Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Day 1
Our trip started with an interesting flight in. In order to get to Buenos Aires we had to take a connecting flight from Sao Paolo and we only had an hour to do it in. Getting through the security controls took an age, so we ended up having to peg it to the next terminal managed to checkin for our flight 15 minutes before takeoff. Unfortunatley, our bags were not as quick, but we got a nice little sweetner from British Airways for the trouble.
Once in BA we took a wander around down by the portside, the ecological reserve and throught the old town. Here there was a fantastic little Parrilla (basically a meat oriented cafe) and the nicest steak ever Bife de Choizo!!! BA is very similary to Mediternian cities; really relax, friendly, sunny and with great food.
As our bags had still not joined us by the evening we decided that it would be better to kill the next day with a hangover and our increasing smell with alcohol and smoke. Brilliant night, we met a bunch of great people, the general mix of aussies, saffers, Canadians and also a couple of Paruguayans. Sadly our jetlag caught up to us at just before 3 so had to bow out a couple of hours befgore everyone else.
Day 2
Our bags finally arrived, so cleaned up we headed to the Boca Jrs vs Velez game. Football in South America is something special. It is a whole day event. People started turing up early to watch the reserves game and adorned the stadium with extensive Boca regalia. There was no healthand stafey, fans climb all over the stadum and pitch cage to hang ribbons, banners etc, not an inch was spared. Kick off was greeted by the release of balloons and confetti and the singing and chanting started. It did not stop!! The fans and band chanted continuously, pausing only to unlease piercing wistles at the opposition any time they dared to win the ball. The final score was 3-2 to Boca, Velez´s keeper having an apsolute mare which allowed Martin to score a header from about 20yrds out! Admittedly the quality was not Premier League but the experience was phenominal.
That evening we headed to the oldest cafe in BA, Federal. Apparently it hadn´t changed in over 180yrs. Wonderful surrounding and a nice blatter with meats and cheese.
Day 3
Today was a major day for exploring. First stop were the Avenues 9 de Julio y Avenue de Mayo. These are the core of BA and have witnessed some of its most important moments, including the declaration of independance and a darker period in the countries history where both were shelled by the Argenitine army. Avenue de Mayo remains a focus for the country. Notably mothers of those vanished in the 80s still protest here and the road is littered with countless graffitti calling for justice.
We headed from the streets to the port to look around the Presidente Sarmiento Frigate, BA´s answere to HMS Belfast. It was a sail/screw boat from the 1880s but saw service up to just before the second world war and managed to circumnavigate the globe countlesss times. Sadly for me most of the explanations were in Spanish. However, Chris got rater excited by the engine room. It had lots of pistons and things!?!
After the boat we headed back to the hostel and jumped on some of the most precarious bikes ever made. Had a great ride all over the city even if there were a couple of death roads. One Audi decided that clipping my leg was the best wat to get me to move out of his way! Also, one of my bike´s screws tore a hole in my shorts and by the end of the day half of BA had had a nice look at my arse. Definately one of my more interesting rides.
We finised the day by going to Siga La Barca. (Veggies turn away now!) This place is meat heaven!!! Or at least my idea of heaven. It is quite litterally a steak buffet!! Ribs, Rumb, Tenderloin and of course Bife de Chorizo and if you got bored there was also pork and chicken. Even the salad dishes had some form of meat within them. I ended up eating far to much not realising that they would bring out pudding and a shot similar to baileys but about the strenght of vodka. Walking home was a bit of an effort to say the least.
- comments