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Published: October 28th 2018
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Having found out at quite short notice about a work trip to Argentina, and being away on hols in Spain for a week, then teaching for a week, uncharacteristically I felt quite lethargic about doing much research. I relied on my work itinerary, reading some forum posts from colleagues and downloading Cabify onto the phone I wouldn’t be able to use out of WiFi range. Disappointingly, my phone contract didn’t include Argentina, nor could I use my data by paying £5 a day, which was really annoying. Anyway, everybody I know who has been before is very positive about it so I was sure I’d have a great time.
I was booked onto BA direct from T5, excellent. I used my avios to pay for seat selection as there were 2 seats on the back row of the middle section. Hopefully it would recline (not all do) and it did. There was a seat next to me on both sides when I got on, but one was a crew seat, only used for takeoff and landing, so I could get out easily AND had an empty one to spread out onto, win win! After the meal at midnight and a
sleeping pill it was the best flight ever, and the longest ever for me, 13h50m. In the Immigration Hall I heard my name and there was a buddy I hadn’t seen for over 20 years, we taught for the same aerobics company. Blimey! The queues were long but we were redirected after a while so it took about 30mins.
I couldn’t see the money exchange place anywhere so took a chance on the atm, which my company had advised us not to use unless attached to a bank and in banking hours. I watched a couple of people being successful so took a risk that the notes would be ok and they were, although there is a big charge for withdrawals. I wish I’d got more in one go. There are many, many taxi companies with booths where you get a voucher, and the recommended one, Manuel Tienda Leon, has a big booth just before the exit doors. I’d booked a Cabify (like Uber) which is much cheaper, $900 rather than $1900 (pesos) as we have a company account and so we just use the app and it gets charged. I’d written in Spanish in the comments box for
the driver to come into the arrivals hall with a sign with my name. That must have got lost somewhere as he was nowhere to be seen. He called me, 3 more calls later I found him outside. Zero English, so my Spanish had to do. 45 minutes to the hotel, Awwa Suites & Spa, in the leafy district of Palermo.
So arriving at 10am, there were my colleagues all ready to trot off sightseeing. I did the quickest check in and turnaround ever so we went out 15 mins later. Was I tired? I had no idea. Maybe. We walked along a big road towards the centre. Trees and parks, people running and walking dogs, markets, I was so pleased that I wasn’t having to navigate and look like a tourist with my map out. That is not a good idea, apparently. It was nice to trot along with my unofficial guides who had both been to BA before and knew where the main sights were. We headed for Recoleta Cemetery and found Eva Peron’s family tomb. It was interesting looking at all the expensive mausoleums with coffins stacked on top of each other. It was amazing, a
little town. Necropolis is the correct term, I’m told.
Coffee time then, at a cafe opposite where the outside prices are more than the inside ones. Eventually we got served. They weren’t in any hurry. Quite a few children, including one who looked about 4 being dragged around by an older boy, came up asking for money. They were obviously working in a gang, as every now again they got into a huddle to collude. They didn’t look particularly dirty or poor. It was very disconcerting. Nobody gave them anything. There are a lot of homeless men sleeping in the street, they do look very poor. They weren’t asking for money though. We had a lunch stop a while later in a resto. Very disapointing empanadas, raw pastry, and anaemic chips, not expensive. Apparently you are not expected to leave tips here but this guy, when sorting out our 15pesos change and I said keep it, asked if we weren’t going to leave a bit more. We weren’t, seeing that he’d asked.
We went to see the cathedral and the balcony at the palace where Eva waved from, then all decided we’d like to walk back. Consulting google
maps on Leslie’s phone a few times we set off along Santa Fe, a very long road, since discovered to kind of swerve rather than be in a straight line. It wasn’t the short cut we’d been hoping for. Eventually comparing phones and one saying it was an hour’s walk still, at 5pm, we flagged down and all squeezed into a taxi, best £2 ever. We were still a long way away. Total was 15km! 7 hours of walking. Pooped!
We’d booked to go to the restaurant next door, called Meishiguene, Jewish food, not Moroccan, as one of us had thought. We had a 2 hour slot before the second sitting at 10.30pm. They had different sized plates and said we should have 2 large and 3 small between 5 of us. It was absolutely delicious. The bread was gorgeous, the one dessert we all had a go at was stunning, all 3 bottles of wine were great and it came to £20 a head. A buzzy ambience and interesting decor, dim lighting necessitating the use of my torch on my phone to read the menu. Then the 2 sensible ones called it a night and 3 of us
went to a corner bar for more wine we definitely didn’t need. The bar was run by Venezuelans, one smiley guy, very young, who’s only been in BA a week. They were very nice to us. Home at 1am, which was 5am to poor jet lagged and well on the way to a hangover me!
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Karen Grattan
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Thanks for blog.
Hi Rachel. Wow...that was a long trip. Your meal with wine sounds great value. Thanks for photos. I have seen Evita, if nothing else! Enjoy!