in the words of Jim Morrison

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I am typing this at home in a grey and chilly England after coming back from Buenos Aires where we spent the last five nights of the trip.

We had arranged to stay in the same apartment as we had rented in January. Thursday was the quick trip to the local chirpodists (more discussion about the shortcomings of the economy and politics) before they closed for the four day easter holiday and also a wander to look for some light weight books about Argentina to take home.

Good Friday was a holiday but many of the BA shops were open as were the museums so we took a stroll along Avenida Santa Fe doing lots of window shopping and even spending some money in the fabulous El Ateneo book and record shop - housed in a converted theatre, complete with chairs for browsing in the former boxes.

Walked up to the Modern Art Museum (MALBA), nice building shame about most of the contents (personal opinion!), and to revive had to go and find the recommended icecream shop Persicco, before another cinema catch up with Elizabeth the Golden Age. Enjoyable tosh. By the time we came to walk home the weather had changed from sun to rain. Later we went to a local parilla restaurant for one of the best and cheapest steak dinners of the whole trip.

Saturday had been earmarked by one of us as "shopping day", even though in the end it was A who spent money. We took a trip out to the Abasto shopping centre, a converted fruit and veg market that now has three floors of shops, an indoor funfair and a multiplex and a nice wine shop!

Sunday was a trip to San Telmo to browse the antique and junk and everything else market, and walking through to Puerto Madero to see how it had changed in two years (a lot more development) and to get sunburned! On the way walking back to the apartment we took advantage of more shopping opportunities and spent enough money to merit getting the VAT refund at the airport - never had one of these before. Also went to a photography exhibition of the work of Rene Burri, some great photos of Che. Went out for late paella dinner, with Terry and Cesar, washed down by several bottles of vino blanco.

Next and final full day started quite slowly but we then went for a longish walk around the jewellery quarter (thankfully all closed for the holiday) and then along one of the very posh avenues, Alvear, where there are massive late 19th / early 20th century mansions now converted to embassies and hotels, interspersed with hugely expensive clothes shops.

Ended up at Recoleta from where we walked home to start throwing away stuff (to be donated) and packing. Later we went back to the Borges Cultural Centre for a tango ballet show, followed by a final parilla dinner at Chiquilin, just as good as the first time we came here.

Sadly Tuesday morning was the trip to the airport and the flight home. Usual boring airport stuff and then dozing, chatting, watching films, eating...til we landed an hour early at Heathrow. I am avoiding a rant about the pain of getting the bags, the train, the traffic, the weather etc but it was very tempting to log in and book a plane back out next week.

After such a long trip we thought we should finish with a few thank yous so here goes, in no order:
- Mercedes for being a patient teacher with us - and good luck with being an abuela!
- Gordy for the day trip to Laguna Brava
- The policeman and woman in Concepcion for getting us that taxi
- Carlos, Valentina and family for being such great hosts over Christmas
- Our fellow guests at Santa Anita - you know who you are - for being great company. I will always remember you when I see Bobby Charlton!
- Maxine and Daniel for looking after the house and car for us
- Fernando and his parents for the cabana in Bariloche
- Simon and Claire for setting us the example
- Monica in Villa Pehuenia for making it a special part of the trip
- Carol and Co at the Posada Camino Real
- all those Argentinos we met for being so friendly and helpful to us! Hasta pronto.

A final thought: in August last year I was strap hanging on the Northern line whilst browsing through the Lonely Planet when a suited and booted chap getting off the train pointed at the book and said "best f...ing country in the world" and "you lucky b...ard" when I told him we were going for five months. And you know he might just have been right on both counts.

and as the Doors said "This is the end"

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Photos

Defence Ministry Buenos Aires
(cheated a bit here and used photos of BA from our Dec 2005 trip)

Kavanagh Building
in the 1930s this was the tallest buidling in the southern hemisphere. Malvinas monument in the foreground.

Comments

[Debbie]

Welcome back to sunny bilghty
Have really really enjoyed reading about your travels, thank you for sharing them and a very warm, or rather cold and wet, welcome back!