos Aires largely consisted of long walks around the various historic districts, sampling empanadas and other traditional Argentinian fare as we went. A particular favourite was the picturesque San Telmo, a district of cobbled streets, grungy backpacker hostels and hippie artisans selling their wares. The other distinguishing feature is the astonishing number of quaint antiques stores lining the streets. You could easily spend hours or days perusing the dusty shelves if the owners weren't to a man so hostile to scruffy foreign travellers who clearly have no interest in buying anything! We sat for lunch in the bright sunshine on the Plaza Dorrego, where we were treated to a street tango show as I wet my lips with the first of many Argentine beers. At that moment there was an overwhelming sense that we had finally arrived, that the adventure was ready to unfold ahead of us.
During the remainder of our time in BA, four nights in all, we kept ourselves extremely busy. We visited Evita's grave in the stunningly ornate cemetery at Recoleta (shades of Pere Lachaise), strolled around the parks and affluent suburbs of Retiro, bought the world's most expensive pint of Guiness in a thief's den masquerading as an Irish pub (ARG $34, that's about 7 quid 50!), and took in a wonderful tango show. The show was in a dingy cellar of a large restaurant on the Avenida de Mayo, and with our front row seats, it proved to be wonderful entertainment, holding not only dance fiend Katie's, but my own rapturous attention for the two hour performance. They included elements of vaudeville theatre, whirlwind dance routines and a strange interlude with an Andean-looking percussionist, who hammered out his pulsating rythms using whirling plastic balls on strings and steel toed boots, making for an unusual, but nonetheless thoroughly engaging performance. On our third day we met up with Katie's cousin Laura from England, who was on an organised tour of South America, spending a day or so in BA before shipping out to Bariloche on the fringes of Patagonia (where, incidentally, I'm writing this now!). She joined us on our walking tours of the city and the Tango show, before we all went out for a swanky dinner at a Thai restaurant that would cost 10 times the price back in the UK. We had a great time, and hopefully will be seeing each other again in Cusco, Peru towards the end of June. It seems not only am I doing the tour of South America, but seemingly something of a tour of the Buckland family at the same time!
Other highlights included visiting our first South American church (the first of many, I'm assured) and witnessing the weekly parade of Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, who walk every Sunday at 3.30 around the main square, protesting against continued government injustices against their sons and hundreds of the other ''disappeared'' during the infamous 'Guerra Sucia' (Dirty War). Altogether, we really felt that even in 3 or 4 short days, we had gotten to know the city quite well. Buenos Aires really is something different in South America. Its wide boulevards and beautiful colonial architechture give it an ordered, distinctly European feel that would be more at home in Paris or Madrid than in the vertiginous continent which it calls home. But nonetheless to the observant eye, there are numerous clues, from the hoardes of mate drinkers lining the streets and the subway, to the artisans peddling alpaca jumpers and Andean crafts, or even the enchanting scents of empanadas and dulce de leche filling the air, which all bely a distinctly indiginous undercurrent, and stamp the city with an undeniably South American identity.
That's all for now folks. Tune in next time as we boldly go where few travellers have gone before (or so it seems): Montevideo and Uruguay!
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Heather
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I enjoyed your BA post, and it reminded me of my time there. SUCH a wonderful city! Montevideo is pretty cool too. If you find yourself in Punta del Este, you must visit Casa Pueblo. Otherwise though, I do not recommend Punte del Este- very overrated and overpriced! While in BA, if you haven't been to La Cabrera yet, in Palermo, you MUST go! There's a review of it on my blog if you're interested. Some of the best food in Argentina! We're also giving away a free night in Peru or Bolivia, if you're headed that way. Sorry for rambling, I just loved BA so much that I get all excited about it! Continued fun on your travels! Oh yeah, the blog is dirty-hippies.blogspot.com. Heather :)