It takes two to Tango, Buenos Aires

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So we left New Zealand at 5pm and landed 13 hours later in Buenos Aires at 2pm on the same day, so time travel truly is possible!

Oh BA is going to be fun. Tthe cab driver tells you not to bother putting on your seatbelt and proceeds to spend most of the 80mph journey from the airport with his head peering over the back seat excitedly telling us how he loves Boca Juniors more than his wife, Maradona is "muy bueno" and a god (if indeed the two do differ) while pissing his sides when we tell him we speak no Spanish! We end the trip (in one piece) outside the hostel recreating the infamous hand of god. I´m Shilton on this occasion, the taxi driver must have amnesia as he tries to head the invisible ball at the invisible net (and no use of his hand in sight)!

Other than the language differences, we have to integrate into our new South American lifestyle. Dinner at 11pm when most English people are in bed, arriving at the clubs no earlier than 2:30am and most days arriving back at the hostel at 8am in time for breakfast, bed then some (hungover) sightseeing and a well needed afternoon siesta (the heat hovers daily around the 40/42 degree mark daily).

We based ourselves in the historic San Telmo district, home of the Tango and beautiful architecture. Nightly we feast on cheap red wine and the biggest fillet steaks I have ever seen all for a fiver. One night myself and John (our new Hackney geezer) aquaint ourselves with Parrilla Completa, Elaine sensibly stayed away from it. I kinda wish I had after a dinner of BBQ cow intestines, tongue, liver, heart and sweetbreads. One speciality that I do especially love however being a Bury boy is the Argentinian Morcilla, BLACK PUDDING to you and me - YES!

Visits to Eva Peron´s Mausaleum, the National Art Gallery, the San Martin Plaza with it´s Falkland memorial (better to keep a distance me thinks!). A quiet day turns rather lively as we turn into the Main Plaza and encounter the Mother´s Rally for Argentina´s missing children (while expressing opposition to the government, hundreds of political students have disappeared over the last 20 years, most never heard of from again). We are captivated by the emotion, the huge banners, masses of people and the music from the bands marching down the main government street. However when slogans start getting sprayed on the Gov building we quickly decide to enforce travellings number one motto ´keep away from political situations´ (especially when in South America) and make a hasty retreat.

The 30th of December we spend in true BA style. Clubbing the night away in BA´s Super Club as VIP guests for John´s birthday. With it´s open air dance floor and swimming pool we dance under the stars until the sun comes up. The night rocked.

Not the best thing to do the night before NYE, however feeling rather rough we dragged ourselves to the redeveloped dockside. And partied all over again in BA style - gatecrashing parties (English style), drinking cheap wine, tequila and champagne, attempting to tango all in the setting of an amazing firework display to see in the New Year. It was a stunning New Year. One of the best and actually cheapest NY´s we´ve managed. Absolutely awesome.

On our final day we go to the notorious La Boca, mainly to pay homage to the mighty Boca Juniors at the La Bombonera ´The Chocolate Box´. To the positive the the ground is intimate, to the realist it´s tatty (Boca truly is the poor mans club and the ground reflects this). With the huge fencing to keep the supporters off the pitch, it´s an intimidating ground when empty, and when full you can try and imagine (death trap springs to mind). Seeing the changing rooms you can see why most players swarm to the rich European leagues, they are truly Division 2! Argentina despite it´s football passion is still is a poor country, which loses it's best players.

After a week we reluctantly leave the amazing, beautiful and rough on the edges the city of "Good Air" (definately not named after the bi-product of all that steak!) for the mythical and desolate Patagonia. We need sleep and on the 20 hour bus journey to our next destination we're sure to get some! We can´t wait.

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Comments

[Pablo]

Hi Dear! The guy on the left is Carlos Gardel,the father of tango.