thisisclaire

Since we’ve been back in Buenos Aires, we’ve done a lot. Really, I should have been blogging every day but that’s just not very likely to happen (obviously).

Anyways, when we got back from Buenos Aires, Dave was here - yay for more friends! That evening we went out for churrascaria (aka loads of meat served off swords at your table plus a giant buffet of veggies, fish, and seafood). I was full after one plate of the salad bar and didn’t have any of the meat - but from what I witnessed from the guys, it was amazing. We were at dinner until 1:30am (granted, our reservation wasn’t until 10pm - that’s just how it is here). After dinner we went to a club and stayed up way past my bedtime. 

Needless to say, we had a slow start the next day. After lunch we headed down to Rosedal (Rose Garden) in the Parque Tres de Febrero and wandered through it, exploring a few small ponds and walking bridges.

After some ice cream, we headed back to the apartment. That evening we had a relaxed grilling dinner in the parilla (grill/party room) on the 19th floor. Several other ex-pats came over and it was really pleasant!

The next day, we went to La Recoleta and explored the Cemetary/Mausoluem Park where Eva Peron is buried (plus several other notable Argentinians). It was pretty incredible. There are 4,800 mini-mausoleums in a three-to-four block area. It’s been open since the 1820s and some of the structures were amazing - each ornate or kitschy in it’s own way. Check out the photos on Flickr.

From there we headed to the Plaza of the United Nations to see the Floralis Generico sculpture. Since Whit had to catch his flight home, we didn’t get to spend much time there and caught a cab back to the apartment. Once he was on his way, Drew, Dave and I went to dinner at an amazing vegetarian restaurant.

In the next hour - Drew, Dave, and I will head to the airport to fly to Mendoza, which is basically Argentina’s Napa Valley, situated right by the Andes. I’ll be there for three days - and will hopefully get to update again before I head to Panama on Monday.

Until then…

The past couple days have been quite relaxing - which has been great! The pool has kept us well-occupied, as has cooking a few meals at home and sharing some wine with Katie, Drew’s roommate (also an ex-pat, who just moved here from New York.)

Yesterday we managed to motivate and go explore La Boca - an area on the southeast side of town, and a bit of trek from Palermo. To get there, I got my first Buenos Aires subway experience - which is very warm, but otherwise uneventful. The stations reminded me of the Metro in Paris - long hallways complete with pretty tiling. We arrived at La Constitucion - which is not the greatest area in the city, though the station is a big beautiful building. We walked about twenty minutes from there, and made a quick stop for empanadas and treats.

Another fifteen minutes or so later, we reached the waterfront in La Boca. La Boca is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. It was settled and built by Italians but it evoked Bourbon Street more to me (granted, I’ve never been there but this is how I would imagine it). We immediately sat down for beers and relaxed in the shade for a bit at an outdoor cafe (one of many to choose from), where the entertainment was a couple dancing the tango.

After we felt refreshed, we walked through the area - stopping often for photos (which are on Flickr) and to look at souvenirs.

We ended up on the rooftop terrace of an art gallery and had some coffee before heading back to the subway station. All in all, it was great day!

Today we had lunch at a nearby cafe, and surprise - hung out by the pool afterwards. Even though it’s fall here, it’s still pretty warm when you’re in the sun. Tonight we’re going to dinner at a friend’s place, and potentially out after that.

The important thing is, Whit arrives tomorrow - yay! The following day, we are all flying down to Bariloche - which will be quite different from Buenos Aires, and I can’t wait!