Buenos Aires ("BA") - last few days of holiday

19 November 2010

First day in BA and we had to try and figure out what we wanted to see, especially from Stephanie’s perspective, as she was only staying there for 3 more nights before her return flight. BA is not so well know like a Paris or Rio with so many well known sights, so it does take a bit of time reading up and see what we can and wanted to do. After reading though Mariska’s and Rob’s tips (thank’s guys) and then my Footprints, and with the help of a postcard with various sights of BA on it, we figured out what we would do. Plan was to do central BA first on the Friday, Saturday Palermo and Recoleta and then Sunday San Telmo and La Boca. City is pretty easy to navigate with a map and there are a few big landmarks, which help a lot getting your direction right.

Also Milhouse Hostel is located in a great spot! So we headed wets first to the Plaza del Congresso, which as the name implies, is where there Congress meets. Then we walked to the theatre, Colon (which is very famous and many stunning plays have been held there), and then to the Obelisk (like a giant needle) in the middle of the widest street in the world (Avenue 9 de Julio). Then off to Plaza da Mayo and all of the buildings that are in the plaza, including  the famous pink building where Evita’s balcony was – still trying to figure out what she actually did on that balcony (Casa del Gobierno). Then we walked to Peurto Madero, which is like the waterfront area in BA), where we had some lunch and ice cream. After lunch we headed for the shopping street, Avenue Florida, which has leather shops galore (both me and Stephanie bought ourselves a leather jacket). We walked all the way to the end of the street (at Plaza St Martin) and then turned around to look for dinner – where we discovered one of the restaurants of the trip regarding quality of food. We had the most divine Patagonian lamb stew, definitely one of the dishes of the holiday! All in all, a great first day spent well.

20 November 2010

Caught the Metro in the morning (very easy to use and cheap) to go to the Recoleta district to see the very famous Cemetary that they have there (all of the rich and famous of BA are buried there, and all of their graves are also above ground, in these stunning tombs that are carved out). Some fantastic grave stones and some of them were dating back to the 1800’s (Evita is buried here as well). There are quite a few things to see in that Cemetery area, so we decided to have some coffee at one of BA’s most renowned and famous, La Biela, which is also right next to a very old and large tree. It is a very touristy area, with lost of people selling different goods (like a flea market). It was very pleasant to walk around there and take some nice pictures. Then we headed towards Palermo with the metro, but first we walked along avenue Sante Fe, which is also a very large street with lost of shops). Initially we walked in the wrong direction when we got off the station (heading towards the Japanese botanical gardens), but after some deliberation, both Stephanie and myself decided we can skip it (not garden people) and rather head to the more trendy area with nice little funky shops and cafés t sit down and people watch.  Palermo is a place that is very hip and happening – a lot of small restaurants, bars and almost young designer shops.  There was a big party in the square there, with lost of street performers entertaining the crowds. We ended up sitting down at one of the cafees that overlooked all of this entertainment and just had a few beers. There was this band playing acid jazz type of music, which was very cool and appropriate for the moment – they were real crowd pleasers with their music. We then headed to La Cabreara, probably the most famous steakhouse in BA (in Palermo). Getting to the restaurant, it felt more like to trying to get into a club, which was crazy! We made no booking before hand (which is actually a big no-no for that place), so we were put on the waiting list, which because we were there so early, at elast we were more on the top of the list. We decided to wait at this restaurant across the street (I think which gets all of its clients from that place  because of people waiting) and then had to wait for 2 hours before we could get seater (again, we had some more beers). Eventually, after some small talk and “I am a tourist and this is my only chance that I can eat here”, we got a table (the place still felt at this stage like I was trying to get into a club). Steak we had was good (ribeye), but still it did not blow me away, and I do not think worth the queues etc. Probbaly with all of the hype, I was expecting this out of this world steak. The “best Argie” steak is still eluding me! We walked a very long road back in order to try and get to the station, only to be told that the metro was closed – dammit! If someone only could have told us this, it would have saved us some time! Still a great day.

21 November 2010

We headed to San Telmo area, which on Sundays are lined up full of street markets (especially along

Defensa street

and Derrengo Plaza). Loads of different goods that people were selling, but very nice to walk along the streets on a Sunday afternoon. We were advised not to go to La Boca (specifically to Carninito streets), because it is one of the more dangerous areas in BA, and with a football game being played that day (Boca Juniors football team), the locals will be out having a few drinks getting ready for the game (they have very passionate supporters). So we decided that we would go with the hostel to a Boca Juniors game (which was basically listed on all of the travel guides as a must to see – very cool atmosphere the crow creates and lost of singing). Took the bus and it dropped us off at a local Boca bar/club to “gets us in the mood for the football”, playing load Boca music and also providing beers! The game itself was  bit weird at first, because we though we were whatching the first team play, and the stadium was basically empty, but then after they left (they only play a half), the actual match started and the stadium was very full and noisy (so I could not understand at first why the people were coming to the game only at half time, mean time it was actually the start of the game!). Really good atmosphere and the crowd really get into the football, especially were we were sitting. Now I understood why seeing  a Boca game was a must! Boca Juniors is also Maradonna’s old club before he played in Europe, so they idolize him here! Really great experience (my first football match) and some of these fans will put the rugby supporters back him to shame with their passion and they just go on and on sigining and clapping for the full 90 minutes, and they stand all the time as well. They only time they sit is half time! Stephanie was leaving tomorrow, so at the end of the day, it was also sitting on both of our minds, the holiday was coming to an end and it will be very long before we see each other again….

22 November 2010

Woke up and feeling sad, but we knew it was coming, Stephanie’s holiday had come to an end unfortunately. Actually, both of us were sad, but we know it has to happen in order for this whole thing to move forward. I went with her to the airport (there was no way I was letting her go by herself). At the airport, both of us said our goodbyes (which I hate) and we had our moments on different occasions when we shed some tears. I also recall a good Nickleback song playing in the McDonalds which said, “if today was your last day……” – cant remember the whole songs words, but very cool and fitting for the moment. Took the shuttle bus back to the hostel, and I was feeling a bit lonely, but met a nice Swedish girl who had just traveled to BA to meet up with her friends, so she wanted to know lost of information about BA, which I could tell her, and it made my ride back less sad and a little easier. I decided to go to Colonia (Uruguy) tomorrow, and kept myself busy in the afternoon doing blog entries (which I was a lot more behind that I thought I was). Went for dinner that afternoon by myself, and just kept myself busy with more blog entries. The one thing I had noticed about traveling alone, it is fine traveling around alone, but having dinner alone sucks! At the end of the day, it still also did not sink in completely, but I was not going to see Stephanie for another 6 months, which is a long time.

23 November 2010

Last full day in BA and woke up early (and feeling weird being alone for the first time again) to go to pier to get the ferry from BA to Colonia for a day trip. (Fortunately) it did not work out, as I missed the quick boat that takes 1 hour to get there, so I would have to take the slow boat, which takes 3 hours to get there! And because of the time that I would have arrived there, I would have to take the slow one back again, which meant that I would have to travel for 6 hours in one day – and that felt like it would be a waste and that I had enough flying ahead of me. I also phoned Mariska and she advised me to rather leave it as well, it would not be worth it. So I decided to do the La Boca walking tip with the hostel, which includes visiting the Boca Juniors stadium and museum. There was a lot more people that did the trip in the end, and while I was waiting in the foyer, I met an American from LA, ________, and we started talking (his parents both from Egypt). He was at the beginning of his travels, and because he did not have a clear cut plan, he was bouncing  a lot of questions off me. The tour started at Boca Juniors Stadium, and then the museum (which was not that impressive). Then we were taken to one of the stands, which is a little different if the stadium is filled with people vs if it is just empty (like now). It is also defiantly Maradonna place this, everywhere pictures, posters, paintings of their hero. Then we walked to a rstaurent in la Boca where we had some lunch and I had my first parilada (basically a place of barbecued meat with almost everything on it – including some very weird stuff that no one on our table could get down their throats – if this was Fear Factor, we would loose badly!).The table I was on, was with 3 crazy Ozzie guys, and 3 Ozzie ladies, but they were traveling in different groups (half of the people in the hostel were from Oz). Again, we had a few very good laughs and I saw how easily I get along with them. After lunch, we walked to the famous

Caminito Street

in La Boca, where all of the houses and walls are these different colors (painted like in blocks of different colors). Loads of activity in this street, which was very touristy, almost too much. And I saw my only “live’ tango show in this street (which was still a bit cheesy). Walked around and took some pictures and then took the public bus back to the hostel. I picked up our leather jackets that we had bought and had to pre pack my backpack to see if it would fit in, otherwise I would need to go and buy and extra bag. In the evening, I basically did nothing, as I was all “tourist” out by this stage. Pretty excited that I was flying back, and that after 5 years working abroad, and 2 months traveling, I would be heading back home to SA!

 

24 November 2010

Woke up feeling very excited!! Really had very little to do, so I decided to go to Aerolineas head office close by and give them a piece of my mind and complain about their bad service and flight delays (I literally had the whole day to kill, as my flight was only leaving 11 at night). There was at least a helpful lady that listened to me and my complaints, but we will see if something is going to come from it. Checked out at the hostel (left my bags there) and then went to the most famous coffee shop in BA, Café Tortoni, which opened in 1858, so the interior of the place is very grand and the people literally queue outside to get it. The coffee shop is the oldest in the country and surrounded by wooden walls, and besides its oak and marble tables, some very famous politicians and businessman have wined and dined here. Had a brilliant lunch there, French sandwich, covered with ham, cheese and blue cheese meted over – great way to end the last lunch in BA! After lunch I wanted to do the city tour, but because it was all booked out till about 3pm, I decided that I would walk around St Martin plaza, which was very pleasant (and hot). After that went to the internet just to get the time over. When we finally had t go to the airport, I was like a little kid, SO excited! Met a very nice British lady that lives in Cape Town in the que, and very interesting lady that had some great stories and we got along really well. So well, the queing felt that it actually wnet by very quickly! I had my last stint and lost it with Areolineas (again) when I went to do a claim at their offices at the airport, but by that time I just had enough of them and wanted to forget about them. Much rather looking forward to the flight back home!

And so it was, holiday Part I coming to an end, now for Part II………….

25 November 2010

Plane was pretty empty, so we had enough space that I could lie down (flew with Air Malaysia). With the help of two sleeping pills, had a very solid sleep on the plane, which I normally struggle with. Arrived in SA, Cape Town and it felt pretty surreal. Back after so long! Immigration went very quickly and then I was onboard to get my flight to Johannesburg.

Just before we landed in JHB, I had my moment and shed a tear of joy, so nice being back. I also found it fitting to play a song from my Itouch when the captain said we were preparing to land. I thought “Eye of the Tiger”, one of my favorite songs, was very appropriate for this moment. And I had a huge smile as we were landing. So nice to see mom and dad!!!!

Wow, after 1.5 months traveling, it was a blast. So glad about the twp portions of the trip, the one traveling by myself, which put me out of my comfort zone, which was great and something that I needed, especially for the trip that was coming up in Africa, and then the other part traveling with Stephanie, which was so nice spending 3 weeks together and getting to know here even better. We had some fantastic moments and saw some breathtaking things! I am truly very lucky and blessed! Now, where is that bicycle???