Milan and arriving into Buenos Aires

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My flight arrived into BA at around 9am local time. I successfully managed to get my baggage, change some currency at the Banco de la Nacion in the airport, have a cup of coffee and book an official taxi to my hostel. I arrived 2 hours early to my hostel and needed to wait until the room was ready. 15 minutes after I’d put my bags down I was ready to go exploring. I got talking to the owner of the hostel Antonio and he gave me a map and sent me on a tour at 3pm. Unfortunately with the heat, and the enormous size of the neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires I didn’t make the tour on time so I wondered around the neighbourhood and planned tomorrow. Recoleta, my neighbourhood is a safe one and the old residence of the social elite. It’s lined by boulevards so it was pleasant. In the evening I tried a restaurant in the neighbourhood – a pizzeria and opted for a full meal – Patagonian trout in a creamy sauce with potatoes, a fruit salad and a small glass of red wine which was so strong it left me drunk after half a glass.



It’s hard to believe that only two days ago I left Mum’s cosy house in the suburbs lit by Christmas lights and having spent the UK winter living a hobbit-like existence – sipping ale by the log fires in the Roundhay Fox, watching Coronation Street and eating thorntons chocolates. In 2 days I’ve visited Italy for the first time, spent 12 hours on a plane getting here, met an Italian girl in a hostel who was there just to avoid her parents’ traditional attitudes, found my way on the subway and trams in Milan, met a Chilean nurse on the plane who lived and worked in Italy during the European summer and spent her free time sunbathing on beaches and was on her way to soak up some more rays in Mar del Plata - a famous coastline in Argentina and I’d met Abel for a freshly squeezed orange juice in Madrid Barajas airport.



It’s also hard to believe that only a day or two ago I was cautiously walking over ice on my street and here in Buenos Aires I am having my first summer of the year. The seasons follow the same pattern as in mainland Europe but the opposite way round so now it is the middle of their summer and the equivalent to mainland Europe’s August – when the locals take their holidays and head to the beaches because it’s too hot to work. The sun doesn’t set until about 9 or 10pm here in BA and rises early so the days are very long and perfect for exploring safely!

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Photos

First substantial meal in Buenos Aires.
Patagonian trout in a creamy sauce with potatoes, served in a Pizzeria in Recoleta in BA, tasty