Final hours in Buenos Aires

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Well, we are completo!!! We´d have more photos, but the glacier wetting of the camera back in New Zealand, and a very recent dropping of it this week by Elaine, has caused a motor problem with the trusty camera, so we´ve been forced to commit more to memory.
(Sorry Dad, Pauls gonna do a Maguiver on it, once he gets home to his tools, but it has taken virtually thousands of photos on this trip, so never has a camera been more appreciated, and still was the best present ever. x. Its lasted til the end pretty much and fulfilled its purpose and still may rise to snap another day)

We have spent the last week in Buenos Aires, 2 nights in San Telmo (liked it there, didnt seem dogdy, near good bars and restaurants and also walking distance into the centre - very central itself) and 6 nights in Palermo - nice spot too, bit posher, a bit further from centre, but still walkable once you dont plan shopping your feet off once you get in. Both places are on the subway line and central and opposite ends of town so we´ve seen a lot of the place, mostly on foot!

In San Telmo, we ate and drank in Plaza Dorego, an arty part of town, with lots of tango dancing on the streets. In one of the places we ended up eating in, just as we finished eating and ordered another HALF bottle of wine (the livers are giving up the ghost these days), the dancing kicked off. First impressions of Tango are that its very sultry, and dark, with LOTS of leg. Very sexy indeed!!!! Goes well with all the FANTASTIC argentinean wine. The second night in San Telmo we went to the infamous Tortoni´s, first impression very like Bewleys Cafe on Grafton street, but all the waiters have dicky bows! We were chancing our arms and really should have booked, as there are tango shows downstairs and down the back at 8pm and 10pm. We thought that waltzing in at 7.30pm, we´d get into a show. lucky for us, they did let us in (but it was lucky, i´d recommmend reserving), and we got to go to the show downstairs. We were seated with a columbian couple on a weekend break from Brazil where Luis (wife Liliana) was working for Renault. They were really nice, and it seems Columbia is not so dark and scary and unreachable from what we spoke of (another one for the to do list!). The show was EXCELLENT. It was 40 pesos each - less than 10 euro, and was really really good (And sure we understood little of the narrattion or songs so that says something). We brought the camera, but unfortunately the battery remained in the battery charger in the hostel room so we got no pics, (and that was before I dropped it) but the Columbian couple said they would email us theirs. We were glad in the end, as it meant we could sit back and get into it, and also some other Gringos (foreigners like ourselves, american and english) were snap happy at the front and using their flash (despite being told implicitly not to AND reminded during show, not to mind the fact that there was a lot of mood lighting intermittently ruined by the flashes) so we were glad to be sitting quietly with the camera dormant on the table, in comparison.

We moved upmarket then to Palermo (an unnecessary move in retrospect; reports had suggested San telmo might be a bit dodgier but we didnt see it, so as it turned out would have been more than happy to stay there). We were moving from one HI hostel to another so not much in the difference. We hooked up with an old neighbour of mine Cian Allman, who lives here with his argentinean girlfriend and working in smurfitt. We met in the Shamrock bar on Paddys days for some beers, and again on Rodrigez Pina street for some steak another night. Great to see another familiar face - thanks for all the inside knowledge Cian! We have generally spent the week eating (a terrible affliction here in Argentina, not slimming at all) and drinking wine, and walking our little feet off around Buenos Aires. Its, again, VERY very European. We didnt find it dodgy, but then we look very much the pauper backpackers and probably dont look worth robbing. Also I think when there is two of you, you are much less likely to be robbed as well. There certainly is poverty here, and you can see it, but its in the backdrop of a very modern affluent society that appears to be doing very well!

We had a visit to the Zoo one day, nearby to Palermo, which was fun, but HOT. Its hot here, not so humid as Iguazu was, but hot still. We have taken to walking in the shade as much as possible. We also went to see Evitas grave in Recolota. The cemetry there is out of this world. They all have little shrine houses above ground, with vaults underneath also, where they put the coffins. Some of the family get put in the basement, but I suppose whoever paid for the "plot" gets the fancy seat. So you can look in the windows and theres the coffins all piled up on top of each other within arms reach of where you are standing. The little buildings are very self indulgent. Paul reckoned God would be saying, that cos they got buried in those shrines, there wasnt a chance in hell they were getting into heaven cos clearly they didnt "get it". Anyway, I´m probably being disrespectful... I´m just trying to convey how nearly "hollywood" it was! Anyway, its only the rich people who get buried there.

Last night we popped into a local pub at 12pm for a night cap, and finally ended up behaving like argentineans. We didnt get home until 5am, after spending the night being serenaded by an old dude Carlos Valiente (Charlie Brave) with a guitar for most of the night, and practicing our spanish with some young argentineans who were down from Corrientes to Buenos Aires for the Easter weekend.

We have just spent the day, OUR LAST DAy, in the locality. Saturday has a street market up in Plaza Serrana (i think) in Palermo, so had a wander round there. And had the most fantastic lunch nearby in a restaurant called the Meridian, 53 degrees, on Jorge Borges Street (Yes, we do fondly refer to it as Georgie Burgess street for all yee snapper fans), Yummy!!! Cant believe we only found it on the last day. And this evening we finally made it to La Cabrera, on JA cabrera street, in Palermo, for a steak. This restaurant is recommended everywhere, so we had to make it there before we left. We booked it the night before, and still only managed to get a table outside, so for those who plan to eat there, book well ahead. It was for a saturday night however. ANYWAY, I can safely say it was the BEST meal I have ever eaten!!! We both had the tenderloin steak, and it comes with about 8 little side dishes, that are like various vegtable type dips. Now it was pricey for argentina, and came to a whopping 225 pesos including tip - about 45 euros between us. Now relative to whats normal thats very pricey for here, normally we´d be splashing out spending 90 pesos! But we´ve switched back the euro in our heads now so it was painless. Again, it was the best meal ever! (Altho point to note, Paul has taken to eating his steaks medium, as in quite pink, but they tend to overdo their steaks a little here in Argentina, so he should have ordered medium rare to get what he wanted).


So thats us!! We´re done, bags are packed and we are leaving for home, the emerald isle, first thing in the morning. Its been a fantastic trip. We are both weary travellers though at this stage and glad to be making our way home. All in all, a sucess, with great memories, having met fantastic people (some of them friends we hope), and having felt truly privelaged and spoilt (by ourselves) on this adventure of ours.

Highlights includë:
The people we have met
3 day trek Chiang Mai
Slow boat to Luang Prabang in Laos
Cambodia, and Angkor Wat
Tubing in Laos
Getting clothes made in Vietnam (a week of fittings)
Luging in new zealand (only with paul tho, cos I beat him!)
Pauls Bungee jump (for Paul) ..... And Mark - go Staceys!
Paul surviving bungee jump (for Elaine)
Surfing with dolphins in the Caitlins
Spanish classes, and getting to use it in Chile and Argentina
Iguazu Falls
Getting over dengue fever and getting off Phi Phi Island after 3 weeks
Discovering we both love hiking (Well Pauls the winner in that regard)
And on that note, finishing the tongariro crossing (NZ)
The food and the huge number of different beers and wines we´ve gotten to enjoy

Low points:
Dengue fever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Getting robbed on bus to Krabi (and half conned by guy who robbed us who had us convinced he was being nice)
Last week in thailand - Elaine with runs, Paul with worst flu ever .... Auckland was never more appreciated than when a battered Paul and Elaine arrived there.
Witnessing a woman getting knocked down in Saigon

Things that made us moan:
Dodgy beds, noisy hostels, crappy pillows, brushing teeth with bottled water, taking malaria tabs, thai toilets and thai tummys to match packing and unpacking and repacking again, wearing the same clothes for 7 months! tea with no milk tea/with no water and only milk/cold tea/having to go to a restaurant to order said single cup o¨ tea, oh and having to ask for the bill 3 times a day!! and then wait for change!!! the lonely planet guide .. sugary coffee .. tuk tuk drivers, bugs!!! heat, hot humid nights with out being able to afford air con.
one for Elaine: itchy skin, from humidity, insect repellants, too much cheese, too little fruit, and god knows what else... Everything has made my skin itch and given me hives!
Cranky mornings and cranky other halves!

..... to name a few.......... hmmm, we have little to be moaning about do we!!! Forgive us, we´ve been saving it all!

But we have had a ball! And its time to come home now, and get back to our irish lives. Theres been unfortunately deaths in our absence (RIP), bypasses, sickness, engagements, births and all sorts! Welcome to Claires twins Sarah and Jessica, and Baby Alanna born yesterday (Congrats Niamh and Amir) never mind a surpise sprouting of other bumps since we left. Theres been a christmas, and birthdays, (John Staceys an Oul fella now we hear, amongst many others) and weddings (Dermot and Nicola). Yee are all making us feel old!!!! Theres been people changing jobs, and leaving jobs, and moving homes, and all sorts, never mind a multitude of things we dont know about yet. We cant wait to see everyone, and get back to our lives with a little more life experience in our backpacks.

C ya all in the next week or so!
Heard its cold in the Emerald Isle. Cant wait!
x
Elaine and Paul

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Photos

Grave of Irish Guy who founded Argentinan Navy
Dad you told me about this guy before I left and I went around saying it to loads of people that it was an Irish guy who founded the Argentinan navy and none of the Argentinans would believe me, but here you go here is his grave and a monument painted green honouring him! so there ;)

Comments

[Rebecca Speirs]

Hi from Welly!
Hi there, I hope you both had a good journey back and arrived safely. You've sure had some fantastic experiences since we saw you back at New Year in Welly. Since then we've seen a whole lot more of the North Island and a little bit more of the South - already thinking about where to go next! I'm sure it's going to be great to look back on all those photos - I can't imagine how many you'd have from so many months of travelling! Good luck with your new job Paul and all the best to you both, Cheers Becs and Neil

[nick]

Well done guys
You look great guys and well done. Im sure Asia was a bit mad. (even China was the same language and culture all over so a bit easier) and id love to go to south america. hope to see u soon and dont be afriad to skype. lots of love. Nick and Sinead. We really miss you guys. P.S. we are starting to love hiking too. :-D yeahhhhh!!!!! (god we're getting old)