Buenos noches from Buenos Aires!

Crossing the dateline is bizarre - I arrived in Buenos Aires somewhat jet-lagged and sleep-deprived (not to mention bored, my cheapo flight didn't have any TV screens - yikes! I panic-bought magazines in Auckland airport and prayed my laptop battery would last for the whole of An Education).

Anyway, I'm here safe and sound and feeling good. TelmoTango hostel is lovely, and I was lucky enough to be sharing with a lovely Israeli girl, Alice, last night - she's been here for a week so became my official tour guide today. Together we navigated the tube (hot and busy, just like home), saw Evita's grave and made shopkeepers confused...

I started the day with a nosey around Palermo, the posh bit - gorgeous cobbled streets lined with cafes, trendy bars and boutiques. It felt quite European actually, but for the Spanish graffitti. Really lovely. Then Alice and I headed for the famous La Recoleta cemetary, home to Ava Peron's final resting place. What a place! The cemetary is more like a town, a series of paved streets lined with hundreds of elaborate mausoleums. Mum will appreciate the pics, although the rest of you will probably be wondering why I'm so interested in cemetaries. They're interesting places! I like all the big angels carvoed out of stone. This cemetary is home to some of the wealthiest families in Buenos Aires, dating back to the 19th century when the city was one of the world's most prosperous. Very impressive, if somewhat bizarre.

After lunch in the park (I had a stint as a bocadillo-maker in the grocery store, check out the photo) we headed to Centro for a look at the commerical centre. Horrid and busy, like Oxford St on a Saturday afternoon and with even more pickpockets, I beat a hasty retreat and headed for the sunny sanctuary of the hostel roof terrace.

Buenos Aires is a very cool city, so vibrant and passionate. I'm looking forward to seeing tango on the streets - the weekend is the best time to spot that so it's perfect timing.

Tomorrow I check into the hotel meeting-point for the GAP Adventures tour I'll be on for the next 3 weeks. Fingers crossed the other adventurerers are nice...

x