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I remember my friend Paul telling me that on his big South American adventure a couple of years ago, he found Santiago to be much like Latin America's version of Madrid, but even though I've not been there, I'd more aptly label Buenos Airies with that title and what's more, I don't think its citizens would mind one bit! The Argentinian capital is a true metropolis, bustling with people along its European styled streets, and rich with similar looking architecture. Indeed, everyone but one person ~ an American guy I met in Montevideo who thought the city dirty and its people rude ~ couldn't have recommended it enough to me for its sightseeing possibilities and electrifying nightlife, which themselves could have built my own expectations up too much, I guess. However, whether a good or bad thing, there is something quite undeniably unique and separately different about Buenos Aires when comparing it to its South American neighbours which I could only admire.
And you'd be quite impressed to learn that, despite the 24 hour party culture of the place, I managed to see as much of the city in the three days I had as my little legs would allow and more! This included Casa Rosada, the pink presidential building in the Microcentro where Evita warbled some stuff about crying, and then her and her husband's resting place up in what I can only describe as one of the most ungraveyard looking graveyards I've ever been to in posh Recoleta. The next day I wondered south through the cobbled streets of San Telmo, which is basically the antiquey part of the city and where I subsequently picked up a few bargains, before heading for La Boca, not the most attractive part of Buenos Aires, but home to Boca Juniors football club, where I took a tour around its museum and stadium....it doesn't really compare to White Hart Lane!! On my last night there was a party and I met quite a few people from the hostel I was staying at, including a couple of brothers from Dublin, and a few from very very near home. It's a small world (sometimes), as they say.
Next stop was Santiago ~ on the plane over I sat next to the Chilean doppelganger of David Walliams ~ and I've been here since Friday, but on Saturday I decided to go and explore Valparaiso, or 'Valpo' as its locals know it. Having the left the sun out in the capital, I was a little pissed off that the rain started to come down heavily half way through the two hour bus journey there, but soon the sun came out and I could explore the city using its Ascensors (short cable car rides upwards) to look out across the port and sea. A city so colourful and arty I never did see before. This is a pretty unique place. Then yesterday, I took advantage of the free Sunday museum openings here and went to three of them, the most impressive of which being the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino.
Today is my last day in my two month travels in South America, so it seemed wise to write a blog before I travel onward, first for New Zealand and then to Australia, for just as exciting, but probably far less cultural adventures! Looking back on my time here, it seems slightly surreal that I've packed so much into such a short space of time, making memories, especially of my time in Peru and Lima seeming far longer ago than a few weeks, but I can't deny that it's all been absolutely brilliant. In fact, I'm feeling a little fortunate again that travelling such distances was so hassle free, especially after being told by some American in a Valpo cafe that protests going on in and around Cuzco at the moment, are preventing many from being able to do the Inca Trail. Anyway, hope all is well with everyone at home and I'll speak to you when I'm down under...
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