San Telmo fair

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Geo: -34.6118, -58.4173

We've been to the San Telmo fair several times, but this time, feeling very smug that we were learning our way around, we took the bus. As nothing in Argentina turns out to be as easy as it sounds, it was quite an adventure just getting it.

Our doorman gave us detailed instructions: go to the corner kiosk and buy the tarjeta (card) that you can then use on either the Subte (underground) or the bus. Then walk 5 blocks to the Subte station, go down the stairs and charge the card at the window--put money on it. The Subte tarjeta is like a debit card--you just load it with money, swipe it at the entry for the Subte or on the bus, and reload when empty. Simple.

Only the little store on the corner didn't have any more cards. Okay, our friend tells us, you can buy the tarjeta at the Subte. I guess that would have been way to easy to have told us that at first...

Anyway, we walk the 5 blocks to the Subte, go down the stairs to the window but he doesn't have any cards either. Only a punch card for 10 rides.

Okay, that sounds fine...we'll use 10 rides between the underground and the buses. So we buy the card, climb back up the steps and head for the bus stop. Only we don't know where the bus stops--so we wander til we see it go by, but by then we've missed it 'cause it went by. Duh.

I ask a guy standing there if this card we've just bought works for the bus (I'm getting smarter) and he says, no. Only the Subte. Okay, maybe not so smart.

Dang. We just did all that for a card we can't use??? So we pay cash for the bus and we're off finally to San Telmo.

The bus driver tells us when to get off and we walk the couple of blocks to Plaza Dorrego where all the action is. Tango dancers, street musicians, vendors, kiosks, flea markets--it all draws tourists in droves. Streets are packed with cameras clicking, but it's still a fun place to be and we enjoy the entertainment.

 

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Photos

Tango dancers
Professional dancers take partners from the crowd of onlookers. Not for me, but this little gal was having a great time!

Yerba Mate gourds and bombillas
National drink of Argentina--everyone here drinks mate. You fill the gourd with the dry leaves, then add hot water and sip it through a special silver straw with a filter at the end called a bombilla.
It's a very social thing here. Everyone shares their mate and it's really very pleasant.

Comments

[Maureen]

Love these pictures! Makes me want to go there!

[bobnkaren]

I can see you Tango-ing up a storm!