Advertisement
Published: September 19th 2010
Edit Blog Post
After our last, not particularly comfortable night bus journey down to foz do iguacu (it was a bus more typical of our not so beloved National Express), we decided to begin our experience of argentine night travel in style and splashed out on 1st class tickets for the 15 hour journey down to Buenos Aires. We were not disappointed. For the equivalent of £10 more each, we had a 3 course meal complete with wine and whisky digestif, unlimited films and best of all, beds!... well as close as you could get to a bed on a coach anyway! I'm sure you will all agree that Steve looks very happy in the photo. (see last blog- bed bus).
So, after our luxurious journey (even though the man behind us snort so loudly he woke himself up on occasion), we arrived in the Argentine Capital feeling refreshed and excited to see what 'the city that never sleeps' as the guide book informed us, (apparently Sinatra- new york, new york, had never been here), had to offer.
We checked into a sleepy little hostel / B&B in San Telmo, the 'barrio' which is said to be the home of Tango and
Us
Us in front of ´Big Ben´. The tower was a gift from the British to mark Argentina´s first centenary. The Argentines like to think it looks like Big Ben! hosts many improptu shows on it's streets during Its popular antiques Market every Sunday.
Our 6 days here have been very busy. We have taken advantage of both free walking tours on offer, (an excellent recommendation, thank you Marv!), and enjoyed the Cafe culture of the city with, most notably breakfast at Cafe Tortoni, the famous cafe which was once the stomping ground of Borges among other famous writers and artists which excited Ellie very much. We have been inside the Casa Rosada, the presidential home most famous in Blighty for Madonna's hit Don't Cry for Me Argentina, sung from the balcony (philistines). This is actually where Eva (Evita) Peron's emotive speeches where made. She is an Argentine hero, known for her support of and work with charities and womens' rights.
Our biggest highlight though was a Tango lesson in the 'Confiteria Ideal', a milonga where old portenos (people born and bred in the city), go to drink coffee and dance their beloved tango. We had a 2 hour lesson among all the old pros in which we learnt to walk, step, lead (Steve) and follow (Ellie). Believe it or not by the end we weren't too bad. A
teething problem we did have was Ellie refusing to be led (even by the instructor!). Nothing unusual there.
The next day we went to see how the dance should really be done at a show at the Borges cultural centre which we felt quite smug about because not only was it fantastic, but unlike the shows put on for tourists, the tickets were a steal!
Buenos Aires is a great city and we have had a great time here. Like most Hispanic cities the nightlife is fantastic, and the food here is amazing. (Steak, empanadas, choripan: it's a carnivores dream).
So, after learning to tango and eating our body weight in beef, we decided it was time to leave BA and, feeling a little worse for wear after staying out until 3:30 with some people we met in a restaurant!? We are off to Mendoza for some R & R... Oh and maybe a little wine!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.063s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 10; qc: 47; dbt: 0.031s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
roopa
non-member comment
you've been tangoed!
can totally believe ell not wanting to be led- love it! cant wait to see BA now, what a brilliant blog post! miss you both xx