It´s a bit waarm!! - Buenos Aires

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"Mix together a European-like city with attractive residents (portenos), gourmet cuisine, awesome shopping, a frenzied nightlife & top drawer activities and you get Buenos Aires .... blah, blah, blah!" Well its bloody hot for starters! 30+ Mrs P burnt her shoulders after about 3.5 minutes in the sun (silly chica!). Lots of stray dogs as well, odd for a city, well we thought so anyway. Given that we're on a budget we've done a tour off all the free museos, a toilet one (I was tempted to say it was a load of crap....get it? But it was actually ok!), we've done a tour of Casa Rosada, the Presidential office, we stood on the balcony where the Pope blessed the people of Argentina...bless um indeed and where Eva Peron (Evita) addressed the people. Was quite moving and we could really feel the history and significance of the place. We tried to do a tour of the senate but after waiting 30 mins they told us to bugger off! Sommat about no hable Espanol....charming.

We stayed in a neighbourhood called San Telmo - very arty and full of beautiful arty people, think Covent Garden but much bigger, busier and more organic. On Sundays, the place comes alive with stalls and people selling everything from jewellery and crafts to parts for your washing machine. Once it goes darks, the Tango dancers take to the square, ordinary people gather together to dance to the musicians and singers...totally mesmerising. The sound of drumming and the sight of people dancing and clapping along is totally infectious and the atmosphere was a real experience for us.

We took a day trip to Tigre, an hour away on the train, its a weekend getaway place for portenos. Its on a delta, loads of boat trips, we took cheap option and jumped on one of the commuter boats and were lucky that we made it back! (Don't tell my mum :-) !!!!) Boat trip was cool, different world altogether.

NB. Got to San Telmo after a 2 hour bus ride on the number 8...yep the number 8 all for the grand sum of...35p, for both of us...bonus Mr P!!

Mrs P is beginning to realise that this is actually a South American futbol tour! Did our first game yesterday, so over to our own Bignickpendle,

Racing Club 3 All Boys 0
We skipped the Boca Juniors game ($500 a ticket) in favour of Racing Club ($110 a ticket) and it was a top decision. Got in the stadium (big holds 68,000), about 2 hours before kick off, & then spent ages watching the fans set their flags up. Amazing flags, some up to 80 meters long, every spare space covered. Once up they then start singing and don't stop until 20 minutes after the end of the game. Loud, really loud, & everyone sings, apart from the two burnt Brits and even we clapped along! They have a moat around the pitch with barbed wire, we saw 2 lads fall in! It was a real experience, absolutely loved it. Good game as well, a hat trick from some bloke, all top drawer. After the game fans were hanging off buses waving flags & singing! Crackers!

Part 2 of the South American futbol tour!
Velez Sarsfield 1 Olimpio 0
This was a little trip out of BA, 90 minutes on the bus. These guys are apparently ranked by FIFA as the 3rd best club team in the world ahead of the dirty reds in 4th! Bolton aren´t even on the list!, by the way saw some woman wearing a Blackburn shirt on way to stadium! Can you believe it?? Stadium holds about 45,000 and is completely open which is fine for the weather we've been having recently but yesterday it bucketed it down, proper thunder and lightning. Two very wet Brits! Atmosphere was good but not the same passion as Racing Club, maybe something to do with the rain, the opposition being from miles away (they brought more flags than fans! ) and the quality of the game. Fluked a cross into the top corner, missed a penalty as well but not too much else to shout about. On Sunday Boca lost 5-4 at home in the clasico to Independiente who scored twice in injury time!! Next stop Montevideo Wanderers?

Adios for now BA, Uruguay is calling, home of Betty Suarez!

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Comments

[Susie]

Love the update!!
Wow - it looks like you guys are having an amazing time. I especially love the town with the stalls/dancing at night, I bet that was magical! Looking forward to the next update, take care xxx

[Nicola Fenlon]

Not Jealous at all!!!
Hey my lovely friends!! Missing you loads and so jealous of your gorgeous journey so far! It looks amazing and proper inspiring. Katarina - you look glowing and really happy. The team are missing you here and we talk about you lots. We all looking at your blog right now! Take care and enjoy, following you all the way!!! Big special Nic Hug x x x x x

[claire stabler]

hellooooooo
hey you two, you both look so healthy and like your having an amazing time. Nic H and i want to be dancing with the Tango dancers! that's an amazing picture. Missing you loads but dont come back till you've done everything that you set out to do! keep us posted and in the words of dirty dancing' have the time of your life' :) lots of love stabler