Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Monday morning we got up and went downstairs to investigate what the free breakfast was. It was frosties and small bread buns with tea and juice, very nice. We enquired about getting some laundry done as we hadnt done any for ages. The best option was to take it to a laundrette not too far from the hostel so armed with a huge bag of clothes each and directions from the hostel, determined not to get lost we set off on our way. Amazingly we found the laundrette without getting lost or going the wrong way once. We stumbled through asking for our clothes to be washed and her telling us to mix up our clothes putting all our darks in one basket and colours in another. She gave us a ticket and said in English, no ticket no clothes and come back at 6/7 pm. We went down the next road and found an internet cafe so we went in there for an hour. After that we had lunch in a restaurant. We were sat in the window and everyone who walked past was staring at us and people kept looking at us in the street. I came to the conclusion it was beacuse we are blonde as most people are dark haired and there are hardly any blondes.
We went back to the hostel and went to the travel desk to plan our next 2 weeks before our overland tour starts. We had come up with a rough plan and after further thought had come up with our final plan. We also bought tickets to a drumming show that the hostel was selling for that evening. We went back to the travel desk to book our bus tickets but were told it is better to pay in cash than on card as it is cheaper. We had both got no money left from paying for our room and the drumming tickets. So we went to the bank to get some money and to get our laundry as well. When we got to the bank it wouldnt let either of us get any money out saying your card cannot be used at this ATM. We walked further down the street to find another bank, this said the same. We spent the next half an hour walking around trying lots of different banks but non of them would let us take cash out. Then we came across HSBC which is Sarahs bank and it still wouldnt let her get any money out. We couldnt go in as the bank was closed as it was 6:30 now. We were supposed to be going out at 7 and we didnt even have enough money to get our laundry back. Also the fact that we had been walking around looking for banks had made us realise we were lost and didnt know which way back to the hostel was. We found the road eventually that led to the hostel but we walked the wrong way down it fr a while before turning around and getting back. We explained to the receptionist and she let us have our 50 peso deposit back so we could go get our laundry back. It was five minutes to seven we werent going to make it out on time we thought but she said run get your laundry and then go as they arnt actually leaving until 7:30. So we ran upstairs changed our top so we looked slightly better for going out and then ran down the stairs and all the way to the laundrette and got our clothes. We ran back to the hostel and left our clothes at reception and went to find the other hostel where they were leaving from. We got there just about in time as we struggled to find it.
We left there in a big group and we had to go on the subway to get there. When we got there it was an open air place with a tin roof. We didnt have jackets and now we had cooled down from our run we were quite cold. Also there were no seats and all we wanted to do was sit down. We also couldnt buy a drink as we had no money. There were about 10 drummers on the stage. They were very good but I dont think me and Sarah were really in the mood to enjoy it properly. Lots of people were dancing to the beat and looked like the were having a great time and we were stood there arms folded looking cold and grumpy. We couldnt wait for it to end really. At 10pm it eventually ended and we got on the bus to go home. There was an after party at the other hostel but we snook off back to our hostel and went to bed.
First thing in the morning we rang our banks and got our cards sorted so we could get some money out. We payed half of our bus ticket money as even when you can get money out it only lets you get a small amount. We chose to do the free walking tour of the city. We had to get the bus to La Boca where the tour took place. All the buildings in La Boca are painted all different colours and it is known as the rainbow town. There were lots of little cafes and markets along the streets and there would be a couple dancing the tango in each cafe. It is where all the imagrants landed as it was next to the port and then used to get the paint from the ships leftovers which is why they are all different colours. We had lunch in a cafe before heading back.
That evening we were booked to go to a Tango show so we spent a few hours getting dressed up and curling our hair as it was quite a posh place. The ticket included a 3 course meal and a bottle of wine. When we got there a butler person opened the car door for us and helped us out of the taxi. We were shown inside and it was indeed very posh. For dinner we had Onion soup for starters, baby beef cutlet with chips and for dessert a caramel pancake. It was delicious but far too big, we couldnt eat it all. Then the show started. There were 4 couples dancing accompanied by a live band with 2 singers and a man who did a stompy dance. They did dances as individual couples as well as altogether. It was just like watching Strictly Come Dancing. The show lasted an hour and a half finishing with Dont Cry for me Argentina.
The nex morning we went to get more money out the bank to pay for our other half of the bus ticket hoping our cards would still work. They did, so we are now fully booked for the next two weeks. Starting with a night bus to Mendoza in Argentina.
- comments