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Published: February 10th 2010
Celebrity Sighting
sitting with a famous cartoon character in ArgentinaThis blog didn't work the first time so here we go again.
let me start with a big yahhhhhhhhhhhhh! No more cold weather!
Unfortunately coming from a bone dry province like Alberta, I sweat like a fat man when I enter humidity, my hair goes a mixture of greasy and frizz, and well I get belly/under boob sweat which shows up when I wear colours other than black.
I arrived in Buenos Aires after treating myself to an expensive flight, and then spent 30 cents to take the bus to my hostel downtown. I got to catch up with my Swedish friend Christian who loves hockey, and then found Mike from Kenora (famous from the underwear salt desert pictures in Bolivia). With a recommendation from one of the hostel workers we found my new favourite haunt in BA.... a grilled meat restaurant with cheap Choripan sausage for $1.50.
After a 3 hour nap I was convinced to go to a full moon party in BA. Mike convinced me it would be in a field, so I dressed sort of grubby. Totally fake Full Moon Party! It was a bar in one of the Palermo
San telmo treats
some yummy baklava like treat for 50 cents. yum yum parks claiming the full moon on the Friday night as their party- and everyone was dressed nice. We made it till 4 am and then backed out. The highlight of the night was the cab we shared back with a random Italian guy - cabby was blaring dance mix 94 and we were rocking out in the back of the cab to hits like Rhythm is a dancer.
Saturday morning I said goodbye to Mike who was off to Uruguay, and had to wait for Hannah to arrive at midnight. I did what I did best when I am alone... I shopped. I decided to check out San Telmo the day before the famous Sunday Antique market because the street is lined with fabulous little gems. Never much of a vintage shopper, I couldn’t help myself in the land of famous Evita like fashion. What I ended up with was a cute 1960’s yellow dress circa Austin Powers, a sweet hat that I would like to believe Evita inspired, and a few other treats. I also found a cool market to eat in and had a fun time hanging out with some locals convinced to let me try
Button Man!
an antique button collector and seller in San Telmo all their food.
The next morning I woke up to find Hannah in my room! She arrived at 3 am and they randomly put her in my room - even though the hostel sleeps over 100 people. Super excited we gorged on the free breakfast and started her whirlwind sightseeing tour. We ripped up and down the San Telmo market; I got a kick ass Argentine leather back, belt, some earrings, and a few treats for friends and family at home. At lunch at my secret market place something bumped my arm while we were sitting on the bar stools - I thought someone pushed me. Nope... it was a suicidal bird that fell from the rafter, onto me, and in front of my plate. Totally freaked out... Hannah peed and the staff peed their pants laughing.
That night we went to Cafe Tortoni to catch a Tango show (my second time but thankfully it was a little different). Afterwards at 11 pm we went off to La Cabrera - the most famous steak house in Buenos Aires. Normally people wait hours outside, sipping on free champagne, but since we arrived later we only had to
Don't cry for me argentina
Hannah's best Evita Impression wait a few minutes. What came out onto our table was the largest steak I think I have ever seen. Accompanied by a table full of toppings made every bite even more enjoyable. A very tasty romantic night with my buddy Hannah!
Monday we set off for my second visit of the Recolleta cemetery, and then we set off for a mystery bookstore situated in an old theatre house. When we found it we were delighted and I treated myself to a kick ass piece of lemon pie in the cafe on the stage. Very cool experience. Hannah was off for more sightseeing I had already done, so I ripped back to Cafe Tortoni for a tango lesson. It was only me and an interesting couple- a gigantic woman from Australia and her skinny boyfriend from Poland. She then put on heels and became even more gigantic, and then proceeded to yell at him for 60 minutes.
I got to rip up the dance floor with the teacher as my partner. It took me 15 minutes before I realized her boobs were fake - so small yet perfect, I almost wanted a pair of them myself.
Steak Time
Giant steak at the famous La Cabrara restaurant Let me tell you, they do good work down here in South America. After the hour she had me going as if I was on my tenth lesson, I was having a blast and thinking I should take this up at home... just need a partner in case anyone is interested in tango lessons.
Monday night (after gorging at our favourite cheap meat place) we were off to one of the coolest things in BA - La Bomba. A weekly drumming show in an artsy warehouse district turned into 2 hours of the coolest show I have seen in South America... so amazing and electric. I wasn’t drinking and still loved every second of it.
Tuesday we rolled out of bed (me nursing a cold and Hannah tired from a late night in the bar downstairs) and took the bus to La Boca - a colourfully painted poorer neighbourhood near the port. You must take a bus or taxi there, as outside the three or four touristy streets you are sure to get mugged. Fun times and some cool pictures... loved our visit to La Boca.
After a quick dinner of choripan at our
Perfectly pink
yummy yummy meat. I think I paid 15 dollars for the whole meal. cheap meat place (the guys totally knew us by now) we walked down for a night time visit of Puerto Madera, Buenos Aires newest neighbourhood - fancy architecture on what used to be the port east of downtown. We walked by everyone eating in the fancy restaurants before we jumped on the subway up to a movie theatre to catch Avitar. After standing in line for half an hour, the 3D version was sold out so we settled for the normal version. Highlight was halfway through when the movie cut out and said - 8 minute break. Thank you for the bathroom break... but it was certainly longer than 8 minutes... put the damn movie on again!
The next morning I had a random experience. A girl in our dorm is from Canada... we start talking... she is from Grande Prairie. My mother is from Worsley - I know people from Worseley... turns out Michelle’s grandma is best friends with my Aunt Annie, and my uncle is dating her uncle. Small town - so weird.
I said goodbye to Hannah (who was headed to Uruguay) and met up with Michael (who hosted me at new years)
Tango Time
My tango teacher in the basement of the famous Cafe Tortoni at the Canadian embassy and went for my last lunch in Buenos Aires... cry. Later that day I went to the bus station for a nice 18 hour ride up to Iguassu falls.
I was sweating my balls off the second I got off the bus. Thankfully my hostel had a pool. I went for dinner with some friends I’ve met along the way, and in the morning set off for the famous Iguassu waterfalls on the Argentina side with two Aussie boys. While some freaks are walking around in jeans, others are wearing bikinis around the park. Some creepy raccoon type thing clawed at me when it saw my food bag - scared the shit out of me.
The waterfalls were insane and one of the Aussies bucked up and paid to go on the 15 minute boat ride with me where they seriously soaked us under the falls. After 6 hours of waterfalls in the jungle I was suffering from some serious heat stroke -and I still had to grab my bags and cross the border. Thankfully the local bus was only $1.50 and there were no line-ups. Stamp - stamp... welcome to
Choripan
Our favourite cheap meat restaurant in Buenos Aires. A big fat sausage on a bun with all the fixings... $1.50 Brazil.
I dumped my bags at the door of my hostel and raced for the pool. It was 7 pm and it was still 40 degrees! Thankfully in the heat I have lost my appetite and might lose a pound or two before Rio. The next morning I did the Brazil side of the falls with a guy from Slovenia and really enjoyed the panoramic view. (There is a big fight over which side is better... personally I really enjoyed both)
At 4 pm I sweated my way to the airport and boarded a flight up to Salvador. Welcome to expensive land, cabs... hostels... everything is expensive. I didn’t like the hostel I was at so early the next morning I took a motion sickness pill and jumped on a 2 hour ferry to an island called Morro de Sao Paulo. My first beach in Brazil I was treated to nice sand, nice water, and a people watcher’s dream. Speedos everywhere and barely covering your ass Brazilian bikinis as far as the eye could see.
There were two lovely Norwegian girls in my dorm who adopted me and the last couple of days have
La Bomba!
the best drumming show ever for all of $5. been a nice relaxing introduction to Brazilian beach life. For entertainment purposes I plan on investing in a Brazilian bikini in Rio - until then all I can do is move to a liquid diet and hope to shed another pound or two until that scary moment when I rock Ipanema beach with my ass hanging out.
I am back in Salvador at a cooler hostel but still feeling the effects of the boat ride back. Didn’t get sick, but my head is moving back and forth as I write. I am also seriously confused with the whole Portuguese here - very hard to understand! Next up - Carnival in Rio and some serious beach time!
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Jen
non-member comment
love the waterfalls sharm!! beautiful!